78 Journal of the Department of Agriculture. 



(c) INVESTIGATION OF INSECT PESTS. 



Division of Entomology. 



Special study of maize stalkborer, tobacco leaf beetle (Lema 



hilineata), cotton insects, specially tbe Soudan bollworn. Scale 



insects, specially Chrysowphalus dictyosperTni. Woolly aphis, 

 termites, false codling moth, and lucerne caterpillar. 



(d) IMPEOVEMENT OF CROPS. 



Division of Tobacco and Cotton. 



Tobacco. — Establishment of new varieties by hybridization. 

 Purifying- established varieties by close in-breeding. Increasing leaf 

 numbers, shape of leaf, flavour, and aroma by selection and in-breed- 

 ing. Testing different styles of curing sheds. Fertilizer and crop 

 rotation experiments. 



Cotton. — Improvement of existing varieties by selection. Variety 

 comparative tests for heaviest yields and best quality lint. Planting 

 at different distances to ascertain which will give heaviest yields. 

 Patooning to determine utility of perennial crops as compared with 

 annual planting. Comparison of crop from locally grown as against 

 imported seed. 



Agricultural Research Chemist. 



Investigation, chemical and physical, of wheat soils of the Union 

 and similarly of tobacco soils, with a view to ascertaining the soil 

 condition which yields the best crops. 



Division of Chemistry. 



Interaction between fertilizers and certain typical Transvaal 

 soils. 



(e) UTILIZATION OF NATURAL AND OTHER RESOURCES. 



Division of Botany. 



Investigation of fibre plants, plants useful for paper-making, 

 dye plants, food plants, oil plants, medicinal plants, indigenous 

 grasses, veld-burning and overstocking. 



Agricultural Research Chemist. 



Utilization of waste from wool washeries. Examination of brines, 

 bitters, and salts from South African saltpans. Chemical examina- 

 tion of fodder plants and poisonous plants. Examination of rock 

 likely to contain phosphates. Study of oils from different varieties 

 of eucalyptus and oil-content of eucalyptus leaves at various stages 

 of growth. 



Division of Chemistry. 



Investigation of the active principle of " slangbossie," the 

 alleged antidote for snakebite. 



{Note. — In addition to the above, a great deal of work is being 

 done at the Schools of Agriculture, particulars of which will be 

 given in ensuing numbers of the Journal. — Acting Editor.) 



