Vol. XV. No. 374. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



279 



DISEASES OF LIVE STOCK. 



VETERINARY REPORT FROM BRITISH 



GUIANA. 



Some interesting information appear.? in the report of 

 the Veterinary Division of the Department of )Science and 

 Agriculture for 1914-1-5: — 



In the fir.st p'ace reference is made to certain matters in 

 connexion with the feeding of live stock. During the year 

 under review some experiments were made to find out whether 

 it is possible to make hay successfully in Demerara. The 

 ultimate results were .satisfactory, Bahama and other grasses 

 producing hay the smell and feel of which are stated to have 

 been the same as those of the best English hay. Horses 

 appeared to relish it. Unfortunately in the midst of the 

 trial, a drought set in which compelled the experiment to be 

 discontinued. As soon as an opportunity offers further 

 supplies will be made and the feeding value of the hay 

 determined. 



The report next warns stock owners against the danger 

 attendant on the feeding of stock on rice dust. This feed must 

 be used with the greatest caution as the siliceou.s .sheaths of the 

 rice are .swallowed and in many cases puncture the wall of the 

 bowel, with the production of colic and the resultant death 

 of the stock. 



Turning to specific diseases, the report refers to an 

 epidemic of swine fever that broke out. Difficulties were 

 experienced in regard to the fixing of quarantine, and the 

 control of the disea.se was further enormously handicapped- 

 owing to the fact that no serum has yet been produced which 

 is capable of protecting pigs against the disease. Recent 

 reports from England and the Continent however, it is 

 stated, hold out every hope of the production of an effective 

 serum in the near future. In the case of the epidemic 

 referred to in Demerara, dozens of pigs died daily, and then 

 the disease disappeared as suddenly as it aro.se. 



On the East Coast during the year, anthrax, dreaded bj' 

 all stock owners, made its appearance and spread rapidly. 

 The control of the epidemic was handicapped by the fact 

 that owing to war conditions delay occurred in getting 

 a supply of vaccine, syringes and needles, more especially 

 the latter. As soon as the necessary articles were received 

 instruction was given by the Government Veterinary Surgeon 

 to four or five assistants whereby they were shown how to 

 perform the necessary operation. At first there was a strong 

 opposition among the coolies to have their animals vaccinated, 

 but with the help of the Immigration Agent the objection 

 was gradually overcome. Up to the end of the period under 

 review 13,000 head of cattle had been vaccinated and further 

 supplies of vaccine were awaited to inoculate still more. The 

 death rate was principally among cattle. Amongst mules it 

 ■was very low. The reason for this was that a large number 

 of mules had been vaccinated before the outbreak. Out of 

 a total number of animals vaccinated only three, as far as is 

 known, died from anthrax. It is emphasized that the only 

 way to stamp out anthrax is by compulsory vaccination and 

 the burning of all carca.ses. 



THE FLOWERING OF THE DOUBLE 

 COGO-NUT IN DEMERARA. 



The following interesting observations are taken from 

 the Annual Report of the Department of Science and Agricul- 

 ture of British Guiana, 1914-1-5: — - 



The female plant of the Coco-de-Mer or Double Coco-nut, 

 Lvdoicea Seychellarum, Howered for the first time during 

 the year in the month of September, bearing three flowers. 

 The male plant Howered in December. The flowers of the 

 female were fertilized in March 1915. One of them produced 

 a fruit. Another female plant produced its first spike oa 

 IMarch 2, 1914. This did not, however, mature. This plant 

 resembles more in habit the male than the other female plant, 

 the leaves being erect and adhering closely to each other. 

 It is interesting here to record the history of the introduction 

 and growth of the double coco-nut at the Botanic Gardens. 

 In his Annual Report of 1892-3, Mr. G. S. Jenman, then 

 Government Botanist, states that twelve nuis of the 

 Coeo-de-Mer or double coco-nut were received from the 

 Seychelles, packed in sawdust in teak cases. Of these 

 eight had germinated un the way and- were dead. The 

 other four had not germinated, but their vitality mu.st 

 have been lost as they failed to germinate although 

 planted under the most favourable conditions. Later, 

 towards the beginning of 1893, a second consignment of 

 twelve nuts was received packed in damp material; these 

 arrived in good condition. Of them, ten germinated, and 

 eight succeeded in passing the stage, at which the fir.st leaf 

 expanded above the ground. Mr. Jenman gave the period 

 required for germination as two to six months the same 

 period being usually required for the spike-like sheath 

 originating in the embryo to appear above the ground. Five 

 more plants were added to the collection from a con.signment 

 received later in the year. The site selected for their 

 permanent occupation was the calabash avenue running 

 north and south in the nursery. Three plants died in 

 the following year 1894, while one plant is reported 

 to have taken over two years before the point of the 

 spike-like sheath appeared above the surface of the 

 ground. Five more plants died in 1 895. In the report of 

 the Acting Superintendent of the Gardens for 1901-2, it is 

 stated that only four plants of this palm remained. One of 

 these was subsequently los-t, and the remaining three, two 

 female and one male, are still in the collection. One 

 of them produced a pistillate spike in ilarcli 1907, when 

 fourteen years old. This flowering was quite abnormal in 

 point of time, it having been reported that the flowers are 

 not produced under thirty years. The .same plant produced 

 another spadix in July of the same year. The male plant 

 flowered for the first time in 1908, and the remaining female 

 plant in March 1914. The last named has up to the time of 

 writing produced three spikes, none of which have been 

 fertile. The first mentioned female plant has borne altogeth- 

 er eleven fruits. 



According to the West India Comm/ttee Circular for 

 ,Iuly 27, critfee crops in the Blue ^Mountains in Jamaica are 

 very short this year, owing to the excess of rainfall last 

 year, when there was over 200 inches of rain in the Blue 

 Mountairys. Freights on coffee to Liverpool are 160.s. com- 

 pared with 45.S. before the war. 



