Vol. XVI. No. 393. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



153 



•average cutting of clover in Egypt produces about 

 •S tons per acre, which means that on good land the 

 total crop may amount to -50 or even 60 tons of green 

 fodder irom an acre of land during seven months, 

 makes this crop appear attractive, especially from the 

 point of view of the stock owner. Furthermore its 

 ■cultivation is of the simplest, but to produce the high 

 .yields mentioned above, irrigation would be required 

 «xcept in districts of adequate rainfall. The experience 

 in the past has been that leguminous fodder crops are 

 somewhat particular in respect of conditions of environ- 

 ment: thus even seed of alialfii raised in Arabia would 

 not produce a satisfactory crop in the West Indies. 

 It would be of interest, however, to try this clover 

 experimentally, and perhaps arrangements may be 

 made to conduct such an experiment in one of the 

 islands. 



Further Note on Berseem. 



Since the foregoing was written a recently issued 

 Bulletin (No. (56) from the Agricultual Research In- 

 stitute, Pusa, has been received dealing with berseem 

 as a fodder crop for India. This Bulletin contains 

 several additional facts to those mentioned above in 

 regard to this clover crop in Esjypt. It is stated that 

 two to three months after sowing the crop is ready for 

 the first cutting. After that the number of waterings 

 required varies according to the soil. In Egypt, berseem 

 is commonly grown in rotation with cotton; sometimes 

 it is sown among standing cotton and when ready for 

 the first cutting, is cut down with the cotton stalks. 

 The best way to grow Egyptian clover would seem to 

 be after maize, since this allows plenty of time during 

 which to plough the land. In considering berseem as a 

 possible West Indian crop, it must be borne in mind 

 Dhat both in Egypt and India the clover is a cold weather 

 crop. As such in those two countries it is of great 

 importance, and its place cannot be adequately filled by 

 any other. It may be noted that berseem produces 

 excellent hay, which is a matter of some importance. 

 According to the Agricultural Gazette of New South 

 Wales, berseem has been satisfactorily grown in that 

 part of Australia. Undoubtedly its trial in the West 

 Indies would be worth while on account of its great 

 value as a fodder as distinct from a green dressing crop. 

 As already intimated, berseem has also great powers in 

 regard to the maintenance of the soil's supply of 

 P^it]-fio-en. 



Cotton and Fibre Papers in the 'West Indian 



Bulletin'. 



Two scientific papers on the classification of West 

 Indian Fibre-Agaves, and on the inheritance of the 

 li'iiniber of teeth in the bracts of species of cotton, appear 

 in the recently issued number of the West Indian 



Bulletin. The first paper should prove helpful to those 

 concerned with the collection or distribution of sisal 

 plants, and there are indications of increasing interest in 

 this direction in some of the islands at the present time. 



The paper on inheritance in cotton, by Mr. S. C. 

 Harland, B.Sc, of St. Vincent, ends with the following 

 conclusions: — 



It has been shown that different varieties of cottoa 

 are characterized by differences in the number of teeth 

 in the bracts. It may be stated that frequency polygons 

 of such different forms as those of Sea Island, St. Croix 

 Native, Upland, and Cauto, imply ditfei-ences in game- 

 tic composition in respect of the character. 



'When cros.ses are made between types differing ia 

 the number of bract teeth, the F; 1 in the case of two 

 of the crosses showed complete dominance of the larger 

 number of teeth, but in the third case the F 1 exhibits 

 intensification, and has a larger number of teeth than 

 either of the parents. 



Having regard to the fact that certain cottons are 

 known to have bracts from which teeth are absent, it 

 seems fairly clear that it is possible to get at least six; 

 homozygous types ditfe'-mg constantly in the number 

 of teeth. Hence at least uhree factors may be concerned 

 in the production of the tooth value of the cotton 

 possessing the highest number.' 



Breaking up Pasture for Sweet Potatoes. 



In the issue of the Agrlculturtd Xews for April 21, 

 1!J17, we published a short article explaining the 

 difficulties attendant on the converting of pasture into 

 arable cultivation, more particularly with reference to 

 conditions in the British Isles. In the article it was 

 prophesied that there wo"ld be a tendency to dig up 

 West Indian pastures in answer to the call for the 

 cultivation of a greater area of ground provisions. In. 

 certain places this is being done. Considerable areas 

 of pasture are being forked up, and it is chiefly 

 intended to plant sweet potatoes on these new areas. 



In regard to the difficulties of obtaining a good 

 tilth in this land, it must be remembered that sweet 

 potatoes as a crop are not so particular as to tilth as 

 crops grown from seed. However, the land must be 

 weathered down into good heart by sun and rain. The 

 following is what Mr. A. J. Brooks says regarding 

 sweet potato culture in St. Lucia: — 



'Much better results would be obtained if all the 

 leaves were removed from the' cuttings before being 

 planted out. The banks as a ' rule are poorly made. 

 The land being scraped rather than dug, is the chief 

 cause of poor yields being obtained. To produce heavy 

 yields of all root crops the land must be worked do 

 a deep tilth to provide sufficient space for the tubers to 

 swell. One deep broad bank would yield more pota- 

 toes than two shallow ones." 



Cultivators do well to note these facts, particularly 

 where a hurried attempt is being i-pade to convert pas- 

 ture into arable land. 



