740 JOUKNAL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Certain other minor characteristics have been observed amongst 

 these cross-bred chicks : — 



1. The birds take a good deal longer to reach full feather 

 maturity. With South African birds it is generally possible to form 

 a fairly accurate idea from examination of the " spadonas," or chick 

 feathers, as to what a bird will develop into at maturity. This has 

 proved quite impossible with the cross-bred chicks, and it is only on 

 the second or third crops of feathers that an accurate opinion of the 

 bird can be formed. 



2. The cross-bred birds are by nature very wild and untractable. 

 This necessitates very careful rearing and management. 



3. The cross-bred chicks are exceedingly healthy and compara- 

 tively easy to rear in comparison with South African chicks. In 

 appearance they cannot be said to favour either of the parent strains 

 more than the other. They vary in all degrees, from some exactly 

 resembling" the North African to others which could not be 

 distinguished from the South African bird. 



The undoubted success of these cross-breeding experiments justifies 

 the Government's action in importing the Nigerian ostriches, for there 

 can be no doubt that had these birds fallen into the hands of any 

 other country it could in time, by means of selection and cross- 

 breeding, have built up a strain of birds which would have proved 

 serious rivals to our South African ostrich feather industry. As the 

 position stands at present, however. South Africa holds the lead both 

 for quantity and quality of feathers produced, and with this long- 

 start, and by means of a judicious infusion of Nigerian blood, the 

 industry should be secure. Should another country obtain a number 

 of these Nigerian ostriches it would take a number of years to reach 

 the present South African standard of quality of feathers, and by 

 that time, by means of the start mentioned above, it is hoped that our 

 industry will have relatively advanced. 



Citrus Export. 



Commenting on certain aspects of the export of citrus fruit 

 this year, the Trade Commissioner in London refers to the large 

 proportion of fruit shipped in ventilated hold and the excellent con- 

 dition generally in wdiich our fruit arrived; indeed, the opinion of 

 the trade is that never have South African oranges been marketed in 

 better condition. Mr. Canham is of opinion that the cool weather 

 experienced this year accounts in a measure for the satisfactory state 

 in which the fruit was received, but, notwithstanding the good condi- 

 tion of the fniit sent over in ventilated hold, he is emphatic on the 

 point that all our fruit should be shipped in cold storage, wliich, he 

 states, is the opinion also of the trade. 



Plant Nurseries in Quarantine as at 1st October, 1920. 



The nurseries listed in last mouth's Journal (page 670) were 

 still in quarantine on the 1st October, 1920. with the exception of 

 that of Mr. E. Krohn. 



