245 



On a conservative basis, nnder average conditions, a crop of 

 120 frnit per hush may be looked forward to in 7 months. 



6 whole fruit weigh one ounce; 9^ cal_yces (divested of seed- 

 bags) weigh one ounce; 120 fruit, the crop oif one Inish, will there- 

 fore weigh 20 ounces. 



There are 2,000 bushes in one acre planted 5x4 feet; the 

 crop obtainable ofP one acre will therefore be 2,500 pounds of fruit. 



In actual practice, the writer found that 8 pounds of fruit 

 used in the making of jam, jelly, and syrup gave the following 

 output : 



2 bottles of Jell_y — nett weight of jelly =26 ounces 



1 (|uart bottle of Syrup — nett weight of syrup = 33 ounces 

 4 large bottles of Jam — nett weight of jam = 93 ounces 



Estimating the value of the jellv at . . . . . . $0.70 



„ „ of the syrup at . . . . .60 



„ „ of the jam at . . . . . . 1.80 



we arrive at a gross return of . , . . , . $3.10 



for 8 pounds of fruit. 



From this figure must l)e deducted : 



5 pounds of sugar at 25 cents . . = $1.25 



Bottles . . ' . . . . . . = .60 



Cost of cultivation, W(irk and firewood = .20 



$2.05 



The nett profit on 8 lbs. of fruit would therefore be $1.05, and on 

 2,500 lbs., the produce of one acre, $328. 



Excepting for the nematodes mentioned above, the Roselle 

 plant, appears to be singiilarly free from disease ; but it is the host 

 of the Red Cotton bug, a red bug with white and black abdominal 

 stripes, which is very common on several of the Malvaceae, and 

 particularly on the Cotton plant. It propagates very quickly and, 

 unless it is kept in check by frequent sprayings and sulphur dust- 

 ings, it is difficult to get rid of. Fortunately it only feeds on the 

 leaves, not on the fruit; l)ut it soils the latter by its excreta. It 

 is the Disdercus singuJatus. 



The leaves of the Roselle are also quite a good substitute for 

 sorrel, and as such, form a valua1)le addition to a vegetable menu. 



E. Mathieu. 

 {To le continued.) 



