The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1881-08-16 00:00:00

if o rt i c tt It u r e.

THE PuTAT-0 DIsEASE

Every one who is taking up potatoes states that he
finds a few di-eased tubers, and is therefore fearful of
an inroad of the peronospora, which is t 0 probable,
but not justified by pre ant appearances exeept in
those cases whore the now well-known rowing-spores
have been found. Our own experience is that all
these diseased tubers are cases of the disease first
recorded under the name of " nape faule." or wet rot,
which is characterised by the presence of the Fusispor-
ititn solani of Martins. Besides this we find a pale {Fey
slimy mucus oozing out in parts, consisting of millions
of ex remoly minute b 'dies, which we consider some
form of Micrococcus especially as these are accom-
panied by numerous Bacteria, but whether they are
a development or not oi the Micrococus we are unable
to determine. Under those circumstances it would La
probably dangerous to throw such specimens in •ho
way of pigs, in which it is possible they might
generate some unlooked-for form of disease. They
should at once be burned.—M. F. B. in Gardener's
Chronicle.

DRIVINO BEES FROM SUPERS.
On cutting supers of comb from hive some honey cello are often broken, and thus the faces of the supers are
disfigured with honey. L t me remind inexperienced
bet•lseepers that such supers should be raised by wedges
about three-eights of an inch to 1.4 the bees clean out the
broken cells. In leis, then an hour the bees should be
driven from the supers. Formerly I need to give the bee,
• suit? of sulphur in the smoke of tustiati raga, which
make, theta run from the supers into their hives as fast
as they can. Instead of sulphur I now use powder or salt-
petre. Theme are dissolved in warm water; sad brown
Paper is dipped in the solution and dried. Mr. &dries
calls it " touchpaper." A Noxell piece the else of a watch
rolled up, lit at one end, and the smoke of it blown into
• gorier, will drive every hee out in a few minutes.
Where practiced° the smoke should be blown in from
the top of super*. I removed some time ago ems
super with • wooden top weighing 19 lbs. I bored& bole
through the top with a small gimlet, and applied the smoke
through the hole. The work of riddins supers of bees
is easily and speedily done, and this touchpaper will be
useful in many operations In the episry.—A. Gnaw.
SUP','

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LEMENTARY ESTIlif ATE.%
13,,nolementary estimates were issued this morning for
£2.000 for new works and alterations in the Houses of
Perliament, and for £4000.000 on acoount of T al
items. Of the latter £150,000 is to repay advances from
the Standard Bank durnig the annexation p-riod. £15,000
to repay advancee by Crown agents, £ligl.ooo to repay
advanced from the Treasur,. including supplies to loyal
colonists, and £135.000 for contingencies, including
up 'flare of tke Transvaal Commiasion sod oompenentlean
claims.
A FISH CHOKED lIT A RAE.—Kr. jamas Wormy, the
hon. arm of the Birmingham and Midland 11'seatori-1
Association, received on Wediseslay, by rail. from the
eocieteri river-keeper at A'rewae, • splendid chub which
had guwittinsly prow cl it. own captor, having been
c'.okeo by a rat. Too lt,epor found the this II 'undone(
It, the river Tame. a 1 ,-... t , the bank. ..vidently in •
di,tressed cindition. Re got it out, and thm found that
It had gorged it r.t. which had .tuCk In its gullet and
choked it. oat, the hind feet ~f the rot were visible,
protruding from the mouth of the fish. The chub
weigbed 311 i. lOos., and the rat would weighed about Wl'
altound.