Vol. V. No. 119. 



THE AGKECULTURAL NEWS. 



361 



Minor Industries of Hawaii. 



According to an editorial in the Hav.miian 

 Forester and Agriculturist, dealing with the trade 

 returns between Hawaii and the United States main- 

 land for the twelve months ended June 30 last, 

 encouraging progress has been made, particularly in 

 the minor industries. 



Importance is attached to the fact that the 

 •exportation of refined sugar increased by over half 

 a million dollars. The refining of sugar in Hawaii is 

 confined to one plantation and is one of the newest 

 industries. 



Large increases are shown in the exports of honey, 

 Isees'-wax, coffee, canned fruits, hides and skins, leather, 

 tallow, rubber, and rice. 



The increase in canned fruits is chiefly attributable 

 to the development of the pine-apple industry, and this 

 industry is expected to continue to develop. It is also 

 anticipated that the export of rubber will form one of 

 the most valuable assets of the territory. 



Surprise is expressed, in view of the excellent 

 quality of Hawaiian-grown sisal hemp, that the value 

 •of the exports of fibre has decreased. The article 

 concludes : ' With sisal and canned fruits already 

 taking a place among our exports, and with rubber, 

 tobacco, and fresh fruits promising to establish them- 

 selves in the near future, the material prosperity of an 

 increasing number of small producers will be advanced 

 to the immense benefit of the territory.' 



■Castilloa Rubber in Panama. 



A report by the United States Consul at Colon 

 deals with the cultivation of Castilloa rubber in 

 Panama. Castilloa elastica is the natural rubber tree 

 for this country, which is its natural home. Its 

 productive life may be reckoned at twenty-five years. 

 It must be protected from high winds either by the 

 location of the plantation, or by other trees planted in 

 lines through the plantation across the direction of the 

 prevailing winds as wind-breaks. The soil must be 

 a deep loam, which will hold plenty of water during 

 the dry season, and will allow of the natural drainage 

 of the surplus water of the rainy season, as the Castilloa 

 will stand neither desert nor swamp conditions. 



Eight years is the usual age to commence tapping, 

 and April and November seem to be the best months. 

 V-shaped cuts are used, two or three, at a time. The 

 latex is caught in earthen vessels and transferred to 

 a barrel ; 5 oz. of either common salt or of washing 

 soda are added with water ; after one or one and a half 

 days of frequent stirring, the water is run out of 

 a faucet in the bottom. The process is repeated till 

 the rubber is white. 



Five hundred and fifty thousand rubber trees 

 (Castilloa) are estimated as being in the plantations in 

 Panama. The largest plantations are found in the 

 Darien district at Tapia, and on the lands of the 

 Mariato and Suay. In 1905 the export of rubber from 

 Panama, which is 80 per cent, of the total exports, was 

 estimated at 176,000 lb., and valued at .if88,000 gold. 



Exports of German Colonies. 



According to statistics recently published, the value 

 of Germany's imports from her colonies has been more 

 than doubled in the last three years. German West 

 Africa exports more to tfie mother country than any 

 other colony. 



From German East Africa rubber is the leading 

 article of export, 87-i,720 ft., worth about £6-4,000, 

 having been shipped from there in 1905. Bees'-wax 

 comes next with 797,620 It)., valued at £20,000. The 

 exports of coffee were less in 1905 than in the previous 

 year. 



Among the exports of the Cameroons and 

 Togoland, also, rubber occupied the principal place, 

 2,220,020 ib. valued at £330,000, having been exported. 

 Palm nuts, cacao, and ivory were also shipped. 



Copra is the principal product of Samoa. 



West Indian Bulletin. 



The first article in the latest issue of the West 

 Indian Bulletin (Vol. VII, no. 3) is one by the 

 Hon. Francis Watts on ' Manurial Experiments with 

 Cacao in Dominica.' It contains tables and diagrams 

 relating to the return from manurial experiment plots 

 for four years, which show very clearly the financial 

 results of adopting a rational scheme of manuring. 

 Returns are recorded from experiment plots in country 

 districts conducted by the Agricultural Department 

 and by Messrs. Rowntree & Co. 



Mr. W. R. Buttenshaw contributes an article on 

 the cultivation of chillies or capsicums, abroad and in 

 the West Indies. Details are given as to markets, 

 cultivation, and drying. 



Broom corn has been successfully grown in the 

 West Indies, and a market for the product has been 

 found in Canada. The abstract of articles on the 

 cultivation of broom corn in America and Australia 

 Avill therefore be of value to actual or prospective 

 growers of this product. 



The Hon. Francis Watts and Mr. H. A. Tempany 

 are co-authors of an article embodying the results of 

 an inquiry into the fermentation changes occui-ring in 

 muscovado sugars. These changes seem to be concur- 

 rent with the appearance of 'gum' in the juices and 

 massecuites and with seasons of drought. The polari- 

 scopic test increases and then falls. The changes are 

 due to micro-organisms most probablj' reaching the 

 sugar after its preparation. 



An important article follows on a subject of 

 pecuniary interest to all agricultiu'ists, viz., the utiliza- 

 tion of atmospheric nitrogen for agricultural purposes. 

 This deals with the manufacture and use of two new 

 nitrogenous manures, calcium cyanamide or lime 

 nitrogen and calcium nitrate or nitrate of lime. 



This number also contains articles dealing 

 with the meteorology of the Leeward Islands. Other 

 articles are : ' Some Imperial Aspects of Applied 

 Chemistry,' ' Forestry in the West Indies,' and reports 

 on manurial experiments carried on with cotton during 

 last season in the Leeward Islands and ir Barbados. 



