AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL.

Colonist, Volume XVII, Issue 1864, 19 January 1875, Page 4

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL.

COMPULSORY INOCULATION FOR PLEUUO-PNEUMOMIA.

A discussion on the above subject is going on in Australia. A recent conference of chief inspectors of stock held at Sydney recommended compulsory inoculation in the case of cattle infected with pleuropneumonia. One writes that for the last ten or twelve years the following high authorities in Europe.have held inoculation for the disease named " a safe and thorough preventive"—-Director Gerlach of Berlin, Director Roll of Vienna and Mons. Bonley of Paris—the heads of the G-overnment Veterinary Departments in Germany, Vienna, and France —Professor Brcolani of Bologna, Italy; Professors Herteing and Miiller of Berlin ; Dr Haubner of Dresden ; Professor "Weith of Darmstadt; Dr "Willems, of Hasselt; and Professor Gamgee of London."—Mr Henry Barnes, a stockowner, writes against inoculation. He says: —"I have inoculated a large number of cattle at different times, and noticed the effects closely; and cannot say that I have seen anything to make me feel sure that it is a preventive. The harm that inoculation does is very great and apparent, not only from the knocking about the cafctle get in the stockyard, and the consequent loss of condition, but in many cases it seems to quite upset the system, and takes a long time for them to recover, and I have also noticed that since we first inoculated we have a great many more barren cows than formerly. On the other hand, should it be proved that inoculation is a preventive, I think it would more than coinpei'sate for the harm done ; but still I mu*t Biy, from my experience 1 have found more mischief done when signs

pleuro have been about amon-ec (hose cattie that I did inoculate than pleuro did amongst those left alone."

Freserving Potatoes. —Sulphate of lime is too costly to use with profit for preserving potatoes; freshly burned newly dry-slaked lime will answer the purpose^ equally well. But it is rarely needed if the tubers are put away in a dry condition in a dry, cool cellar, or in a well prepared pit or root-house, and there is no disease present in them. To use the lime it should be slaked with no more water than will make a fine, dry powder, and this should be dusted over the potatoes as they are stored. It acts most probably both by absorbing moisture and by its caustic property destroying fungoid germs.