781 



"Bagasse," pp. 15-17; "Bagasse as a Source of Fuel," by 

 E. C. Freeland, Jan. 1918, pp. 16-18; " Megass Furaaces," by 

 R. Lloyd, June 1907, pp. 280-286). The ash of bagasse is 

 estimated to amount to about 5 cwt. from each 100 tons of cane 

 crushed and burned (Lock & Newland, " Sugar : Handbook for 

 Planters, etc," p. 48). Where this material is not wanted for 

 fuel or for a surplus, the manufacture of paper has been for 

 many years an alternative suggestion; there are specimens of 

 paper in the Museum at Kew presented by Mr. Thos. Routledge 

 1875, and from Demerara (Col. & Indian Exhib.), 1886, but 

 comparatively Kttle success appears, so far, to have been met 

 with, and in no case can it be found that the " half stuff " (the 

 usual condition recommended for export) or paper made there- 

 from has been received in commercial quantities in this country. 

 In Cuba it is reported that paper of good quaHty is being made 

 for local use (Journ. Roy. Soc. Arts, ** Manufacture of Paper 

 from Sugar-Cane Bagasse," Dec. 31st, 1915, p. 132; Agric. 

 News, Barbados, May 6th, 1916, p. 156), Experiments have 

 been made in Trinidad, where it has been found that the best 

 results have been obtained from a blend of megasse, bamboo and 

 Para grass [see p. 822, Panicum muticum, Forsk.], and for use 

 locally for wrapping papers the manufacture is recommended 

 (Bull, Imp. Inst., 1910, pp. 151, 152) in Hawaii (Little, "The 

 Paper Making Qualities of Hawaiian Bagasse/' Inter. Sugar 

 Journ., Aug. 1920, pp. 453-460; Sept. 1920, pp. 505-508) and 

 Malaya (Remington, Bowack and Carrington in Agric. Bull. 



Making 



Malay States, ix. March 1910, "Megasse 



In Nigeria the cultivation of Sugar Cane is confined to small 

 patches or strips of land on the edges of rice-fields, where it may 



m 



the variety in the Kano district has a small reddish stem 

 (Dudgeon, I.e., N. Nig. Gaz., July 31st, 1909, p. 158). In 

 Kontagora *' Rake '' is grown only at the sides of streams and 

 in moist situations ; it is cut in November and after, about the 

 same time or earlier than the guinea-corn is harvested; no 

 care is taken to secure thick succulent culms, and the plant is 

 allowed to flower freely (Dalziel, Bull. Imp, Inst., 1907, p. 260). 

 Similarly in the Southern Provinces the native-grown plant 

 appears to be of comparatively little importance, and the 

 production of sugar is not known amongst the Natives; but 

 some efforts are being made both to start local production of 

 sugar and to improve the cultivation— soft sugar of local manu- 



facture could be obtained 



Missionary 



Society, Zaria, at 4d, per lb. for " soft molasses sugar '* and 5d, 

 per lb. for " crystalKne Demerara type," purchasers furnishing 

 their own tins, boxes, etc. for packing (The Nigeria Gaz. SuppL, 



March 1918). 



Barbados 



West 



by the Department of Agriculture, Northern Provinces, they 



13721 



It 



