tion of the ferment of the papaw is quite different. There is a rapid disintegration of the fibres which separate into tiny fragments. Finally the undigested portion becomes a pultaceous residue. 2 1 A most interesting feature of the papaw enzyme is its action at a wide range of temperature. With the animal ferments, especially pepsin and trypsin, digestion is very slow at room temperature, 68 to 70 F. While at this temperature the papaw enzyme acts as energetically as at 110 F., the animal ferments act most energetically at body temperature (diastase at 130 F.) BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. The usual monthly meeting of the Board of Agriculture was held at Head Quarter House on the 12th inst., at which there were present: The Hon. Colonial Secretary, Chairman; the Director of Public Gardens, theChemist, His Grace the Archbishop, Hon. H. Cork, Mr. C. A. T. Fursdon, and the Secretary, Mr. J. Barclay. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The Chairman intimated that Sir Daniel Morris had a cotton expert visiting Barbados and other islands and advising generally on the industry. He had arranged that this expert, Mr. Seabrook, should spend a fortnight here in May, to give advice, especially on ginning. He would thus be able to set up the gin at Mr. Fursdon's property. Mr. Cork asked if there was any experimenting going on with the different local varieties, as there might be found a first class hardy cotton for our local conditions. The Director of Public Gardens was asked to make enquiry of the local instructors and others about native varieties. Regarding the proposed arrangement between the Director of Public Gardens and Mr. W. G. Clark of Gordon Town, for the latter to lease a portion of the grounds at Hope, partly used at present as the Port Royal Mountains Agricultural Society's Show ground, it was resolved to retain the land in the hands of the Government. A suggestion from the Chemist was submitted to utilize all the ruinate land at Hope to provide hay and pasture so as to support a self-contained service of draft stock and to utilize the considerable flow of waste water which for nine months in the year is not used. One of his suggestions that the Board of Agriculture should possess a strong travelling buggy of its own for use of its officers was not approved. A minute from the Secretary reporting that he had received up to date orders for 6,900 lbs. of cotton seed, 2,400 lbs. of which had already been sent out, was submitted. As further orders were being received daily he would require more seed. The Director of Public Gardens reported that half a ton had been cabled for and ought soon to be received. A letter from Mr C. A T. Fursdon, enclosing letters he had received about damage done by scale insects around Hartlands, and let 21 It is notable that with meat proteids, both cooked and uucooked, in acid or alkaline solutions containing no ferment, there is a marked swelling of the fibre. In an alkaline solution this becomes a solid jelly, but this swelling seems to be entirely counteracted by the presence of the papaw ferment. ters showing them to be in greater numbers than ever before, which had been received by the Director of Public Gardens, were submitted. The Director of Public Gardens suggested the lime and sulphur wash which was in favour for destroying scale insects in the United States. A suggestion to treat trees by hydrocyanic gas, and for the Board to procure a tent for the purpose of doing so, was submitted, but was not adopted. The Chairman said the Government had no funds to provide the tents, and the gas to treat each tree would cost 2s. 9d., which was prohibitive. A suggestion to introduce the variety of lady bird beetle, which the U. S. Department of Agriculture had introduced into that country for the San Jose scale was considered and the Director of Public Gardens stated that it was not abundant enough yet for distribution in the States. The Director was asked to make enquiries on the subject of the lady bird beetles here. The Chemist submitted minutes as follows: Application from Mr. Altamont DeCordova for admission into the Agricultural course. Approved. Application for appointment of three laboratory assistants for sugar experiments to be paid out of the Imperial grant. Approved. The appointment of a committee to co-operate with him in his sugar experiments. Approved. A suggestion to start correspondence classes in agriculture was not adopted. A suggestion re Model School Gardens was referred to the Superintending Inspector of Schools. Communications regarding fungus on cotton at Hope and letters from Sir Daniel Morris on the subject, suggesting treatment of cotton seed for planting by soaking in a solution of corrosive sublimate were dealt with Suggestion re King's Purse for raising stock for the year 1905. The Chairman said the matter was being dealt with by the Agricultural Society. The following reports were directed to be circulated by the Society. From the Chemist :-Report on the work of Sugar Experiments (1) By the Fermentation Chemist. (2) By the Superintendent of sugar experiments Analyses obtained from manurial plots. Report on seedling cane. Minute reporting successful results with thymol as a cure for worms in horses. From the Director of Public Gardens : Report on Hope Experiment Station between 12th March and 9th April. Report by Mr. W. J. Thompson on his weighing of canes on sugar estates. The Board adjourned. [Issued 14th May, 1904.] Printed at the Govt. Printing Office, Kingston, Jam. By H. H. COUSINS, M. A., F.C.S., Island Chemist. The results of the experiments on 6 estates have been obtained to date with the ratoon crop of 1993, following the first series of experiments with plants in 19 2. The work of supervision of these experiments has now been specially provided for by the appointment of Mr. T. H Sharp, Jr., B.S. A. as Superintendent of Sugar Experiments. Albion Estate, St. Thomas J. Grinan, Esq. The results with D. 95 1st ratoons agree with those obtained last year. The manures show a general increase in all cases. A manure consisting of 6 cwt. of a mixture of 3 parts superphosphate with 2 parts steamed bone flour, 1 cwt. Sulphate of Ammonia and cwt. Su'phate of Potash per acre costing 56/ increased the yield by 11 tons of cane at 10/ pe ton (value of cane to the estate). This manure shows a profit of 44/ per acre. Hal' a ton of Lime per acre yielded an increase of 3.5 tons cane. Last year With Mont Blanc canes, the results are quite different the manures produced no results; with the ratoon crop some of the plots show an increase but not a profitable one while others show a deficit both in tonnage and in cost. A new series of plots has been arranged here as the old ones were not considered altoge her satisfactory or uniform. Thanks are due to J. Grinan Esq., and to the Maniger for their generous co-operation in these experiments. Holland Estate, St. Elizabeth.-M. H. M. Farquharson, Esj. The returns from the ratoons were considerably less than from the plants which yielded a very high tonnage in 1902. The plots throughout confirm the results previously obtained, all the manured plots show an increase and, with the exception of the pen manure, a profit on manuring The largest crop was obtained from the same plot as last year which received 3 cst. of slag., 1 cwt. of Nitrate of Sod and 1 cwt. of Muriate of Potash. This year, however, the increase of Potash from 1 to 1 cwt over plot 2 has not resulted in a profit. Both the omission of Phosphate and its increase from 3 to 6 cwt. per acre resulted in a reduced profit. The omission of Nitrogen resulted in a reduction in the yield and a small loss on that account while the doubling of the Nitrat of Soda did not increase the yiell and resulted in a reduced profit. So far as chemical manures are concerned the complete manure on plot 2, as originally designed by the writer as a suitable manure for thi soil, has justified itself both on the plants and ratoons. Very striking results are those with lime and cow-peas, each used separately. Half a ton of lime per acre has increased the crop by nearly 25 tons showing a profit of £11 188. Od. per acre. The cowpeas also show a good return and yield a profit of £7 15s. Od. A combination of lime and cow-peas indicates itself as probably the most profitable manurial treatment that this soil could receive. Were I the owner of this property, I should certainly try this on a large scale on the strength of the results already obtained. The wonderful effects of deep drainage on this flat, stiff land is strikingly shown by a neighbouring plot so treated that has given a return of 51.76 tons canes or an apparent increase of nearly 40 tons canes per acre due to drainage alone. These figures are significant of much. They iudicate that the yield on this estate, despite long years of cane cultivation, can be increased enormously by drainage, by liming, by the growth of leguminous dressings a id with due caution and judgment, the use of a little complete chemical manure. I desire to express my thanks to Mr. Farquharson for the care and trouble he has taken with these experiments Mr. Cradwick supervised the weighing of the plots. The manures applied here were the same as at Holland, plot 2 receiving 3 cwt. Basic Slag, 1 cwt. Nitrate of Soda and cwt. Muriate of Potash, costing per acre. All the plots receiving manure show an increase save the Double Phosphate. Analysis shows this soil to be |