Trfti TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [ftt. 1895. 
PICKINGS WITH A LOIVL APPLICATION. 
A writer in the agricultural journal of Cape Colony 
of November 29th makes out that when labour, 
freight &o. &c, are carefully considered "the bloom 
gets off the 
FIHRK INDUSTHV 
very much" — as he puts it — with the present price s. 
In order to clearly indicate these prices, \\i s ivs be 
took the last price current, an3 translate I the quo- 
tations from per ton to per lb., with till following 
results : — 
Sisal, i.e. Agave Fibre — £17 per ton of 
2,2101b., or .. .. t-82ioerlb. 
Mexican Istle — £14 per ton, or Pud per lb., say three- 
halfpence. 
Ramie or Khoea — £'15 per tons, or .. lMil per 11). 
Kitool.. .. .. .. If per Kb. 
Coir, weaving quality — £20 per tori, or2'14d pre tb. 
„ mat and roping quality — ■£'10 per ton, or 
107 per lb. 
Algerian Esparto— £3 per ton. or 0'39 1 per Hi. 
Jute, common — £10perton, or P07dpei II. 
In estimating what is to be got from fibres we are 
advised not to look at the deceptive ton price, but 
to ask ourselves which is the fibre, we will consent 
to make, pack, ship and sell in London a', the 
above rediculous " penny— worth values " per pound. 
The American papers contain details of official ex- 
periments carried out in New Mexico and Arizona 
with the view of testing 
CANAIGI1E, 
the plant from whose roots it has been state 1 that 
an excellent tanning agent is obtainable. It was 
found that each plant made at least double an I 
sometimes six times the weight of the root plant e I. 
and that no inconvenience results from thick planting. 
Four or five roots are usually found on each parent 
root. As the old root increases in age it becomes 
firmer and darker and richer in tannin, and it 
possesses the property of renewing all injured and 
broken parts with a new growth. The plant gives 
good results in return for irrigation and ea efnl 
cultivation. Roots one year old yield 20 to 25 per 
cent and older roots from 25 to 40 per cent of 
tanning material. When fresh they contain on an 
average 6(5 per cent of water ; two months after 
digging this proportion is reduced to 59 per cent ; at 
one year there is only 32 percent, and when thoroughly 
dry 8 per cent of water is presented. 
At a meeting of the Madras Agri-Horticultural 
Society Mr. Thurston exhibited sampler of fibre of 
the Af/aee. Amei'ieana, prepared at Coimbatore. (a) by 
scraping dry leaves and (h) by maceration, and of 
the oamboo scrapes used in ths former process, in 
illustration of a note by him, published as Bulletin 
No. 30 of the Department of Land Rsiords and 
Agriculture, Madras. It is there stated that " the 
fire of Ar/are Americana (from (J oimbxtore) has been 
very well reported on (in England), ani is considered 
to be nearly as good as MmilU hemp." The ex- 
traction of the fibre is performed entirely by 
hand. In the first of the methods the leaves 
are cut, the sharp spines removed with a 
knife, and about six inches cut off from th 3 top of the 
leaf. The leaf is then split longitudinally into four 
or five pieces, which are beaten with a wooden millet 
and placed on a board 4' by 4" by 3' held firmly by the 
toes. The pulp is then removed by means 
of a bamboo scraper, one edge of which is 
shaped in the form of a blade, and the fibre 
dried by exposure to the sun. The fibre 
obtained by this simple pro?e3s, without washing or 
bleaching, is very clean and free from pulp. The 
'staple is not, however, very 'long. It is mide 
into thread which is used in weaving grass mits. 
In obtaining the fibre by maceration the leaves are 
cut and the spines removed. The whole leaf is 
then beaten with a wooden mallet, and thrown, 
in bundles into tanks or wells, in which it is left to 
macerate for a fortnight to twenty days, or until the 
pulp is quite decomposed. The buudlesare then taken 
out dried, and bleached in th3 sun. The fibre obtained 
by this proses ; is longer than th obt lined by scrap- 
ing, but is not nearly so clean. A vex-y large supply 
of the fibre could be obtain jl, if a denial for it 
arose. At present it is sold in the baraar at the 
rate of 2 annas per lb., but, if a regular trade in it 
were started, the price woul I doubtless be reduced. The 
A'/aee is planted by tho Milias Kiilway Company 
primarily as a protective hedge, and not an a tibre- 
producer ; and in the event of a d"iiiim) for the fibre 
arising, the cultivation of the plant would doubtless 
to be extended. 
A Bfi.LKi'iN of the Missouri experiment station 
summarizes the results of some of the experiments 
as follows: 1. All crops dew uid soluble plant fo.id 
in proper amounts. 2. The plant food most don 
cient in our soils is pot ish. phosphoric acid, and 
nitrogen. 3. All plants reiJilv respond to applica- 
tion of potash and phosphoric a-id. and all but the 
leguminous plants to that of nitrogen. 4. The legu- 
minous plants are able to g ither and appropriate 
nitrogen in abundance from the atmospheric air. 5. 
Luge crops mean the buying of potash and soluble 
phosphoric acid fertilizers, and. unless a proper 
rotation is adopted, th it of nitrates or other nitro- 
genous m mures, (i. Potash salts may be applied 
either in autumn or in spring, soluble phosphoric 
acids and nitrates in spring only. 7. For deep- 
rooting plants the two former should be deeply 
ploughed under, and the soil receive a top-dressing 
in addition. 8. Biiiefijial results follow the applica- 
tion of lime and that of indirect fertilizers, such as 
salt. 9. A proper rotation, different under different 
conditions, may be looked upon as the vital measure 
for miking farming a profitable aul satisfactory 
occupation. 
A little known system of placing distinctive marks 
on animals is being practised in ('ape Colony, by 
which numbers are put upon the ear of 
SHK.EP 
by means of the tattoo process. In proof of the 
efficacy of this method of identifying annuals it miy 
be noted that it had been exercised in one flock for 
no less than 46 years, and a careful examination 
of the ears of the auim lis afforded conclusive evid- 
ence, for the private register numbor was found to 
be ciearly visible in the ears of every sheep, includ- 
ing nine or ten-year-old ewes. It is stated that the 
colouring matter used was a mixture of gunpowder 
and bone-black mide into a thin paste with spirits 
of wine, and that this mixture was dabbed on to the 
punctures by the aid of a piece of sponge. It would 
03 interesting to find oat how this process would do 
in the cise of our bl isk-skinned cattle. 
The following from the. Mark lane Ecprekl supplies 
another instance of the danger to nun from contact 
with 
GLAXDERED HOBSES, 
and the need for more stringent msamres for the 
suppression of the disease : 
'• Dr. Danford Thomis hxs just held an inquest 
concerning the death of Mark Benjamin Markey, 
aged 43, of Bristol Mews. Paddington. The widow 
stated that the deceased was a cab proprietor and 
driver. On August IS he was kicked by a horse and 
his thumb wis cut, but, after some days it nearly 
healed up. He afterwards complained of severe pains, 
and had medical advice, but swelling in the armpits 
and pains followed. He became so load that for the 
last three weeks he was confined to his bed and 
died on Wednesday last. Six weeks ago they had 
a horse ill and it had a little running at the nose, 
and they thought it was only suffering from acoldowing 
to its having been out to grass for some time. The 
horse dial the next day, but whether it had glanders 
or not she did not know because it was at once re- 
j moved. Dr. Furze stated that in his opinion death 
I had resulted from glanders. He was informed that a 
1 horse some time before had been taken ill, and for 
I two days before had discharge cf the nostrils, Professor 
1 Pepper, F.R.C.S. Wimpole Street, W., said he was 
1 of opnion that death was clearly due to glanders, 
j There was no doubt that the poison was absorbed 
into the wound in the thumb. It was his opinion that 
I the horse had suffered from glanders. The jury 
I rsturnel a verdict in accordance with the medica) 
I evidence," 
