328 Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W. [May 3, 1920. 



stateil that one man can singe in a .l.iy siittiLMeut pear to feed 300 head of cattle for tliat 

 period, at a cost of about £1 (8s. for a man's wages, and 12s. 6d. for sufficient naphtha 

 for the day's work). This works out at less than Id. per head per day for fodder. 



I need scarcely remind my readers that these are pre-war figures. 



Later on in the same year (1910) the New South Wales Lands Depart- 

 ment borrowed one of the B. and H. pear torches from the Queensland 

 Lands Department. It was lent to Mr. R. Alexander, of Bulga, in the 

 Singleton district, who reported in 1912 : — 



I find that the prickly pear torch that you kindly sent me is a great success. In the 

 early part of the winter, when feed is tlry, and there is very little of it, the cattle eat 

 the pear readily after the thorns are burnt off. The noise of the torch entices the cattle 

 from all parts of the paddock. 



In this Gazette for March, 1913, p. 243, is an article by H. C. Coggins, in 

 which is a photograph of a man scorching pear by means of one of the 

 torches imported by the Queensland Department of Lands. As far as the 

 outline of the apparatus is concerned, it is a clearer picture than that of 

 PI. 1, fig. 2, of U.S. Bulletin No. 74. 



Mr. Coggins makes the following comments : — 



It is estimated that one man with a machine can burn enough pear in one day to- 

 feed 850 head of cattle ; each beast will consume on an average 150 lb. of pear per day. 

 The burner will consume 6 to 7 gallons of gasoline at a cost of Is. 6d. per gallon. 



Great care should be taken to keep stock away from water immediately after feeding; 

 on pear, as bloat is caused, and although it does not afitect cattle used to pear to any 

 great extent, it is dangerous to stock fed solely on pear for the first time. All stock 

 should be gradually accustomed to pear. 



Experiments carried out in this State prove that the machine is of great value in 

 times of drought when fodder is scarce. Messrs. Alexander Bros., of Bulga, N.S.W.,. 

 speak very highly of it, and state that they had 276 store bullocks during the drought, 

 the whole of which were fed on pear for a period of six months, and fattened on this 

 fodder alone. Messrs. Alexander Bros, say that the burner is a great success when feed 

 is scarce. 



A machine was also lent to Mr. H. Munro, of Keera Station, Inverell, and he considers 

 that it is an excellent machine for the purpose required of it — that is, to destroy the 

 thorns so that stock may cultivate a habit of eating the pear, and thus check the growth 

 and seeding. 



In U.S. Bulletin No. 74 already quoted, at p. 19, are found details of 



the design of the two pear bui-ners on the market. They are very similar,. 



and principally consist of a strong, well-riveted metal tank (which is supported 



upon the operator's shoulders by a strap), a long delivery pipe, and a burner 



for generating and consuming gas from the gasoline. They are best handled 



in calm weather, but in neither case is their use attended by any danger. 



Handling the Pear ; a Fork. 



On the principle that we should learn all we can from our American' 

 friends, whose country is the home of the prickly pear, and where there is 

 inljnitely more experience in handlitig the pear than with us, I give a sketcli 

 (Fig. i) and pirticulars of a simple instrument, taken from U.S. P>ulletin 

 No. 74, p. 13:— 



In some cases a sijecialiy-constructed fork is used by the freighters. This instrument 

 has a handle much like an ordinary pitchfork ; the tine, however, is single, siiort, stout, 

 and sharply curved, with a stout buttress or projecting arm at the base to prevent tlie 

 soft joints, through which the instrument is thrust, from sliding upon tlie handle when 

 raised above the operator in the act of pitching upon the waggon. None of these was- 

 seen upon the ranges, but such forks were connnonly used by the wood-choppers and. 

 freighters. 



