114 Journal of the Department of Agriculture. 



HORTICULTURE. 



The citrus iiichistiy is rapidly developing, especially in the 

 Transvaal, and orchards of thousands of trees vt^ill soon come into 

 hearing, considerably increasing the quantitj^ of export fruit. 

 During his recent tour of the principal fruit-growing districts of the 

 Transvaal and Cape Provinces, Mr. Eoworth, the Fruit Inspector at 

 the Table Bay Docks, made special note of the anticipated expansion 

 of the citrus export trade, and reports, as an instance, that the 

 increased production next year from two estates alone in the north- 

 eastern Transvaal will be equal to half the total quantity of citrus 

 fruit exported in 1920. Exports of South African citrus fruit 

 totalled 50,000 boxes in 1919 and 120,000 in 1920, and Mr. Eowwth 

 estimates that 250,000 boxes will be available for export this coming 

 season, while it is expected that during the next few years the 

 increase will continue, though not. perhaps, at the same rate as 

 during the 1919 to 1921 seasons. In the eastern districts of the 

 Cape the drought has greatly affected the position and, apart from 

 pines, it is not anticipated that there will be any appreciable increase 

 in fruit export from that portion of the coimtry for some years 

 to come. But pine-growing is going ahead. In the Bathurst district 

 the Langholm Estates have 27 million pines just coming into bear- 

 ing, producing something like 100 tons of pines per week fen' ship- 

 ment . 



Mr Roworth did not find this f-;eason's soft fruit croj)s of the 

 western Cape districts too good and classed them as " fair average." 

 It is expected that grapes will be exported in large quantities. 



During his tour Mr. Eoworth gave instruction in fruit-packing. 

 While packing last season showed a great advance on that of previous 

 years, there is room for more improvement. Packing is one of the 

 essentials in an overseas trade, and grade must be strictly adhered to. 

 Growers mu)st aim at reaching an excellence in their packing, and 

 must remember that the first necessity of successful fruit export is 

 standardization. 



VETERINARY EDUCATION AND RESEARCH. 



The new Anthra^x Spore Vaccine that was referred to in the 

 December issue of this journal has now been issued to farmers for 

 some considerable time in the place of the old Pasteur Vaccine. It 

 is too early yet to give a definite verdict on the result of these inocula- 

 tions. In the meantime, however, an extensive test has been carried 

 out in the Boshof District by an officer of this division, and has given 

 complete satisfaction. Over 1000 animals were inoculated without 

 any untoward results. Any outbreaks of anthrax seemed to be effec- 

 tively checked by the inoculation. Some of the inoculated horses 

 showed rather large swellings, extending in some instances from the 

 neck to the chest. This was particularly the case on farms where the 

 disease was actually present at the time the inoculation was carried 

 out. Animals showing such swellings should, of course, be given a 

 complete rest for a few days, but otherwise there is no cause for any 

 alarm. The sw^ellings will disappear in a few days. As a matter of 



