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who has travelled extensively in the Far East, with the request 

 that he would,, if possible, name the ingredient imparting the 

 flavor to it. Without hesitation, and with a smile at the pleasant 

 memories recalled, he declared "soya," and added: "The history 

 of that bean is like a romance." 



USES OF THE SOYA BEANS. 



That this statement is no exaggeration is proved by the fact 

 that while the first consignment of soya beans was sent to Europe 

 so recently as 1906 today Western requirements are something 

 like a million tons a year. The beans are grown in China. Japan, 

 Korea and Manchuria, where they have long been valued for 

 their oil and for the waste products after the oil has been extract- 

 ed, which are used as fertilizers in the rice and sugarcane fields. 

 Vermicelli biscuits and other foodstuffs are also manufactured 

 from the beans. 



In this country the soya oil has now a very ready and extensive 

 market. It is used instead of the cotton seed variety on account 

 of cheapness. Soap manufacturers are also coming to depend 

 upon it. The chief use, however, would seem to be as cattle cakes 

 for winter feeding. That the article which has fed so many milch 

 cows during the last few years should itself be used in the mak- 

 ing of artificial milk is undoubtedly something of a coincidence. 



Most of the soya beans entering this country pass through 

 Hull, which, with its great oil and seed mills, is the natural center 

 for such a commodity. This import trade is already a very exten- 

 sive one, the freights on soya beans having mounted up to a figure 

 somewhere in the neighborhood of $5,000,000 per annum. In 

 addition a considerable export trade has recently sprung up owing 

 to the demand of continental dairy farmers for soya meal. — 

 Indian Agriculturist. 



PRICKLY PEAR FOR DAIRY COWS. 



(E. IV. Morse, Dcpt. of Agriculture, Queensland.) 



The prickly pear is denounced as Australia's greatest pest in 

 your issue of 2nd April, page 767. If the species found there is 

 anything like the American prickly pear, perhaps the result of a 

 test by the dairy division of the bureau of animal industry may 

 be of interest. 



Prickly pear is very palatable to dairy cows, and when fed in 

 amounts varying from 60 to 100 lbs. a day makes the cow. very 

 thrifty and productive. Larger amounts are too laxative in effect. 

 The pear is low in protein and high in mineral matter. It con- 

 tains from 87 to 93 per cent of water, and hence is a capital sup- 



