March i, 1883.] 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



749 



TO STOP THE RAVAGES OF WHITE ANTS. 



TO THE EDITOlt OK THE AUSTBALASIA.V. 



^>ii-,— Iteading in your journal fi-equcnt accounts of the 

 ravages caused by wbito auts, aud suggestions tor preventing 

 their attacks upon timber, I beg to offer the following 

 remedy, applied by myself, after having had the roof of 

 my iiouse in Kiverina eaten o(f by them. It is simple and 

 most efficacious, viz : — 1 oz. corrosive sublimate, ^oz. white 

 arsenic, ^oz. common salt dissolved in 1 gallon boiling water, 

 anc] appFied with a brush while hot. The sublimate, when 

 the water evaporates, recrystalises in the pores of the timber ; 

 neither time nor moisture diminishes its strength, and neither 

 white ants, beetles, nor any wooil-cating insects will attack 

 it. I noticed kerosene recommended as a remedy, but, from 

 its highly inflammable nature, consider it highly dangerous, 

 and I am sure no insurance office would accept a proposal 

 for a building so disinfected. Corrosive sublimate, on the 

 contrary, e.iierts a ucn combustive effect on the outside 

 of the timber, rendering it less liable to ignite, unless ex- 

 posed to a strong fire. Richard Bennet. 



Merri Bank, Dennington, Nov. 6. 



BEES FOR INDIA. 



TO THE EDITOR OF THE AUSTRALASIAN. 



Sir, — I am about to try the experiment of sending 

 bees to India, aud would be greatly obliged if some of 

 your readers who may be skilled bee-masters would kindly 

 assist me with their knowledge of the best method of 

 feeding, and witli such hints on other points as may occur 

 to them. My proposed plan is this : — I have constructed 

 a hive (well screwed together) 14 in. by U in and 10 in. deep. 

 A window in front for observation, large perforated zinc 

 ventilator at the back with shutters to be opened only 

 in hot weather, and a few gimlet-holes in the sides and top to 

 be permanently open. A sponge in one corner to kept moist 

 by water poured occasionally through a tube from the top. 

 At the bottom of the hive is a diawer about half an 

 inch deep to contain the sugar and water and honey; 

 and to prevent the loss of this through the rolling of 

 the vessel, flannel or spongiopiline is to be used to soak 

 up the liquid ; over this is placed fine wire netting to 

 prevent the bees besmearing themselves Above the draw- 

 er is a slide of zinc ( perforated so as to be available for 

 further ventilation if required) to be placed in position 

 when taking out the drawer, to prevent the bees making 

 their escape. — X. Hawthorn, Nov, 27. 



PROPAGATING PLANTS BY CUTTINGS. 

 The substances in which cuttings are placed are numerous. 

 It will be remembered that sawdust was noticed a few 

 months ago as having been successfully employed in strik- 

 ing cuttings. Charcoal possessing the "property of absorb- 

 ing gases that might induce putrefaction, is very useful 

 in striking cuttings of every description. It has often 

 been used alone, but a portion of fine charcoal mixed with 

 other materials is the more common method of utilisiug 

 its important services. Silver .sand, pure white, and free 

 from oxides of iron, is the substance most commonly 

 used, and upon the whole it answers the purpose best. 

 But where it cannot be obtained many other substances 

 may be restored to. Of late years cocoanut fibre has 

 come largely into use; moss rather closely pressed is 

 also a favourable medium for rooting; brick-dust formed 

 by breaking down soft bricks is an excellent material 

 for the purpose. Rough fibrous peat may be classed with 

 cocoanut fibre and moss. Provide broken potsherds, 

 pieces of charcoal, or pebbles for the bottom drainage ; 

 over these place a layer of fibrous peat, turf, or cocoa- 

 nut fibre ; then mix peat, silver sand and loam in equal 

 parts, adding a little powdered charcoal; pass them through 

 a sieve A inch mesh ; fill up with this to within li in. 

 of the rim, aud press it well down with the flat bottom 

 of another pot. Ou this put pure silver sand ; water, 

 insi rt the cuttings, and water again to settle the sand 

 well around them. The cuttings should not penetrate 

 the soil below the .sand. Cuttings may be placed all over 

 the pot, but those in contact with the sides of a porous 

 pot will strike earlier aud increase more quickly than 

 those in the middle, unless pieceb of potsherd are placed 



on the top of the stratum of soil, and the base of the 

 cuttings rests upon them. Pans or pots may be employed, 

 according to convenience. The cuttings when planted 

 require to be enclosed within glass. This may be done 

 in various waj'S. Several pots may be enclosed in one 

 hand-glass, or each pot may be covered with a bell-glass 

 of proper size. In the absence of both, a common case 

 may be i-endered fit for the purpose by roughly glazing 

 a top, having either one slope or a span roof; ' the size 

 of case will be according to requirements. It should be 

 stationed ou the south side of a house or fence, and 

 shading must be given during the heat of the day. 

 Where bell-glasses are employed they should be lifted 

 each morning and he wiped inside. The pots should be 

 plunged in some material, aud we have fou d none better 

 than sawdust. Cuttings, we should observe, cannot be 

 too short, if they have the necessary buds to form a 

 plant. —Australasian. 



AGRICULTURAL JOURNALISM. 



It should not be the sole aim of the editor of an agri- 

 cultural paper to present otJy new facts to his readers. 

 We all need to have the old and well-known facts 

 brought up to our notice, — Farmers' lieview. 



The real mission of the agricultural press is not So 

 much to give advice as it is to record the varied ex- 

 periences of the most progressive farmers. — Farm and 

 Fireside. 



Scores aud hundreds of weekly political journals now 

 find it a necessity to have a well-edited agricultural 

 department ; and it is a very good thing that this de- 

 mand exists. — Cldcai/o Herald. 



Journalism is work, unostentatious drudgery — a 

 profession which exacts of its vortaries the most constant 

 and watchful labour, dry, hard, and not unfrequently re- 

 pulsive, labom", — Chattanooija Times. 



The discussion carried on elicit opinions for and 

 against the subject matter in dispute, and the readers 

 are able to form a better judgement than they otherwise 

 would or could. Nay, they very probably have their atten- 

 tion suddenly turned to a point as to which, up to that 

 moment, they were asleep. — Agrirultural Gazette. 



It is the business of an agricultural journalist not so 

 much to teach his readei's as to get them to teach each 

 other. — Ihid. 



The present writer can recall many a valuable lesson 

 learned through reading agricultural papers, which he would 

 not have learned so soon, if at all, from any other source. 

 — -Mark Lane Krjrress. 



The value of an agricultural paper depends largely on 

 its correspondence. Although its editors have superior 

 advantages for observation and the collection of inform- 

 ation of a general character, they need the aid of an ex- 

 tensive correspondence to enable them to meet the wants 

 of their readers. Every farmer has bits of experience, 

 observation, and thoughts, which would be of value to 

 others. Why not give them to others ? — E. N. Farmer. 



Did I not think that it was my incumbent duty to make 

 public from time to time the results of our work at 

 Rothamsted, I should be quite content to carry it on 

 in silence, — Ih- Lau-es's Letter. 



Many of the most valuable items of information that 

 have appeared, from time to time, in our columns on 

 agricultural and pastoral matters have, in a manner, hail 

 to be dragged from the writers— practical men — who la- 

 boured under the erroneous impression that they could 

 not reduce their thoughts to paper. — Queen slandei: 



[Pass it on.— Ed.] 



PLANTS AND PL 



When speaking of my remarks 

 soils, Mr. Grant says "The idea, f' 

 pits in clay soils in autumn, and 

 spring, as recommended by him, 

 fancy if your correspondent took a 

 mon-sense view of the matter, or. 

 his observations with regard to the \ 

 adopted throughout the country, 

 modify his ideas concerning the com 

 pounded. 



ANTING. 



on the planting of clay 

 instance, of diggiuL, 

 leaving them open until 

 simply ridiculous." I 

 n unprejudiced and coni- 

 at all events, extended 

 arious modes of planting 

 he would considerably 

 mon enough system pro- 



