1 Ocr., 1898.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 319 
General Notes. 
BONE SPAVIN. 
Turn treatment of bone spavin by firing and blistering is deprecated by an 
American veterinary surgeon, who adopts the treatment by what is known as 
resection of the cunean tendon. He states that this method is attended with 
less pain than the old style, and that fewer complications arise, whilst no ugly 
blemish is left. He tried it first as an experiment, considering that anything 
was preferable to the hot iron, and obtained good results. Since then he has 
had considerable experience with the operation, and finds it far superior to the 
old method of firing and blistering, more humane, and a more scientific mode of 
treatment for this old-time trouble. This operation can be performed without 
casting the animal. By the use of a small amount of cocaine, the parts become | 
insensible to pain, the tendon can be taken up and a portion removed, closing 
the wound with a stitch or two, after cleansing it anti-septically. It readily 
heals. He considers with the experience he has had, and from what he has 
heard from others who have tried this treatment, cunean tenotomy will give 
better results in less time than any other for this trouble. 
UTILISING LIMES. 
Tix lime grows to perfection in Queensland, but does not meet with so ready 
a sale as other citrus fruits. Those who have trees in full bearing cannot do 
better than dispose of the fruit in the shape of limejuice, which is very easily 
and simply prepared. The Florida Agriculturist, writing on the subject of 
the manufacture of limejuice, says :—‘‘ When limes are freshly squeezed, the 
juice is always very turbid, owing to the presence of mucilage and extractive 
matter derived from the fleshy part of the fruit. This is what makes it neces- 
sary to clarify it. ‘The same difficulty occurs in lemons, but the yield of juice 
from lemons is much greater than that from limes; indeed, the yield from limes 
is very small, and the freshly expressed juice always contains a large amount 
of pulp. This, however, on standing for a few wecks, separates out, and a 
clear, sherry-coloured liquid (the true limejuice) is obtained, and can either 
be siphoned or decanted off. If time iz no object, then the process of natural 
settling may be observed economically, but even then it is probable that upon 
storage the clear, sherry-coloured juice will get turbid, owing to the decomposi- 
tion of mucilaginous matters which may still be in suspension. ‘There are two 
courses open: Hither treat the juice in the manner which we are about to 
describe, or else allow it to stand for a few weeks, and then treat the clear 
- liquid which is obtained, using the same process in this case also. This process 
is very simple, and simply amounts to heating the juice to a temperature not 
lower than 150 degrees or higher than 160 degrees B. If the temperature is 
carried above this point, alteration will take place, and a noticeable flavour will 
be communicated to the juice. While the juice is still hot, it should be filtered, 
and almost any filtering medium will do. On the whole, we recommend 
crushed quartz, graded and arranged in the filtering vessel in such a way that 
the larger pieces are at the bottom of the vessel, while the smallest fragments 
areat the top. If this process is performed shortly after the harvesting of the 
fruit, the juice will, under ordinary conditions, keep good for twelve months. 
But if the juice is intended for exportation, then it may be prevented from 
decomposition, and rendered fit for transit, by mixing it with one-tenth of 
proof spirit. This is Schweitzer’s recommendation. If the flavour, however, 
is not objected to, there is 2 cheaper method of preserving the juice after 
it has been heated and filtered, and this simply consists in adding 1 per cent. 
of bisulphite of calcium. When ready for the market, the specific gravity 
should be 1044°18, the percentage of citric acid should attain 8°66.” 
