^64 
TttE TROPICAL AGWCULTtJlilSt. [April 1, 1903. 
' Thus three pounds of sweet potatoes afford almost 
as much dry matter, quite as much carbonaceous 
material, but less than half as much protein, as is 
contained in one pound of corn. By using one-half 
pound of cotton-seed meal or one pound of cow- 
peas (seed) for every ten pounds of sweet potatoes 
this deficiency is fully supplied.' In the West Indies 
at present sweet potatoes are not usually regarded 
as a regular food for horses and cattle but rather 
as a special diet in cases of illness, etc. Mr, Spooner's 
testimony to the value of the meal at a food for 
stock has already been given. In the want of more 
exact data it would appear not improbable that it 
might be possible to utilise locally grown potatoes, 
peas, etc., as fodder for horses and stock in place of 
much imported corn. In England there is a certain 
demand for sweet potato meal for the manuf.ioture 
of glucose. One firm has intimated its readiness to 
take as much as ] ,000 tons per month, provided the 
price does not exceed about £6 per ton, deli- 
vered in London. This price it will be noted is very 
little more than 3grf. per pound including freight, 
etc. Even if themeal could be produced as cheaply 
as by Mr. Spooner in Antigua at ^d. per pound, 
it seems probable that it woold be more useful and 
remunerative to the people in West Indies to prepare 
it for their own use rather than for export at such 
rates. 
It is interesting also to note that, owing to the 
failure of the orange industry in St. Michael, the 
famous St. Michael orange is no longer to be found 
in the Engl!^h market. Many of the former orange 
growers have turned their attention to the cultiva- 
tion of sweet potatoes. A large portion of the crop 
is utilised in mjking spirit, which is shipped to 
Portugal and employed in fortifying wines, etc. 
SHIPMENT TO EUEOPE. 
Another possible method of desposing of the surplus 
supply of sweet potatoes has been suggested. This 
is shipment to Europe, In May last the initial steps 
were taken to secure the introduction and establish- 
ment in favour of the vegetable in the home markets. 
To this end a circular letter was sent to several 
important firms, whom it was thought might be able 
to co-operate. The Department offered to supply 
them for a certain period, with fortnightly barrels 
of sweet [potatoes entirely free of cost. The firms 
were requested on their side to give the potatoes 
away in small luts, or to sell them at nominal prices 
with the understanding that after say eight or ten 
weeks they should undertake to receive and sell a 
few barrels per month and sustain a regular trade 
in the article. The matter was actively taken up 
by two firms, and since October regular shipments 
of sweet potatces have been made. 
One great dif&oulty to be encountered in attempt, 
ing to introduce a new vegetable is lack of know- 
ledge as how best to cook it. To obviate this the 
Department prepared, with the kind assistance of 
Mrs. J, E. Bovell, a pamphlet entitled Recipes for 
cooJdng Sfeet Potatoes from the West Indies which was 
issued as No. 6 of the Department's Pamphlet 
Series in July lliOl. It contains fifteen different ways 
of preparing the vegetable for table use. Copies 
have been widely distributed with ihe potatoes. The 
Department has been fortunate in securing the 
hearty co-operation of several of the planters of Bar- 
bados in this matter, as also of the Royal Mail 
Steam Packet Company, who have agreed to carry 
the barrels of potatoes free of cost during the early 
stage of the experiment. 
It remains to be seen how much demand there 
is for them in England. Supposing the trade to 
grow, many points as to the best modes of packing, the 
best vt).rieties for transporting, etc., will require to be 
solved. The Army and Navy Auxiliary Co-operative 
Supply, Limited of London have regularly contri- 
buted valuable Information concerning the condition 
in vrhich the potatoes have reached Euglaud. 
Preference has been already expressed in England 
in favour of small, red potatoes. One important point 
to remember is the comparative ease, with which the 
sweet potato can be bruised. It therefore demands 
careful handling. 
The experiment has been commented upon in several 
of the English papers, and the following notice 
appeared in the West Indian Committee's Circular 
for Nov. 12, 1901 :— 
' With a view to popularising this vegetable in the 
United Kingdom Dr, Morris, the Imperial Commis- 
sioner of Agriculture for the West Indies, has 
arranged to send over by each mail for the present 
a few barrels of aweet potatoes. Samples of these 
potatoes with full culinary recipes may be obtained 
from Messrs. James Phillips & Co., 4, Fenchuroh Street 
Buildings, E.C Members of the Committee will 
greatly assist in the encouragement of what may 
become an important minor industry by bringing the 
sweet potatoes before the notice of their friends who 
have not had the advantage of sampling them in a 
' tropical country.'— ,7o«!?noZ of the Imperial Be-part- 
ment of Agriculture for ihe West Indies. 
MBXIOO S VEGETABLE PRODUCTS. 
MOST OF THE KNOWN PLANTS AND TREES OF THE WOELD 
FOUND IN THE BBPUBLIC, 
Owing to the great range of latitude included within 
the borders of Mexico, as well as the extensive varia- 
tions in altitude, the vegetation of all zones, from 
the frigid to the torrid, is to be found. More than 
10,000 plants have been analysed and classified, and 
many yet remain awaiting the work of the scientist. 
In Mexico trees grow at an altitude ef 13,054 feet and 
herbs at 13,715 feet. 
Mexico is the land of striking contrasts, which is es- 
pecially demonstrated in its vegetation — voluptuous 
growth varies with bare deserts, often within a short 
distance. There are luxuriant virgin forests, where 
the ground is overshadowed with creeping plants and 
brushwood and the branches are perfectly covered with 
parasites ; near the coasts these forests are often 
as swampy and impenetrable as the jungles of India. 
There are immense prairies, thickly covered with 
grasses and fragrant blossoms ; there are white alkali 
deserts, rocky and sandy plains, where nothing but 
the curious cacti and agaves grow. The traveller who 
enters Mexico from the North during the winter, over 
the Central plateau, is at first disappointed, and thinks 
it the country of sand-whirls and cacti, but even a few 
hours' ride to the east or west would .change thin idea. 
In a couple of hours you can be transferred from pine 
forests to palm groves. Most luxurious is nature in 
the hot and temperate zone of Mexico, especially in 
sheltered valleys, in the ravines and on the banks of 
the rivers. In the cool zone the gigantic Mexican 
cypresses, covered with Spanish moss or orchids de- 
monstrate the productive power of the soil, competing 
with the giant chestnut trees of Sicily and the red- 
wood or mammoth trees of California. Stately trees 
are the ahuacates, mangoes, amates, ashes, eucalyptus, 
palms, etc., curious trees are the " weeping tree," 
the " phosphoric tree," the "caustic tree," the "claw 
tree " and the sensitive plants." The principal agri- 
cultural products are according to quantity : Indian 
corn, wheat, barley and Mexican beans, further straw, 
sugar, sisal, hemp and ixtle ; cotton,' garden beans, 
rice; vetch, chick-peas and potatoes. Indian corn 
and Mexican beans are the principal food, red pepper 
the principal condiment of the people. 
The productiveness of certain plants is wonderful ; 
Indian corn, for instance, yields in certain cases up to 
800 times, wheat aa much as 110 times. Com and wheat 
of Mexico are of the finest quality. In some parts of 
the country two and three crops can be harvested in 
one year. The most productive plant is probably the 
banana, one acre of these plants being able tO 9UStfi,iq 
