THE EFFECT OF HISTAMINE ON SILAGE DRY-MATTER INTAKE

The oral introduction of 0·5 g histamine as the diphosphate into the rumen of sheep produced no effect on the physiological condition of the animals. The feeding of histamine, as the dihydrochloride, in levels up to 1 g/day to sheep on silage diets did not affect the dry-matter intake.     

THE POTENTIAL VALUE OF SILAGE EFFLUENT AS A FERTILIZER

Results of the analysis for dry-matter, nitrogen and major base content of 9 silage effluents obtained from farm silos and 3 effluents from experimental tower silos are presented. The mean values obtained for the principal plant nutrients in the 12 effluents examined were 0·19% N, 0·037% P and 0·38% K. The results indicate that effluents may be a useful source of plant nutrients, particularly when undiluted with rainwater, and that, in general, silage effluents appear to be superior to liquid manure in manurial value.     

WILD WHITE CLOVER SEED PRODUCTION

A survey, covering some 140 fields, totalling 1540 acres, in Kent was conducted in 1961 on the effect of different methods of management on yields of perennial ryegrass and white clover seed. The main results were: (a) the majority of seed growers harvested seed from short-term leys and only a limited acreage of permanent pasture was used for producing seed. Yields of both ryegrass and clover seed were considerably higher on the younger leys; (b) the highest seed yields in 1961 were obtained from fields where sheep grazing was stopped on 24 May. However, a large number of growers continued sheep grazing well after this date: (c) mechanical defoliation, especially when used to supplement sheep grazing, proved an effective method for producing high yields of clover seed; (d) honey bees are important in increasing seed yields, particularly on recently sown leys; (e) combine harvesting from the swath was the most common method of harvesting and no instance of the use of tripods was reported. Seed yields from baling methods were generally low, but direct combining produced a high average yield of clover seed. From these results it was concluded that there was much scope for raising the general level of clover seed yields, especially by giving greater attention to details of management.     

Chemical Aids in Forest Fire Control

Progress in development of chemical aids in suppressing andretarding forest fires and in drying vegetation to facilitatecontrolled burning is reviewed briefly. The main part of thepaper describes exploratory trials in 1958–61, using arange of fire-retardant compounds for control of grass and heathfires. All chemicals tested were markedly superior to plainwater in checking fire spread. Ammonium phosphate solution,and ‘viscous water’ prepared using sodium alginate,were the most promising retardants tested, the latter beingthe more effective on heavier fuels such as heather and gorse.The costs and mechanics of use are discussed. Subject to operationaltrials, it is concluded that these chemicals could be of practicalvalue in checking the front and hottest parts of vegetationfires. Recent trials suggest that herbicides, of those testednotably Paraquat, may be used to desiccate grass vegetationto permit safe and rapid controlled burning during summer months.     

Beziehungen zwischen Standort, Ern?hrungszustand und Wuchsleistung von Kiefernaufforstungen im Mittelmeergebiet

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Further observations on the relationship between growth and yield in cocoa varieties

Yields of cocoa varieties are positively correlated with the rate of trunk diameter increase prior to commencement of bearing, the correlation persisting over the years and not deriving only from faster-growing varieties being first into bearing. However yields seem to be more closely correlated, over early and intermediate years, with the difference between the rate of trunk diameter increase while in bearing and that in the pre-bearing period. Over these years there is a negative relationship between yields and the current rates of trunk diameter increase. Once varieties are well into bearing, current trunk diameters have little influence on yield.The rate of trunk diameter increase slows down until, in later years of bearing, it is almost nil. Then yields may be very closely correlated with the rates of diameter increase before bearing, which in effect are the same as the reductions in increment rates.A difference between varieties of 1.2 cms. per annum in the pre-bearing rate of trunk diameter increase seems to be roughly equivalent to a difference in yielding capacity of 1,600 lbs. dry cocoa per acre per annum.     

Resistance in tomato to tobacco mosaic virus

The literature on resistance in tomato to TMV is reviewed. The chronological sequence of publication and the relationships between the material of different workers is show graphically. The sources of resistance and the genotype/environment interaction is discussed. The author asks for an increased standardisation of techniques, greater attention to tests for allelism and a responsible attitude when resistant varieties are to be released.There are 54 references     

The sugar balance in some British potato varieties during storage. I. Preliminary observations

Summary Immature tubers have a much higher content of sucrose than mature tubers. After harvest this sucrose is rapidly transformed to hexose, which often then remains at a high level during storage. Mature tubers may have a very variable content of sugar when harvested. During storage, apart from the sweetening which occurs at low temperatures, considerable sweetening occurs after more than 10–15 weeks at 10 C and even more markedly at 20 C. The magnitude of this sweetening shows considerable varietal differences, apparently correlated, in tubers which are allowed to sprout, with the vigour of sprout growth. It also occurs, however, if sprout growth is suppressed chemically.

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Zusammenfassung Unreife Knollen haben einen viel h?heren Gehalt an Saccharose als reife Knollen. Dies steht mit der anf?nglichen, aber kleiner werdenden Divergenz zwischen Verlagerung und Umwandlung von Saccharose in Hexose-Phosphate und schliesslich in St?rke im Zusammenhang. In einem angeführten Beispiel enthielten Knollen der SorteMajestic, die am 16.7.63 geerntet wurden, 1,01g Saccharose je 100 g Frischgewicht, w?hrend Knollen des gleichen Bestandes, die am 30.9.63 reif geerntet wurden, nur 0,06 g/100g enthielten. Nach der Ernte wird dieser hohe Gehalt an Saccharose in den unreifen Knollen rasch in Hexose umgewandelt (abb. 1) die dann w?hrend der Lagerung oftmals einen hohen Stand beibeh?lt (abb. 2). Reife Knollen k?nnen bei der Ernte einen sehr unterschiedlichen Zuckergehalt aufweisen. In dertabelle sind Ergebnisse von Analysen, die nach einer Woche Lagerung bei 10 C gemacht wurden, aufgeführt. Abgeschen vom Süsswerden, das bei niedrigen Temperaturen vorkommt (abb. 3), tritt nach mehr als 10 bis 15 Wochen Lagerung bei 10 C betr?chtliches, und bei 20 C sogar noch ausgepr?gteres Süsswerden ein. Das Ausmass dieses Süsswerdens zeigt bedeutende sortenbedingte Unterschiede (abb. 4), die, sofern die Knollen austreiben, mit der St?rke des Keimwachstums (abb. 6) offensichtlich korreliert sind. Süsswerden kommt jedoch auch vor, wenn das Keimwachstum durch Keimverhinderungsmittel unterdrückt wird.

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Résumé Les tubercules non m?rs ont une teneur en sucrose beaucoup plus élevée que les tubercules m?rs, en raison du déséquilibre initial, bien que décroissant, dans sa translation et sa transformation en phosphates hexose et finalement en amidon. Dans un exemple chiffré, des tuberculesMajestic récoltés le 16 juillet 1963 contenaient 1,01g de sucrose par 100g de poids frais (1,01g/100g), tandis que les tubercules de la même récolte arrachés m?rs le 30 septembre 1963 contenaient seulement 0,06g/100g. Après la récolte cette haute teneur de sucrose des tubercules non m?rs est rapidement transformée en hexose (fig. 1), lequel, alors, reste souvent à un niveau élevé pendant la conservation (fig. 2). Les tubercules m?rs peuvent avoir une teneur très variable en sucres au moment de la récolte. Letableau mentionne les résultats d’analyses effectuées après une semaine à 10 C. Durant la conservation, indépendamment de l’affadissement qui appara?t à basse température (fig. 3), un affadissement considérable se produit après une conservation à 10 C pendant au moins 10 à 15 semaines, et même, d’une manière plus marquée, à 20 C. L’importance de cet affadissement montre des différences variétales considérables (fig. 4) qui, apparemment, sont en corrélation, chez les tubercules qui sont mis en germination, avec la vigueur de croissance du germe (fig. 6). Ce phénomène apparait également quand le développement du germe est supprimé par voie chimique.