Schools op Agriculture and Experiment Stations. 311 



Horticultural Sevtiun. — The truit season of 1919-20 again illustrated the 

 suitability of the soil and climate to pears. The dry season proved a suitable 

 one for grapes which is in accordance with i^revious experience. Some varieties 

 of apricots, Japanese plums, and peaches gave excellent crops despite the late 

 frost of 23rd Sejjtember. 1919 Ajjples liave proved extremely erratic in their 

 blossoming in the past season, and the disease of bittei- pit was very prevalent. 

 The trees are stunted and diseased; many will be pulled out this coming winter. 

 The cherry, nectarines, and domestic plum crops were failures. Great difficulty 

 is experienced this season, owing to the absence of rain, in getting the orchards 

 cleaned and cultivated. The ground is proving extremely hard. Th apple trees 

 are badly attacked l)y woolly aphis; the pest is being controlled by hand painting 

 of the trees with paraffin emulsion. A pruning experiment to illustrate the 

 effect of early normal and late pruning was commenced this montli. 



Lire Stock. — Cattle have maintained their conditicjii. Tlie various lierds 

 will require heavy feeding, however, during the winter, owing to tlie p(n erty of 

 the veld. Sev?ral young animals inoculated agaiiist sponsiekte in December and 

 January last died of the disease in this month. The young stock were all 

 inoculated a second time against the disease. Twenty-four aged oxen and 

 twelve head of mixed cattle, discarded for various purposes, were disposed of at 

 prices ranging from £17. 12s. 6d. to £21 12s. 6d. All the herds were carefully 

 gone throtigh with the object of reducing undesirable animals before winter 

 sets in. 



It is intended to abandon the crossing experiment of Sussex and Africander 

 cattle on Mendelian lines, and to dispose of all the progeny in the second 

 generation from cross-l)red btills ; l)Ut liefore doing so observations are being 

 taken on the animals of that generation in order to oljtain data of scientific 

 value. It is feared, however, that the numl)er of individuals are not stifficient 

 for the purpose. For this experiment it is proposed substituting grading work 

 with pedigree Hereford and Sussex bidls on Africander females as foundation 

 stock. This will yield data of practical value to ranchers who are attracted to 

 these two breeds for purposes of beef lireeding. 



The supply of milk has lieen sufficient only to meet the domestic demands 

 of the school and farm and for calves. The quantity of cream available is 

 therefore not sufficient to supply the requirements of the ho.stels in respect of 

 btitter. For this purpose a certain amotint of cream is iieing bouglit. 



Btit for a few mild cases of bhie-tongue, sheep Inne done well, although 

 the Romney Marsh ewes put to the rajii have fallen off somewhat owing to the 

 condition of the veld. These ewes have apparently all been .settled by the ram 

 this month, as also the Stiff oik x Persian and the Suffolk X Merino cross-breds 

 to the Suffolk rams. The Wanganella Merino stud ewes have commenced 

 lambing. 



A numbei- of pigs, both of Large Black and Berk.shire breeds, was sold to 

 farmers for l)reeding ptirposes. The demand exceeds the available supply'. 



Foultrij Division. — A small intensive house is being erected. The birds in 

 the breeding pens have come through the moidt very early this year, which 

 made it possible to get an early start with incubation. Two hundred young 

 chickens have l)een hatched thus far and by the end of August, at latest, it 

 is hoped to have hatched 1000 head. 



Experimental and Investigational Work. — Three years work on " adhesive 

 washes designed to protect fruit trees from the attack of rodents " has been 

 completed, and the resttlt will be published. The entomologist has also tinder 

 investigation the following: — (a) Potato tuber moth; (}>) the angoumois grain 

 bug; (c) the control of rats and mice. Investigations into nitrification and the 

 lime requirements of soils is being continued by the chemist. The engineer made 

 an inspection of water power installations in Natal in company with Brother 

 Nivard. of the Mariannhill ^lonastery, who had installed these. A ntiml)er of 

 samples of agriculttiral matei'ials (fertilizers, foodstuffs, l)iak waters required 

 for dipping purposes) were analysed during the montli. 



School. — Forty-four students, including all the second year diploma men, and 

 nearlj' all members of the staff, attended the Witwatersrand Agricultural Society 

 Show and assisted at the Government exhibit and as stewards to the Society. 



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