Rodent Injury to Trees. 455 



" In placing- the scions, it is of the greatest importance that the 

 ■cambium of the scions which is exposed in the sloping cuts at the 

 ends be brought into intimate contact with the cambium that lies 

 under the bark at the margins of the wounded area. The "union of 

 scion and tree can only occur where the cambium layers of the two 

 come together. The scions may be .secured in their proper positions, 

 if need be, by driving a small nail through each end into the trunk. 

 This will aid in drawing the cambium of scion and trunk closely 

 together. 



" The operation is completed by thoroughly covering- the area 

 occupied by the ends of the scions and the margins of the wound with 

 grafting wax, strips of waxed cloth, or some other means that will 

 •adequately prevent the parts from drying out. 



" When a valuable large tree has been badly injured, a method 

 frequently adopted in western America is to plant two-year old seed- 

 lings around the base of the tree and graft their tops into the trunk 

 above the girdled space. V-shaped vertical grooves extending through 

 the cambium are cut just above the wounded area in the bark of the 

 tree to be treated. The tops of the small trees are shaped to corres- 

 pond with these grooves. The two are then accurately fitted together 

 in such a manner as to bring the cambium of one in contact with that 

 ■of the other. Small nails may be driven through the tops of the trees 

 into the trunk, to hold the parts firmly together. . . . The wounds 

 incident to joining the tops of the small trees to the trunk of the large 

 ■one shouJd be well covered with wax, to prevent drying out." 



East Coast Fever in the Pretoria District. 



In connection with the serious outbreaks of East Coast fever in 

 the Pretoria District, the Minister of Agriculture — at Capetown for 

 the Parliamentary session — visited Pretoria on the 17th June, for the 

 purpose of holding meetings to discuss means of fighting the disease. 

 Three meetings were held, two in Pretoria, and the third at the 

 Premier Mine. The first was attended by members of the Pretoria 

 Municipality, the Pretoria Society of Agriculture and Industries, 

 prominent dairymen of Pretoria, and representatives from the western 

 portion of the town ; at the second meeting the situation was discussed 

 with the Advisory Board (as then constituted) and representatives of 

 the Police and the Veterinary Division. The third meeting held next 

 day at the Premier Mine was attended by a large number of farmers. 

 As an outcome of these meetings, it was decided to dissolve the 

 existing Board, and elect one consisting of a representative each from 

 each ward, the Pretoria Municipality, the west end of Pretoria, and 

 the Innesdale Municipality, with the Magistrate of Pretoria as chair- 

 man. Representatives of the Police and Veterinary Division will 

 attend meetings of this committee, sub-committees to be formed 

 in each ward to represent matters to the central committee. The 

 first meeting of the central committee, which has now been elected, 

 has been called for the 7th July. The best possible steps are being 

 taken to combat the spread of the disease, and it is trusted that the 

 situation will very adequately be controlled as a result. 



