245 



tic manures. If this plant is successfully introduced it will cause the 

 productive power of the South to approximate, if not to equal, that of 

 the North, and thus tend to equalize the economic advantages of the two 

 sections. 



An important problem, pressing for solution during 1875, is the in- 

 crease of wages by the enlargement of forage-crops, requiring but little 

 hand-labor and yielding grand returns of manure. Maize-fodder gives, 

 per hectare, more than the sugar-beet. If the latter, by first yielding 

 juice for sugar or alcohol, gives its residuum at less cost for cattlefeed- 

 "iug, it is no less true that the maize, less exacting of hand-labor, and 

 more reliable in its productions, offers special inducements to the south- 

 ern and central cultivators. 



But other points in the productive question demand attention during 

 1875. Fertilizers, implements, enlarged machinery, live stock, irriga- 

 tion, management of waters, and other themes, not only of discussion 

 but also of practical experiment, will occupy the i)ublic mind. 



Pisciculture in France. — The fish-hatching establishment at Hun- 

 ningue, in the deptirtment of Upper Rhine, during the incubating 

 season of lS73-'7-4 hatched out 7,883,000 eggs, of which 38 per cent, 

 perished 5 42 per cent, were sent abroad, and the remainder wefe retained 

 at the establishment. The number of lish sent out to restock the rivers 

 were as follows: to Germany, 2,359,000; Austria, 60,000; Holland, 

 600,000; Luxembourg, 90,000; France, 180,000 ; Switzerland, 100,000 ; 

 Italy, 30,000 ; Brazil, 35,000. About 500,000 csalmon and bastard salmon 

 were placed in the Rhine, the 111, and the Moselle. Very satisfactory 

 experiments have been made in the lakes of Pomerauia, Silesia, and 

 Brandenburg. 



International sericultural conciress. — The committee on or- 

 ganization of this body has published a circular indicating points desir- 

 able to illustrate by experiment prior to its fifth session at Milan, Italy, 

 in 1870. The experiments reported at previous sessions have generally 

 been too fragmentary and disconnected, and not capable of being co- 

 ordinated in general results. In order to render such experiments capa- 

 ble of effective comparison it is necessary that the conditions and circum- 

 stances be, as nearly as possible, identical. To aid in securing this 

 uniformity the circular sets forth several points of guidance for the 

 experiments to be carried on by parties interested during the period in- 

 tervening before the session of the Milan congress. These points em- 

 brace, first, circumstances influencing the health of the silk-worm in the 

 course of rearing, and in the confection and preservation of eggs. Rear- 

 ing includes breeding, type, and its modification by heat, moisture, 

 light, aeration, and other influences affecting the health of worms noi"- 

 mally incubated from well-preserved eggs. Special attention is directed 

 to the effects of mulberry-leaves gathered fresh, but wet with copious 

 rains, especially during the fifth age and at the time when the worms 

 are about to spin their cocoons. It is especially desirable to experiment 

 upon the character and prevention of the disease known as flaclierxe. 

 Where worms are infected with this malady they should be separated 

 from the healthy ones and divided into classes according to the degree 

 of development of the symptoms, and each class studied separately. In 

 regard to the confection of eggs, it is desirable to ascertain how far 

 parentage is a good criterion of selection, and how far some breeds 

 excel others in their capacity to xe^i^t flaclierie or other diseases. These 

 experiments should all be made upon old breeds producing yellow co- 

 coons. 



