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THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



Septejibek 9, 1916. 



GLEANINGS. 



According to a note in the Experinient Station Record 

 Vol. XXXIV No. 9, the partial substitution of cassava flour 

 in the ordinar}' grain rations, for dairy cattle in Mada- 

 gascar resulted in an increased milk and milk fat yield and 

 in a greater live weight of the animals so fed. 



According to a note in the <^>ueendaiid Agricultural 

 Journal for .June 1916, the lime fruit is not widely 

 appreciated in Australia. The .lournal, however, reproduces 

 certain information emanating from the Imperial Department 

 of Agriculture for the West Indies, apparently with the idea 

 of popularizing the fruit as much as possible. 



We regret to have t<i call our readers' attention to an 

 error in calculation which appeared in the editorial in the 

 last issue of the A;iric\dtural News. On page 274, second 

 column, four lines from bottom, 2"J4 should read- 448. This 

 also atiiects the argument which follows, based on the erro- 

 neous figure. 



The influences of lime on corn is dealt with in Soil 

 Science (Vol. I, No. b ) Under the conditions of the New 

 Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, the application of 

 ground limestone at the rate of 2 tons per acre, increased 

 the yield of .shelled corn by about 10 bushels, and of stover 

 by 432 It), (jer acre, as cmnpared with the yield from 

 H similar series of unlimed plots. 



According to (jerman investigations summarized in the 

 International Kenieio of the Scienc« and I'nictice of Agricul- 

 ture (February 1916) the first litter of a young sow generally 

 contains more males than females, whilst in the later litters 

 there are more females Generally after the fifth litter the 

 females predominate. In Ui5 litters the number of young 

 was trreater than 10; in ISl litters it was less than 10. 



A consideralile numljer ul interesting economic and ileco- 

 rutive plants were introduced into St. Lucia during 1915-16. 

 Amongst these were the marking nut {Seniecarpus anacar- 

 dium), the juice of wliich is mixed with quicklime and then 

 used for marking linen. A small tree known as Bilimbi 

 (Aiierr/ioa Hilimiji), bearing acid fruits 3 inches long was 

 also introduced; it is used in pickles and preserves, and 

 makes excellent jams. 



The addition of certain salts like sodium chloride and', 

 sodium sulphate to certain Californian soils was observed to 

 produce an impervious condition. An investigation, described 

 in the University of California Publications in Agricultural 

 Sciences, showed that the condition seems to be closely 

 associated with the direct addition or absorption of sodium, 

 thereby producing in the soil a new silicate complex of 

 'a colloidal character 



The Report of the Agricultural Department and Experi- 

 ment Station for the Virgin Islands for 191-5 is referred to in 

 a note in Nature for .Tune 1, 1916, and special reference is 

 made to Onion Growers' Associations in the Leeward Islands. 

 The note concludes; 'from the reports of the various islands, 

 it is clear that the Imperial Department of Agriculture is 

 making every eft'ort to , extend the scope and foster the 

 progress of agriculture in the West Indies.' 



According to the report on the Agricultural Department 

 of St. Lucia 1915-16, Pencil Cedar {Juniperus ba-ihadeyisis) 

 has done remarkably well in the Colony. The whole of the 

 ninety-five plants made good progress during the year and 

 may now be regarded as established. The plants are well 

 branched, and of an average height of 3 feet. J. hermudiana^ 

 does not appear to be quite as robu.st under the same condi- 

 tions as the former species. J. piachyphloea, with its silvery 

 appearance, is by far the most ornamental of the three species^ 

 but unfortunately it is the most delicate. 



According to the Durban Agricultural News, an excel- 

 lent manure is produced by mixing filter-press cake with one- 

 third of fish manure. This is done on the north -coast of Natal. 

 The laiid is ploughed, harrowed, and then generally the filter- 

 j.'ress cake applied alone. The land is left untouched for 

 about four months, at tiie end of which time the fertilizer is 

 ploughed in and about one-third of the iiuantity of fish 

 manure is placed on the ground, after which planting is 

 commenced. On this basis it is estimated that the filter-press 

 cake is worth about 10s. a ton, whereas formerlj- it was 

 worthless. 



A formula has been devised for determining the daily 

 ploughing capacity of tractor ploughs based on the results of 

 different i)Ioughing tests, and having special referrence to the 

 relation between break and drawl )ar horse power, depth of 

 ploughing, actual hours of work. etc. Detailed information 

 will be found in the Experiment Station Record Vol. .VXXIV^ 

 No. 9, p. 891. This foraiula should prove u.seful in compar- 

 ing tests made in different countries; but it is important 

 that those who conduct the tests furnish in their rejjorts the 

 recjuisite data in order that the formula maj- be generally 

 employed. 



The cultivation of drug plants receives attention in the 

 Agricultural (lazelte (f New South Wales for May 2, 1916, 

 and reference is made to the shortage of atropine derived 

 from several j)lants of which the chief temperate country 

 ones are the Deadly Nightshade {Atrofia Belladona) and 

 Henbane (Hi/ox-yainun niger). It will be remembered that in 

 the last issue of this Journal, attention was called to a recent 

 importation by the Imperial Department of seed of //yosct/a- 

 ?««« 7.i?«/.j'cM.5, the Egyptian and Indian Henbane, which is 

 reported to yield a higher percentage of drug than the 

 temperate country plant,>. 



