408 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. {1 May, 1899. 
September in Queensland)—contains in its cells numerous starch particles which 
cannot be found in wood cut down in summer. Owing to this presence of 
starch, the wood is coarse and impenetrable, since the starch closes the pores. 
For this reason winter-hewn timber is exclusively employed for staves, because, 
with staves froin summer-hewn wood, the contents of the barrels are subject 
to evaporation through the pores. The starch contained in the winter wood is 
given a violet colour by iodine. Hence, if the timber to be examined is coated 
with an iodine solution, and the surface of the felling side appears yellow, it 
may be assumed with certainty that the respective tree was cut down in summer. 
The light yellow lines are the moisture rays, while cells, tissue, and wood 
fibres simply take on a yellow colouring. In the case of winter-hewn timber 
the amylaceous rays form much darker, ink-coloured, black stripes on the yellow 
ground. ‘ 
PROTECTING GRAPES. 
Ir is no uncommon thing for vignerons to be mulcted in quantities of grapes 
during the season of the vintage bynocturnal robbers. The Italians guard against 
this by training their vines on barbed wire. In Southern Italy the vines are 
an many cases planted very few feet apart, and even in the daytime it is 
difficult for the legitimate owners to avoid contact with the barbs, whilst at 
night-time it is practically impossible. The wire used is of a very light 
description, as the lengths required are short, and of course no cattle have 
admission, being kept out by the boundary fences. 
AN IMMENSE WINE TANK. 
Owinc to the crop of grapes in California last year having been larger than 
could be dealt with by the coopers, a means of storing the red wine at the 
Italo-Swiss colony’s vineyard had to be devised. It took the form of a 
concrete cistern. An excavation was first made in a rocky hillside in the rear 
of the establishment. Next, walls of conerete 2 feet in thickness were put in, 
and the floor and top were added to it in equally substantial manner, the latter 
being supported by fifteen steel girders. Then the entire surface was covered 
with a lining of pure cement, and finally this was glazed to the impermeability 
of glass. The whole cistern was buried beneath 8 feet of earth, the object of 
all the precautions being to preserve the wine at a uniform temperature. This 
cement tank is 104 feet long, 84 feet wide, and 24 feet high, and is capable of - 
holding 500,000 gallons. The wine (says the Scientific American) was kept in 
this reservoir for four months or more, and the experiment is said to have been 
entirely successful. It was then drawn off by gravitation into wooden tanks, 
in which it will be allowed to mature previous to being placed in barrels for 
shipment. There are said to be advantages derived from treating the wine in 
this manner. One is that it can be maintained at a cool even temperature ; 
another is the equal blending of such a large quantity of wine at one 
time.—Lngineer. 
WET EARTH A BEE-STING CURB. 
Mn. Groner Parvub.o, writing on the above subject, which was mentioned in 
the April number of the Journal, says :— 
“The remedy has been known by me for years to be effectual, not only 
with regard to bee stings, but also to the sting of Wasps and jumper and 
greenhead ants. Many years ago, whilst picknicking in a paddock, one of m 
boys in getting through a fence disturbed a large nest of wasps, and was badly 
stung on the face, neck, and head. Knowing of the ‘wet-earth’ cure, T 
immediately daubea him with mud made with spittle, there being no water 
handy, and in a very short time he was free from pain. This remedy has been 
frequently used by myself and boys when stung by jumper and greenhead 
ants, resulting ‘in almost immediate relief. I think we are too conservative 
