Notes. 79 



NOTES. 



Concerning the Sheep and Wool Industry. 



Mr. A. G. Michaeliaii, Principal Sheep and Wool Expert, Depart- 

 ment of Ao-riciilture, left early in Fei)rnary last for Australia to pur- 

 chase stud sheep for the Government and also for private individuals. 

 Accompanying Mr. Michaelian were six young South Africans pro- 

 ceeding to the" Sydney Technical College on Government scholarships 

 for the study of sheep and wool. Their names are A. G. J. van Zyl, 

 A. M. le Grange, F. C. P. Stow, A. E. van der Merwe, B. Hartigan, 

 and J. H. Kruger, and they were chosen as among the best students 

 in the sheep and wool course held last year at the Grootfontein School 

 of Agriculture, Middelburg, Cape. They will return to the Union 

 for service in the Department at the end of 1921. 



Anthrax. 



A Press Circular (No. 9/1919, dated 5th July, 1919) was issued 

 by the Department drawing attention to the dangers of anthrax in 

 wool, mohair, skins, hides, etc., recommending certain precautions 

 to prevent the spread of the disease and to ensure disinfection of our 

 produce, and pointing out the adverse mannei' in which our exports 

 of such produce would be affected in case the disease spreads. In 

 this connection farmers are advised that the Imperial Parliament has 

 passed an Act to control the importation of goods infected or likely 

 to be infected w^ith anthrax, and to provide for the disinfection of any 

 such goods. It is styled the Anthrax Prevention Act, 1919, and 

 provides for the prevention of importation into the United Kingdom, 

 either absolutely or except at any specified ports and subject to any 

 specified conditions as to disinfection and otherwise, of goods infected 

 or likely to be infected with anthrax. It empowers the Imperial 

 Government to declare goods of any specified class which are of any 

 specified origin, or are exported from or through any specified country 

 or place, as likely to be infected with anthrax. It provides also for 

 the carrying out in the United Kingdom of the disinfection of 

 infected goods and the cost of all services in connection with such 

 disinfection are chargeable to the importer. It is obvious, therefore, 

 that farmers residing in anthrax-infected areas should leave no stone 

 unturned to deal in a radical manner with cases of *this disease which 

 may occiir on their holdings. No' animal dying under suspicious 

 circumstances should be skinned or cut up; smears should be taken 

 from the blood of the ear of suspected animals and sent to the Govern- 

 ment Laboratory, Ondei'stepoort, for examination and report ; deaths 

 should be reported to the police and carcasses of such animals should 

 be burned or buried at a depth of six feet, preferably in quicklime, 

 in some spot where they are not likely to contaminate any water 

 supply, and the graves fenced in or bushed over. When the existence 

 of the disease is definitely confiruied, no time should be lost in 

 inoculating in-contacts. 



