"4 .lolH.NAL OF TlIK 1 )l.l'A ICI .M i:.\T OF A( i l( I( T I.'I IKK. OcT.. 1922. 



Pigs : A Profitable Proposition. 



I'jhnid ■<L(ii>. .\(it(tl. — ■■])() \ou coiisKlcr im,l;> :i ]ii(ili< m'iIc juoimisi- 

 tion wlien weaners cost 15s. e;icli, inenlies are worth, say, los. uii the 

 fariii, and ])ollar(]s cost 8s. i)er lOd Ih. i)Jus raila^'P and transport, 

 wliereas the bacon ])i<^' is wortli (id. ]>ei lb. delivered at llie tactoiy, 

 M'itli tlie risk of a ]>i^' oi two lieinj;' condeinn;-'d for disease or failing' 

 to feed well." 



Cciuud School of Aiji icull are I'eplies : " Pigs will condense maize 

 to one-sixth its bulk: 200 11>. maize will give '■j'\^ lb. pig at Gd.= 

 Ids. 8d. Labour oft'set ag'ainst manure; where grazing is available on 

 forage crops, kitchen and g-arden refuse, tlie amount of concentrated 

 food can be reduced by about lialf. and satisfactory g'ains made. If 

 dairy by-products are available so nuudi the better. There is rislc in 

 buying' Aveaners. You nia>- get them badly infested with woinis, 

 when they will not thrive. At (id. per lb. live weight pigs are a 

 paying- proposition. Tliey should be farm bred to ensure healtliiness, 

 freedom from measles and tulierculosis." 



Artichokes. 



ycircdsflc. — ■' llow do you plant art i(diol\es, and whicdi is the 

 most favourable soil tor them, damp or diy?" 



Cedara Scliool of Agrn uliure replies : " Artichokes prefer a light 

 to medium loam in order to grow to perfection. The soil should be 

 moist, but not dam]), as in this case the tubers are liable to rot in the 

 ground. The metliod of planting is ver\- similar to potatoes. The 

 artichokes are set in lows three feet ai)art and two feet distant 

 between each " seed."" Four hundied to 500 lb. of (ul»ers are 

 required to ])laiit an acre.'" 



Fungoid Growth. 



/'iitciniiii it:l)iiif/. — " My citrus and deciduous trees are badly 

 infested with fungoid growth as per sxiecimens. The citrus tree, from 

 whicli one specimen was cut. is approximately IG years old, and is 

 now nearly all dead. Tlic larger specimen is lidni an apple tree, 

 about six to seven years old, this tree also being in the last stages. 

 V\) to about three years ago the trees were regularly sprayed and 

 were then clean and healtli.w Th(>y liavi> Ixu-n entirely neglected tln^ 

 last few years. Tlie trees which aic entirely or nearly dead aic tbe 

 worst infested by the growtli. There is aUo iniestation by a smallish 

 dark coloured ant, in the lowct i»ait ol llu' stems, under dried out 

 and d(\ol liark." 



i'rdnra ScIkhI of A </riciilt ttrc replies:" The growth submitted is 

 a species of lichen. A\'hen very abundant, lichens, although non- 

 parasitic, tend to strangle j)lanls on which they are growing, and 

 they also afford excellent sheltei- for injurious insects. Deciduous 

 trees can l)e readily cleaned by applying a winter spray: — 1 part 

 concentrated lime-sulphur to 10 pai'ts water. For citrus trees 

 bordeaux mixture should be used. It is tliought that the ants are 

 not of importance, but it is possible that there are other factois 

 affecting the health ol the trees." 



