May 3, 1920.] Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W. 351 



short distance, they are just as hkely to fall on their backs or heads as on their 

 feet. The chief characteristic of the trouble is that the tongue is protruded 

 to its utmost limit, and the bee is continually endeavouring to get it out 

 further, generally appearing by its actions to be in great pain. 



_N^o organism can be found that is likely to cause the trouble, and at 

 the present time there is \ery little known of the cause or of an effective 

 treatment. 



In the investigations mentioned and in the writing up of these few notes, 

 I do not claim to have discovered a great deal concerning these obscure 

 diseases, but the knowledge gained from the experiments should be of value 

 to the practical apiarist. I might add, too, that no test or experiment for 

 disease is carried out in the vicinity of the bees at the Government Apiary. 



The Standard of Production in Denmark. 



The Dane, while recognising the importance of the various points indicating 

 milking qualities, requires moi"e exact knowledge as to the milking capacity 

 of the cows. The Original Control .Society, as they are called, was 

 established in 1895 at Vejen, Jutland. When the first report of the 

 operations of the society was made available by Mr. Jens Johansen, it 

 startled the whole dairying community. The report stated, mter alia, that 

 whilst with the best cow it cost 6d. to produce 1 lb. of butter, in the case of 

 the poorest it cost 2s. 8d. An example was given of two cows that stood 

 side by side in the shed, both getting exactly the same feed, care and 

 attention. No. 1 gave 7,810 lb. of milk, with a butter-fat test of 4"'26, 

 equalling 385 lb. of butter ; No. 2 gave 8,226 lb. of milk, with a test of 2 93, 

 producing 280 lb. of butter. Although No. 2 gave 416 lb. more milk, 

 No. 1, with her higher test, yielded 105 lb. more butter. 8uch a revelation 

 cau.sed the movement to spread, and to-day there are about 700 cow testing 

 associations, with a total of 16,500 members, owning 225^000 cows. Some 

 of the more advanced societies also keep records of the amount of food 

 consumed by each cow. 



The following figures show an increase in the average yearly yield of 

 butter-fat per cow between the years 1851: and 1918 : — 1851 at 44 lb. ; 1861 

 at 68 1b. ; 1871 at 961b. ; 1898 at 1291b ; 1903 at 173 lb. ; 1914 at 2151b.; 

 1918 at 240 lb.— R. T. McKenzie in "Agriculture in Denmark" in the 

 Victorian Journal of Agriculture. ' 



Orchardists Pay Heavy Toll to Starlings. 



A NUMBER of Starlings were recently shot at Bathurst Experiment Farm 

 orchard and the contents of their stomachs examined. These showed both 

 grass seeds and apple flesh, the latter predominating. There is no doubt 

 that these birds have caused the destruction of thousands of pounds' worth 

 of fruit in the State this season. — W. J. Allen. 



