Nov. 1, 1901,] Supplement t9 the Tropiid Agriculturist." 
361 
•when plants in deep soil will be found to grow 
and thrive, while others in shallow soils will 
require constant care and watering to keep 
them alive. 
Hnving thoroughly broken up your land, the 
next step is to mark it off in sections for various 
kinds of vegetables, trees, &c. This will be 
largely a matter of convenience and circumstances, 
I as no hard-and-fast rule can be laid down, but 
always bear in mind that even in a small garden 
horse labour is cheaper than hand labour ; there- 
fore, arrange things in such a manuer that as much 
of the work as possible may be done by means 
of horses. 
In this connection, I would say, never sow 
garden crops of any kind broadcast. This is an 
obsolete custom which should have been done 
away with long ago. 
Always sow or plant in rows, and have the 
rows far enough apart to enable you to use 
either horse or hand cultivators between them. 
By following this system it is easy to keep the 
ground clean, and also to keep it open, and 
conserve the moisture by cultivation — a thing 
which cannot be done where crops are sown 
broadcast. 
This broadcasting of garden crops cannot be 
too strongly condemned; as it is wasteful, untidy, 
and unprofitable, except to the seed-sellers, who 
are the only people benefiting much by it. — 
Queensland Agricultural Gazette. 
EXTERNAL PARASITES OP POULTRY. 
' {Concluded. ) 
The Supposed Connection between " Gapes" and 
" Lice.^' — It has been stated that there is a con- 
nection between the nematode worm Syngo- 
mus trachealis (the "red worm" of game- 
keepers), that produces "gapes" in fowls and 
pheasants, and lice. The one is thought to give 
rise to another in some mysterious way, needless 
to say there is no connection whatever. The life 
story of that destructive scourge, the gape worm, 
has been clearly traced, and it is known that no 
intermediate host is required for its development. 
Feather Eating or Depluming Scabies. — Feather 
eating in poultry is due to a minute parasitic 
, mite (Sarcoptes laevis) at the root of the feathers. 
It is generally supposed to be due to a " vicious 
habit " numerous theories, such as idleness and 
thirst, having been put forward to account for 
it. There are two kinds of feather eating, viz.. 
Self-feather eating and the plucking of other 
birds' feathers. The former is chiefly due to the 
mites living upon and irritating the roots and 
quills, The form on the fowl makes its appear- 
ance about April, and is most prevalent in Spring 
and Summer. The mites can be easily found 
amongst the white powdery matter at the base 
of the quill. The minute young are transmitted 
during copulation. The fowls pluck out the 
feathers to destroy the irritation caused by the 
mites at their base. Lice, also, are partly account- 
able for feather plucking. The birds in picking 
off the mites and lice pull out the feathers. 
Prevention and Remedies. — As the mite disease 
is contagious, isolation of the affected bird is the 
first step, especially if it be a cock. The mites 
readily yield to treatment with oil of cloves rubbed 
into the icfected area. One part of creosote to 
twenty of lard or vaseline is still more successful. 
Scaly Leg. — This well-known disease is again duo 
to a mite {Sarcoptes mutans). This complaint is 
a serious matter and very prevalent. The scales 
of the legs and feet become raised and separated, 
and a chalk-like excretion accumulates between 
and over them. Rough lumpy crusts are formed, 
and under these and the scales the mites live and 
breed. The disease is slightly contagious. 
Prevention and Remedies — Isolating of diseased 
birds is most essential. Removal of the crusts 
without causing bleeding, and the application of 
creosote (one part) and lard (twenty parts) will be 
found sufficient, A mixture of equal parts of flower 
of sulphur and vaseline rubbed into the limb also 
cures the complaint. la every case the limb, 
some days after treatment, should be well cleaned 
with hotwater and soft soap. 
It is most important that any new stock 
should be examined, especially the cock, and if 
any signs of parasites are seen they should be 
cleared off before the birds are given their free- 
dom. If exhibits of poultry infested with para- 
sites were prohibited by Poultry Show Committes, 
it would force attention to the subject in a way 
that could not fail to greatly reduce parasitic 
infestation. — Agricultural Gazette of N.S. Wales. 
SOME BIBLE PLANTS OP CEYLON. 
Ebony {Diospryus Ebenum.)— The Hebrew word 
Hobnim which occurs in Ezekiel xxvii. 15 (They 
brought thee for a present horns of ivory 
and ebony ") has been translated Ebony. The 
generic name Diospyros was the name of Dale- 
champs (1586) for the original (Mediterranean) 
species D. Lotus with edible fruit, from Dios, 
Jupiter, and pyros, grain. There are twenty known 
species native to the Island, and nearly all have 
the dark-coloured heartwood characteristic of true 
ebony. The ebony tree is chiefly found in the dry 
region (especially in the north-eastern portion and 
near Puttalam) where it is common and often gre- 
garious. Though the heartwood (ebony) has been 
known from distant times, the tree is not mention- 
ed by Hermann and the wood only by Burm who 
quotes from Grim (1679) as to its medicinal vir- 
tues. Rumph records the fact that ebony trees are 
abundant about " Trinkcnemale " (1750), and this 
is the earlies.t record. A large export of ebony 
wood takes place from Ceylon. 
The Sycamine tree (which must not be con- 
founded with the Sycamore) is the black mulberry 
{Morus nigra). In Luke xvii. 6, we read : "If 
ye had faith ye might say to this Sycamine 
tree be thou plucked out of the root and be thou 
planted in the sea, and it should obey you." 
So common and familiar a tree as was the mulberry 
in Palestine would be peculiarly suited for such 
an illustration. In North Palestine the mulberry 
was usually planted in the courtyard and the juice 
mixed with water in which violets were infused 
