Vol. Xir. Xo. 289. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



ICI 



EUHA/.SCIEA'VE. By J.J. Green, ii.Sc, Macmillan 

 A- Co., Ltd., London I'.US. Is. 6rf. 



This interesting and stimulating little book has been [>re- 

 pared for use in the upper forms of rural secondary schools 

 The book is characterized by the large amcunt of practical work 

 that is described, and by the clear illustrations which make 

 the descriptions easy to understand. Although the subject- 

 matter applies to temperate condition.s, many <jf the ideas 

 will be found useful in the teaching of agricultural science 

 in the Tropics, and the textbook should be of the greatest 

 assistance where the teacher's skill is sufhciently elastic to 

 enable him to substitute tropical material in the place of 

 that indicated in the book under review. 



Chapter I deals with the structure and germination of 

 seeds. Following this is an account of useful experiments 

 on seed testing. The succeeding section of the work dealing 

 with the plant describes the different li>rms of roots and 

 shoots, the fertilisation of flowers and the elementary 

 principles of plant breeding A chapter is given to duration 

 in plant> and vegetative reproduction. In chapter VI the 

 composition of plant.-^ is explained in a manner which is 

 simple, practical and suggestive. 



The remaining part of the work concerns soils The 

 chapter on the relation of soils to water, describes, with illus- 

 trations, several very instructive experiments, which can be 

 conveniently conducted in the classroom by means of simple 

 -and easily obtainable apparatus. The importance of the 

 extensive work of the last few years on the biological 

 properties of the soil is reflected to the student, by informa- 

 tion contained in Chapters XII and XIV, where an attempt 

 is made to induce a conception of bacterial action and its 

 economic importance. The book concludes with a short 

 description of the cultivation of the chief British crops, 

 emphasizing incidentally the paramount importance of 

 systems of rotation. 



SYI.VIVULTURE IN THE TROPICS. By A F. 

 Broun. Macmillan db Co., Ltd. London E.G. 8s. Gd. net. 



It is stated in the preface of this volume that the book 

 was originally intended to form one of a series on agriculture 

 in the Tropics; consequently, the materialization of this inten- 

 tion has been the production of a work which is not 

 restricted in its application to any particular area. 



The author commences by discu.ssing the influence of 

 .soils upon forest vegetation, and illustrates, for example, the 

 diti'erences in regard to the species found on the Sudan 

 cotton soil and on limey soils in the same country. The 

 former soil is characterized by the large number of 

 Acacias found, whereas on the latter formation such trees 

 as Adansonia dii/itala, and Stn-culm cinerea are preva- 

 lent. Proceeding to the effect of climate upon forests, 

 th.; writer gives graphic descriptions of the vegetation 

 of wet and dry situations. This chapter is followed by 

 another dealing with the influence of li'cality, in which con- 

 jiexion, as is well known, altitude, winds and hurricanes 



constitute important factors. In Chapter IV the interesting: 

 biological subject of the relationship between trees and plant 

 and animal allies and enemies is considered. Interesting^ 

 facts are given concerning climbing plants like Land'ilphia, 

 Laurensis and Ficus. Several fungus parasites are described. 

 Due importance is attached in this chapter to the usefulness- 

 of insects and birds as regards pollination; and quadrupeds, 

 like antelopes and deer, are stated to be of value in the distri- 

 bution of .-^eed. On the other hand, the usefulness of these- 

 animals is frequently counterbalanced by the damage done by 

 certain species; in this connexion a brief account is given of 

 some of the common insect pests of trees in the Tropics 



A subject of considerable interest in the West Indies is- 

 the influence of forests on climate and locality, which forms- 

 the heading to Chapter \l. This may be read with advan- 

 tage by those interested in afforestation in the West Indies. 



Part II of the work deals with the formation and regene- 

 ration of forests It would be impossible in the brief space 

 of this review to enter into any details in regard to the large- 

 amount of information provided, but the reader's attention 

 may be called to those parts dealing with the collection of 

 seed and the construction and management of nurseries, where 

 extremely interesting illustrations of tools and devices are re- 

 produced. Following these matters comes an account of the 

 preliminary operations that have to be carried out on an area, 

 that is to be afforested. This section, again, is in many ways- 

 of direct interest in the West Indies. A large amount of space- 

 is devoted to the subject of regeneration both by seed and 

 liy coppice. 



The third and last part of the volume concerns the- 

 maintenance and protection of forest crops. After dealing first 

 with thinnings and pruning, measures for maintenance and 

 protection are then described, including methods for the 

 demarcation of boundaries, for fire protection, and for the 

 fixation of unstable soils by means of certain plants and by 

 engineering works. 



Thi' volume is well printed and illustrated and hae> 

 a useful index containing references to the different species of 

 trees alluded to from time to time in the text. 



TUBERCULOSIS IN FOWLS. 



The following note dealing with tuberculosis in fowlsf- 

 is abstracted from the .Touraiil of tin' Dipartment of Aijri- 

 culture of Xew Zealand, Vol. VI, No 2: — 



Birds are most liable to this disease at the 'moulting'" 

 period, or when from any other cause the body is in 

 a weakened condition. 



The symptoms are many, but experience is required ire. 

 their detection. To the untrained observer a wasted appear- 

 ance is perhaps the plainest sign. Then the breast bone 

 stands out sharply from the body, and the neck is devoicK 

 of flesh The comb presents an unhealthy appearance. 

 Diarrhit'a accompanies the disease and the excreta are of aik 

 unnatural colour. The bird is generally .seen to limp in the- 

 right leg in the later stages of the disease. 



When opening up a tuberculous bird, the liver is found, 

 to be greatly enlarged, from the presence of tubercle nodulea- 

 which are scattered throughout the tissue. There is, it i.* 

 almost needless to add, no cure for this disease, but it. 

 may be prevented to some extent by keeping the liirds in 

 good condition, and the surroundings as sanitary as possible. 

 A nourishing diet, with a plentiful provision of green food,. 

 cle<n water and grit ar-i of much importance. Those bird* 

 which are visibly wasters should be killed, and great atten- 

 tion mu^t be paid to cleansing the fowl house, and to 

 removing all traces of infection, more particularly the- 

 droppings of affected birds. 



