Vol. XVII. No. 412. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



47 



'and resistance to every variation of temperature: even when 

 buried in the earth it lasts like iron. The tree is of fairly 

 rapid growth after the first eight or ten year.?; thus at twenty 

 years [of age the height of one of these trees may reach 30 

 to -^O metres with a diameter varying from 20 to 30 centi- 

 .iiietics. Its adaptability ta various conditions is great. It 

 endures a large amount of moisture or very dry conditions. 

 Strong winds do not cause it to fall, as 'is the case with 

 ■other species of the genus, and it can withstand some 

 degrees of frost. When cut down it springs again from the 

 trunk, which is a rsire habit among pines. These trees may 

 be planted at a very short distance from one another, 1 '25 

 metre apart, and even 1 metre apart in very dry soils, is the 

 advice given as the result of his experience by M. F. Albert, 

 the Chief of the Forest Department in Chile. Another 

 admirable feature of this tree is that its trunk jjrows 

 perfectly straight, even when the tree is isolated. Dr. Perez 

 considers that I'iniis caiiaricmis is an ideal forest tree for 

 warm temperate regions, especially with regard to its toler- 

 ance of drought. 



It might be advantageous if experiments were made 

 in these drier tropical islands as to the adaptability of this 

 tree to local conditions. 



HOG CHOLERA IN BARBADOS. 



In a letter to the E'iriiados Aili-ocate, February 5, 

 Dr. It. A. Stoute, D.V.S.. Government Veterinary Surgeon, 

 states that after making several post mortems, as well as doing 

 other work, Dr. .Tohnson, the 'jOvernme]it Bacteriologist, and 

 lie have been able to pronounce the disease among hogs which 

 exists at present in the island to be hog cholera or swine fever. 

 Unfortunately they have been unable to trace its origin. 



After i|Uoting in full the symptoms of the disease 

 from Dr. Dorset's book on hog cholera, Dr. Stoute gives 

 some suggestions which he hopes may be helpful. They 

 are as follows: — 



'(_)n finding that your hogs are affected with hog cholera 

 give to each well animal a dose of salts in its drinking water. 

 Some American farmers reeominend one large tablespoonful 

 of characoal in each animal's feed twice a day as a preventive. 



'I would suggest, when. practicable, to remove the well 

 jhogs from the sick ones, and consequently from the infected 

 pens. Thoroughly wash each hog with soap and water, 

 putting a little .Jeyes fluid in the water: be careful to wash 

 the feet and lower parts of the abdomen; be careful that no 

 manure is carried from sick pens to new ones, and keep each 

 ho" as much separated from others as possible. Under no 

 consideration allow attendants to visit the pens with the 

 sick hogs, and then go to pens with healthy animals. The 

 utensils used for feeding before removal must not be used 

 with the hogs after being separated. 



'One of the rules issued by the Ijoard of Agriculture 

 and Fisheries in England is that every person going in or to 

 a sty with a hog sick of swine fever must thoroughly wash 

 •his hands with soap and water, and must also wipe his 

 boots or feet. 



'The spread of the disease here cannot be accounted for, 

 but, as birds are blamed for carrying the infection on their 

 feet, I am inclined to blame our blackbird for at least 

 helping to spread the infection. 



■lender no consideration allow a fresh animal to be 



brought into the herd, or allow any animal to be sent from 



an infected herd, except under certain regulations which I 



j)resume will have to be carried out by the Sanitary 



.-Authorities. 



'In addition to the above it must be remembered thai; 

 the pens, trousjhs, and all utensiU used with the hogs mus': 

 be kept perfectly clean, and the bedding must be also kept 

 as clean as possible.' 



Dr. Stoute has supplied .some of the local druggists 

 with a prescription which Dr. Dorset is of opinioa acts 

 principally as a tonic, and so improves the health of animxls. 



This deadly disease was the subject of an article in the 

 Agricultural Ntws, December 1, 1917, p. 378, to which our 

 readers are referred. This was ba.>ed on Firuieri BvAktiii, 

 No. •-<■!.'/, of the United States Depaitmeat of Agriculture, 

 August 11)1 7. We quote the foll<3wiu2 from the bulletin refer- 

 red to: 'no drug or combination ot drugs is known which cia 

 be regarded either as a preventive oi a cure in the true sensa 

 of the word for hog cholera. <3nly one agent known oaa 

 be regarded as a reliable preventive, that is anti-hog cholera 

 serum. . . . < "omplete immunity from the disease is obtained 

 by the injection of hog cholera virus in addition to the 

 serum. The practice is to administer the germs of the hog 

 cholera in the virus, and at the same tiirte to give a dose of 

 serum, which will protect the hogs from cholera. The theory 

 is similar to that of vaccination.' In view of the magnituda 

 of the interests involved it would sseui to be desirable tha: 

 such serum be obtained, as it may be, from the licensed 

 manufacturers thereof in the United States. 



ECONOMY IN FOOD CONSUMPTION. 



An article in The Field of November 24, 1917, 

 very truly remarks that 'the solution of the food problen 

 will be found in careful harbouring of supplies rather thaa 

 in increased production. It will be the duty of all, ia 

 a position to do .so, to e.icert themselve.s in augmenting the 

 output of es-ential commodities. The farmer as the 

 principal producer has a heavy respon-sibility in -thd 

 matter, but the smaller holder and the allotcient 

 holder will be required to play a proportionate part, 

 if it be only to grow enough fo- home use. The 

 work of production must be encouraged in every way 

 compatible with the public intere.st, for there is a limi; 

 that we need not be afraid of exceeding, from home sources, 

 below which supplies cannot be reduced without imperilling 

 the nition; but, while it may be assumed that the minimuin 

 standard of output can be maintained, it would be unwise to 

 count up(m any considerable quantity in exce.ss of it. If the 

 critical period is to be surmounted, it will certainly be neces- 

 sary to insist upon strict economy in the homes of 

 the people. Indeed, in the opinion of many careful 

 economists the consumer can go at least as far as 

 the producer towards solving the vital problem that no^v 

 confronts the nation. While the one can help through 

 increased exertion on the land, the other has an eiually 

 effective part to fill in economising in the home. Thera 

 must be an advance fro'.ii both directions towards the point 

 at which safety is to be found. Since this sharing of res- 

 ponsibility has been insisted upon in these columns before, 

 as the only means of overcoming the food difficulties, wa 

 note with peculiar satisfaction the piominence that is now 

 being given to economy in :?onsumption. It may well be 

 said of the economy movement that this way lies the safety 

 of the country. 'Phe farmer can do much, and, subject to 

 the weather will strain the resources of his holding to :ha 

 utmost, but if the consumer fails to do his part, whi-h ia 

 not so susceptible to natural disturbances, the trial will nets 

 be successfully surmounted.' 



