Vol. XVI. No. 408. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



391 



improvements have taken place in the cultivation of srops 

 long established. 



The Government of the United States, especially since 

 the acquisition of tropical territories — Hawaii, the Philippines, 

 and Porto Rico^ — has devoted much money and much enter- 

 prise in seeking for new plants which might advantageously 

 be introduced into the tropical regions under its sway. 

 The Bureau of Plant Industry of the United States Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture issues from time to time an inventory 

 of seeds and plants imported by the Department, which sends 

 its agents all over the world in search of new plants or new 

 varieties, which may be of use in any region of the territories 

 f.f the States. These inventories are not merely plant 

 catalogue s, but are full of interesting notes on the plants 

 catalogued. The one last received at the Head Office of this 

 Department contains the list of plants or seeds imported from 

 No. 37017 to No. 3866.J. Some of the notes refer to plants 

 that would seem admirably adapted to West Indian conditions. 



To begin with Zi.iphu^ jvjuha, the jujube tree, in one 

 of its varieties already semi-naturalized in Barbados, and 

 also sparsely grown in Antigua, under the ugly name of 

 'dunk', possibly derived from the feetid odour of its dowers, is 

 found to have been subjected in Southern China to cultivation 

 and selection from very ancient times. The inventory men- 

 tioned above gives particulars of dozens of varieties, ranging 

 in size from that of a small cheiry to that of a hen's egg, 

 and in q^uality from not edible to being a rival of the date. 

 It might be well worth while for drier islands, like Antigua 

 or Barbados, with their seamy supply of the more luscious 

 tropical fruits, to introduce some of the finer varieties of 

 Zizyphus, which might be advantageously grafted upon the 

 already naturalized poor kind. 



Another species of this genus described is from Brazil. 

 There it ia known as 'jua' {Zizyphus. Joazeiro). The follow- 

 ing note, by Messrs. Dorsett and Popenoe, seems to show that 

 it might well be utilized on pastures in such islands as Antigua, 

 Barbados, or the Virgin Islands. t)n account of its value as 

 a forage tree, it might prove very useful in timej of drought. 

 Too little use is made of such forage trees in the smaller 

 and drier West Indian islands. The description of the tree 

 is as follows: — 



'This interesting and valuable tree is common on the 

 dry lands bordering on the Rio Sao Francisco from Joazeiro 

 nearly up to the border of the State of Minas Geraes. At 

 Joazeiro it is quite common, but the trees are usually found 

 scattered among the other plants, and do not occur in large 

 groves. In places where cattle and horses can get at the trees 

 while young they are kept eaten off almost to the ground, 

 and have a peculiar dvi'arfed, stunted appearance. When 

 allowed to develop to mature size the tree forms a ijeautiful 

 dense green, umbrageous head of foliage, 30 feet in diameter. 

 The leaves are somewhat hard and brittle in texture, oval to 

 ovate, about 2 inches in length. The small wocd is armed 

 with short, .stiff thorns, which are not, however, particularly 

 dangerous. The fruit varies greatly in size according to 

 the tree by which it is produced. The best fruits are nearly 

 an inch in diameter, creamy yellow in colour, spherical or 

 nearly so. Inside the thin skin is a thick layer of mealy 

 Hesh within which lies the seed and the layer of translucent, 

 mucilaginous pulp which surrounds it. The seed is about 

 the size and shape of a small olive stone. The pulp adheres 

 to it very closely and can scarcely be separated even in the 

 mouth. The flavour is peculiar and somewhat insipid. The 

 trees bear prodigiously, the ground under them being covered 

 with fruits at the end of the season. Sheep, cattle, horses, 

 and swine eat the fruit greedily, and it is considered whole- 

 some for them. The principal value of this tree would 



the fruits and the foliage being of value for this purpose. In 

 addition, the ornamental value of the tree and its drought- 

 resisting qualities commend it for culture in arid regions.' 

 All West Indians know the several species of Spondias 

 whichare among our commonest fruits— golden apple, Jamaica 

 plum, hog plum, and other varieties. In the inventory 

 already referred to is a description of another variety which 

 seeiiis worth a trial in these islands, accustomed as the West 

 Indians are to the somewhat peculiar flavour of the fruit of 

 this genus. In Brazil it is known as 'imbri', and the 

 botanists have named it Spondias tuberosa. According to 

 Mr. Dorsett: 'The tree, which is wild and quite common in some 

 places, is of a peculiar habit of growth, branching 4 to C feet 

 above the ground and forming a very broad, dense, and fiat- 

 topped head of foliage. When the large limbs are cut and 

 placed in the ground as fence posts, they take root and grow. 

 The fruits, which are sometimes produced in great profusion 

 and are ripe at this season, are oval in form, about 1| inches 

 in length, and light green in colour. The skin is rather 

 tough, and incloses the translucent, juicy pulp in which is 

 embedded the single large seed. The flavour of the pulp is 

 rather suggestive of a sweet orange, and is agreeable in the 

 extreme. Aside from being consumed in the fresh state, the 

 fruit is extensively used for the manufacture of jellies and 

 jams, in which a considerable trade has been built up. In 

 addition, a popular desert called imbti-ada is made from the 

 slightly unripe fruit by mixing the strained and sweetened 

 fruit with milk.' 



cfi-t/^b- faaA 



MAIZE PRODUCTS. 



The world's crop of maize exceeds that of any other one 

 cereal or grain under cultivation, oats, wheat, rice, rye, barley 

 following in the order named. To growers of maize in the 

 West Indies only two parts are considered of value: the 

 grain of course as a source of food for man and beast, 

 and the whole plant as a forage crop. 



But the Americans utilize every part of the plant which 

 is really more precious to them than the bamboo to the 

 Japanese, or the coconut palm to the Pacific Islanders. 



To begin with, the cob is ground up and mixed with the 

 crushed grain as a valuable foodstuff for animals. Besides 

 this, the cob possesses great manurial value. It is cakulated 

 that a ton of corn cobs yields .500 ft of potash, along with 

 other valuable fertilizing agents. 



The pith of the stalks is converted into cellulose, which 

 is utilized in the manufacture of smokele.ss powder and other 

 explosives, and has hern in vast demand during the present 

 war. 



The pith also supplies material used as an insulator in 

 refrigerating chambers, electric dry batteries, and other similar 

 constructions. 



Out of the spathes, or husks covering the cob, varioijs 

 articles, such as straw mats and hats are manufactured, and 

 a specially tough parchment paper. 



Starch is largely produced from the grain, and large 

 quantities of glucose syrup are also made from it. which is 

 known in America as 'Golden Syrup'. Alcohol is also distil- 

 led from the grain. 



From the germs of the grain a bland oil is extracted 

 which is wholesome and palatable, and is used as a substitute 

 for olive oil in cookery. 



The aboriginal North Americans regarded maize as the 

 special gift of the Great Spirit to their tribes and it afforded 

 them their chief and almost sole supply of vegetable food. 

 But the modern North Americans have so utilized this plant 

 in the ways referred to above, as to render it of inestimable 



vaino fr, t.lip hnnifl.n rapp fhrnncrhmit tlii> i»npM .». 



