JUNE 1907.1 



359 



Edible Products. 



a large number of plants for the grower's own use. At the same time, when in a 

 good season a number of particularly good plants are available, an extra quantity 

 of seed should be saved, sufficient for seven or eight years' supply is not too much. 

 Heavy seed is better than light, and, for this reason, it is a good plan to sift the seed 

 through a very small sieve made for the purpose. Another method is to blow the 

 light seed away by means of a fan, regulated so as not to be too powerful. Thresh- 

 ing is easily accomplished by rubbing the pods when dry between the hands. After 

 shelling the seed into a dish, it should be sifted, and then placed in jars made air-tight 

 with screw tops, and carefully labelled with the date, name, and characteristics. If 

 stored in a dry situation it will retain vitality for ten years. 



To secure the best plants for seed, it is a good custom to save considerably 

 more plants until near the ripening stage, than are ultimately intended to keep 

 By that time it can be decided which are most true to type, mature early, are uni- 

 form, easy to handle, and healthy. Then be sure to try for the smaller quantity of 

 strong, healthy seed by taking off all the top leaves, suckers, and branches. Leave 

 only the central cluster of seed pods, and protect from outside contamination. If 

 every grower would undertake the selection of his own tobacco seed under proper 

 methods, a great improvement in Victorian tobacco leaf would surely result. The 

 time and labour necessary to do this would be very little. It is only natural 

 to presume tobacco can be improved in quality, quantity, and value, just as maize, 

 wheat, and potatoes have benefitted by the same attention, more especially as it has 

 been proved that individual tobacco plants are most consistent in handing down 

 their special characteristics.— Journal of the Department of Agriculture of Victoria. 

 November, 1906. 



A REVIEW OP THE COCOA TRADE. 

 The more we go into the year of 1907 the better we can judge the whole extent 

 of the cacao crops within the last years in the most important producing countries, 

 says the German " Gordian " in a special review of the cacao trade. The official 

 figures referring to the crops in the Gold Coast Colony and Santo Domingo in 190(3 

 have just been published. In both countries the production of cacao is of recent 

 date, but it is a fact that in both countries the production has enormously increased. 

 The Gold Coast Colony in West Africa has exported : 



1906 20,009,503 lbs. against 1905 11,407,608 lbs. 



1900 1,200,749 „ 



1895 28,906 „ 



1885 121 „ 



It results that in the last year about 8,600,000 lbs. more have been harvested 

 than in the year before. We are also told that the arrivals in the months of 

 January, February, March have been very heavy. It is reported that in these 

 3 months even more than 6,000,000 lbs of cacao beans have been delivered. 



The largest producing countries of the world are the Portuguese islands 

 St. Thome and Principe. These islands exported in 1906 410,326 bags, or, each 

 bag counted at 130 lbs., about. 53,400,000 lbs., and we may venture to say that 

 the neighbouring Gold Coast with its ever increasing production will have over- 

 taken the Portuguese cultivations in a few years time. 



There are now many complaints in the various countries of consumption 

 about the cocoa of St. Thome. In order to raise the prices the cocoa has been 

 stored up in Lissabon, in consequence of which many lots have become mouldy 

 and hand in hand with it they have lost considerably in value for consumption. 

 As the food bill forbids the manufacturing of damaged or mouldy cacao beanSj 

 cocoa of that condition is without any value. 



