170 



of corn, which, during the past year, has been comparatively high. 

 The trouble is that alcohol being used as a basis for the manufacture 

 of medicines, perfumery and similar articles, must be neutral so far 

 as any special flavour is concerned. It must contain alcoholic strength, 

 but without any special flavour. Alcohol made from molasses too fre- 

 quently carries with it a rummy flavour and odor, and the final re- 

 moval of tins very slight impurity, from an alcoholic point of view, is 

 extremely difficult, notwithstanding the great skill displayed by the 

 modern distillers. Alcohol can be made from corn more readily, and 

 any slight defect in the distillation does not leave in the alcohol such 

 an odor as to indicate its origin, as does alcohol carrying a molasses 

 odor. 



Hence, we find that when white, refined sugars are made from 

 beet or cane sugar, these sugars are absolutelv flavourless. Such 

 sugars should contain 99*5, or more per cent, of pure sugar, and perhaps 

 a quartfr to a half per cent, of moisture, but it is almost impossible to 

 secure beet sugars of such very high purity as not to retain a trace of 

 the disagreeable odor of the beet. "You may break, you may shatter 

 the vase if you will, but the scent of the roses will cling to it still." 

 Or let us paraphrase thus "You may boil and refine beet sugar if you 

 will, but the scent of the beet will cling to it still.*' And that's 

 what the matter with beet sugar." 



685.-CACAO DISEASE. 



Specimens of a disease attacking cacao trees was exhibited in 

 bottles at the meeting of the West Indian Agricultural Conference 

 held in Trinidad in January, 1905. 



The disease is clearly due to a fungus of a peculiar character 

 which spreads over the leaves and branches. 



Similar specimens having been noted by Mr. Leslie, Agricultural 

 Instructor, in a certain district in Trinidad, in small quantities. 

 These have been referred to the authorities of the Imperial Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture who provisionally pronounced it to be " almosl 

 certainly identical with that from St. Lucia." 



So far as we know at present, there is no occasion for alarm ; but 

 at the same time, it is clearly necessary that a careful watch should 

 be kept, and any tendency to spread should be carefully noted. 



An effort Avill be made by the Trinidad Department to check the 

 growth of the disease at once, and further reports will issue, if the 

 disease appears likely to become permanent or to do serious damage. 



Specimens of the disease will be secured shortly and will be 

 accessible to the planting community, in order thai planters may note 

 its form and appearance, and thus be able to give early notice of its 

 occurrence, if it reaches their district. 



As yet little is known of it except that it is a fungus quite likely 

 to spread. It may vot do so, and it is hoped that it will not be found 

 to be widely distributed. 



