12 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS 



January 13, 191"; 



Experiments conducted in ilontserrat show very clearly 

 the advantage of providing supports when one of the objects 

 in cultivating the fleshy pod bean (Sti-.olohiuin jic-cliylohium) 

 and the white velvet bean (S. Deeringicnium) is the pro- 

 duction of a crop of pods as well as a green dressing. In the 

 case of the white velvet bean, the staked plants yielded at 

 the rate of 2,028 h. of shelled beans per acre compared 

 with only 520 lb. from the unstaked section. Similar results 

 were obtained in the case of the fleshy pod bean. 



GLEANINGS. 



According to the Interimtioiial ISuijar Journal for 

 November 19 IG, the European sugar beet crop estimate 

 showed a reduction, being some 60,000 tons less than 1915. 

 It appears that the total produclion for 191(vl7 will be 

 5,150,000 tons. 



The Kangpur lime as ijrown in Montserrat, has an 

 average weight of 61 grammes and yields 50 per cent, of 

 juice. The fruit resembles \\\ appearance a coarse-skinned 

 tangerine, and tends to cling to the tree and not to drop as 

 in the case of the West Indian lime. 



A trial made in Montserrat showed that fairly reasonable 

 crops of both ground nuts and corn can be obtained simul- 

 taneously from the same area. The seeds of both were plant- 

 ed at the same time, the ground nuts being placed midway 

 between thy rows of corn. This intensive form of culture of 

 j)rovision crops is to be encouraged. 



It is stated in the ileport on the Agricnlt'.:ral Department, 

 Montserrat, for 1915-16, that a four year-old Bay tree 

 plantation ought to produce about 20 Bb. (equivalent to 

 2 gallons) of oil per ai-re, if attention has been paid to the 

 cultivation of the trees during the first two years. This 

 return should increase to 40 Bo. of oil per acre at about the 

 siixth year. Intere.st in the planting of further arras in 

 Montserrat continues active. 



The AyricidliiKil Gu-elle 'if Kcif South Walex contains 

 two articles dealing with drought -resistant grasses. Experi- 

 ments with elephant gra.ss or Napier's fodder grass (Penni- 

 setiiin pui23urium\ and Rhodes grass (t. ' Moris y at/ana) are des- 

 cribed. I'.oth of these fodders can be produced in areas of 

 low rainfall. Rhodes grass d'-cs not appear to prove as palat- 

 able however as elephant grass. Both of these grasses have 

 been experimented with in the Wett Indies. 



An article in the Trinidad Miiror for December 11 

 reftrs to the profitable nature of the Government Exj>eri- 

 mental Farms, namely, River estate and" St. Augustine estate, 

 in that Colony. In spite of heavy expenditure at Itiver 

 estate during 1915-16. there vvas a net saving of !?500, which 

 leaves a balance to tLe credit of over .■J-tjOOO. St. Augustine 

 estate is also shown to be a profitable undertaking as well 

 as the scene of a large amount of valuable work. 



The montiily return for September 1916, showing the 

 state and prospect of the Mgyplian cotton crop, indicates 

 the higher prh-es obtaining for Sakellarides compared with 

 the prices at the same time last year. This is of interest 

 ill connexion with the general rise in tht! Sea Island cotton 

 market. U apiiears that, on the whole, the yield of tbe 

 Egyptian cotton crop this year (1916) is appreciably below 

 the average the result of abnormal climatic conditions. 



A copy has been received of the Annual Report 

 of the Camel Specialist to the Government of the Punjab, 

 India, for 1915-16. This states that a large number of 

 experiments were carried out on the treatment of .'urra by 

 various substances, and that further experiments with anti-Hy 

 emulsion were carded out together with experiments to 

 determine the susceptibility of camels to rinderpest, ha'inor- 

 rhagic septicccmia. and black-water. 



Experiments on the application of lime to the .soil, con- 

 ducted with different crops in the Federated Malay States, have 

 indicated that a decided improvement in crop production can 

 be obtained by the application of lime in quantities not sntti- 

 cient to neutralize entirely the acidity of the soil. Such 

 improvement has not been found to be directly proportional to 

 the reduction of acidity. The results indicate that an appli- 

 cation of 1 ton of burnt lime (calcium oxide), .say, every four 

 years, will give the best returns. 



A review appears in Nat in e for November 2, 1916, 

 of a new text-book on agricultural geology, by R. H. 

 Rastall, published at the University Press, Cambridge. It 

 is stated to be a well written treatise on geology for atricul- 

 tural students, and that a feature of the book is the chapter 

 on the geological history of the domestic animals, which so 

 far has not usually been considered in the teaching of agri- 

 cultural geology. Attractive descriptions of the types of 

 country met with on various formations throughout England 

 are given. 



The St. Lnc'vx OjHi-i'd Crii:ette for Xovember 4, 1SU6, 

 contains the report of the commission apjiointed to enquire 

 as to the amount and sutiiciency or otherwise of the food and 

 grain supply in that colony. In this it is urged that all land- 

 holders, both large and small, should be induced to increase 

 local production of such crops as maize, Guinea corn, cassava, 

 sweet potatoes, plantains, and other similar crops, which are 

 capable to some extent of taking the place of wheat flour. 

 In St. Lucia, beef and nmtton have risen by 2d. in the £ 

 during the last six months: other foods have also increased in 

 proportion. 



The .scircity of potash has stimulated enquiry into 

 the possible new sources of this mineral. One of the latest 

 suggestions is the production of potash salts from olive oil 

 residue (the blackish turbid, liquid deposited at the bottom 

 of the sink under oil presses), which contains about 15 per 

 cent, or slightly more. It is stated in the Journal of the 

 Depd'linrni of Ayi icAdtnre of Victorin for October 1916, 

 that by eva[)oration and combustion of 100 gallons of this 

 residue. 30 to 35 lb. of ash are recovered, lioughly, 10,000 

 gallons of this liquid would produce, on the figures given 

 approximately 1 J. ions of ash, the potash content of which 

 would make ii worth £2 ICs. per ton at the present high 

 price ot potash. 



