1 Dec., 1899.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. - 529 
same experience has been realised with the hog, shorthorn cattle, racehorses, 
and, indeed, nearly all kinds of stock that the Americans have undertaken to 
improve. We predict the same result with the Angora goat. Our first start in 
goats came from the Peters’ flock in Georgia at 60 dollars per head, and we can 
show animals to-day far superior to those purchased from Mr. Peters. Our 
experience has been that any goat of good qualities will breed well, and if a 
beginner will select only animals that are vail coated with hair he need not be 
afraid of results.—Pratrie Harmer. 
EXPERIMENTS IN MANURING. 
Tit Director of Agricultural Education to the Gloucestershire County Council, 
Mr. Howman, has carried out a series of interesting experiments in the 
manuring of fields. Plots of }-acre each have been annually manured under 
five different systems. Basic slag was used alone and in combination with 
nitrate of soda. Bone meal was used with mineral superphosphate in a third 
case, while the two remaining plots were manured with kainit and gypsum. 
The quantities of each manure used are not given, but the following is the cost 
per acre :—Vor slag, 15s. 8d. ; for slag and nitrate, 26s. 8d.; for bone meal and 
superphosphate, 16s. 8d.; for kainit, 7s.; and for gypsum, 5s. 6d. The whole 
of the plots on two different fields were manured five years ago, and have 
not been manured since. In 1895 the plot receiving slag alone returned an 
increased value per acre of -2s. 4d.; in L896 the field was grazed; in 1897 the 
increased value was 59s. 4d. ; in 1898, 35s. 6d.; and in 1899, 51s. 8d.; or in all 
£7 8s. 10d. for four years. Where slack and nitrate were employed, the 
increased value as compared with slag alone was slightly more in 1895 and 
1897, but less in 1898 and 1899 ; the total increased value for the four years being 
£6 4s. The bone meal and superphosphate gave a total increased value of 
22s. 8d., the kainit of 2s., and the gypsum of £1 18s. 8d., so that the slag proved 
the most useful manure.—Hngineer. : 
FROST PROTECTION. 
Tux devices for protection from frost used in Florida conform in character to 
those tested in the California experiments, in which coal fires were found to be 
the most effective means of protection, and appliances for adding moisture to 
the air were successful only to a degree. As artificial appliances are totally 
inadequate to add to the atmosphere any very appreciable amount of moisture, 
it is evident that methods which may have been found ineffective, in the dry 
climate of California would possess value in locations where their office is con- 
fined to adding moisture to an already moist atmosphere. The Gulf and South 
Atlantic Coast States, and in fact the country generally from the Mississippi ” 
Valley to the Atlantic seaboard, possesses a moist atmosphere, and the fruits 
and tender garden vegetables of these districts can, therefore, be the more 
readily protected from frost by devices which add moisture to the air. Asa 
means of adding moisture to the air, irrigation should be more effective in Cali- 
fornia, and in localities where this method can be used protection would be 
assured, except against hard freezes. 
Owing to the comparatively inexpensive character of the materials used in 
damp smudge fires, they seem the best adapted for common use in orchards, 
vineyards, and gardens, Berries and other low plants can be protected with but 
little expense by coverings of straw and other light materials. Devices for 
actually heating the free and open air, are expensive and of doubtful utility, and 
their value is dependent solely upon a comparatively still air, and small, 
numerous, and well distributed fires. 
In Florida many experiments have been made with a view to adopting 
devices which will protect orange-trees from injury during the pariods of severe 
cold which at times visit that section, The fact that these periods of cold are 
