800 Journal of the Department of Agriculture. 



Mycologist, at Capetown, in close co-operation with the Trade Com- 

 missioner. The picking, grading, and packing had been under the 

 supervision of Mr. Hobson, Chief Inspector on the Citrus Canker staff, 

 who had also made a study of the handling of the fruit on the London 

 market. 



The results obtained over the whole season's shipment of the 

 experimental consignments proved — 



(1) that with reasonable care it is possible to land fruit in 

 London showing no waste ; 



(2) that waste, when it does occur, is due to carelessness in 



packing injured fruit, in packing too lightly, and in 

 stacking the packs insecurely in the ship. 



Arrangements are further being made whereby a series of experi- 

 ments will be conducted next season to determine as fully as possible 

 the keeping qualities of citrus fruit, after subjection to conditions 

 prevailing in ventilated hold and cold stores. 



Anthrax Vaccines. 



In the last issue it was indicated that the Division of Veterinary 

 Education and Research was busy preparing a new vaccine against 

 Anthrax. This so-called Spore-vaccine has been tried at the Labora- 

 tory on a fairly large number of animals (horses, donkeys, cattle, 

 sheep, and goats) witli excellent results. The chief advantages are 

 the following : — (1) The vaccine seems to be perfectly harmless, so 

 that no evil results need be feared after inoculation if the instructions 

 are carefully carried out. (2) The degree of immunity conferred by 

 this new vaccine seems to be very much stronger than that which 

 followed on the inoculation with the old vaccine. Animals were 

 inoculated with the prescribed doses, and were then tested with 

 varying amounts of virulent anthrax germs to see whether they could 

 resist the infection. An example of such a test may be quoted. A 

 sheep was inoculated with a single dose of the vaccine (i- c.c.) and 

 showed no symptoms at all. A month later it received an injection 

 of 100,000 virulent anthrax spores without showing any reaction. It 

 may be mentioned that in the case of susceptible sheep, fifty virulent 

 anthrax spores generally form a fatal dose. 



Before issuing this spore-vaccine to the public it will be tested 

 on a fairly large scale on a few badly infected farms (probably in the 

 Boshof District). As soon as this test is completed (towards the 

 end of November), the vaccine will be ready for issue to the farmers. 



A printed leaflet will accompany each batch issued, and farmers 

 will be requested to fill in two forms and return them to the 

 Laboratory four weeks and one year respectively after the inocula- 

 tion. In this manner it will be possible to collect valuable informa- 

 tion on the results obtained with the new vaccine. It is hoped that 

 every farmer will co-oj)erate and assist the division in its endeavour 

 to check the spread of this dreadful disease. 



