Vol. XI. No. 264. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



191 



•down of the side of the trench, and to avoid as far as possible 

 intiicting damage on the roots of the healthy trees left in the 

 isolated area. 



All the measures so far indicated have dealt with the 

 spread of the fungus, once its attack has commenced; it is now 

 |)ropo.sed to mention one or two measures that might be of 

 service in preventing the occurrence of attacks. In one type 

 of root disease, infection almost always commences on avo- 

 cado pear or bread fruit trees; this suggests that in infected 

 districts where these trees are plentiful as ..shade to cacao, 

 their gradual though steady removal might be advisable. It 

 ■would be necessary not only to cut them down, bnt to remove 

 their principal roots at the same time. Their place should 

 be taken by some other tree not as liable to serve as a start- 

 ing point for the disease. Such a plant is the immortel 

 -which, though it is occasionally attacked, does not usually 

 serve as an original centre of infection. Some of the species 

 of Eucalyptus may also Ije found useful as wind-breaks for 

 cacao while proving resistant to root disease. 



Another type of disease is common on newly cleared 

 estates in the forest, where infection commences from decay- 

 ing stumps. The complete removal of such stumps is often 

 A matter of difficulty, and is often said to be impossible. In 

 this connexion a useful suggestion is made by Dr. D. G. 

 Williams, in Western Australia. (See Root Rot, by A. J. 

 Despeissis, Bulletin 1.5, Department of Agriculture and 

 Industries, Western Australia.) He recommends that when 

 newly cleared land is being planted, each tree should be set in 

 the centre of a spot of soil 12 feet square, in which the earth 

 has been well dug over to a depth of 3 feet and the soil has 

 been freed from all decaying roots. This gives the roots of 

 the young trees an extent of clean soil in which to grow; 

 while at the time they begin to penetrate beyond this dis- 

 tance, the old roots in the outside soil will have had time to 

 decay completely. This suggestion is perhaps more appli- 

 cable when establishing valuable trees such as oranges, but 

 it might be found that it was useful also in the case of 

 limes, since it might do away with the recognized tithe of 

 vigorously growing trees that would otherwise certainly be 

 levied by root disea.se. 



WOOD SPECIMENS IN NATURE 



STUDY. 



The following information concerning the prepa- 

 ration and use of specimen woods, for nature study in 

 schools, has been taken from Far i iier a' Bulletin, Is o. 4t!8, 

 of the United States Department of Agriculture, 

 issued recently: — 



COLLECTIONS OF WOOD SPECIMENS. The puplls should 

 be encouraged to make collections of specimens of woods 

 found in the locality of the school. A number of possible 

 ways of preparing and mounting such specimens will doubt- 

 Jess suggest themselves, but the following method is recom- 

 mended as likely to prove convenient and satisfactory. 



(1) Whenever possible, use seasoned woods for the 

 specimens. If nothing but green wood is available, cut 

 ■rough sticks and allow them to dry as thoroughly as possible 

 before preparing the finished specimen. 



(2) Collect specimens as nearly as possible uniform in 

 size and character as to the parts of the trees and ages of the 

 trees from which they are taken If some are taken from 

 the branches and some from the trunks, or some from young 



saplings and others from old trees, tliey should be marked 

 accordingly. 



(.3) For each specimen, select a stick about 2 or -3 

 inches in diameter and cut from it a section about 4 inches 

 long, sawing the ends squarely acrcss. Split or saw this 

 block through the centre and smooth the split oi sawed sur- 

 face so as to show the grain longitudinally. Beginning 

 about 1 inch from the end on the bark-covered surface, cut 

 with a sharp knife out. to the end of the flattened surface, se- 

 as to slope one end. Xow, if the wood is thoroughly dry 

 and well seasoned, sandpaper the flat surfaces well. If it 

 can be done, it will add to the appearance of the .specimer. 

 to apply a single coat of thin varnish or shellac, so as tr. 

 bring out the grain. The specimen is now ready for 

 mounting. 



(4) Probably the best plan to follow in mounting 

 a specimen is to insert a small screw eye into the square-cut 

 end of the block prepared as above described, and to hang it 

 on a hook in the wall or in the cabinet. This will make it 

 possible to take the specimen.s down for use in the class-room. 

 It will also be possible to pack them in a small space, if it is 

 desired to move them about. 



(•5) Great cire should be taken to see that each specimen 

 is properly labelled. When the sections are first cut, they 

 should be carefully marked so as to make it easy to identify 

 each one, and these marks should be kept on the specimens 

 until they are finally labelled. The label should state the 

 name of the tree, whether taken from the trunk or branch: 

 whether from an old tree or a sapling; locality and habitat: 

 and, possibly, a brief statement as to the uses of the wood, 

 especially in the case of woods like hickory or oak which are 

 used in miking implements, furniture, or other special 

 articles. 



THE USE OF THE MUSEUM. The materials collected for 

 the museum should be used, not merely displayed. As far as 

 possible the specimens should be so prepared that they may 

 be handled and closely studied by the pupils without injury. 

 Interest soon wanes in blocks of wood or samples of wood 

 products shut up behind glass cases. The child wants to 

 handle the objects he studies, not merely to gaze at them 

 through panes of glass. The material should be gathered 

 by the pupils themselves, as much as possible. 



They should be encouraged in thinking of the collection as 

 their museum. It would defeat this aim to deprive the pupils 

 of the privilege of using and handling the specimens, since 

 they could not but feel that they have a right to use what is 

 their own. 



Of course there will be some specimens, the rare or 

 delicate ones, which will not bear handling and must necess- 

 arily be used for display only. But the real value of the 

 museum will come from the 'working collection'. It is 

 suggested, therefore, that the wood specimens, the samples of 

 wood products, the sets of pictures, or whatever material be 

 obtained for the museum, be prepared and arranged with the 

 aim of use constantly in view. If, in addition, provision can 

 be made for the display of the material when not in use. this 

 should not be neglected. But at all events the use of the 

 materials should not be sacrificed for the sake of making aii 

 attractive display. 



The chief exports from St. Vincent during the first 

 three months of the present year were as follows: arrowroot, 

 494,383 ft.; Sea Island cotton, 25,975 lb. (79' bales); cotton 

 seed, 253,690 B>.: muscovado sugar, 9-5,280 Bf).; molasses, 

 3,830 gallons; cacao, 18,194 R. 



