1 Ocr., 1898.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL, 321 
POISONING BY KAFIR CORN. 
Frw are aware of the poisonous properties of Kafir corn at certain stages 
ofits growth. It appears that the green leaf is the source of danger. When 
dried the plant is harmless, and even half-dried Kafir corn may be put into the 
silo and used with no detriment to the animals fed on it. From the Cape 
Agricultural Journal we extract the following from a correspondent to that 
journal :— 
“ Respecting Kafir corn and its poisonous properties, my experience has 
taught me that this plant kills quicker when it is at its best, and never had a 
scorching from the sun and drought, and, further, it is the leaves and not the 
stalk that does the mischief. As an illustration, I will mention a cow which 
got into a fine field just in bloom, and was dead the next morning when she 
had been eating the leaves—not a stalk eaten. JI opened her, and there 
was not more than about 3 lb. of leaves in her stomach, a large quantity of 
greenish fluid, and a lot of dreadful smelling gas. Another, a huge slaughter 
ox, got intoa field that had been gathered two months before, but had sprouted 
from the lower nodes or joints, and stood about 18 inches high; a few pounds 
of these sprouts killed him. - My opinion is that a poisonous gas is generated 
when the juice from the leaves gets in contact with the acids of the stomach, 
and the only cure I know of, if taken in time, is a tablespoonful of carbonate 
of soda in a quart of water.” 
SIMULTANEOUS IRRIGATING AND FERTILISING. 
Wiurnrr irrigation is practicable, the following practical idea might be carried 
out, especially in the case of vegetables, strawberries, &c. . A Delaware (N.Y.) 
county farmer gives an account in Farm and Home of his combined irrigation 
and liquid manure distribution outfit. He raises the water from a creek by 
means of an hydraulic ram, anda 4 by 6 inch box pipe made of 2-inch pipe, 
and spiked together. About 10 rods of this pipe are laid in the bed of the 
creek, the lower end being attached to the upper end of the iron drive pipe, 
giving a fall of 5 feet from the inlet of the box pipe to the ram. 
Near the rain on the highest bank, a tank is built of 100 barrels capacity. 
The top of the tank is 13 feet above ihe creek bed.* A l-inch discharge pipe, 
16 feet long, carries the water from ram to tank. The ram fills the tank once 
in twenty-four hours. For irrigating two acres, about 60 rods of 14-inch 
distributing pipe is used. From the tank, iron pipes are laid in various 
directions over the gardens. Every third coupling has a J, with an iron plug 
to be unscrewed and hose attached. Water is distributed at night by hose or 
surface flowing. 
Fertilisers are dissolved and fed direct to plants. He will experiment 
with nitrate of soda, and has used stable and poultry manure with good results. 
To prevent the distributing pipes clogging, a slatted box is built in one end 
of the tank; poultry and sheep manure are suspended in a wire frame. The 
main distributing pipe is covered with a strainer inside the tank. 
He rotates his crops. He set one-half acre of strawberries each spring. 
These are fruited two years. Early in July (U.S.) potatoes are ploughed 
under, and winter celery set. The next year the same ground is set to early 
celery, and the next year to strawberries again. Cabbage and cauliflower are 
raised between the berry rows the first year. This plan provides for one acre 
of strawberries, one acre of celery, and one half-acre of cauliflower and cabbages 
each year. . f 
Strawberry irrrigation begins early in May (U.S.). Pipes are laid over 
the field 100 feet apart. Water is distributed through 75 feet of hose. To 
prevent the soil baking, a mulch is placed along the rows, and a ‘narrow channel 
reserved for water. Hach row is watered in turn. he manure is removed 
from the tank weekly, used as a mulch, and one or two one-horse loads of 
rotted manure applied. When irrigating celery, mulching between the rows is 
very important, as the soil should be kept cool and moist, 
