474 Agricultural Journal of Victoria. 



GENERAL NOTES. 



Dishorning Young Calves- 



The (iishornint,^ of' very young calves is comparatively painless, and 

 can be done quickly and with ease. The method recommended by 

 the experts of the iJepaitment of Agriculture tor Ireland is to clip the 

 hair from the top of the horn when the calf is from two to five days 

 old, then slightly moisten the end of a stick of caustic potasii, which 

 can be obtained from any chemist, and with it rub the tip of each 

 horn firndy for about a quarter of a minute, or until the potash has 

 made a slight impression on the centre of the horn. The horns should 

 be treated in a similar manner from two to four times, according to 

 the size of the hoin and the age of the animal. About five minutes 

 should elapse between each ai)plication. If, during the interval of five 

 minutes after one or more applications a little blood appears in the 

 centre of the horn it will then only be necessary to give another very 

 slight rubbing with the potash. 



The following points should be carefully noted : — Roll a piece of 

 stiong paper round one end of tlie potasli ."stick to prevent the fingers 

 being injured. Do not moisten the stick too much, or th« caustic will 

 spread to the skin around the liorn, and destroj^ the flesh. For the 

 same reason, keep the calf from getting wet for some days after tlie 

 operation. 



Be veiy careful to rub on the centre of the horn, and not round 

 the sides of it. 



The operation sliould not be attempted if the calf is more than nine 

 days old. 



One man .should hold the calf while an assistant uses the caustic. 



When caustic potash is exposed to the air it rapidly deteriorates, 

 and becomes worthle.ss. \\ hen not in use it must, therefore, be kept 

 in an air-tight bottle. 



Rooting Cuttings of Vitis berlandieri. 



In the Bevue de Viticulture for 1902, E. Jachet relates some 

 interesting features in connection with experiments made by him to 

 find out a ready method of rooting cuttings of this American vine 

 which has j)roved so valuable for reconstituting vineyaids on chalky 

 or limy soils. He found that the linging of the yearly shoots just 

 below a bud caused the formation of a callus, and the enlaigement of 

 the bud. These shoots were cut in the winter, just below the bud, 

 and planted out in the nursery. While as a rule only 5 per cent, of 

 berlandieri cuttings are successful by the methods in general use, this 

 system gives about 80 per cent, of strong rootlings. 



