119 



tlon of the ferment of the papaw is quite different. There is a rapid 

 d isintegration of the fibres which separate into tiny fragments. Finally 

 the undigested portion becomes a pultaceous residue.^ ^ 



A most interesting feature of the papaw enzyme is its action at_ a 

 wide range of temperature. With the animal ferments, especially pepsin 

 and trypsin, digestion is very slow at room temperature, 68 to 70 F. 

 While at this temperature the paj aw enzyme acts as energetically as 

 at 110 F., the animal ferments act most energetically at body tempe- 

 rature (diastase at 130 F.) 



BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



The usual monthly meeting of the Board of Agriculture was held 

 at Head Quarter House on the 12th ins-t., at which there were present : 

 Ihe Hon. Colonial Secretary, Chairman; the Director of Public Gar- 

 dens, theChemist, His Grace the Archbishop, Hon. H. Cork, Mr. C. A. 

 T. FursdoD, and the Secretary, Mr. J. Barclay. 



The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. 



The Chairman intimated that Sir Daniel Morris had a cotton expert 

 visiting Barbados and other islands and advising generdlly on the 

 industry. He had arranged that this expert, Mr. Seabrook, should 

 spend a fortnight here in May, to give advice, especially on ginning. 

 He would thus be able to set up the gin at Mr. Fursdon's property. 



Mr. Cork asked if there was any exper menting going on with the 

 different local varieties, as there might be found a first class hardy 

 cotton for our local conditions. The Director of Public Gardens was 

 asked to make enquiry of the local instructors and others about native 

 varieties. 



Regarding the proposed arrangement between the Director of Pub- 

 lic Gardens and Mr. W. G. Clark of Gordon Town, for the latter to 

 lease a portion of the grounds at Hope, partly used at present as the 

 Port Eoyal Mountains Agricultural Society's Show ground, it was re- 

 solved to retain the land in the hands of the Government. 



A suggestion from the Chemist was submitted to utilize all the 

 ruinate land at Hope to provide hay and pasture so as to support a 

 self-contained service of draft stock ar.d to utilize the considerable 

 flow of waste wjater which for nine months in the year is not used. 

 One of his suggestions that the Board of Agriculture should possess a 

 strong travelling buggy of its own for use of its officers was not ap- 

 proved. 



A minute from the Secretary reporting that he had received up to 

 date orders for 6,9U0 lbs. of cotton seed, 2,400 lbs. of which had already 

 been sent out, was submitted. As further orders were being received 

 daily he would require more seed. The liirector of Public Gardens 

 reported that half a ton had been cabled for and ought soon to be re- 

 ceived. 



A letter from Mr C. A T. Fursdon, enclosing letters he had re- 

 ceived about damage done by scale insects around Hartlands, and let- 



"^ It is notable that with meat pioteids, both cooked and uucooked, in acid or 

 alkaline solutions containing no ferment, there is a marked swelling of the fibre. 

 In an alkaline solution this becomes a solid jelly, but this swelling seems to be 

 entirely counteracted by the presence of the papaw ferment. 



