878 
SM^kmeni to ihe " Tropml Agriculturist." fJuNl 1, l&Ql. 
, The analysis of the sweet potato (according 
to Dalgety's Eeview) is as follows : — 100 lbs. sweet 
potato eontains 69 "32 to 73 11 lbs. ivater, 1"09 to 
1'39 lbs. ash, 1-38 to 2'47 protein or flesh-forming 
material, '86 to 1-23 lbs. fibre, 29-73 to 28-46 lbs. 
nitrogen free extract (starch, sugar, gum, &c.,) and 
•43 to -85 lb?, fat : a total of 27'46 lbs. to 32-49 lbs. 
dry matter. It thus contains more dry matter and 
more starchy and sugary food, but less nitrogenous 
material than the ordinary potato. As a com- 
parison it may be stated that 100 lbs. maize 
GQutain B9'l dry matter, lO-o protein, and 75 lbs. 
nitrogen free extract, while 300 lbs. sweet potatoes 
contain 86'7 dry matter, 4*5 lbs. protein and 75'3 
lb?, nitrogen free extract. 
In Japan sweet potatoes are preserved by drying 
thus : — Cleanly washed potatoes are placed in a 
basket and immersed in boiling water for a short 
time ; when taken out of the basket they are cut 
into thin slices and spread ofetr mats, exposed to 
the sun for three or four days. In order to make 
a superior quality, the skin of the potato is 
peeled off before slicing. 
The Indian Planters Gazette writes: — "The 
ladybird beetle not having turned out a success 
for the numerous pests that afflict our tea gardens, 
we see that the manthus has been suggested as a 
likely ally to wage war with. But there are four 
manthi, though, from its well-known pugnacity, 
that usually denominated the devout one is pro- 
bably meant. We have kept this creature in 
muslin cages, but are not aware that its love of 
fighting and cannibalistic propensities extend 
beyond its own species. If, however, it can be 
trained to turn its attenton to spider, its domesti- 
cation may be worth attention ; but it must be 
remembered that the insect is as much a vegetarain 
as a carnivorian, and, though no likely to patronise 
the bitter tea leaf, would play sad havoc in an 
adjacent flower or vegetable garden." 
Dr. Harvey W. Wiley, of the United States 
Department of Agriculture, reports that the sun- 
flower is a crop which makes a considerable drain 
on the elements of soil fertilizers ; that one of the 
most valuable constituents of the plant is the oil, 
which exists in large quantities in the seeds ; that 
the economic production of sunflowers is now con- 
lined almost exclusively to Kussio, where it is an 
agricultural industry of considerable imporfcaHce; 
that in the United States it is grown as an orna- 
ment and fpr the production of seeds, which are 
used chiefly for poultry and bird feeding and for 
condimental and medicinal properties with farm 
animals ;• that the oil of the sunflower seed is not 
produced commercially in the United States ; and 
that in the cultivation of the sunflower the methods 
pursued for growing Indian corn are to be 
followed ; and the plant is capable of cultivation 
over almost as wide an area as Indian corn. 
Tomatoes are most helpful to the system when 
eaten raw, as the volatile oil they contain is dis- 
sipated by the heat of cooking. Green vegetables, 
such as spinach and cabbage, are iuTaluable as 
medicinal articles of diet, as they possess blood 
purifying properties, and act indirectly on the 
liver. Turnips are nutritious, while the young 
turnip tops are possessed of tonic propertiei. 
Parslej' is a blood purifier, and should be eaten 
both raw and cooked. An almost exclusive diet 
of fruit and vegetables is supposed to induce purity 
of complexion. 
Says the Chemist and Druggist: — We havt 
recently had brought under our notice a fine 
sample of Egyptian capsicums which have lately 
made their appearance on this market. The pods 
are of a bright uniform colour and devoid of the 
calyx and stalk, are very clean, and have evidently 
been carefully prepared. They are valued at about 
65*. per cwt. We have no data bearing upon this 
sample, but by careful comparison with Natal 
capsicums the two forms are practically indis- 
tinguishable, and it is probable that the sample in 
question has been grown from Natal seed. In the 
early part of May last year one of the Mincing 
Lane brokers included in his spioe-catalogue a 
similar sample from the same country equally well 
prepared, and valued at the time at 83s. per cwt., 
fine Natal being worth 90*. In the catalogue 
referred to a sample of chillies from the same 
source was also included, but we do not remember 
to have seen any further parcels offered since, 
though we occasionally see quantities from Nyassa- 
land. It is just possible that at no distant date 
we may receive both capsicums and chillies from, 
the West Indies, as seeds of the commercial 
varieties were freely distributed through these 
islands some time since by Dr. D. Morris, lata 
assistant director of Kew Gardens, 
