•Vol. V. No. 106. 



THE AGRICULTUKAL NEWS. 



157 



FRUITS AND OTHER FOOD PRODUCTS OF 

 JAMAICA: By E. .T. Wortley, Assistant Chemist in 

 -Jamaica. Jamaica : The Gleaner Coiiipaiiij, Ltd., IjS, 

 Harbour Street, Kingston, lOOtj. 



Foi'mer issues of the Agricultural Neujs (Vol. IV, 

 {>. 254, and Vol. V, p. 9-3, have contained notices of previous 

 pamphlets of interest from the pen of the same author. In 

 the pamphlet under review, Mr. Wortley lias brouyht 

 together notes and descriptions of most of the fruits and food 

 products of Jamaica, primarily for the use of the many 

 visitors to the island, who frequently experience difficulty in 

 obtaining accurate information on these matters. 



By taking ' a somewhat liberal view of what may be 

 incluiied among the fruits of .lamaica,' the list has been made 

 as complete as possible, and the 'Notes' are likely to be 

 much aiipreciated by those for whom they have been 

 primarily prepared, while many residents in the West Indies 

 will find here a handy little book full of useful information as 

 to West Indian products. 



The pamphlet is illustrated by two large plates 

 <;ontaining ninety-seven figures, mostly from i)hotographs 

 taken for the purpose, and most of the fruits mentioned 

 in the text are shown. A useful feature of these plates is 

 that each is provided with a scale, which ' is in e.xact 

 proportion to the fruits on the plate. This will enable the 

 natural size of the fruit to be judged at a glance.' 



In the case of some of the fruits, Mr. Wortley gives 

 a, useful list of the principal varieties ; for example, about 

 a dozen of the best-known varieties of the mango are 

 described as to appearance, texture, flavour, etc. 



I^nfortunate!}', the pamphlet contains rather a large 

 number of typograijhical errors, due, no doubt, as the 

 author states in the preface, to its being passed through the 

 press rather hurriedly. Presumably these will be corrected 

 in future editions. 



CEYLON HANDBOOK AND DIRECTORY: By 

 J. Fergusoi;, C.M.G., M.L.C. Colombo : A. M. d; J. Ferguson, 



lOO'j-r,. ' 



An interesting feature of this useful publication is 

 .•I review of the planting enterprise up to -f uly last. Attention 

 is particularly directed to the statistics indicating the rise 

 Ami spread of the rubber-planting industr}-, which has made 

 such strides in Ceylon within the past twelve months. 



In cnmiiarison with two years ago, the statistics show 

 that the total area devoted to cultivation lias increased by 

 about :ii),000 acres, due to an increase of land in rubber of 

 l!7,000 acres. ' Vrrjting in .lanuary 1905, in his Annual 

 Beport, Y>v. Willis estimated the total area covered by 

 Tubber-yielding trees of all specie.^ in Ceylon at 25,000 acres, 

 and now, six months later, our estate returus work out to an 

 *i|uivalent of 39,.j8.3 acres.' The following figure.^ indicate 

 the vemarkalile increase in the exports : 1901, 9,072 B). ; 

 J902, 15,592 Bj. ; 1903, 11,798 lb. ; 1901, 77,212 ft. ; half 

 of 1905 (to .luly 3), 51,520 ft. The liighe.st price paid for 

 •41'eyliin rubber in the London market was Is. per lb. 



THE GUINEA FOWL. 



In a former issue of the Agricv.ltaral Kcios 

 (.Vol. ly, p. 30) an article was published in regard to 

 the Guinea fowl. A recent publication of the U. S. 

 Department of Agriculture {Farmer.^ Bidletln No. 234), 

 'Th;^ Guinea Fowl and its use as Food,' contains 

 useful iii formation as to the value of this bird as food. 

 The following extracts arc of interest : — 



As the English name implies, the birds are prol.)ably 

 natives of the West Coast of Africa, although some authorities 

 urge that they are descended from a variety common in 

 Abyssinia. They were raised as table birds by the ancient 

 Greeks and Romans, but disappeared from Europe during 

 the dark age.s, and were re-introduced later, it is said, from 

 •Tamaica and Cuba. They were evidently taken to the West 

 Indies by the early European settlers and have been abundant 

 in several of the islands ever since. In .lamaica, in some of 

 the Lesser Antilles, and also in the Cape Verde Islands they 

 have gone back to their wild state and are hunted in their 

 season as game birds. They are also well known as game 

 birds in England, where large Hocks are sometimes kept in 

 game preserves. 



From this discussion it seems that Guinea fowl 

 might well be bred in the L^nited States more extensively 

 than is yet the case, either along with other poultry or iu 

 larger numbers by themselves. The varieties have been 

 improved in recent years, and there is rea,son to believe that 

 the improvement will continue and breeding them will become 

 an increasingly important branch of the poultiy industiy. 

 The birds do well with comparatively little care, and require 

 comparatively little food in addition to what they will 

 gather if allowed to range. In spite of the half-wild habit.s 

 which they retain when allowed to range, they may be 

 trained to more domestic ways, and may be readily fed and 

 fattened like other poultry. Even when verj' young they 

 are exceptionally hardy and free from di.sease. Although 

 noisy and ()uarrelsoine, these habits have their use, as they 

 are commonly thought to give warning of hawks or other 

 intruders in the poultry yard. Guinea birds cat such large 

 numbers of insects that they- arc often useful in helping to 

 destroy these pests. They also cat many wild seeds and in 

 this way are of value. 



There is already a fair demand for Guinea fowl, esjiecially 

 in New York and other cities in the eastern LTnited 

 States. If, as seems probable, the demand for Guinea fowl 

 as a substitute for game or other poultry continues to increase, 

 the birds ought to become a source of considerable profit to 

 poultry raisers. Very young birds for broilers bring good 

 prices early in the season in city markets, while the older 

 ones are easily sold throughout the autumn and winter. They 

 may be prepared for the table like ordinary fowl or like 

 game birds. 



They have very much the same food value as chicken 

 and are as economical when bought at about the same price 

 per pound. At moderate prices they furnish the body with 

 about as much nourishment for a given sum as medium out^; 

 of beef and mutton, and at higher prices correspond in value 

 with the more expensive cuts and such poultry as turkey, 

 green goose, etc. While they can hardly be recommended 

 for families that have to make every penny count, thoy 

 might well be more extensively eaten by the moderately 

 well-to-do, and would furnish a most acceptable varietj'. 

 Guinea eggs also are considered very choice eating, and, 

 while they are much like hens' eggs in food value, they have 

 a very delicate flavour, and make a welcome change whea 

 obtainable. 



