^'i6 Journal of Agriculture. [8 July. 190S. 



THE PROCLAIMED PLANTS OF VICTORIA. 



{Continued from page 352.) 



Alfred J. Euart. D. Sc. PI/. D., F.L.S., Government Botanist; and 

 ]. R. Tovey, H erbariuin Assistant. 



The Hemlock. 



Coninm maculatum , L. 



The Hemlock is a native of Europe and Asia. It is a poisonous plant 

 who'Se leaves emit a peculiar mouse-like smell when rubbed. The P'ools' 

 Parslev {.LtJrnsa cytiapium.'L.) has a similar disagreeable smell, but it is 

 a smaller annual plant a foot or two high, with bright green leaves, and 

 the bracts Lieneath the flower clusters bent downwards, which is unusual 

 in Umbelliferse. In the Hemlock there are also' usually three bracts 

 beneath each flower cluster but thev are turned towards the outside of the 

 cluster and not bent downwards. It is an erect annual or biennial often 

 over 5 feet high, with large much divided leaves and ten to tifteen ra\ed 

 compound terminal umbels, each main umbel with a variable number 

 of green bracts at its base. The fruit (b and c) is flattened and has five 

 ribs on each side. 



The Hemlock is a common garden escape founii in waste places and 

 fields in sexeral parts and it has been Avidely grown in gardens as the 

 carrot or parslev fern. It recenth was responsible for the poisoning 

 of a number of cows at Warrnamboo! and also for the death of a child 

 at Chines. Fortunatelv its smell usually repels stock and children but 

 the plant is highh' poisonous owing to the presence of the poisonous 

 alkalo'il ('(iniin: most abundant in the seeds but also present in the leaves 

 and stem. Goats appear to be largelv inmiune to- the action of the 

 poison and will graze on it when hungrv. 



Fools" Parslev is less poisonous but still dangerous when present 

 among fodder. Being an annual it is easily suppressed bv prevent ng 

 the formation of seeds, bv cutting, hoeing or cultivation. The same 

 ai)i)lir< to the Hemlock, although its eradication is more diflicult, 

 since it ma\ last for two years. On waste ground it is best pulled up, 

 piled and burnt and the ground if possible kept covered with other 

 vegetation to jjrevent it becoming re-established. On cultivated ground 

 il" gives no trouble, though apt to spread along hedges, the borders of 

 fields, the banks of streams, &c. Here, cutting it down .should be done, 

 and the seed in the soil, being short lived, will soon be exhausted. 



P reel aimed for the whole State. 



PIG BREEDING IN VICTORIA. 



ir. Siniih. /'iii Expert. 



The feet that we are fullv 20,000 i)igs short this vear induces me to 

 bring under the notice of the farmers the importance of breeding more i):gs 

 of the right sort. Mv lectures throughout the State during the past year 

 have been well attended, but I now wish to use the Journal as a means of 

 reaching tho.se who were unable to be pre.sent when I visited the various 

 districts. For several months past the prices ruling in Melbourne market- 



