... SOMETHING like three-quarters of a million acres of grain crops were cut and thrashed by mechanical harvesters in our British fields this year-- over 2,500 combine-harvesters are in use in Britain. Strangely enough the combine evolved as a labour-saving machine for use in dry grain- growing areas; it was first thought of in Australia. It is becoming the tarmers defence against bad weather. I ...

... Modern Developments in WinterJSpraying By Our Horticultural Correspondent CONSIDERABLE progress has been made during recent years in the im provement of winter sprays for clean ing fruit trees and ridding them of pests and diseases. In the past caustic soda and limewash were the principal substances used. They were fairly effective in cleansing the trees of mosses, lichens and other growth and ...

... MANY parents, disheartened by the I shoddiness and high price of the I few toys on sale this Christmas, will remember with gratitude the Nursery Schools Association, of I, Park Crescent, London, W.i. Here are some of the toys designed and made by the Association. They are not 'for sale, for the whole idea behind this branch of the Nursery School Organisation is to design toys which can be made ...

... S ft J E VEe ^r^m F Stores are open during normal, shopping hours at their customers'' service. cJlvIe -915 a CHebidcmta cJlviv in dJolacl-, dBroi,-n,ciQltw'&C^lcdcJiicclc y 1 jut j^^''}-. ^Jifi pp^kj^Pi^^B .(ffrealed lot ore at B* tlavs a heat I, tins |g I ft Jg I i jaf|^ superbly fashioned and d f.'fi jBBSF ^|S8Eg fUlL eledanl court shoe is a ue iv model by -S. Jfolcis malcers r,\ sh'°BS. ...

... SPORT&COUNTRY ILLUSTRATED SPORTING AND DRAMATIC NEWS R-* jvjrffv 'CLX53£lc 3ur e y ^v^r mm i n n-- n-- _. jkH I A dairy herd grazing in a Wiltshire park (V'.' .'v/'i> ^FSBa-- jgg S. 5 *-t. WkZ? ■ysi1' ...

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... WHILE experimenting with flexible asbestos sheeting for making National -type hives, Mr. Tomes tried out a novel method of swarm control which will be of great interest to all beekeepers, for an entirely new principle is involved. Immediately prior to swarming, a stpck of bees will construct several queen-cells, which hang like acorns from the combs--the entrance to the cells being at the ...

... The Two-Year-Old Free Handicap IT must be in the nature of racing addicts that they are for ever trying to tip winners-- most admirable and enviable quality. So deep set is the complaint that, at this very moment, there is a little flood of correspondence reaching the newspaper offices from readers trying to anticipate the weights in the Free Handicap; this is now due, or it may have been ...

... cmcf 2^oton. THE joint report published by the Royal Scottish and the Royal English Forestry Societies contains many suggestions of interest to those interested in the future of timber production. In pre-war days Britain imported about 10,000,000 tons of timber annually and, although the use of wood has been restricted as far as possible, native woodlands have been depleted to a serious extent ...

... LONG DENE SCHOOL began fourteen years ago in a small house at Jordans, near Beaconsfield. When it changed hands for the third time in 1939, its fortunes were at a rather low ebb, and there were only twenty children on the register. But its new owners were content that it should start little and grow slowly. They envisaged from the beginning something much more than a school. They wanted to try ...

... I THE cultivation of plants in a weak solution of mineral salts has been employed in experimental work for many years, and plant physiologists use two formula* Sach's and Knop's for laboratory cultures. Indeed, the number of essential chemical elements necessary for plant growth were determined by growing a large series 01 plants m water cultures, one element Deing left out in each case. ...

... By D. H. Watson-Wood ONCE again has Druids Lodge provided a remarkable run of successes for the kennel of Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Dewar. Their record total of 18 consecutive winning flags at last season's meeting over Mr. James V. Rank's running ground was increased last week to a grand total of 30 before a flag went un against a Homestall representative. This number, however, in cluded one bye. ...