Edible Products. 



50 



TJANUART, 1909. 



The Niearaguan Criollo differs some- 

 what from the Venezuelan in form of 



{>ods. The size of the bean is also much 

 arger. The colour of the bean is white 

 and not so often shaded -with colour as 

 the Venezuelan, and Trinidad Criollos. 



The pods are rather more pointed in 

 form than the Venezuelan, but much 

 resemble them in other respects. 



The beans produced by this kind are 

 probably the largest of any known 

 vai iety of Theobroma cacao, and com- 

 pare very closely with those produced 

 by Theobroma pentagona, a species with 

 which it may have become hybridized 

 in Nicaragua. The bean of the Nieara- 

 guan Criollo, like that of Theobroma 

 pentagona, is, for its size, light in 

 weight. It possesses a flavour of very 

 high standard and takes much less time 

 to cure than ordinary Trinidad cacao. 

 Propagated by grafting and kept pure, 

 this cacao promises to become a valuable 

 acquisition to West Indian plantations. 



General, Remarks. 

 Grown as seedlings, these three 

 varieties are not heavy bearers and as 

 crop producers cannot be compared to 

 the stronger growing strains of Foras- 

 tero and some other varieties. All three 

 kinds possess valuable characters, and 

 it is highly probable that when grafted 

 on the stronger stocks, their yield would 

 be materially increased, and they would 

 become a valuable asset to the West 

 Indian cacao planter.— West Indian 

 Bulletin, Vol. IX., No. 2. 



ENSILAGE AND HOW TO MAKE IT 



The preservation of fodder in the 

 shape of ensilage with all its succulent 

 prices retained, has been thoroughly 

 tested by so many practical men in 

 other countries that its value as a factor 

 in economical stock-keeping has been 

 proved beyond question. In Ceylon, so 

 far, the subject seems to be little under- 

 stood and, as far as I learn, nothing 

 practical has been done. To properly 

 appreciate the practical details of the 

 process it is necessary to understand 

 at least the outlines of the theory. We 

 aim at the preservation of green or 

 succulent fodder, and the more we can 

 diminish or prevent the changes which 

 such substances naturally undergo when 

 cut or gathered into heaps the better 

 will be the quality of our silage. To 

 do this effectively we have to learn 

 what these changes are, and how they 

 are brought about. We know that when 

 green fodder is cut and placed in a 

 heap it soon begins to heat and undergo 

 changes. This rise of temperature and 



these changes are due to oxidation and 

 the presence of minute living organisms, 

 termed bacteria. These bacteria, fer- 

 ments, or microbes are everywhere 

 distributed in the atmosphere, endless 

 in variety and infinite in number, 

 Pasteur has shown that these ferments 

 or microbes require air in their first 

 generations or when their work begins, 

 but that afterwards they can go on 

 multiplying generation after generation 

 without air — that in fact fermentation 

 is directly the result of their breathing 

 the combined oxygen of certain organic 

 substances, such for example of sugar 

 in the absence of free oxygen. When 

 the green herbage is placed in the silo 

 or stack 



IMMENSE NUMBERS OP THESE MICROBES 



will be in contact with it or on it, and 

 in the free air in the spaces through- 

 out the mass. In the presence of this 

 free air they begin their multiplication 

 and work, but as we have seen the 

 work is continued and becomes more 

 manifest when the free oxygen among 

 the contents of the silo or stack has 

 been exhausted, unless in the mean- 

 time the germs have by a rise of 

 temperature been killed. It has been 

 found that a temperature of 120 deg. 

 Fahr, or thereabouts is sufficient to kill 

 these ferments, and it is desirable there- 

 fore that the temperature of every silo 

 or stack should exceed that range. If 

 it does not the organisms live on and 

 Avork on, and through their vital func- 

 tions change valuable food stuffs and 

 produce acetic acid, the acid of vinegar, 

 buric acid, the acid which gives the 

 rancid flavour to butter, and lactic acid 

 or the acid of sour milk. The feeding 

 value of the silage is consequently 

 diminished in proportion to the degree 

 of this fermentation. When the fer- 

 mentation has been allowed to continue 

 in this manner, sour ensilage is the 

 result, and it has accordingly less fatten- 

 ing value than sweet silage although 

 it is valuable to the dairy farmer for 

 milk production. But there is another 

 cause of change in the cells of the 

 ' plants ensilaged, and it is that which 

 is believed to bring abdut the rise of 

 temperature. When the crop has been 

 cut and has begun to wilt, the cells 

 would appear to continue living, and 

 that for some time until through desiea- 

 tion or otherwise the contents cease 

 activity. While thus living their vital 

 functions are reversed, instead of absorb- 

 ing carbonic acid gas and giving out 

 oxygen — the normal function of plants 

 — they now absorb oxygen and give 

 off carbonic acid. This is known as 

 intercellular oxidation, and when the 

 herbage has been carted to the silo 



