NOTES AND QUERIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1581, 11 March 1882, Page 17

NOTES AND QUERIES.

W. C. Bray writes :— (l) As a preventative of blight in fruit trees I have several' times heard of the efficacy of sulphur as a root dressing, but sulphur is '•, somewhat expensive. How would Green Island ' coal dross do in lieu ol sulphur? lain informed • (and verily I believe it by experience in the using as a fuel) that It contains a very large percentage of sulphur. (2) Can you inform me how it is that whilst the ashes of most coals are of great benefit to the soil, thejwhes^f iinostof these lignites would seem to destroy vgetable life? I have used Green Island coal-ash' to destroy weeds on garden walks.— (l) We have no doubt that 1 the Green Island lignite ash, if used immediately after it has been burned, would be an excellent substitute for sulphur as a root-dressing . for trees troubled with aphis. If you decide to give it a trial, , do so in the autumn, when the leaves are off the trees, so that you can dress the trunk and limbs as well as the roots. For this purpose, slack a quantity of ash and paint the bark in the same manner as you would with lime. We do not believe you would need to adopt any of those remedies, however, if you attended properly ti the manuring of your orchard. A well-known orchardist informs us ' that he keeps his trees free from blight by forking in a liberal supply of stable manure for two seasons and applying lime the third season. The trees are thus always kept strong enough to resist the attacks of the aphis. (2) They have been too fresh when you used them. Keep them exposed to the air for a few months, and you will find that they will not injure vegetation, and will bo invaluable for mixing with heavy clayey soils. W. C. B. writes :— (1) In your issue of the 18th ult. I notice that a great piir-feeder recommends that the food should be allowed to sour ; but no reason is given. Could you inform me as to whether the food is improved thereby or not ? (2) I have a piece of flat, stiff land that has been heavily manured, and on which I have endeavoured to grow a crop of roots, but have failed through dock-weed. I am told that the only effectual method of cleaning the land is to pull the docks up one by ona. This I find next to an impossibility, besides being very laborious and expensive, as the ground is too stjff lor them to be drawn without breaking. Can you or any of your readers suggest a method of cleaning ' such land ?— <l) Soured food given occasionally to pigs is advisable, because the usual diet is thereby ■ • varied; it will act' as an alterative, but cannot be recommended for use exclusively. (2) To clean land bo overrun with dock-weed as you describo yours , to be, very thorough means must be adopted— half measures would involve expense and prove unavailing. As soon as possible plough sufficiently deep to reach below the dock-roots, then have all of the weed in sight picked and destroyed during the winter after a harrowing, work the cultivator croßßwise, picking up the weed brought to sight. As early as possible in spring plant a crop of ■potatoes, and during their growth give frequent ' workings of the drill-grrubber. The potatoes will bef it for market early, and they should be followed by rape, cabbages, or late turnips in drills, so that the drill-scarifying may be continued. If rape or cabbages be the most desirablo, seedling beds should be in readiness to supply the necessary plants immediately on the removal of the potatoes. The btolen crop will in part repay you for the extra cultivation ; in any cas", tho aftor crops will. Wo aclviso potatoes, as you have already had. a failure in othor roots ; and besides, the crop will not occupy the larul such a length of time. Were the Hold in stubble, we would adviec grcou cropping during two

: successive seasonß. Amateur asks how to ripen mangold wuitel Boed : " I have a lot coming on to seed— should I take it up am' ripen inside, or let it stand to lipi'ii ?"-• Lot the soed Hbilltu u.uah. •"!< tlic run's until vu.£.-e<l lo'-0.-i ?M ti-nw coloiu bu-oinon hrcwu atil ;ie."A'ly iirm] TJien rut who ntalk? a littlu way up from the [ crown »nu eed tln-ni on imO, U-.tlim; them lwrfeofc

the riuuiiug as ufcookin£ <lQ'n in yuiiu.

A Constant Header a;ks:-"Is it right that the eight principal exhibitors should be present with the judges at the final judgment, when the awards are being made, at a Horticultural Show T'-No, \ve should say not. There may be nothing in the rules to prevent oxhibltors being present during the iudsrins of the exhibits ; but it would nevertheless show very bad taste on their part to insist on being present against tho express wishes of the judges. The object of the institution of the system of ring ludKlng at cattte shows is to prevent the Judges beir g trammelled in their decisions by the presence of exhibitors and spectators The exhibitors can see the judges at their work ; but, being outside tho ring, they cannot interfere with them in any way. W. C. B. writes :— "I cannot but think that the beekeepers near the sea must suffer great losses unless they supply their beea with a sufficiency of .water and saltf for this reason— that they will fleck the ocean to supply their wants, and whilst imbibing on the wet sand will be at the mercy of every wave. I was astonished at the bee mortality on our Ocean Beach alone when, on taking a walk there one day, I found the beach strewn with dead bees about a pace apart. This meant about 10,000 or 17,000 to each mile of beach, or cay 64,000 to 68,000 dead bees to that stretch of beach, and only in one line, as one would walk along the margin of the waves." ' Deep in Love asks :— ls It proper for a lady's watchchain to pass round the neck?-There is nothing improper about it, but it is a rather ancient fashion that it would be impossible to adopt if the lady possessed a modern chain. J. M. L. asks:— (l) Is there any place in Dunedin where a galvanic battery can be magnetised ? (2) Is it necessary that a man, having brothers alive, should have a will In order that his father sheuld get his property at his death ?-(l) Yes. Watt Bros., or Jones and Le ' Lievre, electricians. (2) Yes ; if he wants his father to get it all. - < M. G. writes :— Having endeavoured to pass partially in class B, not having attempted the papora on music or drawing, I ' wish you would;, inform me ' whether, in the event of my having failed in some of the papers I tried this year, that when I go up next year I will have to take the papers I passed in this year as well aa the other papers I failed In. I mean class X in Government certificate for school teacher.— lf you fail in any of the compulsory subjects you must sit the examination again. If you pass in the subjects in which you were examined you will be granted a provisional certificate until such time as you have an opportunity of sitting the drawing and music examinations. Constant Readkr, Kurow.— The Royal Charter was lost on the night of the 25th-26th October, 1859. W. J.— The disease you describo is a prevalent one every season, and is probably due to cora swelling in their crops. . Feed on soft food, mixed with warm water, but not saturated with it. Do not let the chickens out until the dew is off the grass. Put a handful of rusty nails into the drinking-trough, and a pinch of pepper into the food occasionally.