674 



TEE AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 



spectors. " The Scab Inspector's life is by 

 no means u liappj' one. He must at ail 

 timed be on tlie watcli He must put up 

 with all sorts and conditions of men. He 

 must have no friends or enemies, must 



put up with being reported for doing his 

 duty, or not doing his duty. If he takes 

 a pride in his work and does it well he is 

 complained of as being too strict." 



Sorreh 



MR. ALFRED PEARSE, Blesbei-g, Lid- 

 getton, recently requested informa- 

 tion respecting sorrel, which is becoming 

 a nuisance on cultivated land in S0:ne of 

 the up-country distiicts. 



The plant w is sent to Mr. J. Medley 

 Wood, Curator, liotanic Gardens. Durban, 

 who writes : — '• It is a cosmopolitan weed ; 

 I met it many years ago in the Mooi River 

 and Nottingham Road Districts. It has 

 probably beenintro iuced here with seeds 

 of cereals, and has no doubt spread con- 

 siderably. It has no deleterious qualities, 



and nothing can be done but to destroy it 

 wherever found." 



F Heslands : CorreC' 

 Hon, 



IN the " Interview " which appeared in 

 the last issue there is a misprint. 

 Mr. P. Otto, instead of saying that he had 

 " no" objection to red in Frieslands, said 

 that he had an objection. 



Locusts, 



THE Entomologist informs farmers 

 in the Districts of Fox Hill and Man- 

 derston that young locusts are now hatch- 

 ing from the eggs deposited five or six 

 weeks ago, and recommends their destruc- 

 tion at once with soap solution. 



This >'olution should be in the propor- 

 tion of one bar Sunlight soap to eight 

 gal'ons of water, and it may be applied 

 with a syringe. 



Locust poison may also be used. This 

 can be put on with either syringe, switch, 

 or spray pump. 



Formula. 

 Arsenic ... l|^lbs. 



Washing soda ... l^lbs. 

 Water ... 8gals. 



Common sugar or treacle to sweeten. 



District Reports. 



BULWER, 28lh December.— There is Httle 

 to report duiing the last fortnight. We have 

 had plenty of heavy rains, and also some pretty 

 warm weather ; (jui e iJeal growing weather, 

 and in consequence crops loo'i exceedingly well. 

 The forage crops are attacked wi.h the rust, 

 though 1 do not think so bad ai other siasons. 

 Of course the Mapstono and Algerian oats are 

 excepted, as they are apparently rust proof. One 

 calf died in the vdlage of gidlsickness the other 

 flay, othtrwisa all kuid.'^ of stock is free from 

 disease and in good condition. Fruit season has 

 been good this year so far. 



H. W. Boast, Magistrate, 



HARDING, 23rd December. -We are having 

 any quantity of rain, mostly accompanied by 

 thunder, which docs not last long, but is very 

 heavy whde it lasts. The cattle at logeli Poort 

 are still in (juarantine for lungsickness. There 

 is nothing in the shape of rinderpest in or about 

 the Division, a>s far as I know. A question 

 arose a httle time ago as to whether clean cattle 

 could get lungsickness from inoculated cattle, 

 I should like to see what the general opinion is 

 on the subject. I heard from natives that 

 locusts had again paid us a visit down towards 

 the Umzimkulu, but they were not doing much 

 harm. I notice the fruit moth, which was so 



