62 



fourth. This one he plows deeply after fertilizing it heavily, and 

 having prepared his seed bed with care plants it to any kind of a 

 hoed root crop. He cultivates and hoes it thoroughly during the 

 early part of the season, thus killing off the weeds and other 

 noxious growths. The following year a cereal follows the root 

 crop, while one of the first three grain fields is devoted to root 

 cultivation, precisely in the manner of the original field of such 

 crop, and so on. the process being repeated from cycle to cycle of 

 four years indefinitely. 



In Hawaii, where land for general farming is exceeding scarce, 

 there can be no question that intensive farming is tlic only kind 

 for the homesteader and truck gardener. 



THE SPIXELESS CACTUS. 



An Australian correspondent of the Tropical Agriculturist 

 (Ceylon) says of the spineless cactus: 



"This really wonderful plant is not yet much known and it 

 would prove invaluable to stock owners and others, more espe- 

 cially in poor or dry districts, where vegetation of any kind is 

 grown with difficulty. It is easily grown from the heavy leaves 

 or slabs in any class of dry soil, and after the first year will yield 

 according to conditions from 100 to 200 tons of succulent and 

 nutritious fodder which can be fed to all kinds of stock and more 

 especially dairy cattle. By analysis one ton thereof is ecjual in 

 feeding value to three-fourths that of lucerne | alfalfa], wliich is 

 the richest fodder plant grown. During the hot summer months 

 this plant would be luxuriant, and being of a rich juicy nature 

 would also greatly allay thirst and would therefore prove the 

 salvation of stock owners. Some of the species yield 8 tons of 

 well-flavored fruit per acre, which makes excellent jams and jel- 

 lies, etc., and growers have made up to £160 (about $800] per 

 acre. The young fleshy leaves are a good and wholesome vege- 

 table when fried like egg-plant or ])oilc(l as greens, etc.. and they 

 also make good pickles. This very useful ])lant should prove a 

 very great boon to resiflents in the East Indies, as not only is it 

 the heaviest yielding fruit and fodder plant yet known, but it will 

 thrive where hardl\- any vegetation will exist and re(|uircs but 

 little attention. Stock owners jiarticularly would find it useful."" 



.\ bulletin of the agricultural deparlnu'iit of Trinidad ami 'I"o- 

 bago gives an estimate <it' tlic profit in making paper troni llu' 

 megass furnished in cane sugar factories. It takes into acct)unt 

 the cost of a pai)er mill — roughly $100,000 for one of 40 or 50 

 tons of paper capacity i)er week — with interest thereon, repairs, 

 depreciation and difTcrcncc of value between coal and nieg.ass as 



