Feb. i, 1901.] 
Supplemenl to the " frqpical Agriculturist." 
581 
pastures. For strengthening the straw of 
cererals the use of salt is most important, owing 
to the fact that it seems to be the only substance 
which has thechemiciil power of settitig free the 
requisite quantity of silica to nourish the stems. 
Salt, when previously incorporated witii the soil, 
is useful for root crops on account of its power- 
ful moistening qualities and its action in prevent- 
ing disease. A plentiful application of sale to the 
manure-heap will not only fix the valuable am- 
monia, but will destroy millions of vermin, which 
otherwise would be carried on to the laud to the 
damage of the crops. It is difficult to lay down 
a hard and fast rule for the application of salt, 
as so much depends upon the constitution and 
conditio II of the soil and on the season. Under 
ordinary circumstance-, from 6 cwt. to 8 cwt. 
per acre for cereals and about 10 cwt. for roots is 
generally recommended upon the breaking up of 
land, or the month before seed time. Salt should 
not be applied with the seed. Kepeated topdres- 
siugs ill small quaiitities during tlie spring will 
be found beneficial, and it may be liberally ap- 
plied to fallows and on the stubble. The antisep- 
tic properties of salt render it highly valuable for 
sweetening and preserving fodder 'aiid prevent 
hay from becoming mouldy. — Australasian. 
POULTRY NOTES. 
If eggs are required the best breeds are Black 
Minorca and white Leghorn, [f eggs and fiesh, 
tlie Orpington stands first. If flesh only the red 
Indian game is the best. The cross with the 
Dorking is considered the best table bird in the 
English market. Enquiry in England, Jersey 
&c. has brought out the general opinion that the 
Orpington is the best all-rouud fowl for a 
poultry farm. I'lie bird is large, of a good 
flavour, lays very good eggs, and its constitution 
is good. But as a rule too heavy birds should be 
avoided, especially those heavily-feathered in the 
legs. 
Tiiere are many forms of the incubator, but 
among tlie most reliable are Ilearson's "self- 
regulating," Tamplin's " Gans Parpil " or Harris' 
American incubator. The eggs in the incubator 
should be kept moist. This is the great feature 
of Hearsons, and is covered by patent. The cost 
for 100 eggs is about £12. Their address is 
"Chas. Hearson & C).,285, Regent Street, London 
S.AV. A very useful and practical book is supplied. 
Fowls lay more the first year than any other, 
and in the second nearly as many, — in fact most 
of the eggs a pullet will lay are laid in the first 
two years. Fowls should not be kept over two 
years, as they do not then pay. This entails 
marking. The simplest way is by rings of alu- 
minium — the first year on one leg, and the 
second on the other; then sell. For breeding 
purposes, one cock is required for teu heus. 
The outside peel of onious is about as useless 
substance as one can think of, but when some of 
it is put into a hen's uest (only the driest parts 
being used) it makes the nests disagreeable, and 
tlhusifrees them from fowl lice. 
To get rid of scales on hens' legs, mix equal 
quantities of ground yellow sulphur and good 
lard well together and apply every day to the 
legs as an ointment for a week or ten days. 
Equal quautities of salad oil and kerosine mixed 
have a good effect in removing the rough scales. 
An excellent disinfectant for fowl houses, to 
be used when the birds are out, is a solution of 
bluestone (copperas or sulphate of copper), 
sprinkled by means of a watering can. It removes 
bad odours at once, and is fatal to disease germs. 
A skilled eye can tell the difference between 
fertile and unfertile eggsvin three or four days 
after setting, but it will be better for you to wait 
until the eighth night. Go to the sitting-house 
when it is quite dark, and take wich you a caudle 
or lantern, preferably of the bull's-eye type, and 
a fresh-laid egg. Take the latter between the 
forefinger and thumb, so that it is surrounded by 
a dark frame, and hold it up to the light. It 
will be clear and transparent, nothing dark 
showing behind the shelL Now take the eggs, 
whether fowls or ducks, one by one from under 
the hen, and examine them in a similar way ; the 
unfertile will look like the fresh egg, the fertile 
will show dark patches behind the shell. The 
difference should be at once apparent; but if 
you are doubtful about any, it is safer to mark 
them and replace, aud test again a day or two 
later. The unfertile should be removed and 
hard boiled for the future chicks. 
GENERAL ITEMS. 
The artichoke belongs to the Thistle family 
(Compositaj). It is botanically known as Cet/nara 
scolynius. The bottoms of the flowers and the 
riblike sepals are used as food by man. '#iie so- 
called Jerusalem artichoke, though belonging to 
the same family, is a member of a totally distinct 
branch. It is named scientiiically Helianthus 
tuberoses. The name Jerusalem is a corruption 
of the word Girasole, which is the term applied by 
the Italians to this plant as well as to the sunfl > wer 
( Helianthus annus). The Jerusalem artichoke is 
said to possess exceptional drought-resiotiiig 
properties, which make it an e.vcellent standby 
for both mau aud beast during protracted droughts, 
since it is in many respects a valuable esculent 
for man, as well as a first-class feed for cattle, 
horses, sheep and pigs. The green tops or stalks 
are made use of as green fodder, hay or ensilage ; 
but the mam value of the plant lies in its tubers 
growing like potatoes iu large numbers round the 
roots. These tubers (called in French Tupinam- 
hours) form a very palatable food when fried ia 
butter or boiled, or still better steamed, but best of 
all baked under hot ashes. For animals their 
feeding, milk-producing and fattening value is 
considerable. 
The Cape Ayricidtural Journal makes reference 
to two useful parasites on insects injurious to 
vegetation : one is the South African parasite 
destructive to the black or olive scale, a shipment 
uf which has becu made to America. The parasites 
