580 
Supplement to the "Tropical ^griouUufist." 
[Feb. 2, 1903. 
the ground, wliich subsequently cracks, and before 
ripening one-half of the fruit becomes visible. The 
root-fruiting tree is, I think rightly, considered a 
distinct variety. The seed of true fruit is said to 
invariably produce true root-bearing stock, which 
the seed of artificially induced crops will not do, 
of course. The jack-tree is said not to bear at oil 
if the roots reach permanent water; but this also is 
not authenticated. It may be propagated by 
cuttings, but seed is so readily germinated that 
recourse to the more troublesome method is un- 
necessary. The seed, however, quickly loses its 
vitality, especially upon becoming dry, and so this 
cause failure to germinate them can be often as- 
cribed. For seed, the ripest fruit should be taken, 
I'ruit that has dropped from the tree and squashed 
gives good seed for immediate planting, but, 
should seed be required to despatch even on a 
comparatively short journey, fruit not quite ripe 
should be chosen. Some say only fruit from the 
stem should be taken for seed, but I have raised 
equally good plants and Lrees from fruit from the 
branches. 
As stated the seeds germinate freely. Frequently 
on opening the fruit, especially if over ripe, the 
seed will be found to have already germinated, 
and to have a root one or two inches long. The spike 
will be quite small, however, and possibly only just, 
emerging from the germ. But if this root be broken, 
and it is very brittle, that seed is lost. The seed 
which is about one inch long and half an inch in 
diameter will be found within a small cocoon- 
like bag inside the edible pulp. This peculiar bag 
is quite loose, and feels not unlike thin wash 
leather ; it should not be removed either when 
setting for germination or for cooking. Beneath 
this again is another thin skin, generally red or 
reddish, and adhering to the seed itself. In roast- 
ing or boiling it readily flakes off like the inner skin 
of a peanut, which it resembls in colour and texture. 
It seldom takes long to germinate, generally 
showing up in a few days. As may be gathered 
from the foregoing, the root growth is especially 
rapid and a plant 6 inches above ground will be 
found to have quite a foot of taproot. When about 
the size when plants are usually transplanted, it 
has often too much root to safely allow to its 
removal without a great deal of trouble. For this 
reason it is often advisable to set the seeds in the 
field, or where the tree is intended to be allowed 
to grow. The seedling is very hardy, but if 
planted out where most useful — i.e., in the paddock 
— will require guarding for a year or two 
until out of reach of stock, for they will promptly 
ea^ it down if they can get at it. 
The tree requires a soil fairly free from large 
rocks or bed rocks rather than a lose soil. I have 
known them thrive among boulders, but die out 
even at ten years of age when sheet rock was met 
with 8 feet below the surface. They do not require 
rich soil nor heavy rainfall. Once established 
they draw moisture from great depths to the sur- 
face, and, while immediately under them the shade 
may be too dense for grass, pasture luxuriates in 
their immediate vicinity. For a hardwood tree it is 
quick growing, attaining a height of 15 to 20 feet 
in four years, and usually coming into bearing about 
that time, — Queensland Af/ricuUural Journal, 
DISEASES INCIDENTAL TO PREGNANCY AND 
OF PAHTURITION IN THE COW. 
{Conti7iued.) 
ABORTION. 
Definition — The expulsion of the foetus and the 
foetal membranes before the natural period. 
Abortion may be considered under two heads, 
non-contagious and contagious, and I will just 
consider the sporadic or non-contagious form. 
The normal period of utero-gestation in the cow 
is about nine and a half months, some more, some 
less, and an abortion usually takes place from the 
third to the seventh or eighth month. After that 
month it may be termed a premature birth. 
Causes. — These are very numerous and they 
may be divided into internal and external. Of 
the internal causes the general health of the cow 
is of the greatest importance, any contagious or 
febrile disease in the system of the mother is a 
cause or factor in bringing about abortion, such 
as tuberculosis, pneumonia, indigestion, gastric 
tympany, excitement, nervousness, ergotised food, 
and of course the infecting bacillus. 
External Causes. — Cold and wet, changes of 
temperature, thunder and lightnirig, frights, 
-narrow doorways, pressure over the uterus, over- 
exertion, foul smells, icy-cold water, too much 
food, putrid stagnant water, -sewage, frosted 
turnips, potatoes or roots of any kind, or rotten 
roots, mouldy bad hay, &c. &c. 
I now come to the contagious form of abortion, 
and in giving the treatment for the sporadic 
variety I fancy it would be better to consider the 
treatment of both together, which I intend doing. 
This is by far the most serious disease of the two 
under consideration, and it is due to a special 
bacillus, which I believe was first demonstrated 
in the year 1895 by Professor Bang, he having 
made a series of post-mortems of cases, and also 
made several examinations microscopically of the 
liquid between the walls of the uterus and the 
envelopes of the fojtus. In cases that showed 
premonitory symptoms of abortion he had the cow 
killed and the experiments carried out as before 
mentioned, and in every case that he examined 
this liquid from the womb of the affected cow he 
could demonstrate the presence of this bacillus iu 
great numbers, and they were unmixed with any 
other organisms. So, gentlemen, this surely 
places the theory of contagion beyond doubt. 
Professor Bang also cultivated this bacillus outside 
the animal body. He found that it was not easily 
cultivated by the ordinary methods, but he 
succeeded in growing it in blood serum rendered 
solid by the addiSion of gelatine and agar, and 
when it was grown in this medium it exhibited 
quite remarkable characters, absolutely distin- 
guishing it from any other known pathogenic 
organism. In subsequent cases Profejsor Bang 
demonstrated the same bacillus in the discharges 
from the uterus or vagina of cows that had 
aborted. So you see, gentlemen, that contagious 
abortion is really a disease due to a specific 
organism. Another way in which its contagious- 
ness has been demonstrated is by taking part of 
tl]e discharge from an abortive cow and putting 
