1 May, 1899.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 407 
SIR T. LIPTON AND SUGAR. 
Tne Glasgow correspondent of a contemporary (says the H. and CO. Mail) 
recently had an interview with Sir T. Lipton. Sir Thomas stated that the 
flotation of his American business may take place in March next (1899), but 
that, if certain circumstances arise, it may be delayed for a year. As to his 
West Indies sugar scheme, his experts are, he said, out there at present ; and if 
their reports are satisfactory, he will erect central sugar factories. Sir Thomas 
further said that he meant to ran the whole island of Barbados, and that, with 
the most modern machinery, he hoped to get a larger percentage of sugar out 
of the canes than by the present windmill propulsion. If sugar bounties are 
not increased, he éaleulates to sell cane sugar in Britain as cheaply as beet 
sugar. 
EXPERIMENTS ON POTATOKS. 
Mr. E. B. Hovrey, Agricultural Superintendent to the Wilts County 
Council, has issued a report on the potato experiments of the past season. ‘The 
seasons during which these experiments have been carried on, he says, have 
been dry ones, and therefore more favourable to farmyard manure than to artifi- 
cials, and the yield from its use has been considerably in excess of that obtained 
from the heaviest dressing (12% ewt.) of mixed artificial manures. Where 
nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash have been applied in artificials, excellent 
crops have been obtained; but the heaviest crop of all has been 14 tons per 
acre as the average of four years, grown where 8 tons of farmyard manure 
and 4 ewt. of sulphate of ammonia per acre were applied. The complete 
chemical manure was applied on different plots at the rate of 4 cwt., 5 cwt., 
and 12 ewt., respectively. ‘Taking the averages for the four years, the 8-cwt. 
dressing proved the most economical, although the 12-ewt. dressing gave a 
somewhat heavier yield. When any one of the three constituents of the 
complete manure was omitted, there was a decrease of yield. Where the 
nitrate was omitted, the increase resulting from the application of the kainit 
and superphosphate was not sufficient to pay for the cost; where superphosphate 
was omitted, the application of nitrate and kainit gave but very little profit in 
- excess of that obtained from the unmanured plots; and although where kainit 
was omitted the yield most nearly approached that obtained from the com- 
pletely manured plots, yet even in this case the profit was less than that 
obtained with a cheaper dressing of complete manure.—Agricultural Gazette 
(London). 
REMEDY FOR TICKS IN CAPE COLONY. 
Mzssrs. R W. Drxoy, M.R.C.V.S,, and J. Spreull, M.R.C.V.S.,. 
Government Veterinary Surgeons of Cape Colony, in a joint report on red- 
water experiments published in the Agricultural Journal of 24th November,. 
1898, say:—‘‘ We have found that the best method of destroying ticks and 
preventing their further inyasion is to wash the animals over with a solution of 
Cooper's dip—1 lb. mixed with 20:25 gallons of warm water, to which is added 
4 1b. of soft soap. The efficacy of this dip isthe more lasting, because of the 
fact that the sulphur, &c., contained therein remains about the roots of the 
Hiair for some time, and we have noticed that fresh ticks becoming attached to 
the animal within a few days after its application often die. This dip has been 
several times repeated, and, in addition, the under parts have been frequently . 
smeared with a greasy mixture containing Cooper's dip powder, sulphur, 
parafin, glycerine, carbon bisulphide, and lard.” 
THE PROPER SEASON FOR FELLING TIMBER. 
To determine whether a tree was hewn in winter or In summer Is of the 
greatest importance to buyers of timber, especially as regards building timber, 
since it is well known that timber cut down in summer represents a lower value 
than that felled in winter, says the Allgemeine Tischler Zeitung. Timber hewn 
during the resting period—7.e., between October and April (June and 
