Back Furrow - Refers to a raised ridge which is left at centre of the strip of land when ploughing is started from the centare to side.

Backcross - In plant breeding it refers to a cross of a hybrid i.e. Fl with one of its parents. It is carried out to transfer a specific gene from an undesirable variety to another commercially desirable one lacking in that particular character. In genetics, it refers to a cross of hybrid with a homozygous, recessive parent and the aim is to test the gametic ratio of F _l.

Backcross Breeding - Refers to the breeding method in which the backcrossing is done for several generations followed by subsequent selection until a desired combination of traits from the recurrent parent and one or two desired traits from the nonrecurrent parent enters the progeny.

Backwood - Remote, uncleared forest land.

Bacon - The meat from the back and sides of a pig, preserved by Curing with brine. Bacon may be sold 'green' or after wood smoking which produces strong flavoured 'smoked bacon'.

Bacon Pig, Baconer - See Pig.

Bacon Side - A half carcase of a Bacon Pig.

Bacterae Mia - Refers to a condition in which viable bacteria are present in the blood. It is also called Bacteremia.

Bacteria - Minute, single celled organisms which cannot be seen by the naked eye. Most are rod-shaped from c. 0.0005-0.005 mm long (1/50 000-1/5000 in). They are commonly called 'germs' or microbes' and inhabit soil, water, air and other living organisms in millions. Some are responsible for diseases, e.g. Brucellosis in cattle. Others are essential for maintaining soil fertility and aid in the decomposition or Organic Matter. Amongst the most important are those capable of Nitrogen Fixation in the soil and root nodules of certain plants.

Bacteria Count - Means the number and kind of bacteria per unit of volume present in a substance.

Bacteria Denitrificans - Denitrifying bacteria that are living side by side with the azatobacter and clostridium. They reduce nitrogen compounds in the soil and liberate nitrogen in the free state; they thrive under anaerobic conditions and may be active in soils as well as lower compact layers of manure pits.

Bacteria - Minute, single celled organisms which cannot be seen by the naked eye. Most are rod-shaped from c. 0.0005-0.005 mm long (1/50 000-1/5000 in). They are commonly called 'germs' or microbes' and inhabit soil, water, air and other living organisms in millions. Some are responsible for diseases, e.g. Brucellosis in cattle. Others are essential for maintaining soil fertility and aid in the decomposition or Organic Matter. Amongst the most important are those capable of Nitrogen Fixation in the soil and root nodules of certain plants.

Bacteria Count - Means the number and kind of bacteria per unit of volume present in a substance.

Bacteria Denitrificans - Denitrifying bacteria that are living side by side with the azatobacter and clostridium. They reduce nitrogen compounds in the soil and liberate nitrogen in the free state; they thrive under anaerobic conditions and may be active in soils as well as lower compact layers of manure pits.

Bacterial Ooze - Discharge, exudate of sap or gum etc. from a plant because of bacterial disease.

Bacterial Ring Rot - An important disease of potatoes especially in Canada and U.S.A. caused by Corynebacterium sepedonicum. Symptoms vary usually the first sign is wilting of the lower leaves, occasionally the top leaves, followed by leaves gradually turning brown. Infected stems contain a creamy fluid. Infected tubers cut across at the stem end usually show a pale yellow vascular ring which later becomes rotten. The tuber flesh outside the ring typically easily separates from the inner flesh. Skin discoloration and cracking sometimes occur and soft rots subsequently develop, masking the ring rot symptoms. The bacteria is not soil borne, but is often spread from tuber to tuber in harvesting, dressing, storage and planting.

Bactericide - A substance which is capable of killing Bacteria.

Bactericidin or Bacteriolysin - Substance present in the sera of mammals which is capable of inhibiting the growth of bacteria, especially the gram positive ones, or of destroying them.

Bacteriochlorophyll - The main photosynthetic pigment of most photosynthetic bacteria.

Bacteriods - Irregular, enlarged forms of rodshaped bacteria which are especially of the rootnodule forming specis. These are ultimately absorbed by the cells of the rootnodule.

Bacteriology - Refers to the study of bacteria.Bacteriolysin - Substance or agent which is able to cause nipture of bacteria.
Bacteriolysis - The destruction of a bacterium by an Antibody.

Bacteriophage - A Virus that parasitises Bacteria. Also known as a phage.

Bacteriostat - An agent that only checks the growth of bacteria but does not kill them.

Badland - A type of land generally devoid of vegetation and broken as a result of serious erosion.

Bag - The udder of a cow.

Bag Closer - Machine which is used for sewing the filled seed bags.

Bag Muck - An old term for Artificial Fertilizers, due to the' fact that they are applied from a bag.

Bag Up - A descriptive term for a cow with an enlarged udder prior to the birth of a calf, due to the development of milk vessels.

Bagasse - Mill residues which are obtained from the cane-sugar industry. It consists of the crushed stalks from which the juice has been extracted. The word is also applicable to similar residues from other plants, such as sorghum, beet, or sisal, but it usually refers to sugarcane bagasse when unmodified.

Bagger Weigher - Small machines fixed beneath a bin which fill and weigh the seed bag simultaneously in a single operation.

Bagging Hook - A sickle-like tool having a square tip and smooth cutting edge. It is also known as fagging-hook, bag-hook, badging-hook. Used for the cutting of com, pulse crops or grass. (See Sack)

Bail - 1. A division between the stalls of a stable. 2. An Australian term for a frame holding a cow's head during milking. 3. A small mobile shed for milking cows in the fields, mounted on skids far towing by tractor and divided into 6-8 stalls of a walk-through type.

Bail Milking - The milking of cows in a portable shed or Bail, either moved from field to field frequently or kept in a relatively permanent and sheltered position. Sometimes the cattle are kept

in temporary or permanent yards during the winter and milked in an adjacent bail.

Bailiff - A person employed to look after or manage a farm on behalf of the owner, receiving either a salary or share of the profits.

Bait- A mixture of hay, oats, chaff and other dry food used as horse feed.

Bakers - Potatoes sold for human consumption, which are of Ware Potato standard, and which will not pass through a 65 mm horizontal mesh when manipulated, but will pass through a 90 mm mesh. (Mids)

Balance plough - An old type of one-way plough with the right and left-and left-hand bodies attached to separate beams and handles, the beams being connected together at an angle, and having a common axle and pair of wheels. While one plough operated the other was carried more or less vertically in front of it. At the end of a furrow the working beam was raised and the other lowered. Also called a tipping plough.

Balanced Daily Ration - A ration in which the nutrient ingredients are correctly proportioned for the needs of the type of stock eating it. (Maintenance Ration, Protein Equivalent, Starch Equivalent, Nutritive Ration) for 24 hours.

Balanced Feed - Feed containing all the known required nutrients in proper amount and proportion. It is prepared by the recommendations of recognised authorities in the field of animal nutrition. The species for which it is intended and conditions of growth and development should be indicated.

Balanced Fertilizer - Soil additive having suitable proportions of each necessary mineral element to develop a plant or a crop.

Bald Faced - Having white on the face, as a horse.
Bale - 1. A compressed package of hay or straw for easy handling and storage, tied usually with wire, sis1l1 or plastic twine. Bales may be square, rectangular, round or flat depending on the type and normal operating density of the Baler used. 2. A portable field milking shed. Also called Bail or Hosier bale.

Bale Loader. A device which is attached to the front loader arms of a tractor to lift or clamp groups of Bales for loading onto a trailer or stack, or into a barn. Commonly employed in conjunction with a bale sledge drawn behind a baler. Also called Bale Slave.

Bale Slave. See Bale Loader.

Bale Sledge. A sledge towed behind the delivery point of a ram Baler, on which the operator stacks bales (usually 6 or 8), although many are now unmanned. These stacks are removed from the sledge periodically. This process allows bales to be grouped rather than scattered indiscriminately about a field by the baler, and facilitates loading and transport to the bam.

Baler. A machine that picks up Hay or Straw from a Swath or Windrow, compressing and typing it into Bales. The density to which the bales are compressed can be adjusted in accordance to the crop condition or other requirements. The most popular balers produce rectangular bales between 45 and 90 cm long, but normally 35 X 45 cm in cross section, and weighing 9-18 kg. Balers producing large 500 kg bales are becoming increasingly popular when large quantities of straw need handling.

Baler Twine. Twisted cord which is used in a Baler to tie bales. Nowadays polypropylene twine has largely replaced sisal and wire.

Ball. A Bolus for a horse.

Ball Planting. Refers to a method of planting young plants in which plants are removed from the ground with a compact ball or lump of earth round their roots for providing nourishment and help their growth in a new location.

Balling. Measuring of sugar percentage in sample syrup at fixed temperature. Also called brix.

Balling Guns, Balling Pistols. Metal instruments which are used for the administration of medicated capsules or large tablets to horses, swine and sheep.

Ballistic. Fruits with explosive dehiscence and discharge of seeds.

Balsam. A prelty half-landy annual for sunny beds or borders with rich soil or for the green-house.

Bambusa (Bamboo). There are three great classes of bamboos. Must species do will in the open, specially if the soil is of moist, deep, tight, loamy nature and has some heat or lead-mould in it.

Banana Flour. Alsoknown as banana meal. Meal prepared from fully mature unripe bananas.

Band Placement. Refers to the fertilizer placement in bands on one side or both the sides of the row, about two inches below the seed and two inches to one side of the seed or plant grown.

Band Seeding. The term used for placing the seeds in rows directly above, but nor in contact with a band of fertilizer.

Banding. 1. The tying of bands of grease round fruit trees to trap insects. 2. The fastening of corn in Sheaves.

Banding-in. The tying together, at breast height, of the several Bines arising from a hop plant.

Bandster. A person who binds sheaves of corn after the reapers (obsolete).

Bantam. A small variety of domestic fowl with feathered legs. Said to originate from the town of Bantam in Java.

Bar Eye. Name assigned to one of the mutations of Drosophila in which the number of optical units in the compound eye has been reduced.

Bar Pig. A hog; a castrated male pig. Also called barrow pig.

Barb. 1. A swift breed of horse. 2. A dark-coloured fancy pigeon.

Barban. A translocated herbicide which is used either alone or in mixtures to control Wild Oats and other grass and broad-leaved weeds.

Bare Fallow. Land, particularly heavy land, left fallow for a year, during which it is ploughed several times so that the sun and wind dry the soil during the summer months, desiccating and killing perennial weeds. Success depends on summer rainfall. Bare following is used less frequently nowadays due to the availability of herbicides.

Bare Land Holding. Farm land lacking the basic buildings necessary for agricultural production.

Barfored's Test. Biochemical test which is used for testing monosaccharides. Barfored's reagent is an aqueous solution of copper acetate and acetic acid. It is added to a solution or suspension of the suspected monosaccharide. The positive result is a red precipitate; the negative result is the absence of any precipitate. In this test there occurs the reduction of cupric accetate to red insoluble cuprous oxide.

Bark. 1. Refers to the cork and other dead tissues to the outside of the functioning phellogen. 2. In medicine and horticulture, it refers to all the tissues outside the cambium and so includes the phloem.