LNQOlIilliS AND Kl-:l'J,U;.-5. i8.'j 



Paralysis Tick. 



CradocJx, Cape. — -1 am losii)g- .several young- Merino lambs at 

 present. They get a sort of paralysis and eventually die from starva- 

 tion unless I put an end to them. My neig-hhonr has had cases 

 amongst his blackhead Persian lambs. He declares it is a tick, and 

 I am sending you a tick taken from a blackhead Persian lamb. 



The Lecturer in Yctcrindrjj Science, Grpotfontein, I'eplies : The 

 condition described by you is probably <lue to the paralysis tick. 

 The only remedy is to remove all the ticks from the sheep by hand- 

 picking or by dipping. A dose consisting of a tablespoonful of 

 paraffin has also been recommended, but I am afraid that the 

 beneficial results of this are only temporary. 



Loss of " Pinus insignis." 



Halesowen, Cape. — I have to thank you for your report on the 

 three small Pinus insicjnis plants forwarded to you recently. Eight 

 hundred more plants have since been received and apparently are 

 suffering from the same disease. Two preparations have been tried 

 on them without much success, and I should be i)leased if you will 

 have the sample, forwarded \inder separate cover, examined for me. 



The Principal, Grootfontein, replies: The Pinus insignis speci- 

 men has been examined without any special abnormalities being 

 found. The most probable cause of your losing a number of the 

 pines is that they have been allowed to grow too large in the tins 

 before planting oiit. This would produce a rootbound condition and 

 consequent unhealthiness. l*ines are sensitive to overcrowding, and 

 if allowed to grow at all large should be kept separately in half 

 paraffin tins. 



Spraying Fruit Trees. 



Uitenliage, Cape. — Please supply me with formulae for spray- 

 ing the various fruit trees with winter and spring sprays, particu- 

 larly apples and peaches. 



The Lecturer in Botanjj, Grootfontein, replies : The following 

 formulae for winter and spring sprays are recommended :^ — 



Winter Spray inrj. — (1) Copper sulphate, 1 lb.; water, 25 gal- 

 lons. (2) Lime sulj)hur. The dormant spray is used at double 

 summer strength, and for the commercial brands would work out 

 at about lime sulphur 1 part and water 20 parts. The copper 

 sulphate may be used on both apples and peaches. Tjime sulphur 

 gives very good results, with ajiples especially. 



Suinvier Spraying. — As soon as the leaves appear the ordinary 

 summer formulae must be reverted to in order (o prevent the foliage 

 from being scorched. For trees wllh delicate foliage, like peaches, 

 iise boj'deaux mixture of strength 4:4: 100; for those with fougher 

 leaves, like apples, make the strength 4:4: 50. Lime sulphur is 

 also very elective used in the proportion of 1 part lime sulphur to 

 40 parts water (or 50 parts in the case of tender foliage). 



