1909.] Official Circulars and Notices. 



tended these efforts, and there does not appear to be any successful process 

 at present at work. 



Peat charcoal is made on the Continent by charring in heaps in the same 

 way as wood charcoal, the product being used for metallurgical purposes. 

 Large works have recently been erected at Benerberg, Bavaria, for the pro- 

 duction of charcoal, and other substances, from peat, but it remains to be 

 seen whether the process will be a commercial success. 



Prevention of Bee-diseases in Cape Colony. — A Proclamation by the Governor 

 of the Cape Colony was issued on the 8th September, 1908, whereby the im- 

 portation of bees and their larvas or eggs is prohibited, with the exception 

 of introductions made by or on behalf of the Government of the Colony. In 

 connection with " foul-brood " disease, the importation of honey and bees-wax 

 (including foundation comb) is also prohibited except under a written permit 

 obtained from the Secretary for Agriculture, under such restrictions and safe- 

 guards as may seem expedient and necessary. 



Application of Acetylene Residue to Land. — The residue left after acetylene 

 gas has been made from calcium carbide consists theoretically of calcium 

 hydrate, i.e., slaked lime, and should therefore be suitable for application to 

 gardens. Commercial calcium carbide is, however, apt to contain small quan- 

 tities of calcium phosphide, and possibly of calcium sulphide, which might affect 

 the value of the residue for horticultural purposes, though it is probable that 

 the risk of injury would be slight. This is borne out by the experience of 

 two correspondents, both of whom are well qualified to judge. In one case 

 this residue has been used for ten years, being mixed with ordinary soil, and 

 the mixture then spread on the surface and afterwards dug in. Another corre- 

 spondent considers it of the greatest value on clay soils, the only caution neces- 

 sary being to allow it to weather sufficiently to destroy its caustic powers 

 before it is put on soil where there are growing crops or where planting is to 

 take place at once. It is also stated to be most valuable for running direct into 

 cesspools, as it takes out most of the solid matter, leaving a practically clear 

 effluent, whilst the sludge at the bottom of the cesspool, when dug out at the 

 end of the year, is an excellent manure. 



OFFICIAL CIRCULARS AND NOTICES. 

 The Board of Agriculture and Fisheries in pursuance of 

 the provisions of the Small Holdings and Allotments Act, 

 1908, have made a Regulation entitled 

 Compulsory Purchase the "Small Holdings and Allotments 

 Regulations under the (Compulsory Purchase) Regulation, 

 Small Holdings Acts. I9o8 ( No> 2 ),» dated 7th December, 



1908. 



This Regulation provides that for the purpose of an Order 

 for compulsory purchase made or confirmed on or after the 

 1st January, 1909, the appendix to this Regulation is to be 

 substituted for the appendix to the Small Holdings and Allot- 

 ments (Compulsory Purchase) Regulations, 1908. 



Copies of this Regulation containing the appendix can 

 be obtained from Messrs. Wyman and Sons, Fetter Lane, 

 E.C., price id. each. 



3 K 2 



