Inquikies and Replies. 277 



Moss or Lichen on Fruit Trees. 



Donnyhrook, Polela. — How can I rid my trees of moss or lichen? 

 The trees make little g-rowtli, there being numerous dead twigs and 

 branches. 



Cedara School of Agriculture replies : Moss or lichen prevents 

 the bark from performing- its function, and, apart from being 

 injurious, forms a nice shelter for insect pests. Spray the trees whilst 

 in a dormant state with concentrated lime-sulphur, using one part of 

 the concentrate to ten parts of water. For citrus, use bordeaux 

 mixture. 



Worms in Pigs. 



Help/nalai(ir, Natal. — Kindly give me some advice re medicine 

 for worms in pigs. I have twenty-five weaners, ten weeks old ; they 

 are fed on skim milk, mealie meal, wheaten bran, sweet potatoes, and 

 green barley. Altliough they get as much sweet potatoes as they can 

 eat, they do not make satisfactory progress; with a few exceptions they 

 grow more in th(> belly, so I suspect worms. 



Cedara. School of A (jrictdture replies: Try and obtain some 

 santonin. This should be dissolved in warm or hot water and mixed 

 in the slop and fed to the pigs. An ounce of santonin Avill suffice for 

 fifty to sixty pigs of 100 lb. weight each. Next day give a dose of 

 raw linseed oil to drive out tlie worms killed by the santonin. Anotlier 

 remedy is a 1 per cent, solution of coal tar creosote given in 1-ounce 

 doses on an empty stomach and repeated in ten days time. Sanitary 

 styes and arrangements are necessary before any treatment will prove 

 of much or lasting benefit. 



Starter : Cheesemaking. 



Newcastle. — What class of starter is recommended for milk that 

 is distinctly "off" in flavour? 



Cedara School of Agriculture replies : Milk that is " off " should 

 be sternly rejected by every cheesemaker who values a reputation. A 

 starter is robbed of its value with milk of this quality, and under such 

 conditions no advantages should be claimed for the starter, although 

 we sometimes hear to the contrary. 



Cheese Defects. 



Yryheid, Natal. — ^Vhat are the causes of a weak pasty cheese? 



Cedara ScJiool of Agriculture replies : Weak pasty cheese follows 

 quick scalding of rich milk, which locks in the moisture. Cut curd 

 finei' and scald steadily to a temperature one to two degrees higher 

 than normal in the autumn and cold months. Pasty cheese is often 

 caused by the curd getting cold in the vat or cooler, producing a check 

 on the acid and preventing the escape of moisture. A weak cheese, 

 when paled, gives a swollen plug, which cannot be replaced. 



