1908.] Official Circulars and Notices. 141 



Prohibition of importation of live stock from Scotland into Finland. — The Board 

 are informed, through the Foreign Office, that an Order has been issued prohibiting 

 until further notice the importation from Scotland into Finland of ruminating animals 

 and pigs and animal products. 



Winnipeg Industrial Exhibition. — At the Winnipeg Industrial Exhibition which 

 will be held from July nth to 17th, 1908, a Competition will be held for Light 

 Agricultural Motors, and three prizes (medals) will be awarded for the best motor for 

 general farm purposes. Entries to be made on or before June 1st. A copy of the 

 Rules and Conditions can be seen at the Offices of the Board. 



Discovery of Potash in Alsace. — The Moniteur Officiel du Commerce (Paris) 

 publishes a report by the French Consul at Bremen relative to deposits of 

 potash salts that have recently been discovered in Alsace, in a district covering 

 nearly 200 square kilometres, extending from Soultz and Regisheim in the 

 north, to Niedermonchviller, near Mulhouse, in the south. A superior deposit 

 of the salts 1 metre in thickness and an inferior deposit 5 metres in thickness 

 have been found at a depth of from 500 to 700 metres, in beds containing 

 rock salt. The salts discovered in the northern part of the district are 

 estimated to contain about 43 per cent, of chloride of potash, and those from 

 the southern part from 25 to 30 per cent. In a south-easterly direction 

 the thickness of the deposit tends to diminish. It is stated that the first 

 factory has already been installed in Alsace and that shafts are now being 

 sunk. {Board of Trade Journal, 19th March, 1908.) 



Spangle Galls eaten by Birds. — With reference to the note in this Journal 

 (February, 1908, p. 686) as to wood pigeons feeding on spangle galls, the 

 Kew Bulletin records the fact that a packet of " seeds " was received from 

 Argyllshire which had been taken from the crop of a Grey-hen (the female 

 black grouse) shot on 17th October, The crop of the bird was found to be 

 full of these seeds and an immense number of small beetles ; a few days later 

 the crop of a Black-cock was found with similar contents. The supposed 

 seeds, which were yellowish green and smooth, proved to be the common 

 spangle-gall of the oak leaf (Neuroterus lenticularis), the characteristic hairs 

 having been rubbed off. 



OFFICIAL CIRCULARS AND NOTICES. 

 The 'Board have addressed the following Circular letter, 

 dated the 24th April, 1908 (A 165/C), to County Councils and 

 Councils of County Boroughs in England and Wales : — 

 Sir, 



Circular as tO th© ^ am directed by the Board of Agriculture and 



Small Holdings and fisheries to advert to their Circular letter of the ist 

 January last (A 156/C),* and to enclose herewith for the 

 Allotments ActS. information of your Council two copies of the Regulations 

 made by the Board, with the approval of the Treasury, 

 under Section 17 of the Small Holdings and Allotments Act, 1907, as to the 

 repayment out of the Small Holdings Account of expenses incurred by the Council 

 in proceedings in relation to the acquisition of land for the purposes of small holdings 

 under that Act. 



The Board do not think it advisable to attempt to indicate precisely what 

 particular items of expense will be subject to repayment, as each application will 

 have to be considered on its merits, but they think it may be of assistance to your 

 Council to state that in ordinary cases the following expenses would seem to be the 

 main items which would be repayable under the Regulations, viz. : — 



* See Journal, January, 1908, p. 597. 



