Notes and Queries?

Otago Witness, Issue 4032, 23 June 1931, Page 44

Notes and Queries?

Questions for reply in the coming issue of the Otago Witness must be received not iater than SATURDAY Night. Questions will NOT be replied to through the post. Questions must be accompanied by the name and address of the writer, but a nom de plume may be adopted for publication. “Grateful,” Stirling, desires a recipe for cornflake roughs. Will some reader kindly oblige us with this recipe ? * Inquirer Edd ” asks what is the population of China. 449,000,000. Your other questions are answered under Legal Queries. “ Inquirer,” Palmerston, asks : “ What is the postage on a single copy of the Otago Witness to India and also to Argentine ? ” To India, Id; to Argentine, 3Jd. Sport,” Invercargill, wishes to know when Halberdier won the New Zealand Cup and what year Carbine won the Melbourne Cup. Halberdier won the New Zealand Cup in 1902. Carbine won the Melbourne Cup in 1890. “Constant Reader,’’ Waikouaiti, wishes to know a cure for red mite on fowls. Paint the perches with kerosene daily before roosting time, burn out ail nesting material, and kerosene the boxes. Another remedy is to spread a little Black Leaf 40 on the perches before roosting time. It is said that this last-mentioned remedy is death to all mites and lice. * Prospector,” Southland, sends a sample of rock for inspection, and wishes to know (1) what it is composed of, (2) if there is anything in it of commercial value, and (3) if it points to anything else being near. Professor Benson replies : “ (1) A concretion of iron iron coloured with limonite (hydroxide kindly replies : “(1) A concretion of of iron). (2) No. (3) No.” “ Investor,” Gore, wishes to know if the Provincial Flax Growers and Millers’ Association, Ltd., Auckland is in a sound financial position, and if ite £25 bonds are quoted on the Stock Exchange and at what price. This company is not listed on the Stock Exchange. You had better write to the secretary of the company for the information required. “Interested,” Takaka, writes: “In the Otago Witness of November 4, 1930, in Notes on Rural Topics there is an article on the divining rod, in which is mentioned a book written by Le Vicomte Henry de France. Can you tell me where this book is sold and the price of same ? ” Messrs Duncan and Simpson, 12G George street, Dunedin, could secure the book referred to, “ The Modern Dowser,” by Henry de France. The price is 5s from the publishers in Europe. “Farmer,” Teiriuka, writes: “(1) I have dug into my garden a heavy supply of manure —namely, stack bottom eaten down by cattle. Will giving a good dressing of lime now do any harm by way of chemical action? (2) Will superphosphate, lime, and sulphate of ammonia mix safely ? ” “Agricola ” replies : “(1) Provided the manure has been well dug in a surface' dressing of lime will tend to ‘ sweeten ’ the soil. Lime acts on vegetable matter and neutralises organic acids, besides being a plant food in itself. (2) No. Sulphate of ammonia should not be mixed with lime. Superphosphate can be mixed with a certain amount of caustic lime (basic superphate). Sulphate of ammonia may be safely mixed with superphosphate.” * Otago ” writes : “Can you tell me why my meat is bitter ? I bought some sheep for killing a few months ago. I killed four of them and they were all right. Of the last two I killed the liver and head and all the meat was so bitter that we could not eat it. The sheep are in a paddock with two water races running through it, and in which there is a lot of tutu growing. The sheep are fond of it. There is also a lot of horehound. Would that taint the meat ? “Agricola replies : “ It is recognised among sheepmen that although horehound is not much favoured by sheep, they will eat it rather than suffer privation, and that the meat from such sheep is adversely affected in regard to its flavour.” * D D D,” Southland, sends specimens and writes as follows:—“I think there are two different specimens. To my mind they’ are osmiridium and plati num. Kindly state what they are ' If sample does not contain osmiridium kindly give general description of same (osmiridium), where found, whether ii is in the form of a sand or metal, anc also colour and value per ounce.” The specimens were shown to Professoi Benson, who kindly replies : “ They’ hav< no value, being just concretions oi pyrites. Osmiridium occurs as : mineral in irregular flakes alloyet with platinum. In colour it is a til white to a light grey and opaque, ver; dense, hard, rather brittle, and ii value varies. To-day it is worth ii England £l5 per oz. “Inquirer,” Wyndham, wishes to know i deer cast their horns, and, if so, wher where, and in what way. In Net Zealand deer stags commence sheddin their antlers in September-Octobei usually during night time, one antle falling off a few hours or even a da or two before the other. Those of th old stags fall first, the younger stap retaining theirs for some time longei Immediately the antlers are shed ther are indications of regrowth, when th antlers are in a soft, sensitive cond tion, covered with a soft hairy ski

which is known as “ velvet.” When full.grown, in about 14 to 16 weeks, the blbbu ceases to flow and they' begin to harden. During this regrowth the stags remain in their haunts, and take great care not to bring themselves into contact with trees or any other substance likely to cause injury. When the new antlers cease growing, heavy blood pressure is diverted from them to other regions, and about March the rutting or roaring season begins.

“ Timaru ” asks (1) how to make a paste for general purposes that will not ferment, and (2) wishes to know the name of a hedge shrub (mentioned in an issue some months ago) that grows quickly’ and is animal-proof. (1) Paste is usually made by smoothly’ rubbing up flour with cold water until it is the required consistency, and boiling. If a little alum is added before boiling it is much improved, being less clammy, working more freely in the brush, and is thinner, so that a less quantity is required. For a large quantity of paste use 41b of flour to Hb of alum, mixed smooth with a little warm water. When mixed the requisite quantity of boiling water should be poured on yvhilst the mixture is being stirred. A very good recipe for a better type of paste is as follows:—Flour, 3Aoz; water, 8oz; salicylic acid, 15gr; water, 12oz. Mix the flour and water well together; boil the other 12oz and add the salicylic acid, and then stir in for five minutes. When cool add a few drops of oil of cloves. (2) Your reference is probably to box thorn (Ly’ciuin harridum) or barberry (Berberis vulgaris).

C. W., Oamaru, asks : “(1) What are the names of the various embroidery stitches ? (2) How is French scalloping yvorked ? (3) Is there a book on how to learn tatting ? (4) How does one take fish stains out of a white drill coat ? (5) What is the best way’ to treat a coyv yvhich ha« a small lump like a bead in her right front teat ? It was first noticed when drying her off, but thought that if the calf was left to suck it it would be all right. Although the calf sucked it, it did not improve, and now the teat has to be milked with a teat siphon. The milk which comes down the siphon is the same as the rest, and has no deposit in it. The teat is squeezed before inserting the siphon, and some watery substance comes out, but there is no sign of this when the siphon is inserted. The small lump comes down so far and cannot be squeezed out, the siphon shoving this up when put in. It has not been caused through rough handling or a hit on the affected part, and the cow has never been ill-treated and has never had sore or scratched teats. Do you think rubbing with methylated spirits yvould help ? The cow gives an average of 461 b of milk a day. and the last fortnight has given 201 b of butter.” (1), (2), and (3) Communicate with Messrs Duncan and Simpson, 126 George street, Dunedin, who have a book (priced about Is 6d) giving all this information. (4) The City’ Dye Works kindly’ replies : “This all depends on the nature of the stain. If caused through contact with wet fresh fish, sponge with methylated spirits and wash immediately before the spirits dry. If caused through contact with fried fish (in which case the stain will be of an oily or greasy’ nature), sponge wtih ether or benzoline, alloyv to dry, and then wash. (5) No amount of treatment with methylated spirits will do any’ good to what is known as “ pea in the teat.” A veterinarian after examination might decide upon removing the obstruction. If not, continue as at present.

“ Fruitgroyver ” asks : What causes a tree to fail to set fruit ? ”■ The causes of failure are numerous. When the blossoming of fruit trees is completed some of the tiny fruit begins to swell or grow immediately, whereas others do not appreciably increase in size and eventually drop. Later a drop occurs among some of the fruit yvhich remained and grew at first. These drops are often spoken of by fruitgrowers as natural or normal shedding, and in a great many cases if they’ did not occur the trees yvould carry’ crops yvhich yvere far too heavy. There are instances, hoyvever, in yvhich trees blossom profusely enough, but through one or other (or perhaps both) of these sheddings being excessive there is a very light crop, or possibly- none at all. When this happens frequently’ in certain trees it is time to seek the cause. Several factors appear to be concerned in the successful setting of fruit (according to the biologist of the New South Wales Department of Agriculture). Although some varieties produce abundant pollen, they may be selfsterile or partially so. When other varieties are available for cross-polli-nation the setting qualities are frequently improved, and large crops may be obtained. Not all varieties are equally suitable in this connection, for occasionally, even though fertilisation may be effected, subsequent undesirable changes may occur in the very young seed and the fruit will fall. Lack of nitrogen may result in the non-setting of fruit. A sufficient supply of nitrogen may be present, but there may be insufficient yvater to ensure normal development of the already differentiated stamens and pistils. _ On the other hand, there may be in heavy seeding a struggle for nitrogen, in yvhich only those blossoms earliest to attain most vigorous vegetative development receive a normal supply of nutriment. Fluctuating yveather conditions may have a directly injurious effect on the blossoms. The stigma of the floyver may’ not have reached the receptive state or may even have gone beyond it yvhen the pollen reaches it. When the pollen grain has

germinated arid the germ tube has entered the style (female organ) it may receive a cheek in groyvth yvhich results in faulty or total lack of fertilisation. Summarised, then, 1 failure to set fruit may be due to any of the following causes:—(l) Self-sterility or partial self-sterility, (2) absence of suitable varieties for cross-pollination, (3) nitrogen-hunger ’ sterility, (4) drought, (5) unfavourable yveather conditions (excessive rains, frost, etc.), (6) absence of insects necessary for crosspollination.