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e z Agricaiiural txtension Notes PUBLISHED BY LHE VIRGIN ISLANDS AGRICULIURAL X~ PERIMENT STATION, ST. CROIX. THE PAPAYA By LONGFIELD SMITH. This delicious tropieal fruit and vege- table deserves to be much more widely cultivated in the Virgin Isiands. Len years ago the Kxperiment Station introduced the best varieties of Papaya teom Hawaii. The fruits were apparent- ly much appreciated and quite a quantity of seed was distributed. Since then the Station has continued to grow a tfew Hawaiian Papa_a and to give away seed. Two years ago some seed of the best varieties of Papaya from Samoa were introduced and also some fresh s<ed from Hawaii. The plants raised irom this seed have borne fruits already and a quantity or seed from these has been distributed in the Virgin Isiands. In spite of these etforts to Introduce this fruit however, it wouid appear that there is still little interest taken lin it, for there are still very few trees ol these improved Papaya to be-found in the Islands. It is difficult 1o understand the reason for this, since the soil and climate of the Virgin Islands are weli adapted to the plant. Any few feet bf ground in a backyard is capable of producing two or three Papaya trees, and they ought to be found in every back yard of every home in town, and they ought to be found on ‘every plantation. I'he (ruit ils wvholesome; so much so, tkat, in Samoa, even babies and young caiidren are largelv brought up on it. When green, tne fruit makes a delicate and delicious vegetable, resembling Syuash It .contains a chemical sub- stance called '‘Papain’’ which is a po ~er- ful digestive, resembling the animal digestive called “"Pepsin’’. On this ac- count alone it deserves a place in the diet of the people 01l these Islands [he Papaya plants are of two Kkinds, Male an Femaje Only the latter bear fruit, but the former are necessary (o fertilise the latter. It is useless how- ever to keep more than one male Papaya tree to every eight or ten female trees. The male trees bear their blossoms on long pendulous spikes, while the female trees bear their blossoms singly, ani close (0 the main trunk of the tree. The Papaya bears fruits in less than a year from planting, and, as a rule, con- tinues to bear for about a year. After this time the trees usually acquire disease, and the fruits become smaller, so that it is best to raise a fresh crop from seed every cne or two years. Keep the seed of the hest and sweetest fruits for propagation. : s 1. Lol X aVis On account of the ease with which I this plant ean be raiseed and the great | vaiue of the fruit for its wholesoraeness | and digestive properties let us determine | to raise Papaya, and encourage our | neighbours to do likewise. Every labour- | er should have afew of these plants in his piece of vegetable ground. TELEGR- MS. ST. CROIX STATION. | London, June 6th. —The next devel- opment in the coal dispute is not unlikely to be direct negotiations® between the | coal mine owners and the men. The | Premier, it is announced, is suffering | from a chili and has been ordered to rest for a few days. As he is under en- gagement to visit Oxford toward the | end of the week and then go to Wales, | it is not likely that héegill be available for -any iramediate negotiations and the | mine owners are already taking steps to invite the gminers executives to meet them to talk mattersover. A semi-offi- cial statement was ‘ssued last night to the eifect that the coal strike 1s causing a deficit averaging 9,500,000 pounds monthly on the working of the railways ‘ which being urder government control | this amount has to be compensated to the shareholders at the expense of the | taxpayeis. Thus with the cost of calling up the reserves, which have only just been disbanded, and of ttie new defence force and the expenditure of unemploy- ment benefits, there is a heavy drain on the state finances, and itis considered that the government is debarred in this way from holding out for an indefinite period iis offer of ten million pounds to tide the coal industry over the difficult period. . St. Cloud, France, Junz 6th. Mlle. Lengien yesterday won the women’s world Hardcourt tennis championship by defeating MNrs. Malioyd. The United States contenders in two straight sets, the score being 6-2, 6-3. _ London,June 6th,—-Nr.Sthamer German Ambassador to (sreat Britain,today deliver eda note to the British Foreign Minister complaining that the threat of the inter- Aj lied commission to withdraw the Allied troops from the towns in the industrial re- gions of Upper Silesia,unless a withdrawal ofthe German defence begins forthwith, is a grave breach of the peace ir-aty. The note declared the threat of the intey- all’ed 'commission was tantamount (o placing the Gerran population of Upper Silesia at the ercy of the Polish insui- gents, and make the unloosing of civii- lan war ‘nevitable, because it was im- possible for the German Government 1o bring pres.ure to bear on the derence torce to leave the German population defenceless ro the insurgents. According to tie Ambassadors note, his reierenc. was to the interallied ultimatum d.liv- on June 4th, expiring in twelve hours, and it declared that the inter-2llied commission had prohibited the Po- lish insurgents from reoccupying the places™they had evacuated since the evening of June 3rd the St. Hamer note says that if the industrial region is evacuated, inasmuch as there are no Allied troops available to prevent the Poles from following up the retiring force, the population would be exposed to the most brutal Polish terror and the situation would be intolerable. not only for the inhabitants in Upper Silesia, but for the whole Germun people. New York, June Tth.—~The early raw sugar market was nominal. No *busi- ness was reported. Raw sugar futures were firmer, and at midday were three to five points net higher, though the volume ot business was light. No change occurred in refined sugar,with fine granu- lated from 6.25 to 6.30 Only one lot of September change hands at 6.00, or five points higher. Oppeln, June sth--An ultimatum had been issued by the French to General Von Hoefer, saving that unless within 24 hours he withdraws the German forces which advanced several kilometres on the Annaberg sector in upper Silesia, follo ving the insurgent attacks on Fri- day and Saturday, French troopsin the industrial section will be withdiawn. The ultimatum, delhivered by a British officer, was merely acknowledged by Von Hoefer. It was not answered, but an appointment has been made for a meeting at Oppeln at 11 o’clock ‘omor- row morning between Von Hoefer and the British Commander. Ovppeln, June Bth. -Rosenburg, a town about 20 milessnortheast of this city, and located near the old Polish fror.tier, has been occupied by a battalion of British trcops. Rosenburg wes taken by . olish insurgents during their first advance in Upper Silesia, and there }as been dun- ger of serious fighting ther: herween the Poles a d Germans. Paris, June 7th. —The Buiitish Note re- garding Upper Silesia declared tha' the British Govt. has agreed with the French on the establishment of order in Upper Silesia. It considers, however, that it must : wait a report from Sir Harold Stuart berore pronouncing the ecourse to follow in order to arrive at a solution «f the question. Hope is zxpressed that the arrival of a new British commission- er will quickly enabie the Gavt 1o v, a complete idea of the situation. New York, June Bth. -The German Government made another pavment yes terday of about $14,000,000 towards tho Alhed reparatiwns account The exuac. figures were not ievealed by officials of the tederal reserve bank to whom the money was turned over (o the credit of the Bank of Enrgland and the Bank n{ France. Uhis brings the totai payments to appreximately $50,000,000 An ad ditionai $30,000,000 remains to be paid on this side by Germany.