Vol. IX. No. 211. 



THE AGKICULTURAL NEWS, 



in 



AN ACCOUNT OF SOME USEFUL TREES. 



Leartet Xo. 1 of 1910, of the Agricultural and Forestry 

 Department, X}-a.saland Protectorate, entitled Some JVotes oil; 

 Tree Plnntiwj in tJie Shire Hiijhlnnds ot Xi/amhind contains 

 interesting information concerning several useful trees. The 

 Eucalypti dealt with include En<-nlyjituA tijfinin, nrnienoides, 

 citriodoni, lonyifolia, mnrulata, paniriditln, pilidaris, pitnr- 

 t'lta, rostratii, mdis, rohusta, sali'inn, sideroxylon, Smithii, 

 and tereticornis; ail these, except E. robusta pad E. Smithii, 

 yield valuable timber. From the leaflet tlie following par- 

 ticulars are taken: — 



Euca/i/ptus aflinis- — Timber said to be hard and tough, 

 somewhat greasy to the touch, and ver)' durable. 



£urali//ifus armenoides (White Mahogany). — Very dura- 

 ble; e.Kcellent for posts, piles, girders, etc : useful for general 

 building jiuriioses (Maiden). 



EKculi/piiis ritriodorn (Lemon-.scentcd Gum). — Used as 

 an ornamental plant on account of the scent of its foliage. 

 Difficult to transplant, but grows well in suitable situations. 

 Useful for ship liuilding, paving, railway tie.s, bridge-build- 

 ing, carriage-making and for railway coaches (Maiden). 



Eucrdj/ptus lomjilolia (Whoollybutt). — Grows best on 

 deep alluvial soil. Timber reddi.sh in colour, hard, inter- 

 locked and very durable. i„ 



Emnli/pitus mucidata (Spotted G'lm). — -Timber durable, 

 and easily split: useful for waggon-work, cart shaft.s, -ship- 

 building, etc. 



Eacali/ptiti punicidata (White Ironbark). — There are 

 three other ironbarks besides tiiis species, namely, E. rrehra, 

 E.sideropliJoia and E.sideru.rylon. According to Maiden, Iron- 

 bark is the strongest and most durable wood of Xew South 

 Wales. It is useful wherever great strength is required, for 

 instance, for railway sleepers, posts, naves, spokes, shafts and^ 

 framing, in waggon and carriage building: for large beams in 

 buildings, especially where these are likely to be subjected to 

 very great weights. 



Eucah/ptus pilidaris (Blackbutt). — Suitable for orna 

 mental purposes, as it branches extensively and has a thick 

 foliage. Useful for house-building, ship-lmikling, as bridge 

 planking and as wood paving (Maiden). 



Eacali/jitiis punctata (Grej' Gum). — Produces heavy 

 branches when it is widely spaced, so that it is suitable for 

 making avenues and shelter belts. The timber is useful in 

 waggon-work and carpentry. 



Enca/i/ptiis raitfrata (Red Gum). — Can be grown in 

 many varying situations; the timber from trees on hilly 

 ground is somewhat lighter than that produced in rich .soil 

 with a good rainfall. Specially useful for fencing posts, piles, 

 railway sleepers, veneers, street paving and parquet flooring. 

 Withstands the action of the water, the white ant and Tereio 

 (Gill). The tree has a spreading habit, which makes it well 

 adapted for avenues and wind-breaks. The wood gives an 

 e.vcellent fuel. 



Eiirali/ptiis rinli.t. — -When planted widely, it branches 

 low down on the trunk, and thus makes a useful tree lor 

 avenues and shelter belts. The timber is said to be durable. 



Eucidyptnx rohnxta (.Swamp Mahogany). — Only grows 

 well in moist soil or drained swamps. The timber is of little 

 X-alue. May be planted for the purpose of drying up swamps. 



Enralyptus sa/i;/na (Flooded Gum).— Grows rapidly 

 m deep soil. The timber possesses great strength and dura- 

 bility; it is useful for lieams, sleepers, and general building 

 purposes. The tree produces clean, straight poles. 



Enralyptus xiderojyhn (Red Ironbark).— Like the 

 other ironbarks, this produces a timber of great durability. 



Enralyptm Smithii (Gully Ash).— Only suitable for 

 ornamental and .shelter planting; yields a very good oil. Is 

 of slow growth. 



Eucalyptus tereticornis. ~A species closely allied to 

 E. rostrata, and like this plant it can stand a wide range of 

 temperature and great variation in s<!.il. Suitable for planting 

 in dry localities. Its timber is useful in the same ways as 

 that of E. rostrata. 



Among the other trees mentioned in the leatiet are the 

 Norfolk Island Pine (Araucaria ej-c/s'i) and the Kauri Pine 

 {Dammara austntlis). The former of the.se is a lofty tree', 

 which is now widely cultivated in tropical regions. It growii 

 well on deeji, open soil, and yields a timber which is useful 

 for building purposes and general indoor work. According 

 to Veitch, the Kauri pine yields resinous products which are 

 little inferior to the best of tho.se given by the Coniferae. 

 The same authority states that the timber is straight in grain, 

 very strong, durable and elastic, and that it can be employed 

 for every purpose for which timber is in request. 



THE CAPONIZING OP FOWLS. 



Enquiry has been received recently by the Department 

 as to the way in which the operation of caponizing fowls 

 should be conducted, and as to where instruments for the 

 purpose may be obtained. It may be useful to state that 

 such instruments may be procured from Messrs. Griffith, 

 Turner A Co., 20-5, X'orth Paca Street, Baltimore, Mo., U.S.A., 

 at the price of §2-7.5 or it'iOQ (catalogue 23, page 71), 

 or from Peter Hender.son cC' Co., 3-0 and 37, Cortlandt Street, 

 X'ew Vork, U.S.A. F^^ch. set of instruments is accompanied 

 by a full account of the way in which the operation should 

 be performed. 



The best time for operating is when the birds weigh li- 

 to 2 lb., or when they are three to four months old. They 

 should not be over six months old, on account of the 

 greater danger, at this age, of injury being done to the sper- 

 matic artery, by which the f<3wl will be caused to bleed to death.' 



In preparing the fowls prior to the operation, it should 

 be made certain that the intestines are completely empty, in 

 order that they may be out of the way when the testes 

 are being removed. This can be done by shutting up the 

 fowls and keeping food and water from them for twenty-four 

 to thirty-six hours before the operation. A good light is 

 required for this, and it is thus advisable that it should be 

 pel formed out of doors. 



After the operation has been made, the birds should be 

 provided with shelter, food and water in a closed yard where 

 they will not be disturbed and where no perches are provided. 

 Food may be given immediately, and may well consist of 

 water and .soft feed, together with skim milk. The part where 

 the operation has been performed should be examined froui 

 day to day for about a week, in order to ascsrtain if air is 

 collecting beneath the skin; if this is the case, the skin should 

 be pricked with a clean knife or needle, and the air pressed out. 



In feeding capons tor the table, it .should be remem- 

 bered that for several months after caponizing, a growing 

 ration, that is one containing a large proportion of nitro- 

 genous food bodies, is required. Good results have been 

 obtained with a somewhat more fattening ration than that 

 which should be given to laying hen.<. 



