Agriculture in Malta. 



36/ 



The first prize in the section for cooking eggs was awarded 

 to specimens which been preserved in a solution of silicate of 

 potassium. The eggs had been first dipped in warm lard 

 and then allowed to cool with the lard on them, after which 

 they were placed in a solution of 6 lbs. silicate of potassium 

 and 6-|- gallons of water. The yolks, white, and flavour were 

 found to be perfect, and there was no loss of weight. 



In the second section for table eggs the first prize was also 

 awarded to specimens which had been preserved in a solution 

 of silicate of potassium. The appearance of these successful 

 samples were stated to render them indistinguishable from 

 newly-laid eggs, and on breaking the shells, the yolks and 

 white were of normal consistency, and the flavour good. 

 The process of preservation had consisted in first washing 

 the eggs with a brush and then placing them in an air-tight 

 box containing a 10 per cent, solution of silicate of 

 potassium. 



[Deutsche Landwirthschaftliche Presse, XXVI. Jahrgang Nr. 8q.~\ 



Agriculture in Malta. 



The annual Report relating to Malta during the year, 

 1898 which was recently published by the Colonial Office, 

 contains some interesting information on the state of agri- 

 culture in the island and its adjoining dependencies. 



The area of Malta, including Gozo and Comino, amounts 

 to 75,111 acres, of w T hich 44,165 acres, or nearly three-fifths of 

 the whole surface, were under cultivation in 1898, and only 

 4,024 acres were returned as absolutely waste land. The 

 soil, which is calcareous and very shallow, is deficient in 

 humus and organic matter, but it is heavily manured. The 

 system of land tenure is a four or eight years' lease, but waste 

 land may be let for a longer period in order to encourage its 

 cultivation. 



The following table, which has been compiled from the 



