432, QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 May, 1900. 
General Notes. 
ARTIFICIAL MANURES. 
THE many experiments carried out by the various agricultural teachers ze 
professors all have lessons of usefulness, but perhaps the most directly uset 
are those which have for their object the economical application of aril a 
manures, especially to root crops. The latest contribution to that matter “ 
from Mr. Bernard, North Wales, Instructor of Agriculture, Stafford. Tn 
trial of various dressings for growing mangolds, the best results were obtant : 
from 4: cwt. of nitrate of soda, 3 ewt. of superphosphate, and 4: ewt. of saa 
at a cost of £2 19s. 10d. per acre, which gave an increase of 8 tons Over 
unmanured plot. Where the superphosphate was increased to 5 ewt. the ee 
was slightly better ; where the nitrate was reduced to 2 ewt. the yield was 3 tore 
less; where reduced to 1 cwt. the crop was 44 tons less. The omissloD. ; 
kainit reduced the yield 53 tons, and the omission of superphosphate 3 ae 
less. It is an old saying—viz., that it is only by supplying a little of everyt a 
that good results can be secured, and that the excessive use of artificials 18 ® 
absolute waste.—Scottish Farmer. 
RUBBER-TREES. 
The United States Department of Agriculture has recently issued some 
valuable information on the subject of rubber-trees. Experiments 10 A 
with certain species were not successful, owing to the fact that the trees 
not develop the characteristic lacteal ducts. In the light of the work 0 less 
department’s experts, this was due to error in selecting the variety. U ah 
care be taken in this direction, failure will result in securing rubber, sherk 
though the trees may apparently grow well. There are four varieties of rub of 
trees, which must be utilised according to the soil and climate of the place 
cultivation :— MG 
1. Castilloa elastica grows well and produces rubber in places where © 
climate is hot, humid, and the soil drained. 
2. Hevea brasiliensis, if the climate be hot, humid, and the soil swampy 
or covered with water. oil 
3. Manihot Glaziovii, the Ceara plant, if {the climate is hot and the 
dry, sandy, or stony. ‘a, 
4. Sapium biglandwlosum, in temperate or cold climates, such as Flori 
Louisiana, &e. 
The last variety is especially suitable for growing on coffee plantations: ) 
LARGE TREES. A 
Tue largest tree in the world is to be seen at Mascali, near the foot of Moles 
Etna, and it is called “the Chestnut-tree of a Hundred Horses.” Its mility 
rose from the report that Queen Jane of Aragon, with her principal 0° 
took refuge from a violent storm under its branches. The trunk is 204 
circumference. The largest tree in the United States, it is said, stan 
Bear Creek, on the north fork of the Tule River, in California. Jt me** ‘i 
140 feet in circumference. The giant redwood-tree in Nevada is 119 fee 
circumference. 
TREES AND WATER. 
; ipt0 
Aw oak-tree of the average size, with 700,000 leaves, lifts from the earth 
the air about 128 tons of water during the five months it is in leaf. 
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