406 Journal of the Department of Agriculture. 



AT THE SCHOOLS OF AGRICULTURE AND 

 EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



May, 1920. 



CEDARA, NATAL. 



C'Vnutic. — The rainfall for the month was 0'56", The mean maximum temperature 

 was 69-37° F. and the mean minimum temperature 47- 9i°. The highest maximum, 76-8°, 

 was reached on the 9th and the lowest minimum, 32- 5°, on the 28th. 



Crops. — A large quantity of silage maize has been cut, and grain maize is being cut 

 and stocked in the field. The crop is somewhat below expectations owing to the cold 

 experienced in February. Cowpeas have been cut and made into hay, the yields being poor 

 owing to leaf rust. The millet and sunflowers have been cut. Turnips, kale, and rape 

 are making excellent growth and should provide much frf sh feed duriisg winter months. 

 The veld grass is still yielding good grazing and a large quantity has been cut and made 

 into hay. 



Field E.i'periment.i. — The experimental plots of grass have been harvested. The Kikuyu 

 gave an excellent yield and responded well to fertilizers. Tall fescue gave satisfactory 

 results, and a fairly heavy yield of succulent fodder ; cocksfoot yielded less than the others, 

 being affected by rust. The experiment with cowpeas for rust resistance indicates superi- 

 ority of the New Era variety. 



Stock. — The stock as a whole are doing well owing to the mildness of the season and 

 the good condition of the veld. The show and sale cattle are now receiving special attention. 

 Eleven calves were born during the month, three Fries ands (two bulls and one heifer) two 

 Ayrshires (heifers) three Aberdeen-Angus (two bulls and one heifer) three shorthorns (one 

 bull and two heifers). 



Dairy Conference. — The Second Annual Daiiy Conference was held on the 21st, and 

 was well attended, about 200 visitors bei) g present. After the stock was inspected the 

 Principal gave a demonstration lecture on " Types of D.iiry Cattle," typical examples of each 

 being biought before the audience and the various points illustrated. Af:er lunch the 

 visitors inspected a display o' dairy utensils and of various kinds of foodstuffs a- d fodder. 

 The Dairy Instructor lectured on " Variations in Tests of Cream and Milk," the Chemist 

 on " Feeas and Feeding," and Mr. Angus on " Some Factors in Milk Production." 



Chemical Lahoratory. — The routine analytical work on samples sent in by the public 

 was very heavy, being cbiefly soils, tanning materials, and toxicological materials. The 

 latter were almost all ingesta and organs of beasts, the cause of death in each case evidently 

 being arsenic. The large number of such sam les constantly received here for examination 

 shows that comparatively large numbers of stock are lost from this cause, often due to 

 criminal actions of servants, but a'so sometimes caused by the negligence of farmers them- 

 selves. 



A consignment of Gerber Butyrometers manufactured by a British firm was tested for 

 accuracy of graduations, in accordance with the regulations of the Dairy Act. Most of 

 them were found to be very inaccurate and the dealer was advised to return the whole con- 

 signment to the manufacturers. 



Entuinoloyy. — Complaints were received during the month from various parts of Natal 

 of the depredations of certain species of caterpillars on vegetables, winter potatoes having 

 suffered severely. The caterpillars closely resemble the army worms, and farmers are 

 inclined to consider them the same, but, although nearly allied, they are not the aimy worms 

 proper. Spraying with a mixture of 1| lb. of arsenate of L^ad powder in 40 gallons of 

 water is recommended. 



