Schools of AoRicuLTrRE and Experiment Stations. 209 



AT THE SCHOOLS OF AGRICULTURE AND 

 EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



March, 1920. 



CEDARA. NATAL. 



Climatic. — The rainfiiU for the month (up to and including the 23rd) was 

 6.93 inches. The mean maximum temperature was 71.8° F. and the mean 

 minimum 57.4. On the whole the weather was unfavourable to the crops, most 

 of tlie days being overclouded with continuous light rains. 



Field Operations.- — Kale, rape, parsnips, and Kikuyu grass were planted, 

 and potatoes and sunflowers harvested. 



Crops. — The maize crop still promises well despite the excessive rains, but 

 the cow-peas have been adveisely affected and are suffering severely from fungous 

 diseases. The sunflowers made excellent growth on heavy vlei soil and the 

 artichokes promise a good yield. The millet has made excellent growth and the 

 bulk of it is being ciit for green fodder. 



Stocl'. — Three Friesland calves were boin during the month, one heifer and 

 two bulls. The Aberdeen-Angus show cow. Nannie of Denoon, gave birth to a fine 

 heifer calf on the 16th of the month. One Ayr.shrie calf, a heifer, was born. 

 Four Shorthorn heifers from Onderstepoort were added to the stock during the 

 month. All the stock are in fine condition. 



Orchard. — Woolly aphis seems to have flourished in the orchard during the 

 continiial wet weather. This pest was treated with tobacco wash, paraffin 

 emulsion. Harbas, and resin wash, the last spray giving the best results. Pear 

 leaf 1)light and tlie bitter rot of apples have done a certain amount of damage 

 despite continual spraying with bordeaux mixture. 



Chemical Laboratory. — A sample of an extract from a local indigenous tree, 

 said to have good tanning properties, was analysed. The analysis of the dry. 

 solid extract showed that it contained only 43 per cent, of tannin matter, while 

 the colour was exceedingly deep, and in every way compared very unfavourably 

 with wattle extract. A specimen of latex from an indigenous plant submitted 

 for examination had over 57.98 per cent, of resins and only 13 per cent, of pure 

 rubber, which precluded its exploitation as a source of rubber, although it 

 might possibly be used for other purposes. The work carried out just before the 

 war on the composition of Natal wattle bark has been resumed, and a start 

 has also been made with investigating the composition and comparative nutritive 

 value of the more common indigenous grasses. 



Entomological Section. — A large brown ant, I'htijiolrpi.s rn.'itodiens, is giving 

 trouble to some farmers in the New Hanover district, worrying stock and 

 natives by biting ferociously. The same 'ant occurs at Cedara but gives no 

 trouble. Experiments with poison baits, cyanide solution, and corrosive subli- 

 mate have proved that the sul)limate is the most efficacious remedy-. Some 

 wattle plantations around Pietermaritzburg have l)een l)adly infested with bag- 

 worms this season, but the la.st heavy rains of the past three months have cau.sed 

 great mortality among them, due chiefly to the fungous disease and to polyhedrae 

 wilt, an obscure disease that is very virulent and highly contagious. 



ELSENBURG. MULDER'S VLEI, CAPE. 



The weather generally was fairly cool, though still al)normally dry. Tlie 

 total rainfall recorded to date is 0.17 inches, which fell on_ the 20tli instant, 

 whereas the normal March rainfall is 1.12 inches. The maximum temperature 

 recorded was 92.8° F. on the 19th instant. 



