560 
Supplement to the '^Tropical Agriculturist." [FEB, 1, 1900. 
This tendency to produce blossom that will not 
fertilise, yet will fertilise others, has earned for 
this long-leavrid tree the sobriquet of "male" 
coffee. Whether the presence of such trees in an 
estate is Nature's own remedy for a too long, 
continued course of "in-broediiig," and is, there- 
fore, of advantnge. is a mo.it point. Generally the 
plant is considered useless and unnecessary (since 
the other trees, being hernnxphrodite, can do with- 
out it), and since it bears so little, is not consi- 
dered "worth its keep." it is, therefore, usually 
picked out and thrown awiiy as early as it shows 
the telltale narrow long leaf in the germinating 
bed or niusery. 
♦ 
RESERVATION OF EGGS. 
The following is a report of experiments made 
at the Central E-tperimeut Farm, Ottawa, Canada, 
of the two methods usually considered the best of 
preset ving eggs. The experiments were conducted 
by Mr. Frank T. Shutt, chemist, Dominion Experi- 
ment Farm, and Mr. A. G, Gilbert, the poultry 
manager. Hiving received numerous inquiries 
from farmers during the past two months ie-.pect- 
ing the merits of " water glass " as a medium in 
which to kfep eggs, we are led to think that 
certain conclusions drawn from an experiment, 
lately brought to a close, with this and otiier 
preservatives will be of interest to your readers. 
The investigation was commenced last September, 
perfectly fre.-h eggs from the farm poultry house 
being used for the test, which consisted in im- 
mersing the eggs for varying lengths of time, 
from a few hoiVrs to six months in (a) limewater, 
and (6) lO per cent, solution of " water glass." 
Those eggs which were treated for a few hours, 
days, or weeks, as the case might be, were subse- 
quently placed, together with the untreated eggs 
to be used as a check, in a rack within a drawer in 
the laboratory till the close of the experiment, 
30th March, 1899. All the eggs were at a temper- 
ature from o5 degree-" to 72 degrees Fahr. 
throughout the trial. The testing consisted in 
breaking the eggs into a glas- and noting tiie 
appearance of the " white" and yolk, whether the 
yolk was stuck to the shell, size of air-sp/ice, 
odour, &c. The eggs were then poached and 
again the odour, appearance, &c., noted. Withoiit 
giving in detail the results of the various trials, it 
may suffice for the present purposes to summarise 
the conclusions reached, as follows : — 
CONCLUSIONS. 
1. In no instance, either of treated or un- 
treated eggs, were any " bad " eggs found. 
2. In all cases where the eggs were not kept 
covered througliout the period of the te.-t with 
the preservative solution, shrinkage of the con- 
tents had taken pluce, as shown by the larger air- 
space, less globular form of the yolk, and in many 
instances by the adherence of the yolk to the 
Biiell. Tiio eggs treated for seven days and less 
with lime lvat«r showed somewh:it lo>s shrinkiige 
than those treated a similar length of time with 
silicate of soda. 
3. It would appear that limewater and " water 
glass" used continuously are equally efficacious iu 
preventing shrinkage. They may also be said to 
give practically the same results as regards both 
external and internal appearances, flavour, &c., o£ 
the eggs preserved. Since water glass" (silicate 
of soda) is more costly and more disagreeable to 
use than limewater, we could not from the pre- 
sent results recommend the former as the better 
preservative. 
4. The albumen or " white " in all th» preserved 
eggs was very faintly yellow (though not to the 
same degree in all the eggs), the tint becoming 
deeper on boiling. 
5. No offensive odour was to be perceived from 
a'ly of the eggs when broken, but in all instances a 
faitit but peculiar musty or stale odour and flavour 
developed on poaching. 
6. It is probable that no preservative will prevent 
the loss of flavour possessed by the fresh egg, but 
those which wholly exclude the air (and thus at 
the same time prevent shrinkage from evaporation) 
will be the most successful. Continual submer- 
gence is evidently better than treatment for a few 
days. The limewater maj- be made by putting 2 
or 3 lb. of good fresh lime in 5 gallons of water, 
stirring well at intervals, for a few hours, and then 
allowed to settle. The clear supernatant fluid can 
then bo poured over the eggs, which hare been 
previously placed in a crock or water-tight barrel. 
Some authorities recommend the addition of 1 lb. 
or so of salt to the limewater, but the writers are 
of the opinion that this is unnecessary, and proba- 
bly leads to the imparting of a limy flavour to the 
eggs by inducing an interchange of the fluids 
within and without the egg. The all essential 
points to be remembered are : — (1) The the eggs to 
be preserved shall be perfectly fresh, and (2) that 
they shall be covered with the preservative fluid. 
GENERAL ITEMS. 
The extent of mortality in Sind amongst cattle, 
due to the famine, may be judged from the fact 
that one Trading Company alone has already pur- 
chased three million hides for shipment. Up to 
the present time the cattle have sufEerred more 
acutely than the people. This is partly due to the 
promptness with which relief works have been 
opened, and partly to the rapidity with which 
grain has poured in from other Provinces by the 
natural operation of the law of supply and 
demand. 
Tne stimulus given to the hide trade by the 
famine is not confined to Western India. The 
returns show a jump from nineteen to forty-nine 
lakhs of rupees in the value of hides exported 
from Calcutta in November, as compared with 
the corresponding period a year ago. The increase 
thus amounts to thirtj' lakhs in the same number 
of days, all classes of skins sharing in the 
advance. 
The report of the' Governor of Trinidad fur- 
nishes an agreeable contrast to the stories we have 
so often been told of the ruin of the West Indies. 
AViiting in July la.^t, Governor KnoUys says: 
" The/e is no doubt that at the prsent momeut 
Trinidad is more prosperous than i; has ever been 
before." 
In connection with the question of the appoint- 
ment of scientific experts for the iuYSStigation 
