3.22 



TRE AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 



mounted. iii inau}' parts of tlic world 

 they have been constructed, and they 

 have been worked with great success. 

 For transporting agricultural produce 

 a light description may be worked by 

 hand, while with steam or electric power 

 and built on a more substantial scale, 

 they are suitable for running trains at 

 speeds of 100 miles an hour and over. 



Paspalum Ditataium. 



IT is perhaps desirable to further im- 

 press the necessity of moisture in the 

 cultivation of paspalum dilatatum upon 

 those who are preparing to raise this 

 grass. If moisture is absent after the 

 sowing of the seed, failnre will be in- 

 evitable. It is therefore imperative that 

 the seed-bed (if this, and the preferable 

 system of planting be elected), should be 

 regularly watered if rainy weather does 

 not follow the sowing. 



Botanic Gardens, 

 Durhanm 



HALF YEARLY REPOET. 



THE report on the Botanic Gardens, 

 Durban, for the half year ending June 

 30th is of exceptional interest, inasmuch 

 as it contains a history of the institution 

 from the time of its inception. The 

 beginning was humble in the extreme. 

 We read of a house to be erected for the 



curator, the cost of which is not to ex- 

 ceed £3. llie absence of money is again 

 indicated in the following extract from 

 one of the early minute books : — "That, 

 in lieu of salary, and to cover all expenses 

 the Curator, i)r. Johnstone, be allowed 

 to sell the surplus produce of the Gar- 

 dens over and above what may be required 

 as stock/'' 



Mr. Wood, in the course of the Report, 

 advocates the growing of saplings for 

 walking sticks and umbrella handles. The 

 British imports of these saplings in 1850 

 was but £1,600, whereas in 1886 the 

 value had increased to £189,000. 



Seeds of a new mango, "Deux-Doux," 

 have been obtained. The fruit is said' to 

 be of superlative quality. The Herba- 

 rium now contains 26,758 specimens, 

 of which 8,817 are South African. The 

 Report, which shows the vitality in every 

 respect of the institution, is well worthy 

 bf perusal by all who take an interest in 

 the objects the institution is engaged in 

 forwarding. 



irrigation. 



nOLOXEL (H)RBETT, the Irrigation 

 \J Expert, M ill complete his term of two 

 years' service with the Natal Government 

 about the middle of November. Any- 

 one wishing to consult him should there- 

 fore apply without delay. No fee is 

 charged for this officer's services. Appli- 

 cation should be made direct to Colonel 

 Corbctt, Department of Agriculutre, 

 Pieterraaritzburg. 



District Re/norts. 



HOWICK, 29th July.— In matters appertain- 

 ing to agriculture there is at present a lull, and 

 consequently, therefore, there is not much to 

 chronicle in th^t respect. As to the weather, 

 it is somewhat difl'erent. Severe frosts have 

 lately been experi^iiced, with the result that the 

 grszing for stock is in a very bad condition ; 

 there is absolutely no nourishment left in the 

 veldt grass, and with the exception of farmers 

 who are fortunate enough to possess bushes or 

 forestlets on their lands which have now become 

 re ognised as a real and sul)>-tantial advantage, 

 not only on account of the good grazing pro- 

 vided by the bush grase and other succulent 



plants existins; throughout the year, but also on 

 account of the warmth afforded from the cold 

 air at nights, tho.se farmers who have no such 

 benefits are oblige "1 to resort to feeding to keep 

 up the condition of their stock. This they have 

 been in a good position to do, a^ the past season 

 has'iprovided hay which in quality and quantity 

 has hitherto been unprccedenteH in this Divi- 

 sion. One farmer at the Darele lost a large 

 quantity of hay a short time ago through a grass 

 fire caused by the setting alight carelessly or 

 wilfully of some grass bv some Coolies working 

 in a fie'd. The Grass Burning Law being in 

 force, it is to be hoped that, the offence and 



