A dried fungus reached me in rather round-about fashion, from “somebody in the Market building.” From its appearance I judged it was an uncommon species, so I sent it to the Dominion Botanist for naming. By return mail I got this reply: “The specimen you sent for identification, is, as you suggested, one of the phalloids, Mutinus Ravenelli (B.& C.) E. Fisher. There is no common name as far as I know except “Stinkhorn,” which is generally applied to the group as a whole and not to any particular species. Yours truly, J. Walton Groves, Plant Pathologist.”

I have entered this find in my records. As the phalloid fungi require extremely good soil and special circumstances for growing, they are naturally scarce. The only other specimen I have in my records I found at Mount Herbert on July 7th, 1922: It was Mutinus elegans, and was growing near a hen-house where the soil was “rich.”

Some of the group resemble a horn shape, and as the tip is covered with an extremely evil-smelling gluey substance, the country folk in Britain named the group “Stinkhorns.” The smell attracts flies which afterward carry the spores (roughly, seeds) of the fungus locations. 

                                                              – Newsy Notes, October 29, 1948

Source: islandnewspaper.ca

I have received a short letter from Summerside, worded as follows: “Dear Sir, ─ I am enclosing a leaf in the hope you may identify it. The plant was not in bloom when I saw it. It seemed to be a climber of some sort with bean-like leaves. The seed was found in a packet of tea, and the lady who found it said it looked just like a bean. If you could reply through your Newsy Notes I should be Obliged. Yours truly —”

This is quite a task, for leaves from different plants may be sufficiently alike to puzzle an expert ─ which the writer does not profess to be. Moreover as the seed was found among tea, it is reasonable to suppose the plant is tropical and therefore more difficult to identify without special books! One longs for Sherlock Holme’s double-peaked cap!

Ah, I’ve got it! I recall half a century ago I grew in my glass house, a climber called the Hyacinth-bean ─ a native of india. Its botanical name was Dolichos Lablab, an odd name, and easy for me to remember. Turning to Seymour’s “New Garden Encyclopedia” I gather that the plant has trifoliate (3-leaflets) leaves, climbs to about 10 feet high, adn bears stiff spikes of reddish-purple flowers. There is a form with white flowers). These are followed by attractive seed pods, so that this climber is grown as an ornamental in the U.S. Possibly our season is too short for it to bloom; I should be glad to hear how the plant succeeds. In the tropics the beans are grown for food. not for ornament. 

                                                  – Newsy Notes by Agricola, August 31st, 1946

Source: Islandnewspapers.ca

“Canada needs the greatest possible cooperation between the livestock and poultry producers within all parts of Canada toward improving production methods, improving production methods, lowering production costs, improving selling methods and improving distribution methods.

We need the greatest cooperation between the producers of animal and poultry products with the grain growers and manufacturers of mill feeds toward financing and holding of feed stores for use in Canada.

There is a need for the study of means by which increased consumption of milk, cheese, lamb, beef etc. especially of Canadian origin might be affected within Canada.

There is a need for the development of a much broader statistical study which would show trends in production markets and costs, not only in Canada but in other countries as well, which would be a guide to economic increases in Canada’s production. The newly created Branch of Economics in the Federal Department of Agriculture should form a splendid nucleus for this work.

Whether increased production in Canada comes now or later, livestock farmers must be prepared for the same. There never was a better time to liquidate all cull livestock than at the present favourable prices.

This in itself raises the average standard and production capabilities of our livestock to a degree which not only lowers production costs but places us in a better position to face whatever market conditions we may have to meet.”

– Newsy notes, June 27th 1930

Source: Islandnewspapers.ca