1 Jan., 1899.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 75 - 
TO REJUVENATE OLD TREES. 
An American orchardist recommends the following method of causing old 
trees to bear like young ones. He digs up around the tree without injuring 
the roots, and lays bare all the thick roots. These are split with an iron wedge 
three or four feet from the trunk, and a stone put in the cleft to keep it open. 
Fill in with good surface soil. New white feeding roots will grow from the 
clefts, and the tree will take on a new vigour. 
As this paragraph is going the rounds of some of the agricultural and 
horticultural journals, we submitted it to Mr. A. H. Benson, Queensland 
Government Fruit Expert. That gentleman says :—Thisis a crude method of 
producing new root growth, which will probably do much more harm to the tree 
than good, as it is bound to produce more or less decay or gumming, and it 
encourages the attacks of root-boring insects of all kinds. A judicious root- 
pruning followed by a severe top pruning and good manuring is the best way 
of renovating old trees, as this course will give the tree new bearing wood and 
new roots. 
Thus it will be seen that he practically condemns the process as injurious 
instead of beneficial, and we should recommend owners of old trees to try Mr. 
Benson’s plan before possibly ruining what might become valuable trees if 
properly treated. 
EXPORT OF LINCOLNS TO SOUTH AFRICA. 
Mr. Henry Smirn, junr., Cropwell Butler, Nottingham, has sent another 
consignment of Lincoln shearling rams to South Africa, where breeders are 
realising the necessity of improving their flocks with the Lincolns. 
A very special ram lamb (No. A 238, Private Flock Book) has also been 
forwarded to a noted Lincoln breeder in Ireland. This ram is by Messrs. S. 
f. Dean and Sons’ celebrated stud sheep Lincoln (146) ; his dam is No. 718, 
sire the Biscathorpe ram Rainmaker (354).—Farmer and Stockbreeder. 
WATER-GLASS. 
We have had repeated applications by letter from correspondents anxious to 
know what water-glass is, as they wish to try it as an egg-preservative ; and as 
inquiry is still being made by readers of the Journal, we republish the 
explanation given in the South Australian Journal of Agriculture. 
Water-glass is silicate of soda. It is easily dissolved in water, and is used 
_ for a great many purposes. For egg preservation—boil ten gallons of water 
to kill all germs. When the water is cold, add to it a gallon of soda silicate or 
« water-glass,” and pour over the eges until they are immersed in the fluid. 
The cost of the silicate of soda is 10s. per ewt. in Europe, and 9d. per lb. for 
small quantities here. 
MANGO STARCH. 
As the mango season has now commenced, many will be at a loss what to do 
with the superabundance of fruit, which, of late, has been difficult of sale, and 
in many cases not worth the expense of gathering, packing, freight, &e. It is 
not generally known that the mango contains a quantity of starch which is 
scarcely distinguishable from arrowroot. When used in the same manner and 
boiled with water, the jelly is very similar to that of the latter. Mr. Watts, a 
chemist in Jamaica, reported lately on a sample of mango starch submitted to 
him by the Jamaica Agricultural Society, and he pronounced it almost pure 
starch of fairly good colour, though capable of being washed to a whiter 
condition. As an article of diet or of commerce, it will compare very 
favourably with arrowroot; this being so, he expresses some doubt whether it 
can be produced at a price sufficiently low to compete with arrowroot, of which 
the ordinary brands are selling in the wholesale markets at prices ranging from 
2d. to 4d. per lb. We think the matter worth a trial, at all events. 
