NOTES AND QUERIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1823, 29 October 1886, Page 20

NOTES AND QUERIES.

Green v. Purple . Top Turnips. — " vestas " writes : — When I first commenced growing these roots I was led to believe that tne former was superior to the latter, but after a short experience I came to the same conclusion ns yourself in giving the purple top the palm. I have often sown a mixture of the two seeds, and tested similar sized roots of each growing close together, and I have invariably found the purple to be sweeter and firmer, and in these respects to more closely approach the quality of the Swede. Another test I have seen the roots put to, and have also heard others speak of it, is m putting sheep on a break of turnips containing separate plots of the two kinds. The result was that sheep were found to clean up » he purple plot before giving much atten tion to the green top. From my experience I should cay there is not muoji dinfarance to tne yield of either per «wre, and both an a lonfc w»y

behind the greystone In thi o respect. This variety reauires to be used earlier in the season, and has the merit of standing well out of the ground, which for feeding on the field leaves but little waste iv the shape of buried shells. m p jr.— -The only regular communication to Big Bay is by the Government steamer Stella, which the Miufitw of Mines has visits to the coast at iute-valsof three months. In all probability you would imve your provisions taken free ot charge, as was done m the case oi nlnprtorawln went in this vessel on her last ?rip P Commu nteafe .with the Mines Department, and you will be supplied with all necessary information. O A Invercargill.— There is no difference between imprisonment for life and for " the term ot his natural life" in this colony. A distinction was made during the early convict days of Botany Bay and Tasmania, but never in New Zealand. It does not necessarily follow that a life-sentence prisoner should be released in 20 years, and in the case of Fratson, for example, who is still undergoing sentence for the Clutha murder, this course has not been aiopfced. It is unreasonable to suppose that the prerogative would be exercised unless some special reason or mitigating circumstances should exist for doing so. Old Resident, Taieri.— Put in a piece of netting quarter of a pound of hops, one handful of maize, and two chillies, or ginger to taste. Then put the lot in three and a half gallons of water, and boil When the net sinks take it and its contents out. and put into the liquor 31b of common sugar, stirring well, and continuing the boiling for quarter of an hour longer. Allow it to cool, and bottle, but let it remain uncorked until it rises. Ii then well corked, and the corks securely tied down, it will be ready for use in about ,l2 hours. Stone bottles are best. This will fill two dozen bottles. Instead of 31b of sugar lib and two quarts of molasses may be used. The latter give a pleieant sub-acid taste to the beer. Young Housewife.— The most frequent cause of failure in preserving eggs is putting down eggs that have been laid Beveral days. It a bubble of air has entered there is no use endeavouring to nreaerve the egg. Unslaked lime in a box is tre5Sy used as a preservative, simply turning the eggs now and again, dalicylic acid in the proportion of a teispoanf ul to every pint ot boiling water. Place the eggs in the mixture as soon as it cools, and allow them to remain until wanted, J.ime water is a simple and good preservative. Pour water over unslaked lime, and leave it until the water will take up no more lime ; then pour it off into the vessel in which you intend to keep the eces and after putting in the latter cover closely. Another recipe : Twenty quarts of water, loz saltnetre lib salt, six tablespoonfuls quicklime. Boil the water, salt, and saltpetre 20 minutes, and pour hot upon the lime. Next day put in the eggs, and keep covered in a cool place. j b _(i) The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has no power confei red upon it other than tuat enjoyed by any member of the community The advantage it possesses is in having a paid secretary and inspector, who is ever on the look out for cases of cruel treatment to dumb animals, remonstrating with the perpetrators in cases in which remonstrance will avail, and laying informatiousagaimtotherswhendeemednecessarj. Weshouldimagineyourdistrictistoofaroff 'oallow of the inspector paying it a visit, but you might write to him with that object in view. His address is- Robert Aitken, secretary, &c, Albany street. (2) Xes. (3) Sue them for damages. (4) If they do they are responsible for the damage done. 0 J.— The subsoil must be damp. Can you not drain it ? If not it will ultimately kill the trees. We know of no other reason for the symptoms you mention. J. B.— See Sporting. Anxious asks whether Peace, the noted London thie*. ever jumped from a train while being taken from one place to another. -Can any reader supply the information for our correspondent ? jj p (i) Captain Jaryey was executed on the 23rd October 18*55, for poisoning his wife on the 26th September 1864. (4) No ; strychnine. He purchasad a mixture of corrobive sublimate and strychnine, ostensibly to kill rats on board his vessel, the s.s. Titania, then lying at Port Chalmer°. He returned in a few days, and purchased strychnine, saying that the only effect the mixture had was to make the rats sick. Waiwbba writes :— I have just heard of a method of poisoning small birds adopted by a Taieri settler which may be of use to some of your retders. Both whole and crushed wheat and oats had been tried, but wit.h only partial sue.ess. In the case of the whole grain the birds simply took out the inside, thus escaping the poison, while they were exceedingly suspicious of the crushed oats or wheat, and consequently but few were killed. Linseed was then tried, b?ing poisoned with strychnine. A little wheat was sprinkled along with it to induce the birds to commence picking ud the grain. The birds took the linseed readily, and were soon lyiog about in all directions. This method ot poisoning has since been practised with universally satisfactory results. Inquirer, Wakatipu.— (l) No. (2) You can recover damages for loss and annoyance, and the owner is liableto a penalty of £20 if he allows the bull to wander at large ; it may also be impounded. ■m p. C— Give an injection of salt and water, about a. tablespoonful to the pint. We have found the tincture of steel— lo-drop doses— in combination with infusion of quassia an excellent remedy. The infusion of quassia should be prepared thus : Half an ounce of quassia chips put into a jug with a Dint of cold water ; let stand an hour, and strain beiore using. To be taken before meals. Pa ling these you might try a worm syrup such as that .made by Mr Price, of Duuedin. EABBITER writes :— Would you kindly inform me the name of a disease which I have had amongst my dogs for the past 15 years, and a probable cure for it. Shortly after being bern, small lumps come in the pups' necks almost against the shoulder b'ades. As the animal grows, the lumps appear to grow and travel towards the head, and when they reach the under jaw they seem to close, and at the age of about, nine months the animal dies.— Any of our readers who have noticed this disease in dogs will confer a favour by communicating any Information on the subject they may have acquired. The disease is apparently hereditary, and probably the wisest course to adopt would be to cease breeding from such animals. The following treatment may. however, have a trial : To puppies continue administering daily for some time Igr iodide of potassium, and paint the lumps with iodine. Sportsman writes .—Can you give me a cure for the mange in dogs ? I have a retriever dog that has had the mange since he was a puppy. I have never been able to entirely cure him. It seems to have got thoroughly into his system, and being a §ooddog Ido not care to destroy him.— There are ifference* in mange— one kind, '• red mange," is tedious of cure. One mode of treatment that is much approved for the CURE OP RED MANGE is to administer daily a dose of Fowler's solution of arsenic, beginning with five drops and gradually increasing the quantity to eight or ten drops. Every alternate day the dog should be thoroughly washed, softsoap" being freely used. When dry the animal should have a go6d rubbing in of sulphur ointment. Every part of the body, even to the inner part of the ears, should be attended to. The solution of arsenic must be given on a full stomach or mixed with the food. An approved OINTMENT FOR MANGE is made up as follows : — Black sulphur, Jib ; softEoap, lib; turpentine, 2oz ; hellebore powder, ioz. An ointment commonly used is compounded of linseed oil, sulphur, and a little quicklime. In MILD CASES OF MANGB, and when Fowler's solution of arsenic is not administered internally, daily doses of sulphur (a small tuaspoonful) should be given in th« food or in the form of a ball, made by mixing with lard or fresh butter. Half a teaspoonful of cream of tartar should be added every second day in order to keep the bowels open. For mild attacks an ointment composed of loz sulphur to 6oz lard and the internal doses of sulphur and cream of tartar will prove sufficient ; but the washing before dressing with the ointment must never be omitted. IN ALL CASKS * fresh and clean kennel must be provided, or the dog must be removed from his old quarters to some house or shed which be has not prejrloußly freqqraW, TfceoW iWqnW tfr Wotfee rnuit be wfcshQd

or painted with a wash made as follows : Take a sufficient quantity of quicklime, add water to bring the mixture to the consistency of thick whitewash, then pour in a little No. 5 carbolic acid. Unless the kennel or sleeping place frequented by the diseased animal is thoroughly disinfected a renewal of the attack may be expecteJ, or other dogs may contract the dißease. A. X. Lakes.— Of all the ''hemicaljngents which have been employed from time .otune in the destruction of rabbits in burrows, bisulphide of carbon has proved the most effective. When the burrows are in clay, or ioam soils, or heavy sands, it can bs most successfully used. The results are not co certain in light open sands or in shingle, though still partially successlul if operations are carefully conducted. THE METHOD OF USING BISULPHIDE OF CARBOW i» as follows: — Select the main opening to a burrow, and having closed those entrances immediately adjoininir, place a piece of sacking or old woolpack which has beeu saturated with the bisulphide well into the opening left. A sod sufficiently large to thoroughly stop the mouth of the bole must be ready to hand. A match is then lit aud thrown or placed on top of the saturated rag. and the sod quickly jambed into or over the hole. The operator must immediately retire to avoid accidenr., as the explosion is similar to that of gunpowder. Apiece <>f fuse is sometimes used instead of a match 'Jhe concussion in the confined air and the funus evolved kill all the rabbits within reach in burrows where there are no crevicei or vents. The bisulphide is generally carried in a bottle, and an old pannikin or piece ot bent zinc or tin is used for saturating the rag, of which a piece about 4in or sin square will be sufficient. Efficacy depends upon the saturation of the rag, the firing of it, and prompt closure ot the burrow. When bisulphide of carbon was first experimented with it failed in results in numerous instances. The rags were merely saturated, deposited in the burrow, and the hole closed. The evolution of the noxious vapour proceeded slowly, and some time elapsed before it permeated the compressed air in the burrow ; sufficient time was thus afforded the imprisoned rabbits to open other channels of exit aud make their escape. In storing and handling the bisulphide strict precautions aru necessary to guard against cont ict with fire, and consequent explosion. Bisulphide of carbon is sold in drums at 8d per lb, 121b to the gallon, (2.) Of the numerous

INVENTIONS PATENTED

not one is in use to any extent, although frequent tests of their usefulness have been applied. Two novel systems of trapping have recently been brought into public notice, but as yet the trials have not been satisfactory.