6o6 Journal of Agriculture. [lo Sept., 1909. 



established trees, especially if thev have been neglected in the past. If the Bordeaux 

 mixture, coupled with cutting out' all badly infected branches, is ineffective, dusting 

 with a mixture of soot and finely powdered sulphur might be tried when the trees 

 are not in leaf, or if evergreen, early in spring before growth begins. 



Non-Pregnancv of Cow. — E.T.A.W. writes : — " I have a well bred Jersey 

 cow in good milking condition. She had her third calf about 12 months ago, and 

 has been regularly served for the past 3 or 4 months by an Ayrshire bull with 

 the only result that she comes in season every week. I have noticed that while 

 in this state she emits large quantities of colourless serum." 



Answer. — It is suggested that you syringe out the genital organs with a solu- 

 tion of lysol, I part in 100 parts of tepid water, every day for a week. Allow a 

 week or two to elapse without syringing and, if no further discharge is seen, serve 

 again. An examination of the passage might reveal some obstruction causing the 

 trouble. 



S.AND IN Stomach. — J.Y. inquires re symptoms of sand in horse's stomach and 

 treatment for same. 



Answer. — There are no special symptoms. Colic and general unthriftiness 

 and signs of sand in faeces would indicate its presence. Three or four bran 

 mashes followed by a pint of raw linseed oil should be given. Then keep the 

 horse on sloppy food for three days and repeat the oil. 



Stomach Worms. — H.C. asks what are the indications when horses are affected 

 with stomach worms. 



Answer. — The only reliable guide to the presence of worms is to see them in 

 the faeces. The effect of the following powder given night and morning in a 

 damp feed, might be tried : — Sulphate of iron, i dr. ; tartrate of antimony, ^ dr. ; 

 sulphate of coj)per, ^ dr. ; gentian, 2 drs. 



Plants for Identification. — B. Bros, and T.R.S. forward specimens of 

 plants for identification. T.R.S. states that recently he put some sheep in one of 

 his paddocks, and within a week 14 of them had died. There was no trace of 

 disease, but portions of the weed forwarded were found in the stomachs. The 

 sheep were removed to an adjoining paddock and no further deaths have occurred. 

 Answer. — (i) The specimen sent is so exceedingly fragmentary and devoid 

 of flowers that exact identification is impossible. It is in all probability, how- 

 ever, a fragment of Le-pidium Draba, L., The Hoarv Cress. This plant is not 

 poisonous, but it takes up the place of useful vegetation, n^d should be su])- 

 pressed. Clean cultivation and the prevention of seeding aid in keeping it down. 

 If the pasture land is badly infested it should be ploughed up and kept under 

 bare fallow and well stirred for a year, then followed by root crops (potatoes, 

 &c.), or a leafy fodder crop for a year or two and then grain. The land may 

 then be seeded down in grass if required for pasture, but care should be taken 

 to procure pure seed of either grass or grain. In small patches, it should be 

 dug up before seeding, piled and burnt, and the roots must be removed from the 

 soil, as any part left in the groimd will grow again. In orchards or cultivated 

 ground frequent jiloughing and stirring of the soil will keep it down and ulti- 

 mately exhaust it, but if it has been long established it may take two years to do 

 this. 



(2) It is a member of the Lobeliaceae, and though in a young stage is evi- 

 dently Isotoma fluvialiUs, F.v.M. All the species of the Lobeliaceae famil\' con- 

 tain a sharp burning or even narcotic latex, which, taken internally in excess, 

 causes inflammation of the alimentary canal and even death. The plant should 

 be hoed or pulled up after rain, before seeding. Stock should be kept from land 

 where it is abundant, especially if other feed is scarce. It is easily supjjressed 

 by cultivation. 



REI.ATI^^: Values of Cow C.rass a.nd White Clover. — R.G.P. asks which 

 is the better feed — the perennial Cow C.rass or the small white-flowering (lover. 



Answer. — The small white flowered clover is termed " W^hite " or "Dutch" 

 Clover. It contains considerably more water than cow grass, but is richer in 

 digestible nutrients, ])articularly in digestible piotein. Cow grass, however, yields 

 a much larger amount of fodder per acre, and is more jialatable to stock. White 

 clover is essentially a pasture plant. It comes away later in the season than most 

 clovers, but once started, maintains a steady growth right on into autumn. It is 

 hardier than cow grass and thrives better on the poorer quality of soils. 



For rotation pasture or hay fields, cow grass when grown under suitable 

 conditions is unsurpassed by any' other leguminous crops with the e.xception of 

 lucerne. For permanent pasturage it is good practice to sow a mixture containing 

 both varieties of clover, as cow grass will inspire a good return during the first two 

 seasons, whilst the bottom grasses and clovers are becoming established. 



