May 1 1910.] 



428 



Miscellaneous. 



vation of paddy in Tinnevelly, jute in 

 Tanjore and Malabar, and ground-nut 

 in Malabar and South Canara. They 

 have, however, not been in existence 

 long enough for a definite opinion to be 

 formed of their general utility. There 

 is a Central Agricultural Committee in 

 Madras which forms a link between the 

 various local Associations. 



In Bombay there has been com- 

 paratively little development on this 

 line, but three District and a number 

 of Taluka Associations exist. They are 

 always independent bodies and often 

 combine iu their functions other pur- 

 poses as well as those of agricultural 

 improvement. The two most active 

 and successful are in Dharwar (a District 

 Association) and in the Sangamner 

 Taluka of the Ahmednagar District. In 

 each case they depend largely for their 

 success on the personal influence of an 

 active local man, and they only have 

 official patronage. In Dharwar the Asso- 

 ciation has been instrumental in bring- 

 ing about the extension of the cultiva- 

 tion of Broach cotton iu the district, 

 the more careful selection of Dharwar- 

 American cotton seed, and the adoption 

 of the Turnwrest plough. In Sam- 

 gamner the Association organises an 

 exceedingly important local agricultural 

 show subsidised by the Agricultural 

 Department, and has introduced improv- 

 ed varieties of wheat. It has lead to 

 the establishment of a grain bank; 

 while breeding bulls have been intro- 

 duced as a result of its operations. Many 

 of the Bombay Associations are con- 

 tinually asking for demonstration to 

 undertake ; and the difficulty has been 

 and is now to find matters of proved 

 value for them to try. 



In Bengal a Provincial Agricultural 

 Association and Divisional and District 

 Associations have recently been formed, 

 but it is too early to say what their 

 effect has been. These Associations 

 are largely composed of townsmen, 

 pleaders and Zamiudars not themselves 

 cultivators. In fact cultivators' hold- 

 ings are genei^ally so small that it is 

 considered unlikely that agricultural 

 Associations on the model of those in 

 the Central Provinces are likely to 

 succeed- 



The utility of Agricultural Associa- 

 tions seems to depend largely on the 

 presence of a body of substantial men 

 who are also cultivators, on the personal 

 touch of the higher staff of the Agri- 

 cultural Department with the members, 

 on the definite engagement by the 

 members to do definite pieces of work, 

 and on the regularity of meetings, in- 

 spections and reports. In other matters 



conditions will vary with the districts. 

 It may and will be advisable to have 

 smaller associations than those of a dis- 

 trict in some instances, If such smaller 

 associations can be sufficiently sub- 

 stantial and intelligent, the Sub-Com- 

 mittee considers that they should be 

 encouraged. 



NOTE ON ARGEMONE MEXICANA. 



By J. H- Maiden. 



(From the Agricultural Gazette of 

 N.S.W., Vol. XIX., Part 10, 

 October, 1908J 

 (Previous references, — 1891, Jan., p. 32; 

 March, p. 125 ; April, p. 175 ; 1895, March, 

 p. 157 ; April, p. 227 ; 1897, Jan., p. 3 ; 1899, 

 June, p. 490 ; 1901, June, p. 643.) 



This weed known as " Blue Thistle," 

 " Yellow Puppy," " Mexican Poppy," 

 " Devil's Pig," " White Thistle," " Binni- 

 guy Thistle," "Prickly Poppy," is widely 

 looked upon in New South Wales as one 

 of the few weeds without any redeeming 

 feature. 



In the Capeoj Good Hone Agricultural 

 Journal (April, 1908, p. 493) the following 

 statement appeared : — 



Mr. Bergh (Modder River) moved :— 

 ''That Congress (Farmers' Congress, 1908) 

 recommends to Government the necessity 

 for removing from the list of noxious 

 weeds the plant commonly called Mexi- 

 can Poppy." Seconded by Mr. Haarhoff. 



Mr. P. Nel (Beaufort West) moved, as 

 an amendment :-"That the Government 

 be informed of the diversity of opinion 

 between farmers as to the value or 

 otherwise of the Mexican poppy as a 

 fodder plant, and that they be requested 

 to appoint experts to make immediate 

 investigation." 



On a vote being taken, the amend- 

 ment was negatived, and the motion 

 agreed to." 



On inquiry of the Under-Secretary for 

 Agriculture at Capetown, the following 

 information was elicited 



With reference to your letter of the 

 15th May last, relative to the above sub- 

 ject; I am directed to inform you that 

 the principal reason advanced by those 

 wishing to have Mexican Poppy (Arge- 

 mone mexicama) withdrawn from the 

 list af noxious plants is that in their 

 opinion it is not only uninjurious to, but 

 will even, in certain seasons, serve as 

 food for stock. This statement it will be 

 noted is not an official one by the De- 

 partment, but emanates from the farm- 

 ers themselves. 



