Vol. V. No. 122, 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



403 



SUGAR INDUSTRY, 



Seedling Canes in British Guiana. 



In continuation of the statement published in the 

 Agricultural N'ews (Vol. V, p. 99), giving the results 

 of the cultivation of seedling canes as compared with 

 the Bourbon on plantation Diamond, British Guiana, 

 for the year 1905, Mr. John Fleming, the manager, 

 has kindly supplied the following returns for 1906- — • 



Mr. Fleming adds: ' Of B. 208, 1,755 acres were cut, 

 ■with an average of 3-01 tons of sugar per acre. Bourbon at 

 Diamond is being rapidly replaced by other selected varieties.' 



Seedling Canes in Jamaica. 



In his report on the Government Laboratorj' for 

 the year 1905-6, Mr. Cousins refers to work in con- 

 nexion with the raising of seedling canes as follows : — 



The canes in the Experiment Station (8 acres) are used 

 for providing a supply of new varieties of canes for the 

 public and for the raising of new canes from seed. Some 

 3,000 seedlings yearly are now being selected for further 

 trial by elimination of inferior canes. About 100,000 tops 

 of selected varieties were distributed during the year under 

 review. 



The seedlings B. 208, B. 147, and D. 95 have each 

 given excellent results on different soils. B. 208 appears 

 to be the most promising variety for general cultivation in 

 Jamaica. 



Jamaica Sugar Experiment Station. 



The following is extracted from the report on the 

 Government Laboratory in Jamaica for the year 

 1905-6:— 



Despite the large amount of time and work that has 

 been devoted to experimental investigations in rum manu- 

 facture, the number of samples dealt with by the sugar 

 laboratory shows a marked increase. 



The department has supplied three chemists and a suit- 

 able laboratory equipment for certain estates or groups of 

 estates in St. James, Westmoreland, and Vere. 



In St. James, the work has been mainly that of 

 improving the rum ; in Westmoreland, three estates are 

 standardizing their rum crop at a liberal standard of ethers. 

 All consignments are analysed and controlled so that the 

 estates can guarantee a certain standard of ethers iu the rum, 



In the face of recent prosecutions in the LTnited Kingdom 

 and a demand on the part of buyers for rum of a good- 

 standard of ethers, this effort should prove of advantage. 



A grant of £100 from the Sugar Exiieriment Station' 

 funds was authorized for equipping a laboratory at the new 

 central factory in Vere. 



As the result of this line of development fewer samples 

 of juices and sugars have been sent to the laboratory from 

 estates, and it is hoped that as our work extends, a consider- 

 able increase in the number of estates employing a chemist 

 may be effected. 



The chief interest of the year has been centred in the 

 manufacture of rum and a considerable number of samples 

 have been sent by various estates for analysis. 



AVe have now information as to the ether content of 

 most of the rums produced in the island, but it is to be 

 regretted that a complete survey of all rums exported could 

 not be carried out owing to the objection of certain estates to 

 this course. The standardization of .Jamaica rum has now 

 become a burning question, and, despite the difficulties 

 involved, I am of opinion that it would prove of direct benefit 

 to the industry as a whole. 



Our experiments in the distillery are being continued, 

 and a good many samples of materials have been analysed. 

 A detailed report of the first series of experiments has been 

 published in the Annual Report of the Sugar Experiment 

 Station for the current year. 



A large number of Brix saccharometers were imported. 

 for the use of estates. Each instrument has been tested, audi 

 tables giving a reading correct to a tenth of a degree at 

 different temperatures have been prepared for each spindle.- 



THE TURTLE 



TRADE OF THE 

 INDIES. 



WEST 



The Scientijic American, for November 17, con- 

 tains an illustrated article on the West Indian turtle 

 trade. 



The headquarters of this trade are at Kingston ia 

 .Jamaica. Most of the turtle fishing is done on the corat 

 reefs to the north of the island. Twelve or fifteen smalt 

 schooners and upwards of 120 men are employed. Nets are- 

 stretched from rock to rock. The turtles when caught are- 

 brought to Kingston and kept in palisaded enclosures. They 

 are fed on a marine plant called turtle grass. 



The turtle (Chclonin Mydaa) rarely weighs more than 

 180 lb. The entire British trade is in the hands of on& 

 London dealer. He regulates the market by not importing 

 more than 100 turtles a fortnight. 



Bringing the turtles over seas is a delicate business ; 

 sometimes 1C5 out of 120 have died on the passage, in spite 

 of the most elaborate precautions adopted on the mail steamers, 

 such as the daily spraying with sea water, and the use of tins 

 of hot water to keep them from cold in the wagons conveying 

 them from port to the dealer's warehouse. Most of the turtles 

 are sold in advance to restaurants. About 3,000 are 

 imported into England every year. The wholesale prices are 

 from 10'./. to Is. Oif/. per lb. The turtle trade is busiest in 

 the winter season. The famous turtle soup is made from the 

 membranes of the stomach and back-shell. The shell of this 

 turtle (green turtle) is worth but little. Tortoise .shell is 

 obtained from the hawks-bill turtle, and the shell of a good 

 specimen may be worth £9. A great industry is growing 

 up in tinned and bottled turtle products. These are used by 

 invalids and by explorers in malarial countries like the West 

 Coast of Africa. Turtle soup has been found a very powerful 

 restorative in cases of debilitating fever. 



