NOTES AND QUERIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2085, 8 February 1894, Page 26

NOTES AND QUERIES.

Middlemarch.— The plants you sent us are known as Navarettia, a section of the Polemoniaceous, genuß Gillia. Navarettia is united with Gillia by Dr Gray. It was formerly regarded as a distinct genus, but it cannot be separated from Gillia. It consists of annual herbs, generally glutinous, often fceted, natives of Chili and New California. It is spreading very fast through Otago. It was said to have been introduced from Australia many years ago with sheep, which were landed at the Bluff and driven up to the Queenstown district, where their course could be traced by the growth of this plant years after. It is anything but a desirable introduction, although we have several very pretty species of the Gillia in our gardens, such as «. spomopsis, G. tricolour, and G. capitata. We have sent a specimen of the plant to Mr Kirk, of Wellington, and shall publish his remarks on it when they come to hand. D. N.— You are not too late ; write to the Minister for Lands or Mr Ritchie at once. Topaz.— Cairngorm is the name given to brown or yellow quartz or rock crystal found at the place of that name in Aberaeenshire, and also in Orleans, Brazil, and Siberia. The stone differs from common colourless quartz only in the presence of a very little oxide of iron or manganese, to which it owes its colour. The yellow variety is not unfrequently called topaz, although quite different from the true topaz, which it resembles chiefly in colour, having neither its hardness nor its brilliancy. Sulphur And Thistles.— Mr John Campbell, Owaka, writes as follows in reply to Mr D. M'lntosh's question. In this connection we ■ would refer readers to Mr William Charles Brown's letter which appears elsewhere in this issue. Mr Campbell says:— ln uaing sulphur for the eradication of the Californian thistle it is not necessary to cut the weeds or prepare the ground in any way. Simply sow the sulphur broadcast. I would use about 3cwt per acre, February being a very suitable month for this. As to cost, it can be bought in London for about 5a per cwt if taken in quantities of not less than a ton, from Messrs Devy, Yates, and Routledge, London. Inquirer.-^) The boy who owned the pipe could claim it from the one in whose possession it was, and he in turn would have his remedy against the person from whom he bought it. (2) We are inclined to think that all three would be liable, as the pressure was not confined to the middle one. Whitewashing.— Soak 81b of glue in water overnight, and dissolve in boiling Water, and with this slake a bushel of quicklime till it becomes of the consistence of paint. Lay on two or three coats with a painter's brush, taking care that each coat is dry before the next is laid on. The wash may be made whiter if desired by adding 31b or 41b of whiting. W. F. Y. draws attention to a patch of Californian thistle just outside the gate of the Dunedin Gasworks, and suggests that it would be a good opportunity to try an experiment with gaslime on it. If not dealt with soon, our correspondent says, they will soon find their way all over the town. Housewife.— At Mr W. Melville's, George street. It will cost you from 35s to 20a complete. F. B.— No ; but it is better to have the full signature, as in case of dispute it might entail some trouble and annoyance in proving the signature to be the ordinary one of the person concorned. Canterbury.— (l) The steamer City of Dunedin foundered in Cook Strait on her way to the West Coast on May 20, 1865, no trace of either crew or passengers ever being obtained. She was a paddle steamer, owned by John Jones and Co., commanded by J. Parker Boyd, and was 500 tons burthen. (2) John Jones and Co.'s business subsequently became the Harbour Company, which ultimately developed, under Mr mills s management, into the Union Company. West Kilbride.— The pedigree of Goldenberry appears in Volume VI of the Clydesdale Stud Book. Our number of that volume has unfortunately gone astray, but if you can call at the , office any time you are in town you can glean from the other volumes much information which might be of use to you. W. R. C— There can be little doubt .that it is a variety of vetch, but in the absence of flower and root it is doubtful whether we can get it identified for you. We shall, however, endeavour to do so in time for next issue. Novice.-^<l) We should say not, as it would be more difficult to cut and also to eradicate if you wished to do so later on by cultivating for a green crop. If you kept it cut regularly and never allowed it to go to Beed it should not be difficult to get rid of. Do not try a big patch till you learn by experience how it suits your purpose. (2) Gypsum consists of sulphate of lime and water, the proportion of its constituents being lime 32.56, sulphuric acid 46.51, water 20.93. As a manure gypsum is more extensively used in some parts of the continent of Europe and of North America than of Britain. In North America it is reduced to a fine powder by mills, in order to be used as a manure, for much of its value depends on the fineness of trituration. To clover crops the application of gypsum is particularly beneficial, and although it does not produce much benefit in its direct application to grain crops, yet in an alternation of wheat and clover, the crop of wheat is larger because of the liberal-supply of this mineral manure to the clover. An excess of gypsum, however, is prejudicial, as has been found in some parts of England, where the subsoil containing it in great quantity has been rashly brought up by the plough.— (3) You can get gypsum at Kempthorne, Prosser, and Co.'s. Fisherman writes :— There are a few salmon trout in this port, but none has been turned out here. Will you kindly inform me through your Notes and Queries column if I am permitted to catch and sell them. Brown trout, salmon trout, and salmon are protected in all waters, whether liberated in the places they are found or not. Jt is an offence against the law to catch them or have them in your possession. Colon us writes :— I should be much obliged if you could give me any information about the plant of which I enclose a dried specimen. A few years since there uas a little of it growing on Mr Henderson's land near Port Molyneux. It has now Bpread around to an amazing extent, covering a considerable portion of the rich swamp land in the neighbourhood. When growing short it looks like a clover, but when it grows to a height of 2ft or 3ft, as it does in some places, it looks like a vetch. In' a place in this swamp a few years since the rusnes were so strong and thick, that one could hardly get through them on foot or horseback. This plant growing among them has now nearly killed all the rushes, there only being a tuft of rushes here and there. This plant might be useful in clearing off rushes, which are a great hindrance to cultivation in this rich swampland. Horses seem to readily eat this plant, and I suppose cattle and sheep would do so also. The plant seems to be something quite new to these parts. No one seems to know how it came here or where it came from, and there seems to be a difficulty about naming it. It is quite different from the common yellow clover or trefoil. The plant is the common birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus). Most people from the old country know the prettly little birdsfoot lotus, 80 abundant during the early summer in British pastures, and which is commonly known as lady's slipper, and in some countries as shoes and stockings, butter-jags, or cross-toes. It is a very variable plant, having several welldefined varieties, all of which are useful for fodder purposes. Farmer, Gore, writes :— Will you kindly oblige me by stating the name of the enclosed specimen of a beautiful grass which I found growing among white tussocks and other native grasses on a piece of rough land ? It is the first I have seen, and there were only two specimens to be found. The grass is Microlaena polynoda. This gra6S is of limited distribution, and nowhere found abundantly. Little is known of its value either in pasture or as fodder. F. 0., Skippers.— Address the letter to the care of the Editor Worker, Brisbane, and it will reach him. Subscribes.— Yes, both can vote if they are

adults, and have resided in the house for three months next before the day of election. We assume, of course, that the house is within the school district, and on the section of which they are lessees. Stirling. — We have had no experience of the make you mention, but Bhall call and see them at the agents. Any of the well-known English makes will give satisfaction. G. I.— The exact quantity of milk at the start will depend on the size and appetite of the calf. For a few days after birth a calf should be kept on the hungry Bide, as it will more readily learn to drink from the pail. At first a good-sized calf will take two pints at a meal, and should be fed three or four times daily. At the end of a week or so the quantity should be increased by the addition of separated milk, and to begin with a spoonful of linseed mucilage. When the calf is a fortnight old, separated milk and mucilage in increased quantity may be used solely. Don't be in a hurry to wean the calves. Separated milk and linseed are not costly, and should be continued in liberal suply until a calf is 12 weeks old at least, and then, just as the feeds were gradually increased in quantity, so in weaning they should be diminished by degrees, that the young animal need experience no longing nor have occasion to fret. (2) It has oeen a common practice among advanced agriculturists in the Home country, and especially on the Continent, in seeding for pasture intended to be undisturbed for five or six years or longer to include lucerne to the extent of 21b to 31b per acre in the mixture of grass seeds and clovers. But in this way lucerne has a struggling existence at beat. For a dairy farmer who has suitable land and would prepare it properly there is no such permanent stand-by known as lucerne, and especially in droughty seasons. A three-acre enclosure devoted to lucerne would provide food at milking times daily throughout summer and autumn for over a score of cattle, provided top-dressing at the rate of 2cwt to 3cwt per acre of superphosphate followed the scythe. Lucerne is but slightly affected by nitrogenous dressings. A good leafage should be left on it in the winter season, as it is liable to injury by frosts.