670 



The Cultivation of Osiers and Willows. [Oct., 



In that district the loan companies charge 10 per cent, interest 

 and Hmit their advances to 40 per cent, of the vahie of the 

 property. 



Short term loans can be secured only through farm loan asso- 

 ciations composed of 30 farmers, each of whom has subscribed 

 for a $100 share and paid in $10. The municipahty and the 

 province in which the farmers live have to make a similar con- 

 tribution. Farmers from every county in the province have 

 asked for information concerning such associations, but the Board 

 takes no action until five or more farmers have so petitioned. 

 The first association was formed last December. At present 25 

 are operating, and many others are nearly completed. 



These short loans are intended chiefly for the purchase of 

 cattle and seed. Money is lent to the association by the Govern- 

 ment at 5 J per cent, and advanced to the farmer by the associa- 

 tion at 6 J per cent. The maximum loan is $2,000. As the bank 

 short loans are limited to three months and farmers need money 

 for a period of nine months, the new provincial scheme meets a 

 real need. 



****** 



In 1913 the Ministry published Miscellaneous Publication 

 No. 18 on willow-growing, based largely on information supplied 



The Cultivation J^. ^"f^' f 



„ ^ . Leicester. A new edition oi this pub- 



of Osiers t i ^ • j j 



, ,„.,, hcation has now been issued and can 



and Willows. , - j i. j • j- u. £ 



be obtained by ordering direct from 



the Ministry, 10, Whitehall Place, London, S.W.I, price 



Is. 6d. net post free. It has been largely re-written, 



a chapter on the growing of tree willows has been added, 



and the notes on the cultivation of basket willows expanded, 



greater stress being laid on the special methods employed in the 



various willow-growing districts, each of which had evolved 



certain characteristic features. The booklet has been revised by 



the members of ihe Advisory Committee on Willow Growing set 



up by the Ministry, and is fully illustrated. 



****** 



Foot-and-Mouth Disease.— An outbreak of Foot-and-Mouth Disease 

 occurred in Water Street Pig Market, Manchester, on the 24th August, after 

 Great Britain had been free from outbreaks since the 30th June last. 



The usual restrictions were imposed and every step taken to trace the origin 

 of the disease. Up to the present, however, this has not been discovered. 



There have been no further outbreaks either in the Manchester district or 

 in any other part of the country. 



