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THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



NoVEiMBER 17, 1906. 



WEST INDIAN FRUIT. 



TESTING VARIETIES OF MANGOS. 



It has been suggested that there is possibly 

 a relation between the eating qualities of varieties of 

 mango fruits and the odour of the crushed leaves of 

 •each variety. 



A scholar of the St. Kitt's Agricultural School found 

 that of half a dozen or more mango trees which had been 

 specially planted from choice fruit, some possessed leaves 

 which gave a strong odour of turpentine when crushed ; some 

 .gave a slight odour of turpentine ; some had rather a pleasant 

 smell ; while others emitted hardly any smell from their 

 crushed leaves. He further noticed that those trees whose 

 leaves smelt strongly of turpentine bore fruits strongly 

 tainted witli that undesirable substance ; those which smelt 

 but faintly of turpentine bore fruit with little turpentine 

 taste ; those whose leaves had a pleasant smell had a nice- 

 tasting fruit, while the absence of turpentine in the leaves 

 was correlated with its absence in the fruit. 



If this is not merely a chance relation with regard to 

 those particular trees, but can be corroborated by other 

 observers (for instance, in Dominica and Trinidad), it 

 ■might be a most valuable aid in the selection of mangos from 

 seed. For if these relations turn out to be wide-spread, 

 a grower would not have to wait until his seedling mangos 

 bore fruit before he could deteimins which to reject, but 

 could at once pull out of his beds all seedlings whose leaves 

 .when crushed had an odour of turpentine. 



Observations on this point might be communicated for 

 the benefit of readers of the Agricidtural A'ews. 



JAMAICA BANANA INDUSTRY. 



In his Annual Report for the year ended March 31 

 last, the Collector-General in Jamaica makes the 

 following reference to the banana industry' : — 



The consumption of fruit throughout the world at the 

 present time has enormou.sly increased. This, no doubt, is 

 •due to the teachings of the advanced schools of dietetics, and 

 in the list of the fruits most in demand, it is safe to say that 

 the banana takes the most prominent place. In a report 

 recently published by the United Fruit Co)upany, it is 

 observed that during their last fiscal year, the company 

 handled from all sources of supply 30,000,000 bunches, as 

 against 21,000,000 in the previous year, and it is noticed 

 with regret that it is recorded that .Jamaica never before 

 produced such inferior fruit as during that year. These two 

 facts, viz., the increasing demand for the banana, and the 



failure of -Jamaica to supply fruit nf the best qualit}-, should 

 point a lesson to those interested in the cultivation of this 

 crop. There is never a resurrection for a lost opportunity ; 

 where then is the wisdom of jeopardizing, by inditferent 

 cultivation, the chance of holding the principal markets of the 

 world, where there is an ever-increasing demand ? The 

 cultivations in Central America are now threatening to reduce 

 the importance of the .Jamaica plantations. Cuba, however, 

 no longer stands a possible future rival, as it has been found 

 that Eastern Cuba is too cool and dry for six months in the 

 year to suit banana growing. 



The markets to which we sent our bananas during the 

 last three years are as under : — 



ARBOR DAY IN ANTIGUA. 



Mr. H. A. Temijany reports the following arrange- 

 ments for the celebration of Arbor Day in Antigua : — 



As usual, it is proposed to celebrate Arbor Day in 

 Antigua on November 9 in town and country. 



The direction of the ceremony is in the hands of the 

 Central Arbor Day Committee which has been made 

 permanent by the .(Government, thus ensuring the annual 

 observation of Arbor Day, and, at the same time, providing 

 a body which is responsible for the upkeep and care of the 

 trees planted. 



In the absence of Dr. Watts, the Chairman of the 

 Committee, his Excellency tbe Governor has appointed the 

 Hon. W. H. Why ham to act as Chairman. 



The work contemplated this year is an extension of that 

 begun in former years and includes the e.Kten.sion of the 

 'Ladies' Avenue ' of mahogany trees on the North Sound road. 



The action of the Gos^ernment of Antigua in 

 making the Central Arbor Day Committee a permanent 

 one is likely to prove useful, and similar action might, 

 with advantage, be taken in other islands, 



