Louisa Boyd Yeomans King

Louisa Boyd Yeomans King (October 17, 1863 – January 16, 1948) was an American gardener and author who became a leading advocate of gardening and horticulture, especially in connection with the garden club movement. She wrote on horticultural topics as Mrs. Francis King.
Early life and family.
Louisa Yeomans was born on 17 October 1863 in Washington, New Jersey, the third of five children of Alfred and Elizabeth Blythe (Ramsay) Yeomans. Her father was a Presbyterian minister. She received secondary education from private schools in New Jersey and so far as is known did not go on to college.
On 28 June 1890, she married a wealthy Chicago man, Francis King (1862–1927), and moved to Elmhurst, Illinois, near the home of Francis's parents. The couple had three children, Elizabeth, Henry W., and Frances. Francis's parents were Henry W. and Aurelia King. The senior Kings lived at an estate called Wilder Park, which they had inherited from wealthy businessman Seth Wadhams, who had originally named it White Birch. Louisa's mother-in-law was a skilled gardener, having cultivated 200 varieties of herbs, flowers, plants, and fruit trees, and her library was well-stocked with books on horticulture. Under the instruction and encouragement of the elder Mrs. King, Louisa King developed both an academic interest in the study of plants as well as a practical enjoyment of the hands-on work of gardening: amending soils, pruning, and controlling pests.
Career.
In 1902, as a result of poor health, Francis King moved to a sanitarium in Alma, Michigan. The couple built a home called Orchard House, and Louisa King began to create gardens there, with the assistance of gardener Frank Ackney. In the planning of her garden, Louisa King was influenced by the then-popular books "Elizabeth and Her German Garden" (1898), by Elizabeth von Arnim, and "A Woman's Hardy Garden" (1903), by Helena Rutherfurd Ely. The garden at Orchard House would later feature in a number of her writings.
Louisa King quickly rose to prominence as a lecturer, author, and organizer of garden clubs. By 1910, she was contributing articles to magazines such as "Garden Magazine", "House Beautiful", "Saturday Evening Post", "Garden Life", and "Country Life". For three years, starting in 1922, she wrote a monthly gardening column for "House Beautiful".
King corresponded with notable British and American gardeners of the day, including Gertrude Jekyll. As an advocate of "modern" gardening, King favored gardens that fit naturally into the landscape; she promoted solid fields of color as opposed to the scattered arrangements used by more traditional Victorian era gardeners. King counted among her correspondents and friends Charles Sprague Sargent of the Arnold Arboretum and landscape architects Fletcher Steele, Ellen Biddle Shipman, and Martha Brookes Hutcheson.
King's first book, "The Well-Considered Garden", appeared in 1915, the first of ten books published in a 15-year period on topics such as soil management, garden planning, and tool care. It is still considered a classic, and Gertrude Jekyll, who had become a friend and admirer of King's work, wrote the preface.
King believed that gardening and garden clubs could be important forces to promote democracy and peace. In 1911, she founded the Garden Club of Michigan, serving as its first president. Two years later, she was one of the cofounders and original vice-presidents of the Garden Club of America in Philadelphia (GCA), which had a substantial influence on how landscape architecture developed as a profession in subsequent decades.
In 1914, she helped to found the Women's National Agricultural and Horticultural Association, which two years later changed its name to the Woman's National Farm & Garden Association (WNF&GA). King, who served as the first president of the WNF&GA from 1914 to 1921, saw horticulture and gardening as a means for women to establish themselves in the world; under her guidance, the WNF&GA established scholarships for women to pursue academic study of agriculture, botany, and landscape architecture. During World War I, the WNF&GA and GCA helped organize the Woman's Land Army of America: 15,000 so-called "farmerettes" worked in agriculture, replacing men called into military service. For her role in these efforts, King was awarded the National War Garden Commission’s bronze medal.
In the postwar years, gardening in small suburban plots grew in popularity, spurred by the nine-volume series of books that King edited (and some of which she wrote), known as "The Little Garden" series. These books were directed at a wider audience than that of King's earlier books, which spoke to the affluent. King's descriptive prose was supplemented by plant lists, garden diagrams, photographs, and illustrations.
Later life and death.
Her husband's unexpected death in 1927 forced the sale of Orchard House. King traveled in Europe and then settled in New York. She bought a home in South Hartford, New York, naming it Kingstree, and set up a smaller garden there. She established the state's first plowing contest. She continued to lecture and write; and she served as a gardening advisor to Montgomery Ward in 1936.
A supporter of the United Nations, Louisa King proposed an International Horticultural Society, writing, "Gardeners never fight with each other."
Louisa King died on 16 January 1948 at her daughter's home in Milton, Massachusetts; her ashes are scattered at Kingstree in South Hartford.
Recognition and legacy.
King was once toasted by the Prince of the Netherlands, tongue-in-cheek, as the "King of America", and she has also been called the "fairy godmother of gardening in America", the "dean of American gardeners", and "the best-beloved and best-known American woman gardener" of her era. She was elected a fellow of the Royal Horticultural Society. In 1921, she became the first woman to receive the George Robert White Medal of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society. The Medal of Honor (also known as the Gold Medal) of the Garden Club of America was bestowed on her in 1923, making her the second recipient (after Charles Sprague Sargent) of one of the GCA's highest awards and one that was given out only four times in the first two decades of the GCA's existence.
Cultivars of tulip, gladiolus, and daffodil have been named for her, and the Dogwood Collection at the National Arboretum in Washington, D.C., was created in her honor.


List of windmills in Lot-et-Garonne

A list of windmills in Lot-et-Garonne, France.


Henry J. Wheeler Farm

The Henry J. Wheeler Farm is a farmstead in Murray, Utah, United States, that one of the few remaining late 19th century farmsteads in the Salt Lake Valley that have not been lost to expanding housing developments of metropolitan Salt Lake City. It was listed on the National Register of Historical Places since 1976.\
Description.
The historic complex, situated on , includes an adobe and brick home and several outbuildings, all constructed in 1898. There are, in addition to the home, a granary, ice house, chicken house, and work shed. A barn, also built in 1898, burned down in 1973. Together, this complex of buildings, along with the fences, trees, stream, ice ponds, roads, constitutes one of the few complete and operating historic farmsteads in the county. It is currently operated as the Wheeler Historic Farm by the Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation Department.
The farm was established by Henry J. Wheeler, the third son of English Mormon converts, who came to Utah in 1852. Born February 18, 1866, Henry grew up on his father's farm in the South Cottonwood (now Murray) area. In 1886, at the age of twenty, he married Sariah Pixton and established his own farm in the vicinity of his father's farm. The present brick home and several outbuildings were constructed in 1898 by Sid Gills and Hans Yorgensen. A Mr. Hayes, employed by the Sugar House Lumber Company, was the carpenter for the interior woodwork. The home, according to the 1902 publication, Biographical Record of Salt Lake City and Vicinity, ""...was planned by Mrs. Wheeler and reflects great credit upon her knowledge of architecture, as it is not only homelike and convenient, but one of the prettiest little farm houses to be found in the county".”
The house was built upon a granite foundation, the interior walls were made of adobe, much of which was taken from a previous residence, while the exterior walls were of ochre brick, later painted white. The Wheeler home is Victorian in style. The building is roughly "L" shaped and has an entry tower at the nexus of the L, there were eleven rooms in the house. The bottom floor had a pantry, kitchen-dining area, and formal dining room, bathroom, living room, parlor, large staircase and hall. Upstairs were four bedrooms with walk-in closets and one large central storage closet. The interior was distinguished by its fine fireplaces, high ceilings, cherry and oak woodworking and staircase.
In 1969 Salt Lake County purchased the which comprise today's farm. Wheeler Historic Farm was placed on both the Utah State and National register of Historic Places in 1976. Originally started as a 1976 project of the United States Bicentennial of the American Revolution, the restored museum farm evolved into several buildings including a blacksmith shop, store, and reconstructed barn. An amphitheatre was installed in the 1980s, followed by a large "activity barn" in the 1990s that would function as a multi-purpose center. In the 2000s, Salt Lake County purchased remaining farmland south of the farm to create South Cottonwood Regional Park. Wheeler Farm is fully functional with farm animals and crops that are overseen by Utah State University's outreach programs. Granite School District uses the farm as an agricultural classroom for some of its vocational programs.
For the Current station of Wheeler Historic farm, look here: http://www.sevenslopes.com/wheeler-historic-farm/


Lambina

Lambina Station is a pastoral lease that once operated as a sheep station but now operates as a cattle station in outback South Australia.
It is located approximately north east of Marla and north west of Oodnadatta. The property shares a boundary with Granite Downs to the west and Todmorden Station to the east. The ephemeral Alberga River runs through the property.
Currently the property occupies an area of . It consists of a mixture of gibber plains and Pedirka desert country that has an average annual rainfall of .
Lambina had been established prior to 1905. In 1906 the owner, Joseph H. Harding, sold off his stock from the property that was in the grip of drought. Harding started restocking the following year and took delivery of 1,580 sheep and 10 horses early in 1908. By 1914 the property was owned by T. Williams, and it was again struck by drought in 1925. Williams died in 1925 as result of an accident at Mount Wellbourne Station. Later the same year the property was acquired by Joe Harden, and in 1927 a total of 22 truckloads of cattle were sold off the property an sent to market. By 1934 the property was owned by A. J. Robb, who had a circular fence built around the homestead to protect it from drift sand. After heavy rains in the area in 1938 the homestead and a car belong to Mr Paige, the station manager, were buried under of mud. Mr Paige and his workers were also stranded for three days until trucks carrying supplies arrived.
Bushfires raged through the area in 2011 with approximately of grazing lands lost to the flames at Lambina. Lightning strikes initiated the fire which burnt for nearly two weeks before a backburn helped bring it under control.
In 2012 the owner, Alan Fennell, had the unimproved land value checked by an independent assessor after the government wanted to increase land rents by some 200%. The valuer general assessed it as 380,000, whereas the independent valuer arrived at 50,000.
The land occupying the extent of the Lambina pastoral lease was gazetted as a locality in April 2013 under the name 'Lambina'.


Wen Qimei

Wen Qimei was the mother of Mao Zedong.
Early life.
Wen was born in 1867 in the valley of Sidutaiping, in Xiangxiang county of Hunan. Her father, Wen Qifu, was a poor shoemaker who was a heavy drinker. Her mother was a 14 year old concubine of Qifu's when Suqin was born. Suqin had two brothers and two sisters. She attended the local Buddhist nunnery for education until she was 10. Her father would beat her mother, so they fled to Shaoshan, Hunan. There, Suqin's mother remarried a 60 years old landowner, which was quite unusual in China at that time. Suqin attended a Baptist school there and passed with honours. At the age of 13, her stepfather arranged her marriage to 10 year old Mao Yichang, who came from a long line of peasants. At the age of 26, Suqin gave birth to Mao Zedong.
After the birth of Mao Zedong, his parents were presented with a rooster, as was the local custom. Wen was concerned for her baby's health, having had two sons previously died in infancy. She took the baby to see a Buddhist monk who was living in the mountains, and asked the monk to take care of him. The monk refused, believing that baby Zedong appeared healthy. From there, she traveled to her father's house in a neighbouring district, along the way stopping at a temple devoted to the bodhisattva Guan Yin, where she prayed that the deity would become Zedong's foster mother.


Chunky Woodward

Charles Nanby Wynn "Chunky" Woodward (March 23, 1924 – April 27, 1990) was a prominent Canadian retailer and rancher, son of William C. "Billy" Woodward, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia from 1941 to 1946, and grandson of Charles A. Woodward, the founder of the Woodward's Department Stores chain, which was dissolved in 1993. Like his father and grandfather, "Chunky" served as president of Woodward's stores but is equally famous as long-time owner of the Douglas Lake Ranch, the world's second-largest, and was a noted horsebreeder. He was born in Vancouver in 1924 and died there in 1990.


Asger Christensen

Asger Christensen (born 8 January 1958) is a Danish politician who was elected as a Member of the European Parliament in 2019.
Early career.
Christensen has owned a farm since 1982 and he is a farmer. He is from Tarm.
Political career.
In parliament, Christensen is part of the parliamentary group Renew Europe since his national party affiliation is with Venstre. He serves on the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development. In 2020, he also joined the Committee of Inquiry on the Protection of Animals during Transport.
In addition to his committee assignments, Christensen is part of the parliament's delegation for relations with China. He is also a member of the European Parliament Intergroup on LGBT Rights.


Burt Wendell Fansher

Burt Wendell Fansher (6 May 1880 – 1 April 1941) was a Progressive party member of the House of Commons of Canada who, in the 1935 federal election, ran as a Reconstruction Party candidate. He was born in Florence, Ontario and became a farmer.
Fansher attended Ontario Agricultural College.
He was first elected to Parliament at the Lambton East riding in the 1921 general election when he defeated Conservative incumbent Joseph Emmanuel Armstrong. After serving one term at Lambton East, Armstrong defeated Fansher in the 1925 election. In the 1926 election, Fansher won back the riding from Armstrong. After another term, Fansher was defeated by John Thomas Sproule of the Conservatives in the 1930 federal election.
After riding boundary changes, Fansher made one more attempt to return to the House of Commons at the newly configured Lambton—Kent riding in the 1935 federal election. On this occasion, Fansher ran as a Reconstruction Party candidate but both he and Sproule lost to Hugh MacKenzie of the Liberals.


Vanaraja

Vanaraja is a dual-purpose chicken variety developed by the ICAR-Directorate of Poultry Research (formerly Project Directorate on Poultry) in Hyderabad, India. Vanaraja is aimed a rural communities where it can be reared in backyard on natural, scavenged food with minimal supplementation. It produces eggs and meat based on rearing and feeding practices. Important features of this breed are multi-color feather pattern, immunity to disease, perform with less nutrition, grow faster and produce more eggs, produce brown eggs like local hens.
Vanaraja give their best performance when reared free range. They each produce up to 110 eggs per year, and weigh at age 6 to months. Vaccination of native birds along with Vanaraja is recommended. Excess body weight may reduce egg production. Vanaraja are mainly found in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh and being supplied to 26 states of India from ICAR-DPR, Hyderabad.


Mittagong Station

Mittagong Station is a pastoral lease that operates as a cattle station in Queensland.
The property is situated approximately north of Croydon and west of Georgetown.
Mittagong being a station of 660 thousand acres
Charles Lind sold the property in 2006 stocked with 17,500 head of cattle for 17.5 million.
References.


Charles Piper

Charles Vancouver Piper (16 June 1867 – 11 February 1926) was an American botanist and agriculturalist. Born in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, he spent his youth in Seattle, Washington Territory and graduated from the University of Washington Territory in 1885. He taught botany and zoology in 1892 at the Washington Agricultural College (now Washington State University) in Pullman. He earned a master's degree in botany in 1900 from Harvard University.
Piper compiled the first authoritative guides to flora in the northwestern United States. With his collaborator, R. Kent Beattie, he surveyed the Palouse area of southeastern Washington, and expanded the study to the entire state in 1906. That year, The Smithsonian Institution published his catalog "Flora of the State of Washington". He also published "Flora of Southeast Washington and Adjacent Idaho" (1914) and "Flora of the Northwest Coast" (1915). These works established him as an authority on the plants of the northwestern U.S.
In 1903, Piper began a career at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C., which lasted until his death there. He worked on the domestication and introduction of grasses. On a trip to Africa, he found Sudan grass and introduced it to North America as a forage plant (vegetable matter eaten by livestock). Piper noted that much less study had been made of forage crops as compared to cotton, cereals, and other crops. He attributed this to the lack of economic incentive in studying forage plants.
The soybean was another subject of Piper's studies. In 1923, he wrote, with William J. Morse, "The Soybean", a thorough and now classic monograph of the species. The botanist was instrumental in establishing this plant as a successful crop in the U.S. It became a fundamental part of U.S. agriculture. Since the 1970s, it has been the second largest and most valuable crop in the United States after corn - and ahead of wheat.
He was a founding member of the American Society of Agronomy in 1907 and served later as its president. Piper's knowledge of grasses led him to become Chairman of the United States Golf Association's Green Section from 1920 until his death.
The orchid genus "Piperia", containing eight species (e.g., "Piperia yadonii"), is named after him.


Escorts Limited

Escorts Limited is an Indian multinational conglomerate and automotive engineering company that operates in the sectors of agri-machinery, construction machinery, material handling, and railway equipment. Its headquarters are located in Faridabad, Haryana. The company was launched in 1944 and has marketing operations in more than 40 countries. Escorts Limited's management team includes Nikhil Nanda as the Chairman and Managing Director. Escorts manufactures tractors, automotive components, railway equipment, and construction and material handling equipment.
History.
Escorts Limited was originally founded as Escorts Agents Ltd. in 1944 by brothers Har Prasad Nanda and Yudi Nanda. They started a family owned business, Nanda Bus Company, in Jammu. Escorts Limited was founded in 1960 after the company set up its manufacturing base at Faridabad and began manufacturing x-ray machines with Westinghouse and heating elements with Elpro.
Businesses.
Escorts Agri Machinery.
Escorts Agri Machinery was launched in 1960. The company manufactures tractors under the brand names Farmtrac, Powertrac, and Steeltrac. The first Escorts tractors were produced in 1961 based on Ursus license. In 1969, a partnership with Ford was set up to produce licensed Ford tractors for India.
Escorts has a plant in Mrągowo, Poland, that was purchased from Pol-Mot in 2000, and four plants in India. There was an assembly plant in Tarboro, North Carolina, that was purchased from Long Agri, but the North American subsidiary went into receivership in 2008.
Escorts Construction Equipment.
Escorts Construction Equipment manufactures and markets construction and material handling equipment like pick-and-carry cranes, backhoe loader, vibratory rollers, and forklifts. The manufacturing and assembly facility is located in Sec 58, Faridabad.
Railway Equipment Division.
The Railway Equipment Division manufactures and supplies critical railway components such as air brake systems, EP brake systems, draft gears and couplers, composition brake blocks, dampers, and rubber components to the Indian Railways. The manufacturing facility is located in Sector 24, Faridabad.
Escorts Auto Products.
Escorts Prashant kumar singh Auto Products manager manufactures auto suspension products such as shock absorbers, struts, and telescopic front forks for the automotive industry. The company collaborated with Fichtel & Sachs to introduce the concept of shock absorbers to be manufactured in India in 1966. In 2016, Escorts' Auto Products business was divested to Pune-based Badve Engineering.
Motorcycles.
The motorcycle division of Escorts group used to manufacture Polish SHL M11 motorcycles under the brand name Rajdoot from the early 1960s until 2005.
In the early 1980s, Escorts started making Yamaha motorcycles in India. Rajdoot 350 was launched in 1981, which was later followed by the Yamaha RX 100 in 1984. The motorcycle manufacturing unit in Faridabad, India, was sold to Yamaha in the late 1990s when Escorts decided to quit the motorcycle business to concentrate on tractors and auto components.
Knowledge Management Centre.
The Escorts Knowledge Management Centre (KMC) was created in 1976 and is spread over in Faridabad. The centre designs tractors. It has facilities such as an engine laboratory that has computerised test beds with online control, data acquisition, and analysis; an advanced vehicle testing laboratory; a noise vibration and harshness lab; a metrology lab; and a materials engineering lab.


Jim Fairlie (MSP)

James McGregor "Jim" Fairlie is a Scottish National Party (SNP) politician who has been the Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Perthshire South and Kinross-shire since May 2021.
Early life.
In 1996, as a sheep farmer, Fairlie launched Perth Farmer's Market. His father Jim Fairlie was a senior member of the SNP for several decades and stood as an unsuccessful candidate in several elections; his brother Andrew (died 2019) was a renowned chef.
Political career.
In September 2020, Fairlie announced his intention to seek election to the Scottish Parliament.
On 8 May 2021 he was elected as a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Perthshire South and Kinross-shire.


Bangladesh Forest Industries Development Corporation

Bangladesh Forest Industries Development Corporation or BFIDC, is an autonomous government body that manages the commercial exploitation of forests in Bangladesh, produce timber and wood products and manage plantations and is located in Motijheel Thana, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
History.
The corporation traces its origin to East Pakistan Forest Industries Development Corporation which was formed on 1959 and was changed to Bangladesh Forest Industries Development Corporation established on 1972 through a presidential ordinance. In 2016 it started manufacturing and selling furniture made from wood from rubber trees. It grows and manages rubber plantations in Bangladesh.


Palm oil production in Malaysia

Palm oil production is vital for the economy of Malaysia, which is the world's second- largest producer of the commodity after Indonesia. The Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) is a government agency responsible for the promotion and development of the palm oil sector in the country. The country's palm oil industry produces about 90 million tonnes of lignocellulosic biomass, including empty fruit bunches, oil palm trunks, and oil palm fronds, as well as palm oil mill effluent (POME). In 2010, in response to concerns about social and environmental impact of palm oil, the Malaysian Government pledged to limit palm oil plantation expansion by retaining at least half of the nation's land as forest cover.
History.
British Malaya.
Palm oil trees were introduced to British Malaya by the British government in early 1870s as ornament plants from Eastern Region and The Oil River Protectorate, Nigeria, West Africa. The first commercial palm oil cultivation was done in Selangor in 1917 at Tennamaran Estate. In the early stage of development, the government focused on increasing its palm oil output by rapidly increasing the land area for the palm oil cultivation.
Malaysia.
In the early 1960s, palm oil cultivation increased significantly under the government diversification program to reduce Malaysia's dependency on rubber and tin. The FELDA land settlement schemes were introduced surrounding most of the palm oil plantation fields to eradicate poverty among the local people. In the same period, Malaysia also became the world's largest palm oil exporter. In the 1980s, the government nationalized three major palm oil companies, which were Guthrie, Golden Hope and Sime Darby.
Tensions with the EU.
In March 2019, the European Commission concluded that palm oil cultivation results in excessive deforestation and its use in transport fuel should be phased out by 2030. In response, Mahathir alleged that the European Union is at risk of starting a trade war with Malaysia regarding its "grossly unfair" policies geared towards decreasing the use of palm oil, which Mahathir stated was "unfair" and an example of “rich people…try to impoverish poor people.”
Export issues with India.
India, the world's biggest buyer of edible, effectively banned imports of refined palm oil from Malaysia. This move came after New Delhi objected to Malaysian PM Mahathir's criticism of India's new citizenship law of 2019, which is perceived to be targeting Muslims. Reuters reported that India had informally instructed traders to stay away from Malaysian palm oil. Indian traders are instead buying Indonesian crude palm oil at a premium of $10 tonne over Malaysian prices. But, Mahathir was unrelenting, saying "We are concerned of course because we sell a lot of palm oil to India, but on the other hand we need to be frank and see that if something goes wrong, we will have to say it,"
Labour exploitation.
In late December 2020, the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued a "withhold release order" banning the importation of palm oil into the United States produced by Sime Darby following a months-long investigation into forced labour on Sime Darby–owned plantations. The US ban on Sime Darby followed a similar US ban on palm oil company FGV Holdings over forced labour allegations. The ban can be lifted if remedial action is taken. According to the CBP, Malaysia accounted for 31% (roughly US$410 million) of the United States' palm oil imports during the 2020 fiscal year.
Area.
As of 2016, palm oil plantation accounted for a total land use of 57,400 km2 in Malaysia.
Economics.
In 2012, the Malaysian palm oil industry employed an estimated 491,000 workers.
Malaysia's Sime Darby is the largest listed palm oil company globally, based on plantation area and fresh fruit bunch production. The company was created through a Malaysian government initiated merger in December 2006. The world's second-largest oil palm plantation company, Felda Global Ventures Holdings (FGV), is also based in Malaysia. Felda Global Ventures Holdings is the world's third largest palm oil company by planted acreage, controlling over 850,000 ha of land in the country, including approximately 500,000 ha that it leases and manages for smallholders.
Research institutions.
In the 1960s, research and development (R&D) in oil palm breeding began to expand after Malaysia's Department of Agriculture established an exchange program with West African economies and four private plantations formed the Oil Palm Genetics Laboratory. The Malaysian government also established Kolej Serdang, which became the Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) in the 1970s to train agricultural and agroindustrial engineers and agribusiness graduates to conduct research in the field.
In 1979, with support from the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI) and UPM, the government set up the Palm Oil Research Institute of Malaysia (PORIM), a public-and-private-coordinated institution, meaning PORIM was run by representatives from government and industry B.C. Sekhar was appointed founder and chairman and Yusof Basiron served as Director-General.
PORIM was merged with the Palm Oil Licensing and Registration Authority (PORLA) to form the Malaysian Palm Oil Board in 2000. MPOB scientists work in oil palm tree breeding, palm oil nutrition and potential oleochemical uses.
Biodiesel.
The Malaysian government established the National Biofuel Policy in 2006, which led to the implementation of the B5 mandate in some regions of the country. The B5 mandate requires that all diesel sold in these regions of Malaysia contain 5% palm oil biodiesel. This mandate is expected to be expanded nationwide in 2014, with plans to increase the minimum palm oil biodiesel content to 10%. The biodiesel sector in Malaysia has struggled to become profitable, due in part to the high cost of crude palm oil, which led to a dip in biodiesel production in the late 2000s. In 2012, there were 20 biodiesel plants in Malaysia, of which 2 were operational by early 2013. According to an advisor to the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, biodiesel production in Malaysia is expected to double in 2013.
Labour practices.
According to the United States Department of Labor Bureau of International Labor Affairs' "List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor", Malaysia's palm oil industry includes both child labour and forced labour practices.


Brunellopoli

Brunellopoli is the name given by Italian press for a scandal involving producers of Brunello di Montalcino under suspicion of wine fraud, first reported by Italian wine journalist Franco Ziliani and American wine critic James Suckling of "Wine Spectator". The name "Brunellopoli" bears reference to Tangentopoli, or "Bribesville", the Italian political scandal of the 1990s, while some English language reporters have applied the name "Brunellogate".
Events.
On March 21, 2008, Ziliani and Suckling reported that an investigation had begun into allegations that some Brunello producers had secretly and illegally added other types of grapes into what are by law wines made only from Sangiovese, allegedly to inflate production and increase profit on this typically expensive product.
The story received wider attention on April 4, 2008 when the Italian newsweekly "L'espresso" reported that 20 firms were suspected of commercial fraud after investigators alleged that possibly millions of liters of Brunello di Montalcino had been cut with grapes of other varieties in violation of the purity requirements of Brunello's commercial certification. Vineyards were quarantined and hundreds of thousands of bottles were seized by investigating magistrates. In addition, prominent producers such as Argiano and Castello Banfi admitted that they were under investigation. While unlike earlier Italian scandals regarding tainted or fraudulent wine, there was no health risk feared, many observers suggested that great damage to the reputation of Brunello di Montalcino would result in lasting economic effects.
The prosecutor handling the case, Nino Calabrese, stated that the relevant commercial fraud charges carry a maximum sentences of up to six years in prison. In addition, any winemaker found guilty of violating the purity rules set down by Brunello's controlling body, the Consorzio del Vino Brunello, would probably mean expulsion from that group. The Consorzio has around 250 members, all of whom are bound to follow specific standards for winemaking, most importantly that only Sangiovese grapes are used. Some have asserted that the alleged substitute grapes used to cut wine production by fraudulent winemakers were cheap grapes that probably came from vineyards in southern Italy.
Some winemakers, such Argiano, have moved to decertify all the bottles that have thus far been impounded by the prosecutor's office in an effort to allow them to bring them to market, albeit under a different name and at a significantly lower price, rather than wait an indefinite length of time for a court resolution. "Our decision isn't because we feel guilty," said a representative of Argiano. "We can't wait passively for months. We need to be on the market."
In May, 2008, the U.S. government announced its intent to block imports of Brunello that do not come with laboratory proof that they are in fact 100% Sangiovese. A spokesman for the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau stated that the United States took this step only after earlier requests for information from the Italian government met with an inadequate response.
Response from critics.
The scandal was hardly a surprise to some experts, as wine critic and author Kerin O'Keefe had been questioning Brunellos which were suspiciously dark and without the typical aromas of pure Sangiovese wines for years. O'Keefe wrote in 2003 that many of 1997 Brunellos she had tasted: "were so jammy it was hard to believe they were Brunello", in 2006 that: "illicit blending with other grapes, to make luminous ruby-garnet color unnaturally darker, is staunchly denied on all official fronts, and in 2007 that: "Doubts can only remain in the face of some of the darker, impenetrable Brunellos sometimes seen".
It has also been asserted that the addition of other grapes may have been for the purpose of broadening the market appeal of Brunello, which has been described as possessing idiosyncratic, rarefied characteristics that sometimes result in a "hard to drink" wine, though Brunellos generally are much praised. (A Biondi Santi 1955 Brunello was the only wine from Italy selected as "best of the century" by a panel of experts in 1999).
Some experts, such as wine critics Ziliani and Eric Asimov, have expressed skepticism about the level of surprise and shock thus far expressed by industry members, asserting that rumors have been around for years regarding illegal varietals used by some producers in Montalcino. Eric Asimov wrote in 2006 that traditionally minded wineries "insist that some producers are already adding wine made from grapes other than Sangiovese to darken the color and to make the wine easier to drink at an early age".
Aftermath.
In October 2008, the Consorzio of Brunello di Montalcino moved to sue the newspapers "L'espresso" and "La Repubblica" for defamation in their reports of April 4, claiming that the articles had insinuated that Brunello is a health risk to consumers. Later that month, Brunello producers decided by vote to let the rules remain that Brunello di Montalcino be 100% Sangiovese, with only 4% of the producers voting to change the production code.


Fred Peart, Baron Peart

Thomas Frederick Peart, Baron Peart, PC (30 April 1914 – 26 August 1988) was a British Labour politician who served in the Labour governments of the 1960s and 1970s and was a candidate for Deputy Leader of the Party.
Early life and education.
The son of Emerson Featherstone Peart, a headmaster and leading Labour member of Durham County Council, and Florence Blissenden, Peart himself qualified as a teacher at the University of Durham in 1936. During his time at university he was President of the Durham Union for Epiphany term of 1936. He served in the Royal Artillery in World War II, gaining the rank of captain.
Political career.
Peart was elected Member of Parliament for Workington in 1945, serving until 1976. He initially served as PPS to the Minister of Agriculture & Fisheries (Tom Williams).
Peart, along with the rest of the Labour Party, went into opposition after Sir Winston Churchill's 1951 election victory. In 1964, he returned to government after Harold Wilson defeated Sir Alec Douglas-Home at that year's election. He was appointed to the Cabinet holding the Cabinet post of Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. His tenure saw advances in pay for agricultural labourers, and in technology.
In 1968, Peart became Lord Privy Seal, with no particular responsibilities. Seven months later, Peart became Leader of the House of Commons, taking the subsidiary title Lord President of the Council. After Labour lost the 1970 election, Peart returned to opposition as Shadow Leader of the House of Commons. He held that position until December 1971, when he became Shadow Agriculture Minister. When Labour returned to power, Peart once more took the Agriculture portfolio.
On 6 June 1975, Peart was involved in a train accident; he was on board a London to Glasgow sleeper train which crashed at Nuneaton, he survived the accident with minor injuries.
On 23 September 1976, Peart was created a life peer as Baron Peart, of Workington in the County of Cumbria, to serve as Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal at a time when the Labour faction in the Lords was tiny compared to the vast Tory majority, mainly composed of hereditary peers.
After Margaret Thatcher won the 1979 election, Peart continued as Leader of the Labour Peers and thus became Shadow Leader of the House of Lords. He served in those roles until 1982, when he was defeated for re-election by Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos in a vote among Labour peers.


Andrew Boylan (politician)

Andrew Boylan (born January 1939) is a former Irish Fine Gael politician. Boylan was first elected to Dáil Éireann as a Fine Gael Teachta Dála (TD) for the Cavan–Monaghan constituency at the 1987 general election, and retained his seat until losing it at the 2002 general election. He was a member of Cavan County Council and Cavan Town Council between 1991 and 2014.


Groningen horse

The Groningen Horse is a Dutch horse breed developed for light draft and agricultural work. It is closely related to heavy warmblood breeds like the East Friesian and Alt-Oldenburger. The breed was nearly lost in the mid-20th century because a significant number of mares were used for crossbreeding to create the Dutch Warmblood, leaving few purebreds.
History.
Foundation.
The Groningen shares much of its initial foundation with the Friesian, East Friesian and Alt-Oldenburger, and Holsteiner: small native farm horses and medieval destriers were influenced by popular Spanish, Neapolitan, and Arabian horses in the 17th and 18th centuries. Horses like England's Cleveland Bay were also utilized, producing a horse that was tall by the standards of the day, as well as reasonably elegant with deep, wide haunches and a thick, high-set neck.
Although selection procedures had been in use for many years, the first Dutch horse registries weren't founded until the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The North-Netherlands Warmblood Horse Studbook, or NWP, regulated horse breeding in Groningen, Friesland, and Drenthe, while the NSTg did the same for the southern regions, including Gelderland. The goals of the registries were characterized by distinct differences in the soil composition: Groningen had heavy, wet, clay soil and needed a particularly stout horse to till it, while the soil in Gelderland was sandier.
Nevertheless, both studbooks aimed to produce a horse that could perform farm work, retaining as much elegance as possible to make them attractive carriage horses. This goal echoed that of neighboring East Frisia and Oldenburg, regions with which breeding stock were freely exchanged. The NWP also utilized Holsteiners, which were rumored to have been influenced by the horses of Dutch immigrants. In reality, all parts of the region known as Frisia have ties beyond the similarity of their soil and weather.
The result of these exchanges was that at the turn of the century, the Groningen, East Friesian, Oldenburger, and Holsteiner were calm, substantial farm and carriage horses with primarily dark coats.
In the 1920s and 30's, horses were bred to be rather heavier, fulfilling the roles of tractor horse and artillery horse, though the lighter "Karossier" type was still present in all populations.
Decline.
Following the wars, the breeding of heavy agricultural horses collapsed, and the breeders had to adapt. In 1964, the southern studbook opened a "Sportregister" with the aim of producing riding horses, and in 1969 the NWP and southern studbook merged to form the KWPN, the Royal Warmblood Horse Studbook of the Netherlands. There was a studbook for riding horses, a studbook for driving horses, and a studbook for Gelderlanders. All of the Groningen stallions lost their breeding approval, and mare owners were encouraged to breed their Groningen mares to foreign stallions. The breed was sure to disappear.
Preservation.
In 1978, the last remaining NWP Groningen stallion, Baldewijn, was saved from the butcher. A small group of interested breeders pooled their genetic resources - 20 mares and Baldewijn - and in 1982 formed a private association. In 1985 this association, called simply "The Groningen Horse", was recognized by Royal Decree and by the European Union 10 years later.
Alt-Oldenburg/East Friesian, Silesian, East-German, and Holsteiner horses of the appropriate type were used to re-establish the Groningen, as well as one Cleveland Bay stallion.
Today there are 25 approved stallions and over 400 mares.
Characteristics.
The Groningen standard calls for a correct horse; heavy, with the legs about half the horse's height, and a rectangular frame, with the body from point-of-shoulder to point-of-buttock about 10% greater than the height of the horse at the withers. The topline is level, muscular neck set on fairly high, and the loins and haunches are broad and powerful. The head is workman-like and the hooves large and sound. Ideally, the Groningen stands between 15.3 and 16.1 hands high at the withers.
In motion, the walk is diligent with a long stride, the trot is brisk and economical with some action, and the canter is of sufficient quality. The canter was not of great importance to the breeders, who did not have need for a heavy galloping horse, and so this gait is not as strong or expressive as the trot.
Groningens are known for their even temperaments, though they are seldom spiritless. They are described as "sober" with a tremendous work ethic.
Dark colors predominate in the Groningen: almost 90% are black or some shade of bay. A small percentage are chestnut or grey, and there are strains known for the sabino or tobiano pattern though minimally-marked horses are favored. Photographs and records show that silver dapple coloring was present as well, though it is not known if any examples of this color have survived to modern day.
The Groningen is typically shown in a white bridle without a cavesson, traditionally braided with contrasting white and green ribbons. Fillies are named as the breeder desires, while colts are named patrilineally (e.g. Batavier by Bazalt).
Uses.
The Groningen is, above all "a family horse". Their calm nature and low-maintenance constitutions make them ideal horses for leisure. They are quick to mature, sound, long-lived and easy keepers, and do not need to be worked every day to be enjoyed.
Several Groningen horses, including approved stallions, compete in dressage at the Dutch national Z-level (about USDF 4th level) or higher, and some compete in show jumping above 4 feet as well, though this is less common.
They have found their modern niche as combined driving horses, a sport in which many, including the stallion Meinhold, compete internationally.
Medical issues.
The greatest concern for the Groningen is inbreeding. As in other warmblood registries, stallions must undergo a veterinary examination before they are allowed to breed. In consequence, the breed is sound, long-lived, and thrifty.


Robe wine region

Robe is a wine region located in the south east of South Australia immediately adjoining the town of Robe. The region received appellation as an Australian Geographical Indication (AGI) in 2006. It is part of the Limestone Coast wine zone.
Extent and appellation.
The Robe wine region occupies a section of coastline about wide extending from the north end of Guichen Bay where it borders the Mount Benson region to Beachport in the south.
The Robe wine region was registered as an Australian Geographical Indication on 15 August 2006 and is part of the Limestone Coast zone.
Grapes and wine.
As of 2014, the most common plantings in the Robe wine region within a total planted area of was reported as being Cabernet Sauvignon () followed by Shiraz (), Chardonnay () and Merlot (). Alternatively, red wine varietals account for of plantings while white wines varietals account for of plantings. The total 2014 vintage is reported as consisting of of crushed grapes from all varietals. As of 2012, the region had three wineries and as of 2008, it had 13 growers.


Forest Department (Bangladesh)

Forest Department is a government agency responsible for the protection and maintenance of forests and wildlife in Bangladesh and is located in Mohakhali, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
History.
The forest department was established in 1870 during the British Raj era. Originally established to look after natural forests, the department started social forestation in the 1980s. The department is also responsible for National Botanical Garden of Bangladesh, Forestry Development and Training Centre, Kaptai, and to Bangladesh Forest College. The total amount of forest land under the management of the department is 3.617 million acres. In the 1950s and 1960s the department planted Sal Dhaka, Tangail, and Mymensingh of Dhaka division. The department also planted Tendu in Dinajpur. In the 1980s the department planted trees in coastal areas for protection against cyclones and tides. The department planted trees along roads, canals, and railways tracks which totaled 94,000 km.


Bill Gallagher (inventor)

Alfred William Gallagher (17 May 1911 – 8 August 1990), commonly known as Bill Gallagher, was a New Zealand inventor, manufacturing engineer and businessman. He is notable for inventing and popularising the electric fence.
Early life.
Alfred William Gallagher, later known as Bill Gallagher, was born in Hamilton, in the Waikato province of New Zealand, on 17 May 1911, to Alfred John Gallagher, a dairy farmer, and his wife, Sarah Matilda . The eldest of six children, he was initially educated at Te Kowhai School. In 1920, the family moved from their dairy farm at Horotiu to a larger property at Papamoa, in the Bay of Plenty. He started working fulltime on the farm in 1926, once he had completed his formal schooling. Within a few years, he, together with his brother Henry, took over responsibility for the farm after their parent's marriage broke down and his father moved to Australia.
By 1936, Gallagher was married; he had met his wife, Millicent May , through involvement with a church at Te Puke. The couple would have five children. He was now farming at Horsham Downs, back in the Waikato near where he spent his childhood; the farm at Papamoa had been sold and his share of the proceeds went towards the purchase of the Horsham Downs farm.
Development of the electric fence.
Gallagher was technically creative from an early age, devising various gadgets to assist in their farming work. In the 1930s, he discovered that electricity could be useful in confining animals when he made a triggering mechanism that made a car electrically active when a horse rubbed against it. By 1937, he had developed the electric fence for farmers, selling battery powered units and being granted a patent. In 1940, he had moved his family to Hamilton East where he continued to manufacture his electric fence. Shortly afterwards, he, his other brother Vivian, and a friend began working in Wellington, making electric fences and gas producers for use with vehicles. During this time, he invented a filter for a gas producer. He remained in Wellington for two years before he returned to Hamilton. As the Second World War was well underway, he was co-opted to work for the Colonial Ammunition Company, which had been relocated from Auckland to a site in Hamilton East. Later, as part of the war effort, he repaired farming machinery.
Postwar period.
After the war, Gallagher resumed manufacturing gas producers, setting up a facility at his property on Seddon Road in Hamilton and employing six workers. His business also carried out tractor conversions and made farming equipment, including his battery-powered electric fence. With his brothers, Henry and Vivian, he invented a spinning top-dresser. By the 1950s, his business interests expanded into commercial fishing, operating a trawling venture from Raglan although this was not profitable. He also built boats, including an 88-foot vessel that was used for trips to Australia and to the Pacific Islands.
In 1963, Gallagher Engineering Limited was established. A mainstay of the business was the electric fence, now revised to run off mains power which previously had been illegal. Gallagher's sons, William and John, worked for the company and soon became increasingly influential. The former played a major role in exporting the firm's products to Australia which in turn inspired Gallagher to look to develop markets in the United Kingdom. By the 1980s, he was less involved in the company but remained as a director until 1989.
Later life and legacy.
In his retirement, Gallagher continued to tinker with gadgets, developing a hoist for use in hospitals for transferring infirm patients and doing mechanical repairs around a retirement facility, the Assisi Home and Hospital in Matangi. In the 1990 New Year Honours, he was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire, for services to the community. He died from cancer in Hamilton on 8 August 1990, and was buried in Hamilton Park Cemetery.
In 2017, Gallagher was a posthumous inductee into the Waikato Business Hall of Fame. As of 2019, his son, Sir William Gallagher is the chief executive officer and executive director of the business established by his father. His other son, John Gallagher, left his day-to-day role in the business in 1997 but remains on the board of directors.


John Carmichael Jenkins

John Carmichael Jenkins (1809–1855) was an American plantation owner, medical doctor and horticulturalist in the Antebellum South.
Biography.
Early life.
John Carmichael Jenkins was born on December 13, 1809 at the Windsor Forge Mansion in Churchtown, Pennsylvania. His father was Robert Jenkins (1769–1848), a Congressman from Pennsylvania, and Catherine Carmichael (1774–1853). He had one brother, David Jenkins (1800–1850), and six sisters, Elizabeth Jenkins (1803–1870), Mary Jenkins (1805–1859), Martha Jenkins (1805–1890), Phoebe Ann Jenkins (1807–1872), Catharine Jenkins (1812–1886), and Sarah Jenkins (1817-unknown).
He graduated from Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania and received a Doctorate in Medicine from the Medical School at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia in 1833.
Career.
He moved to the Wilkinson County, Mississippi to take over the medical practise of his uncle, John Flavel Carmichael (unknown-1837), a medical doctor and plantation owner who had become blind.
He owned several plantations in the Natchez District, some of which he inherited, some of which he purchased and developed. For example, he owned the Cold Spring Plantation in Pinckneyville, Mississippi. Additionally, he owned several other plantations like the Stock Farm Plantation near Nesbit, Mississippi in DeSoto County, Mississippi, the Tarbert Plantation in Wilkinson County, Mississippi, and another plantation in West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana.
A horticulturalist, he would use his Natchez residence, Elgin, as a plant nursery for different varieties of fruit trees and cotton he would later use on other plantations. He also produced hybrid species of orchids. Additionally, he was a wine connoisseur and collector of wine vintages. He was a member of the Academy of Natural Sciences, the Historical Society of Pennsylvania and the American Pomological Society. He kept a diary from 1841 to 1855.
He was a proponent of slavery, both as an economic necessity and a constitutional right.
Personal life.
In 1839, he married Annis (Field Dunbar) Jenkins (1820–1855), the daughter of Dr. William Dunbar (1793–1847) and granddaughter of Sir William Dunbar (1750–1810), of the Forest Plantation near Natchez, Mississippi. They resided at Elgin in Natchez. They had four children:
Death.
He died of yellow fever on October 14, 1855 in Natchez.


Ben Dekker

Ben Dekker is a South African forester, surveyor, botanical expert, environmentalist, actor, politician, explorer, human rights activist, painter, sculptor, writer, poet and maverick.
Biography.
Benito Adolfo Dekker born 21 October 1940 in Centane, South Africa from newly arrived Dutch immigrants and grew up in Vincent, East London. He has two older brothers and two younger sisters. After matriculation from Selborne College at age 17 he was contracted for five years by the Department of Forestry. After completing two years of study at Saasveld Forestry College he was posted to Lottering Forest Station, Tsitsikamma. While stationed there, he studied for and qualified in surveying and drift sand reclamation, leading to him travelling widely throughout South African, more than he would have done as a forester.
In 1962 as soon as his contract with the department of forestry was completed he commenced a B.A. degree in philosophy and fine arts at Rhodes University, Grahamstown. To pay his way through university he worked as a lifeguard. For his master's degree in 1969 he wrote a thesis "Bantu Philosophy". His thesis was turned down and then blacklisted by every South African university.
After Rhodes and a year travelling, in 1966 he moved to Cape Town to work as an actor and lightning technician with CAPAB, and to continue his studies at the University of Cape Town (UCT). He resubmitted his thesis, it was deemed politically incorrect and rejected again.
He was superintendent of Stan's Halt Hostel in Camps Bay Glen, before moving to 1 Dunkley Street, Gardens. Here he adopted eight street children until they could be found homes. During this time he also lived in a hut he had built in the bush at Oude Skip (aka Oude Schip) between Sandy Bay and Duiker Punt.
He was amongst the first actors to perform at the Space Theatre. Appearing in "Gilgamesh" and Donald Howarth's "Othello Slegs Blankes" (Othello Whites Only), i.e. Shakespeares's Othello without Othello due to the apartheid restriction that a black actor was not allowed on stage with a white Desdemona. He has appeared in 84 filmed productions.
In 1970 he stood against Sir De Villiers Graaff, the United Party leader, in the general election in the Rondebosch East constituency. With the slogan, "Stem lekker, Stem Dekker" (Vote Well, Vote Dekker). Also calling for universal suffrage which at the height of apartheid was outside of political discourse. He challenged Graaff to a swimming race to Robben Island. Instead of offices he obtained a fruit vendor's cart as a platform to speak from or just to recline in various parts of Rondebosch. He attracted enough supporters to at least retain his deposit.
Considered politically dangerous his passport was suspended however he still managed to tour the whole of Africa, either on an Amnesty International passport or none at all, hitching rides, sometimes getting flights by helping pilots load cargo. He was a master of living off the land, often spending the night with the locals in the "bushveldt".
He remained in Cape Town until 1980 when moved to Port St. Johns where he lived for the next 38 years in a hut he'd built in Mthumbane forest next to Second Beach, living off the sea, the forest and a small vegetable garden. He was something of a tourist attraction himself, Lily’s Lodge at Second Beach named their bar "Ben’s Bar". While living here, before the AIDS orphanage at Qunu opened, he personally took on the care of many of the local AIDS orphans until someone could take them in or they could fend for themselves. He opened many trails around Port St. Johns, wrote and illustrated a booklet "Operation footprint" about these and guided nature hikes.
As a peacekeeping delegate for Amnesty International in war-torn African countries he would arrive on foot and by the time rest of the convoy arrived had already established some sort of rapport with the locals.
In 2018 he returned to Cape Town.


Mtevandidi

Mtevandidi is an indigenous red grape variety from the region of Guria in the country of Georgia, primarily used for producing table wine. It is known also by the synonyms Akido ("two-bunched sprout"), Achido, Didd Mtevana, Didmtevana, and Didtevano.
There are no written sources regarding the origin of Mtevandidi. Botanical and agricultural features suggest that this variety is indigenous to Georgia.
History.
Mtevandidi is a productive grapevine variety mostly used for making wine in Guria, particularly in its eastern part; wherein vines were cultivated as high-formations, which even if neglected can maintain growth, development, and quality.
Since the second half of the 19th century, high vineyards of Mtevandidi were massively destroyed due to the spread of fungal diseases and phylloxera, .
By the initiative of local residents, concerned with viticulture issues, in Chokhatauri and Makharadze (the villages Kalagoni, Dablatsikhe, and Baghdati) in 1905 and 1906 grafts of Mtevandidi were cultivated as low vineyards, some of them still in existence even today, and characterized with high productivity and normal development of vines.
The modern area of Mtevandidi cultivation is limited, even though it is characterized with high quality production.
Description.
For the young shoot, the cone of growth is white in the young slightly reddish on one side and covered with thick felt-like white coating. The opened first leaf is covered with white-reddish down, on the underside is covered with a thick-felt like coating, the petiole is also covered with a reddish white coating; the following second and third leaves are lightly coated on the topside, which is grayish and downy. On the underside is a thick felt-like coating; the petiole of the third and fourth leaves is bright-green; violet on one side and slightly covered with hairy down.
The young shoot is bright green on one side, while on another – violet, and lightly covered with a grayish hairy coating that becomes more extensive to the tip of a shoot.
The mature one year sprout is middle sized, bright reddish-brown with dark lines; the axils are darker in color and are distanced by 10–18 cm.
The well-developed leaf is bright green, slightly yellowish, middle-sized or large; is roundish or slightly oval, unnoticeably lobed, about 17.9–21.5 cm long and 18.6–19.6 cm wide. The incision of the petiole is lyre-like, consisting of three veins, having rounded or sharp basis. Elliptical incisions can also be found.
The upper incision of a leaf is open and slightly cut, with sharp or rounded basis. The lower incision is opened and cut insignificantly
The leaf is three-lobed; without secondary margins. The margin of a tip to the blade creates an obtuse angle.
The teeth of tips are triangular, slightly convex-sided and it is possible to find roundish triangular or saw-like teeth. The secondary teeth are similar to the major teeth.
The leaf takes a similar curved shape to a funnel. The surface of a leaf is smooth or wrinkled like a net. The underside is covered with a short-downy coating. The major veins are lightly coated and are bright green. The proportion of the pedicel to the major vein is 0.9–1.0, and is bare and bright green.
The flower is hermaphroditic with normally-developed pistil and stamens. There are about five or rarely four stamens in a flower, which are as long as the pistil. The number of flowers in an inflorescence is 300–500.
The pedicel of a bunch equals 8–12 cm; the bunch is about 15–17 cm long and 11–14 cm wide. There are about 100–130 berries on a bunch; the size of an average bunch is 12–14 cm long and 9–12 cm wide, consisting of 80–90 berries.
The bunch is thin, unstructured, wide cone-shaped or branched, or quite dense; the pedicel of a bunch is woody nearly up to the middle and bright red-brownish, while its remaining part, including scion, is grass-like and bright green.
The pedicel of a berry, including the receptacle, equals 5–9 mm, and is green. The receptacle is slightly yellowish, with abright green tone, is wrinkled and narrow cone-shaped, rarely wide – cone-shaped and the berry is firmly attached to it.
The berry is a bluish-black and middle-sized – about 15.3 mm long and 13.4 mm wide. Large berries are 17 mm long and 15.8 mm wide, while small berries – 9 mm long and 8 mm wide. The berry is oval, wider in the middle part, with a rounded end and; this is thick-skinned and symmetrical, quite fleshy and juicy. The skin is covered with thick waxy spots.
The ripening of berries on a bunch occurs unequally- a characteristic feature of Mtevandidi.
There are 1–4 seeds (usually one) in a berry. The seed is 7–8 mm long and 3–4.5 mm wide, is brown, while to the inside bright yellow. The basis is placed nearly in the middle of the rear, is oval, rarely triangular; its backside is triangular. The beak is rusty-colored, and about 2 mm long .
Cultivation.
The vegetation period from budding to full ripening lasts 208–216 days, and until leaf-fall 236 – 240 days. The vegetation period of high vineyards is 10 – 15 days less than that of low vineyards due to the impact of fungal diseases and early fall of leaves, whereas, in low vines, if cultivated properly, the leaf-fall lasts even through to December. The break of buds begins from beginning of April, the blossom period from the end of June according to the observation held in Chokhataruri district, Dablatsikhe-Sakvavisti zone. The ripening of the grape occurs at the end of August (26-28) or the beginning of September, while the full ripening – from 20–25 October. Flower-fall takes place from mid-November to the first half of December.
In Chokhatauri and Makharadze districts, the sediment (1280-1540mm) and abundance of sun (sum of 4000º) can result in the prolonging of Mtevandidi's vegetation period, but the vine manages its full ripening during the above-mentioned period.
In Baghdati and Dablatsikhe zones, the growth-development is so much influenced by ecological conditions that the length of shoot can reach 2.25m.
The harvest of one vine when loaded with 8-12 buds totals 2.5 - 4.0 kg, meaning 120 centners per hectare. The coefficient of harvest is 1.5. The shoots generated from substitute buds are characterized by average growth, giving a 1.1 coefficient of harvest. Shoots generated from dormant buds can grow but are more productive. Such productivity in Bagdati zone is caused by soil conditions and secondly during the irrigation during full harvest.
Durability.
In the warm and wet climate of Guria, Mtevandidi is susceptible to disease. High-growing vines get infected most commonly, due to the difficulties of cultivation and aftercare.
Lower area vines are treated with pesticide on time and, if all guidelines are followed, the vine is protected from diseases.
Observation shows that its durability against pests and diseases is strong (Chkhaveri, and Nakashidzis Jani). Its durability against oidium, when cultivated, is low and if necessary actions are not taken- such as treatments with sulphur to protect the vine from oidium diseases –the entire harvest can be lost.
Data of the testing station in Telavi (Telavi zone) shows that Mtevandidi is resistant to diseases, which can be explained by dry ecological conditions.
In the Imereti mountains the durability of Mtevandidi against pests and diseases is strong, and that is why it is not spread widely and it provides a low yield. If well treated, Mtevandidi, engrafted on a rootstock is characterized by strong growth-development and regular productivity.
Mtevandidi's durability against phylloxera has been less studied. From rootstock vine types, the best results for Mtevandidi can be brought from hybrids of RipariaXRupestri-3309. Mtevandidi engrafted on this rootstock is characterized by high growth-development..
Mtevandidi is not much bothered by soil condition. It develops successfully in a wide range of elevations.


Nurul Islam Shishu

Nurul Islam Shishu is a retired General of Bangladesh Army, a vetern of Bangladesh Liberation war, and Bangladesh Nationalist Party politician. He served as the Minister of Agriculture under President Ziaur Rahman.
Career.
Shishu had joined the Pakistan Army and reached the rank of Major. He served in the Inter-Services Intelligence. He was sent to East Pakistan to gather information for the ISI; which he deliberately sabotaged by disclosing his affiliation with the intelligence agency. He joined the Mukti Bahini and fought in the Bangladesh Liberation war. After the Independence of Bangladesh, he served as the defence attaché at the Bangladesh Embassy to Myanmar.
In 1976, Shishu served as the Principal Staff Officer to the Chief Martial Law Administrator.
Shishu had helped President Ziaur Rahman form Bangladesh Nationalist Party and oversaw of the recruitment of politicians in the party. He retired from Bangladesh Army, when he was 40, with the rank of Major General.
Shishu served as the Minister of Agriculture in the cabinet of President Ziaur Rahman. After the assassination of Ziaur Rahman, he served as the Secretary General of Bangladesh Nationalist Party while Khaleda Zia was the Chairperson of the Party. He was dismissed from the post of Minister by Hussain Mohammad Ershad.
Shishu moved to Oklahoma, United States in 1991.


La Trinidad Strawberry Farm

The La Trinidad Strawberry Farm is a farm in the town of La Trinidad, Benguet, Philippines primarily used for the cultivation of strawberries. The farm is also open to tourism.
Background.
The strawberry farm is located in Barangay Betag of La Trinidad, Benguet and is owned and maintained by the Benguet State University (BSU). The BSU leases at least lots of the farm to local farmers for strawberry cultivation.
Strawberries are an important part of La Trinidad's economy with the Strawberry Festival held in the town every March.
Production.
The average annual harvest of the farm as of 2018 is harvested by 660 farmers.
Tourism.
The La Trinidad Strawberry Farm is a destination for tourist visiting the town of La Trinidad. According to the Benguet Tourism Office, the strawberry farm is the most visited tourist destination in the province with 538,346 tourist arrivals for the first quarter of 2017.
It is sometimes mistaken to be situated in neighboring Baguio with local vendors selling souvenir and products bearing the name "Baguio" within the vicinity of the farm. This led the municipal government of La Trinidad to come up with a Tourism Code in 2018 encouraging the explicit promotion of the "La Trinidad" name.


HLFS Ursprung

The HLFS (Höhere land- und forstwirtschaftliche Schule) Urspung school is one of a few agricultural schools found in Austria and the flagship agricultural school for all western Austrian states. The school is located in the town of Elixhausen, within the Austrian state of Salzburg.
History.
Ursprung was first mentioned in 1122 CE. It was a small farm near the village of "Ursprinch". Its roots date to a brewery built in 1682. Shortly thereafter, the was constructed and remains part of the school.
The first students enrolled in Klessheim in 1963. In 1968, when the school was finished being built, they completed their studies at Ursprung. In 1985, the school made a big change. The farm switched from conventional agriculture to organic.
First, it was only an agricultural school, but since 1997 there has been a new branch called . After the introduction of the environmental technology branch, more and more girls joined the school. The number of girls increased steadily and today the student body is more than one third female.
As a consequence of the high number of students enrolling, they had to build a second boarding school.
Since the additional implementation of the branch, the number of students has increased further and so there will be a plan for more classrooms and a third boarding school in the near future.
Subjects and projects.
A wide range and variety of subjects are offered at HLFS Urspung along the tracks of three major branches of study: "Umwelttechnik" (Environmental Technology), "Landwirtschaft" (Agriculture), and "Aufbaulehrgang" (Advanced training).
Agricultural.
Because Ursprung is an agricultural school, agricultural subjects are very important. These subjects include:
Academic.
Natural sciences.
Natural sciences are needed to get a basic knowledge of natural processes. This is particularly important because other subjects, like animal breeding or crop growing, are based on them.
Academic subjects, on the other hand, include Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Geography. Furthermore, the school provides a branch of study that is called "environmental technology". In this branch, ways of renewable energy production are presented and the students learn how to calculate energy losses and ways to avoid them.
Economics.
A big part of education at HLFS Ursprung is basic knowledge of the international economy. Students attending Ursprung learn a lot about marketing and accounting due to its importance to farmers. Quality Management, an increasingly important topic to farmers, is also taught in relation to the other economic subjects.
Languages.
German and German History of Literature classes create an important base for many other subjects, but students also learn foreign languages, like English. After two years, students can decide to learn Spanish in addition to the other languages, or specialize in English.
Practice.
Theoretical knowledge is essential, but practice and practical knowledge are even more essential. So, students get the chance to work in every part of the school farm: the cow shed, the forestry shop, the metal and wood workshops, and also in the butchery. The other part of practical education takes place in the laboratory, where students analyze soil, feed, water and many other substances.
Other subjects.
Like every other school, Ursprung has a number of basic subjects like: P.E., religion, and justice. Additionally, Ursprung has a special class for communication and presentation as these skills are increasingly important nowadays.
Matura.
The Matura is the exam for finishing school at Ursprung. It consists of two parts. First, there is the written part, where students can choose between Business Studies or English and German. Then, there is a project week in which they have to solve problems through practical applications and exercises. The questions can be about Livestock Farming, Crop Management, Environmental Management, Chemical Laboratory, Microbiological Laboratory, Business Studies, Agriculture Machinery Technology and Rural Development.
The second part is the oral test where you can choose from the following subjects: German, Applied Mathematics, Crop Management, Livestock Farming, Genetic Engineering, History, Spanish, Environmental Management, Rural Development and Religion.
After passing the exam, there is a mass and the students celebrate their successful completion of the Matura together.
Projects.
There are many projects organized by students or teachers to increase the abilities of organization and teamwork. Through these projects the students have a chance to accrue experiences relating to social skills, learning, motivating and organizing a team, acting as a team leader, or simply recognizing the importance of workers in our society.
Company planning.
The students have to think about a business idea and start a fictional company. Thereafter, they interact with other fictional companies in Austria.
Junior company.
In order to gain more practical experience, the students can also decide to found a "Junior Company", instead of a mock one.
GBT (Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology).
This is also an elective. First, students have a course to get the basics of genetic engineering and biotechnology. Then, one can continue with different projects.
PMA (Project Management).
In general one thinks of a project, which has to be turned into reality in one school year. In 2012, for instance, the school yard was redesigned by students.
Impact.
Every year some students join a course to learn about new agricultural methods or animals. This project lasts about 3 weeks and takes place in different European countries.
Facilities.
The HLFS-Ursprung has many different outdoor and indoor facilities and its own farm where the students learn practical skills.
The gym was built in 1993.
The school has three labs. There is one microbiology lab and two chemistry labs. In these labs, the students practice their theoretical knowledge in chemistry and microbiological processes.
There are two stables, an old one, which was built before the school started and a new one which was built in 2003. The new stable is an exercise pen with access to the outside and includes an automatic feeding station as well as a milking parlour where you can milk six cows at the same time. The old stable is used for breeding pigs, chickens, geese, calves and sheep and the animals have access to the outside as well. In general, there is a focus on animal welfare at the school.
At the butcher shop, the students get insights into the life of a butcher. They learn how to slaughter animals and how to process the meat into different products like sausages or bacon. The produced goods get sold to teachers, students and customers.
In the forge, which was built in 1994, the students learn how to use a welder and how to work with different types of metals. The forge contains a blacksmith workshop, a couple of welding machines and CNC (computerized numerical control) mills as well.
The carpenter’s workshop is another facility at the school where the students learn practical skills.
Today, the school library contains more than 5,000 books and includes all books which the students need for the oral "Matura", or college-entry exam.
Events.
The school is traditional and Christian-orientated, so there are various religious events during the school year. The Austrian way of Thanksgiving, Anklöpfeln, and Advent are celebrated. Due to the mostly rural origin of the students, these events are a fixed part of the school year and it should foster in the students a desire to pass the traditions on to the next generation.
It is one of the biggest events during the whole school year. Due to the fact that HLFS Ursprung is rooted in strong tradition, there is also a mass in school and afterwards all students go to dinner and celebrate together.
This is an old tradition in Ursprung. Students go to the village near school and sing from house-to-house. The money that is collected is given to a charity project.
Celebrating the time before Christmas, the music department of the school invites people to a concert. It is a real atmospherically-charged concert and people enjoy it.
This is a week where the 4th-year-students go to a lake or to an ocean to have a week full of exercising and sport. It also demonstrates how much fun sports can be.
The students have a chance to go skiing and improve their skills for a whole week in Vorarlberg or Tyrol.
The school is part of the"European Network of Innovative Schools". ENIS is a network of European schools, where information technologies are very important. ENIS currently includes 40 partner schools in Austria, which got the certificate because of their special features and project work. HLFS Ursprung is characterized by the implementation of the specified criteria. Exchange of experience and information at the school level is one of the main objectives of this European network.
The "Umweltzeichen" is a certificate which is commissioned by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Education. The HLFS Ursprung in particular has environmental and social responsibility.
The label for schools is not only just about the eco-standard for the school building or the development of a waste management concept, but also to the quality of the learning culture, valuing the social climate at school and the promotion of students’health.
In the kitchen, for example, the food has to be organic, and there is a big animal-welfare priority. The school has to do without chemicals, so cleaners, for instance, are replaced with environmentally-friendly products.
The SLK GesmbH works on the principles of the "European Standard"and they are responsible for the certification. The aim of organic farming is to produce natural foods under consideration and protection of natural resources such as soil and water.These are based on European production guidelines, which are reviewed and certified by independent monitoring bodies such as the SLK (Salzburger Landwirtschaftliche Kontrolle).
The requirement to maintain the label does not end at the school-owned farm, the kitchen too functions according to organic guidelines.
Notable alumni.
Martin Legner was born on 17 December 1961 in Tyrol and is the most successful wheelchair-enabled tennis player in Austria. He has reached the third place in the world ranking list in 2007. The Tyrolian has won eight double titles (six Australian Open titles and two French Open titles) with Robin Ammerlaan since 2000.


Dalmatian (dog)

The Dalmatian is a breed of medium-sized dog, noted for its unique white coat marked with black or liver-colored spots. Originating as a hunting dog, it was also used as a carriage dog in its early days. The origins of this breed can be traced back to Croatia and its historical region of Dalmatia. It is thought that early ancestors of the breed were certain breeds of pointers and a spotted Great Dane. Today, it is a popular family pet and many dog enthusiasts enter Dalmatians into kennel club competitions.
Characteristics.
Body.
The Dalmatian is a medium-sized, well-defined, muscular dog with excellent endurance and stamina. When fully grown, according to the American Kennel Club (AKC) breed standard, it stands from tall. Both the AKC and The Kennel Club in the UK allow height up to but that is not ideal. The outline of the dog should be square when viewed from the side: the body is as long from fore-chest to buttocks as it is tall at the withers, the shoulders are well laid back, the stifle is well bent and the hocks are well let down. The Dalmatian's feet are round with well-arched toes, and the nails are usually white or the same color as the dog's spots. The thin ears taper towards the tip and are set fairly high and close to the head. Accepted eye color varies between brown, amber, or blue, with some dogs having one blue eye and one brown eye.
Coat.
Dalmatian puppies are born with plain white coats and their first spots usually appear within 10 days; however, spots may be visible on their skin from birth. They continue to develop until the dog is around 18 months old. Spots usually range in size from 2 to 6 cm (1.25 to 2.5 in), and are most commonly black or liver on a white background. The liver is the recessive color in dalmatians, meaning that both parents have to "carry" liver to produce liver pups. If both parents are liver, then all puppies will be liver-spotted.
Other colors that occur occasionally but are not desired, include blue (a blue-grayish color), brindle, mosaic, orange or lemon (dark to pale yellow) or tricolored (with black, liver & orange/lemon spots), none are within breed standards. Another coloration fault is a larger solid patch of color, which appears anywhere on the body, but most often on the head, ears, or tail. Patches are visible at birth and are not a group of connected spots; they are identifiable by the smooth edge of the patch.
The Dalmatian coat is usually short, fine, and dense; however, smooth-coated Dalmatians occasionally produce long-coated offspring. Long-coated Dalmatians are not acceptable in the breed standard, but these individuals experience much less shedding than their smooth-coated counterparts, which shed considerably year-round. The standard variety's short, stiff hairs often weave into carpet, clothing, upholstery, and nearly any other kind of fabric and can be difficult to remove. Weekly grooming with a hound mitt or curry can lessen the amount of hair Dalmatians shed, although nothing can completely prevent shedding. Due to the minimal amount of oil in their coats, Dalmatians lack a dog odor ("dog smell") and stay fairly clean relative to many other dog breeds.
Litter size.
Dalmatians usually have litters of six to nine pups, but larger litters of up to 15 puppies are common.
Health.
Like other breeds, Dalmatians display a propensity towards certain health problems specific to their breed, such as deafness, allergies, and urinary stones. Reputable breeders have their puppies BAER (Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response) tested to ensure the status of the hearing on their pups. The Dalmatian Club of America lists the average lifespan of a Dalmatian at between 11 and 13 years, although some can live as long as 15 to 16 years. Breed health surveys in the US and the UK show an average lifespan of 9.9 and 11.55 years, respectively. In their late teens, both males and females may suffer bone spurs and arthritic conditions. Autoimmune thyroiditis may be a relatively common condition for the breed, affecting 11.6% of dogs.
Deafness.
A genetic predisposition for deafness is a serious health problem for Dalmatians; American Dalmatians exhibit a prevalence for bilateral congenital sensoneural deafness of 8%, (for which there is no possible treatment), compared with 5.3% for the UK population. Deafness was not recognized by early breeders, so the breed was thought to be unintelligent. Many breeders, when hearing testing started to become the norm, were amazed to discover that they had uni hearing dogs. Even after recognizing the problem as a genetic fault, breeders did not understand the dogs' nature, and deafness in Dalmatians continues to be a frequent problem.
Researchers now know deafness in albino and piebald animals is caused by the absence of mature melanocytes in the inner ear. This may affect one or both ears. The condition is also common in other canine breeds that share a genetic propensity for light pigmentation. This includes, but is not limited to Bull Terriers, Dogo Argentinos, Poodles, Boxers, Border Collies and Great Danes.
Typically, only dogs with bilateral hearing are bred, although those with unilateral hearing, and even dogs with bilateral deafness, make fine pets with appropriate training. The main difference you will notice in a dog with uni hearing is that they do not have directional hearing. They can hear you, just not which direction you are in. The Dalmatian Club of America's position on deaf pups is that they should not be used for breeding, and that humane euthanasia may be considered as an "alternative to placement". The British Dalmatian Club recommends only purchasing pups who are BAER tested, and requests all members to provide BAER testing results of their puppies so that the true deafness statistics can be looked at.
It has been proved that it is the inheritance of the extreme piebald gene that causes blue eyes. It is therefore frowned upon to breed from blue-eyed Dalmatians even if they are fully hearing. Blue-eyed Dalmatians are not typically shown in the UK.
Hip Dysplasia.
Even though there is no evidence nor statistically relevant data to suggest that Hip dysplasia is another disease that affects dalmatians, some blogs say that it affects nearly 5% of purebred Dalmatians, causing those to experience limping, fatigue, moderate to severe pain, and trouble standing up. Even though, this data isn't available, it is believed that Dalmatians who eventually develop hip dysplasia are born with normal hips, but the soft tissues surrounding the joint grow abnormally due to their genetic make-up. The disease may affect both hips, or only the right or left hip, leading afflicted dogs to walk or run with an altered gait. The most cited scientific report about canine hip dysplasia doesn't include Dalmatians among the breeds usually affected by that disease.
Hyperuricemia.
Dalmatians, like humans, can suffer from hyperuricemia. Dalmatians' livers have trouble breaking down uric acid, which can build up in the blood serum (hyperuricemia) causing gout. Uric acid can also be excreted in high concentration into the urine, causing kidney stones and bladder stones. These conditions are most likely to occur in middle-aged males. Males over 10 are prone to kidney stones and should have their calcium intake reduced or be given preventive medication. To reduce the risk of gout and stones, owners should carefully limit the intake of purines by avoiding giving their dogs food containing organ meats, animal byproducts, or other high-purine ingredients. Hyperuricemia in Dalmatians responds to treatment with orgotein, the veterinary formulation of the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase.
Dalmatian-Pointer Backcross Project.
Hyperuricemia in Dalmatians (as in all breeds) is inherited, but unlike other breeds, the "normal" gene for a uric acid transporter that allows for uric acid to enter liver cells and be subsequently broken down is not present in the breed's gene pool. Therefore, there is no possibility of eliminating hyperuricemia among pure-bred Dalmatians. The only possible solution to this problem must then be crossing Dalmatians with other breeds to reintroduce the "normal" uric acid transporter gene. This led to the foundation of the Dalmatian-Pointer Backcross Project, which aims to reintroduce the normal uric acid transporter gene into the Dalmatian breed. The backcross used a single English Pointer; subsequent breedings have all been to purebred Dalmatians. This project was started in 1973 by Dr. Robert Schaible. The first cross (F1) hybrids did not resemble Dalmatians very closely. The F1s were then crossed back to purebreds. This breeding produced puppies of closer resemblance to the pure Dalmatian. By the fifth generation in 1981, they resembled purebreds so much, Dr. Schaible convinced the AKC to allow two of the hybrids to be registered as purebreds. Then AKC President William F. Stifel stated, "If there is a logical, scientific way to correct genetic health problems associated with certain breed traits and still preserve the integrity of the breed standard, it is incumbent upon the American Kennel Club to lead the way." The Dalmatian Club of America's (DCA) board of directors supported this decision, however it quickly became highly controversial among the club members. A vote by DCA members opposed the registration of the hybrids, causing the AKC to ban registration to any of the dog's offspring.
At the annual general meeting of the DCA in May 2006, the backcross issue was discussed again by club members. In June of the same year, DCA members were presented with an opportunity to vote on whether to reopen the discussion of the Dalmatian Backcross Project. The results of this ballot were nearly 2:1 in favor of re-examining support of the project by the DCA. This has begun with the publication of articles presenting more information both in support of and questioning the need for this project. In July 2011, the AKC agreed to allow registration of backcrossed Dalmatians.
In 2010, the UK Kennel Club registered a backcrossed Dalmatian called Ch. Fiacre’s First and Foremost. Several restrictions were imposed on the dog. Although the dog is at least 13 generations removed from the original Pointer cross, its F1 to F3 progeny will be marked on registration certificates with asterisks (which "indicate impure or unverified breeding",) no progeny will be eligible to be exported as pedigrees for the next five years, and all have to be health tested. UK Dalmatian breed clubs have objected to the decision by the Kennel Club.
The Dalmatian Heritage Project.
The Dalmatian Heritage Project began in 2005. The goal of the project is to preserve and improve the Dalmatian breed by breeding parent dogs with the following traits:
All puppies in the Heritage Project are descendants of Dr. Robert Schaible's parent line. Today, "Dr. Schaible’s line produces the only Dalmatians in the world today that are free of a metabolic defect that can lead to urinary tract problems."
History.
The FCI recognized Croatia as its country of origin, citing several historical sources.
The first known written information about Dalmatian dog is from 1374, when Bishop of Đakovo, Peter mentions hunting dog from Croatia, mostly from Dalmatia with short white hair and black round spots on various parts of the body, and he called him "Canis Dalmaticus".
The first illustrations of the dog have been found in Croatia: an altar painting in Veli Lošinj dating to 1600–1630, and a fresco in Zaostrog. The first documented descriptions of the Dalmatian () trace back to the early 18th century and the archives of the Archdiocese of Đakovo, where the dog was mentioned and described as "Canis Dalmaticus" in the church chronicles from 1719 by Bishop Petar Bakić and then again by church chronicles of Andreas Keczkeméty in 1739. In 1771, Thomas Pennant described the breed in his book "Synopsis of Quadrupeds", writing that the origin of the breed is from Dalmatia, he referred to it as "Dalmatian". The book by Thomas Bewick "A General History of Quadrupeds" published in 1790 refers to the breed as "Dalmatian or Coach Dog".
During the Regency period, the Dalmatian became a status symbol trotting alongside the horse-drawn carriages and those with decorative spotting were highly prized. For this reason, the breed earned the epithet 'the Spotted Coach Dog.' The breed was also used to guard the stables at night.
The breed had been developed and cultivated chiefly in England. The first unofficial standard for the breed was introduced by an Englishman Vero Shaw in 1882. In 1890 with the formation of the first Dalmatian Club in England the standard became official. When the dog with the distinctive markings was first shown in England in 1862, it was said to have been used as a guard dog and companion to the nomads of Dalmatia. The breed's unique coat became popular and widely distributed over the continent of Europe beginning in 1920. Its unusual markings were often mentioned by the old writers on cynology.
Duties.
The roles of this breed are as varied as their reputed ancestors. They were used as hunting dogs, dogs of war, guarding the borders of Dalmatia. To this day, the breed retains a high guarding instinct; although friendly and loyal to those the dog knows and trusts, it is often aloof with strangers and unknown dogs. Dalmatians have a strong hunting instinct and are an excellent exterminator of rats and vermin. In sporting, they have been used as bird dogs, trail hounds, retrievers, or in packs for wild boar or stag hunting. Their dramatic markings and intelligence have made them successful circus dogs throughout the years.
Dalmatians are perhaps best known for working for the firefighters for their role as firefighting apparatus escorts and firehouse mascots. Since Dalmatians and horses are very compatible, the dogs were easily trained to run in front of the carriages to help clear a path and quickly guide the horses and firefighters to the fires.
Dalmatians are often considered to make good watchdogs, and they may have been useful to fire brigades as guard dogs to protect a firehouse and its equipment. Fire engines used to be drawn by fast and powerful horses, a tempting target for thieves, so Dalmatians were kept in the firehouse as deterrence to theft.
In popular culture.
Firefighting.
Dalmatians are associated with firefighting, particularly in the United States. In the days of horse-drawn fire engines, dogs would guard the horses, who could easily become uncomfortable at the scene of a fire. Dalmatians were a popular breed for this job, due to their natural affinity to horses and history of being used as carriage dogs. This role became unnecessary once horse-drawn fire engines were replaced with steam and diesel powered ones. Due to its history, the Dalmatian often serves as a mascot for the fire service, and is still chosen by many firefighters as a pet. The Dalmatian is also the mascot of the Pi Kappa Alpha International Fraternity, which has been associated with firefighting.
Anheuser-Busch.
The Dalmatian is also associated, particularly in the United States, with Budweiser beer and the Busch Gardens theme parks, since the Anheuser-Busch company's iconic beer wagon, drawn by a team of Clydesdale horses, is always accompanied by a Dalmatian.
The company maintains several teams at various locations, which tour extensively. Dalmatians were historically used by brewers to guard the wagon while the driver was making deliveries.
"101 Dalmatians".
The Dalmatian breed experienced a massive surge in popularity as a result of the 1956 novel "The Hundred and One Dalmatians" written by British author Dodie Smith, and later due to the two Walt Disney films based on the book. The Disney animated film, released in 1961, later spawned a 1996 live-action remake, "101 Dalmatians". In the years following the release of the sequel "102 Dalmatians", the breed suffered greatly at the hands of irresponsible breeders and inexperienced owners. Many well-meaning enthusiasts purchased Dalmatians—often for their children—without educating themselves on the breed and the responsibilities that come with owning such a high-energy dog breed. Dalmatians were abandoned in large numbers by their original owners and left with animal shelters. As a result, Dalmatian rescue organizations sprang up to care for the unwanted dogs and find them new homes. AKC registrations of Dalmatians decreased 90% during the 2000–2010 period.


Akhmerovsky Forest

Akhmerovsky Forest (, ) is a forest in the northwestern part of Ishimbaysky District of Bashkortostan (Russia). It covers an area of 15 km² and is located approximately 18 km from Sterlitamak and 21 km from Ishimbay.
The principal tree species in Akhmerovsky Forest are oak and lime.


Universal Cooperatives

Universal Cooperatives, based in Eagan, Minnesota, was a cooperative controlled by 17 regional agricultural marketing and agricultural supply cooperatives. The distribution system included 110 regional feed mills, 26 warehouses, and 7 research farms. The company was formed November 1, 1972 by a merger of United Cooperatives, Inc. of Alliance, Ohio and National Cooperatives, Inc. of Albert Lea, Minnesota. The companies had inter-mixed ownership, leading to merger discussion, and eventual merger. On May 11, 2014, Universal Cooperatives, Inc. and its domestic subsidiaries filed for voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
United Cooperatives, Inc..
United Cooperatives began in 1930 as Farm Bureau Oil Company, and changed its name in 1936. Founding members include:
National Cooperatives, Inc..
National Cooperatives was founded in 1933 by
Brands.
Universal owns the CO-OP brand, which is used on tires, batteries, farm chemicals, animal health products, twine, and lubricants. It distributes tires through the Mr. Tire chain.


Colin Clark (politician)

Colin James Clark (born 20 May 1969) is a former Scottish Conservative politician who served as the Member of Parliament for Gordon from 8 June 2017 until 6 November 2019, shortly prior to the 2019 general election, at which he was unseated by the Scottish National Party (SNP) candidate Richard Thomson by a narrow majority of 819 votes.
He had previously contested the East Aberdeenshire constituency at the 2016 Holyrood elections, and finished second to the SNP's Gillian Martin with a 29% share of the vote. Clark was elected to Aberdeenshire Council in a 2016 by-election and re-elected in May 2017, shortly before the 2017 snap general election at which he was elected as the MP for Gordon with a majority of 2,607 votes over Alex Salmond of the SNP, a former First Minister of Scotland.
Clark worked in business and agriculture until his election to the House of Commons.
He was educated at Turriff Academy, a comprehensive school and Heriot-Watt University.
In January 2019, he was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). He also sat on the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Backbench Committee. On 27 July 2019, he was appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland and a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury in the first Johnson ministry.
Clark was blocked by Ruth Davidson from running in the 2021 Scottish Parliament election.


Hadar Am

Hadar Am (, "lit." Nation Citrus) is a moshav in central Israel. Located in the Sharon plain near Netanya, it falls under the jurisdiction of Hefer Valley Regional Council. In it had a population of .
History.
The moshav was founded in 1934 by Jewish immigrants from Lithuania and North America, and was initially named Herut America Gimel (there were two other settlements named Herut America - "Herut America Alef" (now Herut) and "Herut America Bet" (now Beit Herut)) after the organisation which helped them immigrate. In 1943 it was renamed "Hadar Am" after citrus trees which surrounded the village. The founders were later joined by more immigrants from the Netherlands.