272 ] our )iaL of Agriculture. [10 April, 1909. 



Rye, Alsyke Clover, I'rairie Grass, Cow Grass Clover, and Fas-palum dilitatum. \\. 

 least a portion of the pasture should be fenced off and devoted to lucerne solely. 

 This should be watered frequently during the summer and will give live to seven 

 •cuttings. 



CONCRETK Sii.OS. — R. G. wishes to know whether concrete silos are safe. 



Answer.- — Concrete silos are perfectly satisfactory if veil made. They, how- 

 ever, require reinforcing to insure safety. See article in Journal for July, 1907. 



Impaction. — S. C. asks whether there is any cure for impaction. 



.4wj-w^r.— Simple impaction is best treated i)V giving 15 lbs. Epsom salts in a 

 quart of water and followed three times a day bv 5 oz. solution of strychnine in 

 I pint of water. 



V.4LUE OF THE ESCUTCHEON. — J. S. inquires whether the escutcheon is of any 

 value as a guide when choosing a bull for the dairy herd. 



Answer. — Guenon on Milch Cows lays great stress upon the value of the 

 escutcheon of the bull and as a guide when selecting calves. There is no doubt that 

 when properly interpreted, the escutcheon is a good guide. See page 466 of the 

 Journal for August, 1908. 



Excessive Yawning bv Horse. — J. S. asks what is the cause of excessive 

 yawning by a horse. 



Answer. — It is frequentlv a symptom of imligestion and also of too much feed 

 and not enough work. 



Swelling on Udder. — Ivan states that one of his recently calved cows has 

 a large lump or swelling on the udder, just above the back teat. The cow appears 

 to be quite healthy, and gives no trouble during milking. 



Answer. — Without an examination it is difficult to say what the swelling is 

 due to. It mav be merely mild mammitis or a case of tubercle. The Dairy Super- 

 visor in your district may be able to assist you. 



Oats for Pigs. — Ivan asks whether oats (seconds) are good feed for pigs. 



Anszver. — Oats form a valuable adjunct to the ration for pigs, and are espe- 

 cially useful for breeding sows. They are best fed crushed, not cooked. 



Destroying Crickets. — J. M. states that his paddock of strong black land, 

 which has been laid dow.i in grasses for two years, is badly infested with crickets. 

 The ground is now very open with cracks, and the crickets are coming up in mil- 

 lions, and doing much damage. 



Answer. — The feeding of turkeys (over 6 weeks' old) nn the infested land 

 has proved efficacious. The birds clear the place of crickets in no time, will fatten 

 well, and can be marketed at a profit. If foxes are about, the flock should be 

 shepherded and housed at night. 



Grafted Resistant Stocks. — H. V. wishes to know where he could obtain a 

 small quantity of table grape vines grafted on resistant stocks. 



Answer. — Grafted resistant stocks are only supplied by the Department of 

 Agriculture. Vines are only grafted to order, and applicants must furnish their 

 own scions. The Department provides the stocks. For the 1910 planting season, 

 orders, accompanied with a deposit at the rate of £\ per 1,000, should be submitted 

 before the end of May, 1909. 



Wood Ashes. — F. J. E. asks whether ashes from a boiler furnace have a 

 manurial value. 



Answer. — If wood ashes, they are of a beneficial nature on account of the 

 percentage of potash present, and also of their effect in neutralizing any soil 

 acidity and tending to ameliorate the mechanical condition of the soil. 



Plants for Identification. — Specimens have been forwarded by A. G. H. 

 and T. W. H. 



Answer. — i. (A. G. H.) Veldt Grass [Ehrharta longiflora, Sm.). A native 

 of South Africa now naturalized in this State ; a perennial grass of some use as a 

 pasture grass in moist situations, but by no means in the first rank of pasture 

 grasses. When growing in dr\- situations it dies off when pasturage is most needed 

 and is then almost an annual maintaining itself bv seed. This grass was formerly 

 sold under the incorrect name of Thcnieda avenacea, which is a much superior 

 grass. The Veldt Grass is more likely to thrive under Glppsland conditions than 

 in the Western or drier districts for which tli'' true Anthistiria [Themeda] avenacea 

 is better suited. 



2. (J. W. H.) Escallonia montevidensis, D.C. A native of South America 

 Ijelonging to the Saxifragacece, and occasionally grow'n in gardens. It is a good 

 bee plant, can easily be propagated by cuttings, and would make evergreen hedges 

 so long as these were not in an extremel\- drv or exposerl situation. It would, 

 however, be of no use as a hedge plant to keeji in stock unless reinforced bv barbed 

 wire. The plant has no poisonous or injurious properties and is rather a handsome 

 shrub. 



