618 Agricultural Gazette of y.S.W. [Jul^ 2, 1920. 



urinate, defsecate ur tread about iu their own food. Without such Hmitation 

 one pig affected with tuberculosis may infect any number, and parasitic 

 infestation and swine fever may be transmitted in the same way. 



Fowl-houses. 

 In constructing fowl-houses the same necessity for an impervious floor does 

 not exist, but the walls and all fittings should be as smooth as possible with 

 the materials available. Rough wood and bark offer very favourable cover 

 for fowl-tick, lice and other parasites. The floor, if not impervious, should be 

 of well rammed earth, and should be kept level and hard so as to facilitate 

 the removal of droppings. It is perhaps unnecessary to add that the roof 

 should be watertight, the house closed in from the direction of the prevailing- 

 winds, well ventilated, light, and high enough to permit of cleaning out being 

 performed in comfort. If these desiderata are provided, the material and 

 methods of construction may differ to any degree. 



(To be continued.) 



A Case of Bee Paralysis. 



The following extract from the letter of a bee-keeper may be said to 

 describe a typical case^'of bee pai-alysis : " One of my last colonies seems 

 sick; to-day there are hundreds of dead and dying bees in front of the hive, 

 and although there are many bees working and seemingly strong, yet wheii 

 I removed the cover they were thick on top of the frames and were not able 

 to go down when smoked. When I brushed them with my hand they rolled 

 over on their backs and could not gain their feet for some time. The colony 

 has been a heavy producer. . . . They are pure Italian bees and have 

 been free from any disease up to this last two days. I have thirt}' colonies 

 at present and would not like disease to get among them if it is possible to 

 prevent it." 



" After taking note of the symptoms mentioned," wrote the Senior Apiarj- 

 Inspector, " I consider that the bees are affected with genuine bee paralysis, 

 and the only reliable cure for such a case is to destroy the queen of the 

 affected colony and then introduce a queen from healthy and vigorous stock. 

 Usually, in New South Wales, only odd colonies are severely affected, anl 

 you should not have trouble to any extent so far as your apiary in general is 

 concerned. Care should always be taken wheii rearing queen bees to select 

 eggs or larvje from stocks that show the greatest immunity from the disease, 

 which appears, as in the case under notice, to be a constitutional trouble of 

 the queen and somewhat hereditary." 



To Destroy the Mole Cricket. 



An insect which sometimes causes considerable damage to the barbered surface 

 of gai-den lawns, and the turf of such places as the "putting" greens on golf 

 courses, is the mole cricket [GijUotalfa, sp.). The best means of dealing with 

 these insects is to scatter poison baits where they make their burrows or 

 congregate. To make the bait, mix 1 oz. of paris green with 16 oz. of bran, 

 and a tablespoonful of salt ; when thoroughly mixed, add water, and bring 

 the whole to the consistency of a bran mash. In some situations the 

 insects can be destroyed by merely drowning out. — W. W. Froggatt. 



