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'- NEWSY NOTES -

U AGI-ICOLA

I NQTES UN Will/US DISEASES

according in the diction- g contagious 01' W150”!!! “my, as of specific ulcers, the no of snakes. etc. the special flui- wlon of a. disease.’ ‘That is very we“ gs far as it I085. dudve foes, the viruses. “n.1,,- the spotlleht lately. “fence is not yet clear about “tun; substance, much has been dlgwvered concerning their activi- ties T; "germ theory" 0i’ d18- m; i5 no longer a mystery to the la-man; he is familiar at least with m, mlro-phowflfflplfi oi the "bugs" u me bacilli are persistently term- - and he knows that that‘ c“ b, ,5 sm-ely cultivated on the test- mb, i; potatoes in his potato patch. new gjgnple and easily demonstr- ated tests cannot be applied to the viruses, They cannot be cultivated 1n test-tubes. for they can exist in the living tissues of ani- mll qr plant. Very few of them have ever been seen. 58V! K- M- gmllh of Cambridge University England, and that is because the m“; powerful cows. is a sizable luau, from .2 to .5 millimeter in diameter: as a contrast it is now known that the virus of the dread- ed foot-and-mouth disease oi cat- tie is only ten-milliontha of a milli- meter in diameter. The question naturally arises if scientists cannot m p, virus. hwo can they measure u? There are several ways oi do- g,‘ this, but the most understand- able method is to strain the sap or fluid known to contain the virus, unough a filler with pores of "sub- microsccpic" sine. If the fluid on passing the filter, is found to be a4 infective as ever, then the virus is smaller than the size of the 0°"- gy varying the filters a. fair ap- proximation oi 81M 68h b6 Mide- The origin of that common ail- ment, lnfuenza, was long a. my- glary, because nobody thought oi an infective body that was not ini- meuiazely visible! Now it is known o; be a virus disease, like measles, mumps, common mid. lnallpwl. sleeping sickness, and infantile paralysis. Among the lower animals, fhcrc is. as has been stated. foot- and-mouth disease (rinderpest). dlnempei" of dogs, swine fever, and parrot fever. About I35 virus dLa- eases of plants have been found, the most important of which are tobacco mosaic, potato leaf roll. and gugal‘ bccl. curly-top. My own ob- ssrvaiions seem to indicate some- llnng of the sort among the gar- den carrots. but I am not sufficient oi a scientist to follow this 11P- "Viruses may be spread by air. wind, moisture droplets. and in- sects." says the Cambridge Biologist. The "moisture droplets" he speaks of, arc a very common cause oi the visilations of influence and colds, with which we are troubled: the coughing of virus-infected per-

A virus‘.

In)’ such d;- heard more“ mfitufiiie bfiigllihav: m“? 1°11"! delllore the fact $2: lack of education prevented his lilillyinfi 1°! a situation in the per- mane“ 111m“- 131°118h in other re- speAcst-a he might be fairly qualified. '1 Preliminary to the war Ger. education M m“ country's m“ malt all‘: that is a situation d dealt with in the 1Y8 to come. Genngny» wit” fir} Heyat. in his book "arm- mt.- er. ‘has educated her young gen- eration in a new faith and order dilgilrefore we cannot overlook the mmizrvsfi the rmany o! to. com. Buzliigler must be over. mm- m ierwards —what? u ma“ YuIlll-ra-utee that the same om not be repeated 1n m. 1' 1W°l11y years’ time? what, g to be done with Germany? I3 we" "111 “$191119! of educating u". m8!!!’ anew so that it will become g useful member oi the European Wmmllmliy. m‘ is that country m remain a constant menace to Euro.

P91"! b81100 ‘Ihere is a problem ylgléglsyvill tax all the ability oi the

111°" W111 IIOW. out of all this elm. wuwthlnc like a. federated Eu- TODE. I ill-Wine. The British Em- 171?) l8 an example of the col. a ration of a community of m. tions in one framework, as the “cmevmlmli. has the moral right to organize such a. ‘New Order" in Europe, Gemwy has shown. time mneansd “Zmkimit r2811 New order av than collaboration. en rather me pr Nations. wflifi. 7..§.°§§i§§§f‘§°n§§ i“ 5 1101100 force. as the soluflgn to Bugs troubles. The quqsnon then s: where must the army 11° 5111101199. And under whose mgea-fi wfll it march another question: where there is a. totalitarian state there is always a menace; will the west. fimklgitlmls. enemies now, be fed- era in th l ' the soviet. e 0h! run. to fight

A FINE OLD CUSTOM

In the Old County it was the custom to "remember" the postman at this festive season by presenting him with a. Christmas Box. That was the term applied to a small sum oi money, often supplemented in the North, by a glass of “Suotclfl and a slice of cake! The Scotch will, by now, have gone out of fash- ion: is too expensive, but the Christmas Box will remain as long as there is a postman to receive it. Old customs persist there, and there is a perennial appeal in this one.

When I was working in another part of the Island. as Christmas drew near, I thought of the faith- ful mailman, who in rain, sun, or snow, travelled his weary round to bring the news of the world to our

suns fills the air with the droplets and in=urcs the spread of ‘the dis- ease. Ii is a public benefit when

" sush patients remain at heme till

lliat stage is past. But it has been found lhat many viruses, and es- pecially those that infest plants. can be dried out and yet retain their potency for many years.

As to the vinls itself, some bio! isis believe it to be the most prim iva form of living matter. ozhcrs insist it is "a heavy protein molecule, with complex chemical re- actions, a kind of crystal which exists as a parasite on living tis- sue" Whichever it is, it is "bad medicine" as the Indians used to say.

‘CANADIAN NATURE"

The January-February no. of this excellent. little magazine is just to hand. Designed to assist Canadian children in appreciating the wond- era oi the natural objects of the fields and forests. it has an inter- est for the "children of l. lav!" Iwwlh" too. as the present writcr has pleasue in testifying. To the teacher of Nature Study it is a booklet which cannot be neglected: the "projects" for class work in school. which appear in every is- m. of themselves alone would re- ml‘ the small amount of the sub- scription. Just now there is running 11 11111 Page colored drawing of Cah- adian wild flowers by Barrie Rennie: the present number gives a charming picture oi Mayflowers Blowing at the base of a fir-tree. There is an outline drawing of the Milne subject for the children to paint. and specific directions how Ills io be done. 'I‘hen there are 1°11 “KW-Wm colored pictures of birds, with descriptive letter-press: 11116 again is a serial feat/are. The buds this time are the Eastern Mountain and Weatem Bluebirds, Ind the American Robin. Th0 mung craftsman may usefully cm- nlov his time this winter in pre- 111111118 bird houses from the two 9980s of plans and elevalfons; he ll also given advice as to the localities they 5m to occupy. A "umber of photographs show the life-hisiory of the Monarch Butter- fly. and there u an HIWPCSHIIQ w-

1 °1 Pictures of lichens. most of "Nth occur in P. E. I. ‘There are "My more descriptions oi natural ‘ibiecls that I'd like to call atten- 111111 f0. but space forbids. How- "tr. you will make no mistake in $11111"! l copy of "Canadian Na- llre for your school library.

Random Thoughts

when a youth "joints up" as the g1!“ noes. he offers in any cm. 11 life for his country. and in fully cases. his future too, u he t"!!! through unscathed. He is “11113111- the art of war, a traininl! ‘ml!- has little value in after life.

11°55 he intends to take "p a ffllltary career: and the experience 2 1 c last war showed that many “T”! WM none the better for (u: a d times he had been through I .,'1h1,,111ll<1 therefore to hear that tn‘ illes rave been afforded to our #11"! abroad, to improve their ‘rival education. Th‘; will have w‘ ‘adyllla effect. and will prove k value when they return to civil f The training period here ".- ~° ‘hurt (at present) to allow of

_doors every day. So I typed out an appeal to every boxholder on the route to place a small sum in an envelope, address it to the mail- man. and put it in the box on Christmas Day. Then I asked the Postmaster at Charlottetown to per- mit these slips to go to the box- holders without the expense of stamping thcm, and as he thought well of the project, he kindly con- sented. Most of the boxholders saw the point. and gave whatever they could spare, and I heard they at"! kept up the custom years after 1 was gone form the district

This is a hard year for farmers and there are many extra calls on the depleted purse, but I hope my readers will find a. coin or two to show their appreciation of the strenuous work of these most de- serving public servants.

NOTEB ON ISLAND PLANTS The Plumbailnaceae.

On the marshy parts of our sea- beeches. from July to September. the lavender-colored flowers of Limonlum carolinianum make a brave show, and excite the curios- ity of our tourist friends. Often have I been called upon for the name of that beautiful flower grow- ing down at the shore." and the answer is —the Sea Lavender or Marsh Rosemary. ‘Pills plant is called Statice Llmonium in Britain, when it is as abundant as it is here. It is the only member of the family found on the Island. and like most other Statlces. its only use is to make winter bouquets when dried.

The Prlmulaceaa

This is the Primrose family, but none oi the true prlmroeee (Prima- laa) grow wild here. They are sometimes cultivated as garden flowers, however. and I have some very pretty forms of the common primrose. one with dark navy-blue flowers. The hot, dry summers are ha!!! 11pm them. causing the leaves to dry up. but new growth always starts in the fall. and they never have any to distribute. We have however seven other members of the Primulaceae here but they are mostly plants with insignificant flowers and unimportant qualities.

The Brook-weed or Water Pim- pemal, (Samollls floribnndas). a smooth herb, with alternate obovate mtlrc leaves. and small white flow- ers," it grows in wet P111008. 011194- ly near the sea.

In Maoflwainfis list of Island plants occurs the name Lyllmaehia thynllorl, the tufted Ioosestrife. a

lant running to B dosimeters high. with spike-like clusters oi yellow

flowers dotted with purvlebleck spots. One of its distinfluish- lng features is a little tooth

(staminode) aliermate with each sfamen. I have not come across this plant, but on a memorable visit to Black Banks, Mr. Harold Messervy pointed out the Bulb-bearing moat-strife (L. terrestrial growing on the edge of ditches in Prince County. 'I‘his also has mcemes of deeolv-oeried rotate flowers. with vflmklsh dots or streaks. but no gtqmlnodes. After flowering there an»; gnqgnf Zdncleh bulblets in the

leg-agile, hence the popular name.

“with finely pointed petals at - summit. It is found in damp woods

Weekly Live Stock l Market Report

ugrrawa, CanadaT-December i2, ' SUMMARY:

There was little change in the cattle market during the past week, except for a little easier feeling to- ward the cime. Buyers were maln- WIl-iflk that cattle prices are lOp heavy with, very ordinary as- sortment o1 cattle costing too much money. The beef trade at present is meeting c.mpetition from fairly 11179151 Sl-lkillies of moderately priced poultry and ior the immediate fu- ture requirements will not be heavy. Shippers are, therefore, being ad- vised to hold beck cattle which are merely warmed up. The calf mar- ket was firm, while hogs showed very little change from a week ago. Lambs. however, proved strong sel- lers and gained 25c to 75c.

Eastern Cattle lVlm-kets

The opening was firm tinder a llsht offering on the ‘Toronto cal/tie market but following deliveries by truck were sufficiently heavy to off- set the early strength and the market closed weak with a. few hundred medium quality cattle un- sold. Choice weighty steers sold at $9 to $9.25 and butcher steers and heifers closed at $6 to $8 25. after mrking an early top of $8.50. Montreal was active and 25c or more higher with steers ranging up to $8.75 and an odd lop of $9, while good cows sold between $5.50 and $5.75. Maritime prices were stea/dy to strong but more good cattle were needed. Good to choice steers made $7.25 to $7.75.

Western Cattle Marketa

The market at Winnipeg staged a very good performance and all lines of killing material sold well, a.l- though there was an easier tend- ency at the close. The pick of the steers went to killers at $8 to $8 50 with very ordinary material moving from $7.50 downward. Demand for replacement cattle continued ha."- row with suitable stockers going at $5.50 to $6 25. Calgary was most- ly steady with the best of the steer offering making $7 to $7.75, while Edmonton was fairly active at firm values and sold choice steers at $7 to $7.50. Prince Albert was quiet with a small offering on hand. Moose Jaw was fully steady at $6 50 to $6.75 for good butcher steers. Regina mtlrketings continu- ed light and the best 0i the steers sold up to $7. Saskatoon, also, had a light supply due to bad roads and prices advanced sharply to the point where a few picked steers sold at $7 35 to $7.50. Vancouver quoted good to choice butcher steers at $7 50 to s8.

United States Market Only one load of Canadian cattle sold at Buffalo during the week, 22 steers averaging 1270 lb. going at $10.30. Recent quotations at St.

‘Paul showed good Canadian steers

I111 1° $10.50 and mcclium to good cows from $5 75 to $7

The week's exports consisted of 1.480 beef cattle, 230 dairy and 239 calves. Totals to dale this year are 124.931 beef. 14.379 daily and 6?.- 623 calves, compared iviili 177.399 beef, 12.739 (lull-y and 79.549 calves ill the same period inst your. Ex- ports from October 1st to Decem- ber 12th, under the fourth quarter- ly quota amounted to 36.638, while in the same period last year ship- ments were 36,598 bccf cattle.

Calf Market Firm

Calves made an early gain of 50c at Torcmfo but this was finally erased and choice veals closed at a general top of $11 with a few at $11.50. Montreal however. was firm throughout up to $11 25 and $11.50, while Winnipeg look on gddigd strength and sold best veals ho- tween $9 and $10, with some tops M 810 50. The hi!!!) point at Cni-

The Looscstrifcs. of which 70 species are known in the northern hemis- phere, all sccn ti. prefer places with plenty of moisture in the soil. In France they are called "Chasse- bossc" and “Corneillc." The L. nununulari- is the Moneywort of our gardens, a creeping perennial of exuberant growth. bearing but-

tercup-like flowers in pairs at every leaf-Joint. The Star Flower or Chlckweed

Wintergreen (Frfentalls americiua) is a low perennial, with a simple (unbranchedl stem, mid usually a single star-shaped white flower, the

and thickets, and closely resembles the T. Europaea of England.

Gleam: mariilma. Sea Mllkwort, is an unimportant plant abundant on our sea-shores. It is rather suc- culant with opposite obtuse fleshy leaves, and little whitish (some- times scarlet) flowers in the leaf aidls. It seldom exceeds five inches in height. It is common on the North Shore.

Now we come to a plant that has made a name in fiction-“the Scarlet Pimpernel." Its botanical name is Anagallls arvensls, which meansfthe delightful one of the fields.’ It varies in color, the flow- "! b91118 scarlet or white there is a blue variety. A. a eoerulea. ‘This pretty little plant with its tiny flowers. is known in England as the "Poor Man's Weatherglass" and the "Husbandmans Weather-wiser," for it seems to have a delicate sense of the proximity oi a show. er. If it opens widelv in the morn- inc. they say. no rain of any con- seguence that dayi According to Linnaeus. it opens at 8 a. m. and closes at 6 p. m. ‘This plant had some repute in rustic medicine and was supposed to have powerful or.»- perties in the treatment of epilepsy. It was also thought to have me power of "drawing" splinters out, of the flesh.

The last of this family is the Chaffweed (Oentuneulns rnlnlmua). said by John Macoun, in his “Cata- logue of Canadian Plants," to grow in low ground in P. E. I. It ls a low annual, with small spathulatc entire leaves and minute axillary flowers. Nothing is known of its‘

P199971”

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- CONSEIETION I

l WEEKLY COLUMN OF PRACTICAL OPINIONS OF THE VITAL ISSUES AFFECTING THE USES AND ABUSE-S OF NATURAL RESOURCES B! MB. LUDLOW JENKINS. IAISIFIILD.

“CARBON COKE"

The story of a personable crow (by JULIE CLOSSON KENLY in

Nature Magazine)

“Carbon Coke" was a crow; "carbon" prefaclng the 'coke" be- cause to tne eyes oi his loving mas- ter Cokcs plumage was a vitreous. glossy black. ‘lo tne rest of the world, however Carbon Coke was one of the ugliest of crows. In fact. he possessed not ome redeeming feature. He was bereft of tail, and his wings had been so effectively clipped by the person who first own- ed him tnat the feathers apparently had lost all urge to grow again. His body was clothed in a dis- reputable and ragged garment of Siiilibiinled hue-a neglected black. for Coke had no pride whatever in his personal appearance. The only part of himthai: was not actively unpleasant to look upon was when he opend his bill, the inside of his -mouth. ‘ihis was a lovely rose-red. To such straits was one put to discover beauty in Carbon Coki

But, although Coke was not much to boast of from the outside, from the deeper regions of his mind, he was unique among our pets; for he was a. crow capable of an in- feriority complex and with a spirit so sensitive to disapproval that, when he knew he was dis- liked he suffered. One hardly ex- peots this in a mere crow, so it be- comes worth writing about.

Because of his clipped wings Coke could not fly at all. A stumpy sort pf flufter-more hopping than fly- ing-was the bcst he could do in the

evolved a sign language with these cripplied wings that was sufficient for his self-expression. With them he could dramatize states of plea- sure protest excitement, anger, hunger, curiosity, resentment; and all by holding the poor stumps out. . from his sides at different angles and vibrating them at different emotional speeds. What untoulurd accident deprived him of his tall we never knew. It was one oi the dark incidents of his career that lzad, perhaps, rcsulbed in his moi"- bid sensitivity‘. ‘

Coke made the summer JDUlTK-Y from New Jersey to New Hamp- shire in a larger screened box strappcl on the rumble seat of his master's car. I-Ie stood the trip with more patience than any of the other birds who had made the same journey: and when he was fixially unloaded at his foster grandmother's back door, he squawked a loud greeting quite as a carefree crow should. Indeed, his pleasure was so prcnounctd that it was suggested that he was giving ihrce clo\v cheers! But it was a short-lived jubilation. His hour had struck. So had his grandmother.

This grandmother had not been ' vprlzed of Cokeks coming. There were grave ddilblsméf Ii-éflapplwzval. So the car, with its great crate full of crow. wheeled into her place as a dreldful surprise. Coke had not been free three minutes beioie she could visualize what her house would look like when he had been there, let us say, for half an hour. To put the matter with true Vic-

gary, Moose Jaw and Regina was $8, Eumonton $8.50, Prince Alb-Cit $7, wnile Saskatoon was stronger up to $9

Hugs Generally Steady

Except for one or two minor changes prices for hogs were no disturbed. Toronto dropped 15c in the face of a heavy run to close with grade B-l at $10.75 dressed. Live sales were steady at $01.5. Montleal was stronger, on the other hand, with grade B-1 at $11.15 to $11.25 dressed. Winnipeg was on a basis of $10 10 to $10.45. Calgary $9.65, Edmonton $9.70. Prince Albert $9.65 to $9.75, Moose Jaw $9.75, Regina. $9.75 to $9.90, Saskatoon $9 75 and Vancouver $10.25 t0 $10.75.

Lamb Prices Again Stronger

Lambs made a gain of 50c at Toronto and good ewes and w-th- ers sold up to $10.50, while a few choice Southdowns sold for 2h" holiday trade up to $12.60. Mont-' real paid $10 for top lamlk, while Winnipeg was fuly 75c higher up to $9.50. Top lambs at Calgary and Edmonton made $8 75. Prince Albert and Moose Jaw $7.50. Sask- atoon $8 25, Regina $7.50 and Van- couver $9.25.