556 



Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [lo Sept., 191 2. 



Then plac^ a second slide oA'er it, arranging that tlie two slides together 

 form an acute angle wherein the blood drop lies ; the inclined glass slide 

 should touch the drop, and the blood will then run along the edge of the 

 slide, and the inclined slide should then be immediately drawn along the 

 horizontal slide, as shown in illustration when the required film will result. 



Scrapings from the organ made with the short edge of the slide can 

 be drawn over the horizontal slide in the same manner. It is very easy 

 tc spoil a smear by making it too thick, and the film should always be 

 made as iJiin as possible. A rough way of ascertaining whether the blood 

 film is too thick or not is to hold the slide with the blood smear on it 

 up to the light, and if the colours of the rainbow can be seen on the glass, 

 the film can he considered as being thin enough. When the smear has 

 been made, allow the blood on the glass to dry in the air ; when dry, wrap 

 each glass in a .small piece of thin paper, pack carefully and forward to 



The Chief Veterinary Officer, 



Department of Agriculture, 



Melbourne. 



Fig. I. — Glass slide with drop of blood. 



Fig II. — First position showing position of slides. 



A. Direction in which top slide is drawn. 

 Fig. III. — Second position of slides after blood smear is drawn out as indicated. 

 Fig. IV. — Slide showing blood smear. 



RED POLLS AS BUTTER PRODUCERS. 



(Scaso/i's Milk and Butter Record of the Govermntnt Herd.) 



In continuation of the returns published in the November, 191 1, issue 

 of the Journal, the tables following, compiled by Mr. C. K. Harrison, 

 Dairy Supervisor, show the mircing record for the 1911-12 season of the 

 (jovernment herd of Red Polled Cattle stationed at Boisdale, Gippsland. 

 These returns furnish som.e very interesting data, both as regards butter 

 fat, and quantity of milk. During the period under review the herd has 

 been ted on the natural pastures without hand feed of any kind except 

 for less than 10 tons of lucerne hay and 5 tons of sugar beet offal, given 

 during the dry autumn and towards the end of the milking period. 



