404. QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 May, 1899. 
POISONING BY KAFIR CORN. 
A CORRESPONDENT at Toowoomba writes corroborating the Government 
Botanist’s (Mr. F. M. Bailey) opinion that there is no poisonous principle in 
Kafir corn. Last month, he says, twelve of his horses got into a small paddock 
of Kafir corn which was just coming into flower. They remained there all 
night, and in the morning, beyond looking considerably blown out, no evil 
effects were observed, nor did the animals subsequently suffer in any way. All 
evidence goes to show that no animals are poisoned by over-indulgence in this 
fodder, but that in some cases “ hoven” may result. 
CURE FOR MANGE IN DOGS. 
A CORRESPONDED? of the Australian Farm and Dairy gives the following recipe 
for curing dog mange, and, having applied it himself to mangy animals, vouches 
for its thorough efficacy. The cure is: Wash the dog with strong lime water. 
Prepare some lime water and let it stand for a few days until the burning 
power has gone off, and then, with a sponge or brush, soak the dog all over, 
taking care, however, that the lime water does not get into its eyes. If you 
have got a tub, the quicker way will be to mix half-a-tubful of lime water and 
wash the dog in it, keeping its eyes protected. This will also destroy fleas. 
If the lime water is used the day it is mixed, it will turn the hair brown, 
although doing no injury to the skin, even should there be a raw place. This 
cure is far superior to the old dressing of oil, &c. The lime water penetrates 
through any coat of hair, and unlike the oil, which is filthy for two or three 
days, dries quickly. Even if the dog rolls in the dirt‘at first, as it probably 
will, the dirt falls off, and it is thoroughly clean again. Before condemning 
this remedy because it is simple and cheap, dog-owners'should give it a trial. 
Although, however, the writer of the above has found it an efficacious 
remedy, it must be borne in mind that it may not succeed in other cases for 
he reason that climatic influences have to be considered in overcoming the 
disease. What may answer for the south of Australia would probably not 
succeed in the far north, nor perhaps in Northern Europe, although possibly 
in the south of that continent the remedy might be valuable. The ordinary 
Australian mange, which is patchy, has been cured by the application of very 
dilute nitrate of silver. This remedy, however, can obviously only be applied 
in the case of an animal whose skin is merely affected in small infrequent 
patches. Carbolic acid was once stated to be, like the above, a double remedy 
for mange and fleas. Many years ago the late Sir Charles Lilley’s sons 
possessed a valuable little dog which had become affected in this manner, 
They treated it, on the advice of a friend, with carbolic acid, but, not being 
much acquainted with the nature of the acid, they not only killed the dog, but 
were severely burnt about the hands. In cases of diseases of animals, we 
would strongly recommend owners to avail themselves of the services of a 
qualified veterinary surgeon in preference to indulging in amateur doctoring, 
which oftenf{results in the destruction of an animal worth many times the 
surgeon's fee. 
; CURIOSITIES OF PLANT LIFE. i 
Sao, in the dialect of Amboyna, signifies meal. It is the pith of a species of 
palm, a single trunk of which will sometimes produce 600 lb. Nearly allied 
to sago is the cassava, a starch prepared from the Jatropha manthoc; the milky 
juice is poisonous, but the starch which it deposits is harmless. 
The field pea was introduced into England in the time of the Romans. 
Garden peas came in with Queen Elizabeth; and in 1812 five guineas per quart 
were paid for them owing to the backwardness of the season. 
The Jerusalem artichoke is a name corrupted from the Italian Girasole 
Articiocco—sunflower artichoke—the plant having been first brought from Peru 
to Italy, and thence propagated{throughout Hurope. 
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