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AUSTRALIAN AGRICULTURE. 



animal substances ; but so many of them have beneficial ten- 

 dencies, when they are developed 

 aright, that agriculturists, as a 

 body, are coming to look upon 

 such changes as they make 

 with kindly eyes. There is no 

 such feeling towards the larger 

 fungus growths, a few only of 

 which have a direct value 

 for man, necessary though 

 they are in the plan of nature. 

 And insects are only so much 

 less objectionable because the 



bad ones are more easily reached, and there are many 



Sections of Sugar Caue. 



Healthy Sap Vessels of Potato, Sugar Cane, &c< 



friends of the agriculturist amongst them, in the form of 

 ladybirds, ichneumons and others. A, shows sap cells of a 

 plant in which the starchy matter is secreted in the case of 

 the potato, and saccharine, or sugar matter, in the sugar 

 cane. It is here that fungus growths make serious 

 attacks. B, illustrates cells near the skin or rind, where 

 gummy matter is formed. 0, ordinary form of inter- 

 mediate cells between the two. The A and C cells are 

 influenced very much by wet and dry weather the G cells 

 especially.' At one time they may be almost dry, while 

 when growth is active, and after rain, they may become 

 gorged with sap. And that is the most dangerous time for 



