Vol. V. No. 111. 



THE AGRICULTUEAL NEWS. 



235- 



STOCK NOTES. 



Pony Stallion at Dominica. 



The pony stalliou ' Norman' was obtained from .Jamaica 

 in 1900 and sent to the Virgin Islands. After remaining 

 there for nearly two years, he was sent to Dominica, his 

 services being available at the Agricultural School. During 

 his stay in Dominica full advantage was taken of his services, 

 seventy-four mares being served by him. 



At the Agricultural .show in 1904 a special prize was 

 offered for the best foal sired by one of the Department's 

 stallions ('.Jamaica Lad ' or ' Norman') and was won by one 

 of 'Norman'.?' foals, the property of the Hon. S. R. Pemberton. 



Fig. li. PoMY Stallion 'Norman.' 



' Norman's' presence in Dominica, where he has been 

 very popular, has undoubtedly had good effect on the horses 

 of the island. His progeny promise well and are highly 

 thought of by their owners. 



Since March last the pony stallion has been at Nevis. 

 The accompanying illustration (fig. 14) is from a photograph 

 taken at Dominica early last year. 



Belgian Hares. 



Mr. C. W. Meaden, Manager of the Government 

 Farm, Trinidad, has forwarded the following note on 

 a disease affecting the livers of Belgian hares : — ■ 



Belgian hares as an article of food are well worth their 

 care and keep. Generally, they give little trouble and are 

 perfectly healthy. But recently a couple here have been 

 discovered with diseased livers. The accompanying letter 

 from Dr. .J. R. Dickson, M.B., D.P.H., describes the parasite 

 and the ailment which, though not particularly dangerous, 

 should be watched for. The affected hare does not .show any 

 .symptoms which would lead to the sickness being discovered, 

 and the two cases were found only when the animals were 

 killed for cooking. 



Cleanliness and exercise would no doubt 

 tend to diminish any susceptibility to this 

 disease, but damp locations have an influence 

 towards it. 



Dr. Dickson writes as follows : — 



'The specimen (liver of Belgian hare) 



:^A^^ contained numerous abscesses due to a parasite 



^^^^E — the Coccidium oviforme. This parasite is 



4^^U a Gregarina, belonging to the group Sjxjrozoa, 



~^I^VB and very frequently occurs in the liver of 



rabbits. Usually it is not of pathological 



importance, as it confines itself to the liver, 



but occasionally it gets to the intestines and 



sets up acute diarrhcea; epidemic diarrhoea, 



apparently due to it, has occurred in sheep and 



cows. 



The flesh of animals whose livers are 

 affected with the parasite is usually considered 

 quite good, the liver being, of course, discarded.' 



Ayrshire Bull for St. Vincent. 



A young Ayrshire bull has been obtained by the 

 Imperial Department of Agriculture, through the 

 Acting Secretary for Agriculture, Nova Scotia, for the 

 stud farm at St. Vincent. The bull arrived at Bar- 

 bados from Canada on July 5. He will be kept in 

 Barbados for a few weeks and inoculated with anthrax 

 vaccine before being sent on to St. Vincent. 



This animal obtained second prizes at the agri- 

 cultural shows throughout the province last year. He 

 is twenty-two months old. 



The following information with regard to his pedi- 

 gree, etc., has been furnished : — - 



'Bid-e of Truro 2nd.' — By Howie's ' Morning Star,' 

 imp., first at Halifax, and a full brother to the sweepstakes 

 bull at Toronto last year. His dam is ' Myrnie of Belleville,' 

 a very fine heifer, whose dam, ' Myrnie,' was sweepstakes cow 

 -at Halifax for six years. ' Myrnie of Belleville's ' sire was 

 'Hanover 1st.,' of Maple Grove, imp., 1st. prize at Halifax. 



CASTOR OIL SEED TRADE. 



In April last his Honour Mr. Douglas Young, 

 then Commissioner of the Turks Islands, forwarded to 

 the Imperial Commissioner of Agriculture some castor 

 oil seeds, with a request that their market value might 

 be ascertained. 



The castor oil plant (Ricinus communis) is very 

 common throughout the West Indies, and it is possible 

 that a trade in this product might be worked up in 

 several of the islands. The following letter, dated 

 June 19, has been received from Messrs. Lewis & Peat, 

 of Mincing Lane, London, to whom the sample was 

 forwarded : — - 



We are obliged by your favour of the 2.5th. ultimo, 

 enclosing copy of a letter from Mr. Douglas Young respecting 

 castor oil seed, and we have the pleasure to inform you 

 that there is a very large business done in this article. The 

 present value of the sample you sent us would be about 

 £11 IDs. per ton ex ship, c.i.f. delivered weights, with 

 allowances for damages, less 2i per cent, discount — London 

 or Continental ports. 



Quantity, say, 100- to .500-ton lots. The value fluctuates 

 considerably, recently touching £12 lOs. and two years ago, 

 £6 10s. per ton. 



We hope to hear that it will soon be possible to 

 ship large ciuantities. 



