Vol. VIII. No. 86. 
40 [February, 1902.] 
IMPERIAL INSTITUTE JOURNAL. 
New South Wales, those States, as well as New Zealand, having sent 
considerable quantities of their output to South Africa. Canada has 
recovered the position amongst our sources of butter which the bad 
Canadian dairy season of 1900 altered, and the sum paid by us to the 
Dominion on this score was ^1,008,002 in 1901. The first place in the 
English butter market was held last year by Denmark, which supplied 
^8,950,497 worth. France came second with ^1,704,128, Russia and 
Holland very close up in the third and fourth places, with Canada, as above 
mentioned, fifth. With regard to our imports of wheat grain it is interesting 
to note that Australia and New Zealand are receiving an increased share 
of our vast expenditure 011 that commodity, our disbursements to those 
Colonies, amounting last year to ^2,287,507, whilst Canada received 
^2,216,049 for wheat and ^628,611 for flour. 
Colonies.— -The Imperial Department of Agriculture for the West Indies 
was only formed a little over three years ago, but in that short period a great deal 
of time has been devoted to investigating the improvement of sugar canes. It 
is a curious fact that, although the sugar cane has been cultivated in tropical 
countries for centuries, it was only about a dozen years ago that the discovery 
was made that they produced seeds, and that the plants could be grown from 
these seeds — the universal mode of propagation having been by means of 
slips. This knowledge of the existence of seeds has greatly simplified the 
question of developing better and more fruitful canes, and the authorities are 
doing their best to select from amongst the seedlings particular varieties to suit 
the different kinds of soil and climatic conditions. A year ago (March, 1901, 
page 76) we gave a short account of the remarkable results of the experiments 
conducted in Barbados by Professor dCUbuqucrque and Mr. Bovell during 
the 1900 season, when it was shown that the best cane was the seedling B 147, 
followed by B 208, the standard cane favoured by the planters, and known 
as White Transparent, being eighth in order of merit. Last season the 
experiments were continued on a similar plan, the competing plants being 
grown in ordinary plantations, not in botanic gardens/and every care being 
taken to treat all equally. Unfortunately, the weather was very unfavourable, 
and the general result was an early crop of canes, the growth of which had 
been checked, and which had been brought to premature ripeness ; con- 
sequently the purity of the cane juice generally was much below the average, 
and the tonnage of canes, and richness and purity of juice, were markedly 
diminished in such late-growing varieties as B 147. It is not surprising then, 
that the results do not agree with those of the previous year, the first place 
being now taken by B 208, which is described as the best all-round cane on 
account of its ready germination, the general absence of disease, the yield pf 
sugar, the great richness and purity of its juice, and the satisfactory results 
obtained in both black and red soils, plants, and ratoons. Its juice purity 
was high , and the yield of sucrose 7,33b lb. per acre. White '. Transparent 
occupied second place, with fair juice purity, and 7,176 lb. of sucrose per 
acre, but the percentage of rotten canes was rather high. B 147 came third, 
with low purity of juice, and 6,787 lb. of sucrose per acre. Several varieties 
gave such poor results that, after weeding them out, it is proposed to experi- 
ment this year with white transparent Jamaica cane, the Sealy seedling, B 147 
and B 208, and with such other promising new canes and seedlings as may 
be introduced. While these experiments were being carried out at Barbados, 
similar ones were being conducted at Antigua and St. Kitts, all tending 
to prove the absolute necessity of discovering the best cane to suit local 
conditions of soil, the islands varying a good deal in character. At Antigua 
there were 14 varieties of canes and seedlings in competition, there being 
12 plots of each variety. D 95 secured first place, with 8,158 lb. of sucrose 
per acre, Mt. Blanc coming second with 7,256 lb., and Naga B third with 
7,134 lb. White Transparent was seventh on the list with 6,856 lb., and 
B 147 only 12th with 6,050 lb. Turning to the St. Kitts results, where 
20 varieties were competing, we find that — as in Barbados — B 205 is at the 
top of the list, with 9,817 lb. of sucrose per acre, while Naga B comes next 
with 8,956 lb., followed by B 147 in the third place with 8,874 lb. On the 
other hand, Mt. Blanc declines to the nth place with 7,631 lb., and White 
Transparent is still further down, occupying the 16th place with 6,207 lb . 
In both islands it will be seen that the yield of the standard cane is far below 
that of the best new seedlings. From these experiments it is hoped to secure 
several kinds of canes, hitherto untried in St. Kitts, which will give better 
yields than those at present under cultivation. Full details of the experiments 
and the results have just been published hy the Department of Agriculture. 
The Imperial Commissioner urges the planter carefully to study the facts 
contained in these publications, and not to embark on the cultivation of new 
canes until he has fully satisfied himself that they are exactly suited to the 
circumstances of his district. 
The results of the work of last season in the agricultural, live stock and 
dairying industries in Manitoba have been given in a bulletin issued by the 
Provincial Department of Agriculture and Immigration at Winnipeg. With 
regard to the wheat crop the bulletin says that the average yield for the 
province is now given as 25*1 bushels per acre, and a total crop of 
50,502,085 bushels. The acreage in crop was 2,011,835. The eastern 
district suffered most from too heavy straw, and heads only partly filled. The 
yield increased westward to the boundary of the province, and was particu- 
larly heavy in the north-western district. In the Rapid city district and west- 
ward, and along the line of the Manitoba and North Western railway, a 
wonderful crop, averaging 30 bushels to the acre, was garnered. “This 
fact, with the advent of the new railroad from Forrest westward, makes that 
district a most desirable place for settlement and investment.” The oat 
crop, although on the whole a good, crop, was not up to expectations in many 
districts. The total yield for the province was 27,796,588 bushels from an 
area sown of 689,951 acres, or 40*3 bushels per acre. The barley crop is 
generally reported as one of the best ever grown in the province ; heavy yield 
and fine, plump berry. The province was specially free from any disastrous 
hailstorms. The total yield was 6,536,155 bushels from 191,009 acres in crop, 
or 34*2 bushels per acre. The season of 1901 was also the most successful 
in the history of the dairy industry of Manitoba. The increase of dairy 
butter production was. 31 per cent, over that of the previous year, and the 
average price having remained about the same, a corresponding increase 
appears in the value. The output of creamery butter made a phenomenal 
stride, an increase of 96 per cent, over last year being shown. The average 
price was about il cent lower than in the previous season. The total 
production of dairy butter was 2,748,090 pounds, of the value of 395,540 
dollars, or i4'04c. per pound ; of creamery butter, 2,460,650 pounds, of the 
value of 442,424 dollars, or 17*980. per pound. There was very little 
increase in the output of cheese, but the quality and make of cheese has 
greatly improved and fewer complaints were received. The total production 
in the province was 1,039,392 pounds, valued at 88,348 dollars, or 8*50. per 
pound. The number of live stock includes 142,080 horses, 263,168 cattle, 
and 94,680 pigs. 
India. — -The first forecast of the cotton crop in the North-Western 
Provinces and Oudh reports that a very- large area — the largest since 
1894 — has been devoted to the cultivation of cotton this year. The appre- 
hensions of serious injury from the drought of September were not realised. 
Where there was irrigation, the crop seems to have altogether escaped injury. 
The condition of the present crop is better than the plentiful crop of 1900-01 
at the corresponding period, the average condition for the province being 
represented by the figure 86, 100 representing a normal crop. The estimated 
out-turn amounts to 266,430 bales of 400 lb. each, a yield of 73 lb. per acre, 
as compared with 68 lb. in the previous year. In the Central Provinces the 
area under cotton is estimated at 990,042 acres, or slightly below last year's 
area, but 49 per cent, above the decennial average. The out-turn is estimated 
at 152,620 bales of 400 lb. each, as compared with 184,087, the out-turn of 
the preceding year. 
His Excellency the Governor of Ceylon, in his address at the opening 
of the Legislative Council, referred to the progress made in the cultivation of 
minor agricultural products. Cacao is doing well, and on most estates the 
canker has been largely eradicated. Cocoanuts, cinnamon, cardamons, and 
other smaller products, have been in a prosperous condition during the year. 
Of new products, rubber claims the first place. Exports of appreciable 
quantities have commenced, and the prices obtained have been most 
satisfactory. The latest market report contains the entry : “ Best Para, 3s. gd. ; 
Ceylon, fine, Para sort, 4s. ifd. per lb.” This cultivation may now be con- 
sidered established in the wet low-country districts. Camphor has continued 
to attract attention, and bids fair to prove a paying minor product for many 
parts of the south-west and the hills. Samples prepared from trees grown in 
the Botanic Gardens have lately been valued at 126s. per cwt. The yield of 
camphor from clippings of leaves and young twigs is about 1*2 per cent., and 
the preparation is cheap, so that in places where 16,000 lb. of clippings can 
be obtained from an acre in a year, there is little doubt that it will pay well. 
Of other minor or new products, tobacco continues to extend, also vanilla, 
pepper, cinchona, and tapioca ; the roots of the last-named are, however, 
only used as yams, and not for the preparation of tapioca, Citronella oil is 
in a very depressed state, owing to over-production and to low prices, with 
new competition in unadulterated oil from Java. 
Foreign Countries. — The report of the Committee on Food Preserv- 
atives contains an interesting account of a visit paid to Denmark by 
Dr. Bulstrode and Mr. Huddart in connection with the business of the 
Committee. It is observed that Denmark is a country of co-operative dairy 
societies. The country has laid itself out to perfect its butter manufacture as 
a national industry, and local exhibitions held all over the State in furtherance 
of the butter trade are aided by the Government. No State aid is, however, 
afforded to small farmers in need of capital for outlay on their business, but 
money can be borrowed at a low rate of interest from local banks, some of 
which belong to large co-operative societies. The central creameries draw 
milk from an average radius of six miles, and the farmers (who are members 
of the society to whose creamery they send their produce) are paid according 
to the quantity and the quality of the milk sent in. Government inspectors are 
employed to take samples of separated milk on its way from the creamery to the 
farm for cattle food, in order to ascertain that the law, which requires that all milk 
used as food for cattle shall be duly pasteurised, has been carried out. The 
milch cattle are mostly of the red Danish breed, but in Jutland the local 
breed is well represented. They are tethered in the field by chains some 
12 feet long. The cows are moved seven times a day gradually from one 
side of the field to the other ; milking is performed at 4 a.m. and 4 p.m. The 
tails of the cows are cut in winter for cleanliness, and the coats of the cows 
are brushed twice a day. Each milker washes her hands before beginning to 
milk, and rinses them before milking each cow. She milks from eighteen to 
twenty cows, the milk being at once screened. The milk is again screened 
before passing over an 18-coil cooler, and is then placed in an ice- water tank 
till despatched. The milk is weighed before being sent off, and the cans are 
sealed. A farm at Sofiendal and the Hasley co-operative dairy were visited 
as being typical of the industry. One of the cow-houses at Sofiendal served 
for 1 1 2 cows, the heads of the cattle in each double row being four feet apart. 
The house was 45 feet wide, and each of its eight sections was 15 feet long 
and 12 feet high, sufficing for 14 cows, and giving each of them 580 cubic 
feet of air space. There were seven doors in the stable, and fifteen windows, 
all opening in part. The stable was quite in the open ; floor, ceiling and 
walls are white-washed twice a year. Every two cows have one water-trough, 
which automatically fills but never over-flows. This is regarded as a 
safeguard against tuberculosis, such as would not be procured by a water 
supply common to the whole herd. In the Hasley Co-operative Dairy the 
milk of 1,200 cows is dealt with daily. The water supply is from a well sunk 
62 feet into the chalk. No ice is used, cooling being effected by cold water 
only. All the milk on receipt passes through a strainer fixed over the weighing 
machine, and also through a centrifugal separator, each separator dealing 
with 3,600 lb. of milk per hour. The milk is then warmed to 40 deg. C. (104 
deg. F.). the cream and the skimmed milk running by separate channels to 
different pasteurising plant. After pasteurising the cream is cooled down to 
10-12 deg. C. (50-54 deg. F.) by means of a cold-water coil-cooler. The 
cream is again heated to 40 deg. C., and the butter starter, procured from 
the Copenhagen laboratory, is introduced. The cream then stands till next 
morning, when it is churned for half-an-hour. Each churn makes 180-200 lb. 
of butter in half-an-hour. 
