Farm and Garden.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 410, 17 March 1904, Page 2

Farm and Garden.

~ . Original ARTiotffj mi B''^l^%a -ohiokflns ' be found very profitable by moat '-ohiblsei raisers. Coops are used '"" very'largely in England and have been adopted successfully by the Canadian Government. The coop may be divided into three parte, which will hold a dozen ehickens. These coops are built of laths and one inch square pieces for the framework. Each part is two feet; long, sixteen iaohessiwide, and.twenty jnohea, high;, which experiments have shown to be the beet size, The coops are placed out of doors in the shade, either under trees or in an open shed, but in inclement weather should be placed in a shed. A small Y-shaped trough ia used to hold the feed, and water is supplied in a cup which maybe fastened to the Blate. Young chickens from four to six months of age are commonly used forfattening; about four are placed in each coop where they are fed three times daily, as much as they can e&t of'ground grain—chiefly bate. At or near the end of .the period of fattening, which lasts from four to six weeks, a little fatty matter, such as mutton fat, is added to the feed, whioh at ail times is mixed with Bkimmilk." 'ln a Itriial 'with' a hundred chidkß it -war found' 'ttfaV doubled in weight in thirty-six days of feeding. While the increase in weight .was,, nearly one hundred per cent... that gain was mostly of flesh. Three chickens dressed before fattening weighed, with feathers off, eight pounds six ounces. After the period; of,* : fattening three chickens of the same quality at the start, weighed, with feathers off, sixteen pounds four ounces, their- bones, one pound eleven ounces. ..Nojb only wasJthere a gain of about two hundred per cent ia edible meat, but also it was of muoh better fuaiity; v If all fowls, for .sale, were fattej| for the,market by being confined ia 660p8 of thiskmd for a month, and fed in a similar manner, they would return a much higher price; Any breed or variety of standard brad poultry will, if proparly handled, do, well ? and .return a profit for their keep.r\Jf as bare'and attention were bestowed'on feeding and care as on the question of the best fowls to keep, better results would be obtained, , ■ c> f ' ;: ; n K ii v %a(S ' I

PLANTING AND CASE OR, THE Make haste slowly is a very good motto for a man .who contemplates planting an orchard. Some use two and three year old trees, thinking they will bear quickly. That is a mistake, if the trees have been obtained frpm a nursery where they have, been grown in a. crowded condition, the severest pruning rarely makes them what they should be< ; K the; trees are pur- r chased one should go to' the nursery and" select the yearling trees themselves and 'see'that every.• one jb &b ) straight as a whip, and prefer whole root grafts, and i select those varieties * which bear fruit freely in your locality., After the fruit trees, have been selected they should be planted oh land protected from? the West and/ South winds as much! as possible. Checkj off the ground in squares- forty, feet each way for-apples, and plant at the intersections; of division lines. '.Peaches, pears, cherries, &s,,.can be planted twice as thick in the row with the rows half the distance apart. Dig a hole four feet in. diameter and "about two feet deep, being 1 careful to keep the surface and'the subsoil separate. After the tree is-' placed in the hole, put in the surface soil first, after carefully spreading- the roots direction. Place- the larger-roots in the direction of the prevailing winds. Press the soil firmly about them.'.Put on the subsoil last and press down with the foot. Spring is the best'time-to Bet trees of any kind; watch their growth carefully and when a branch" starts to form where hot desired, pinch it off. I would start the lowest limb about four feet from the ground.' 'The next limb- should be on the opposite side of the tree and about fire feet from the ground;* the other limbs may. be allowed to branch in, various directions. When the limbs are a foot or so long or in proper proportion to the height of the tiee,, keep them pinched off so that-the main;growth 'will go jntio the b6dy or the Irees; The best time' to train a tree is when the trees are young. The owner should never go into hia orchard without his knife, and never allow,any one there with one. Corn is a good, crop to raise in,' a .young orchard, as it protects the young trees from 'the rays of the sub, and the stalks in 'autumn'-make an excellent protection against rabbits, &o. Cut five or six straight, stalks into four foot lengths, place them.. About the tree, and tie them at the top Shd bottom; do that early in the autumn, for if. neglected it might result in the distraction of the. finest trees. j s£§

.CULTIVATING GRAPES. ; 1,, t or setting grape Jvu&sHtis«beEt to plough;, as deep as two gootl'horses oan ? dratr : tE© ? plbugh. Then; after thoroughly dragging and harrowing,' the land is furrowed out where the grape vines are .to} be ■ss, ja; deep running. : twb-horse v plbugn*. A~*commercial ] ferT tilisei is recommended, of which bone meal should form the greatest portion. The fertiliser may be .used in the proportion of about eight hundred pounds to an acre oOandu; and is distributed theientire length of the furrow. The loose dirt ia scooped out where.the vines are to be set, and the holes made the required depth., Only two buds are allowed., to.?, start the., first seas*6n/-the Wmalnder being "rubbed' off« The second- first seajotfa growth is cut ;baote?(io' wire should be stretched along each row. and the vines fcechto it. v " After the buds start the weaker ones are rubbed off) and those that remain are trained to the wire;' Xn that way a straight permanent cane ia secured. Other wires are added as neces.' Bary'uhtii'therePare* or sometimes; fbur;wires. ? Severe* is advised, which usually results in the vines beisg loaded with a fine crop of fruit each year j and in addition there is a good crop of wood. Strong twins should be used for tying the canes. , It m. important that t$» t ground"is thoroughly' prepared before 4b!a t vines are planted ; also in planting leave plenty of room at the ends of the rows in which to turn around. Posts or stiokß , should be; sharpened before driving them j Ithe vines should be work done; ; ! The vines'' shduld be growth!>bei6re> ? forcing them to yield -a large crop every mus off; to plant .too; many .yaiietieSj'for: commercial ...use, ,and one 'should always select'those kin'd* that are known to succeed urthat particularlbcality in which'one resides.; The vineyard should have tboroogh cultivation, pruning, and sQceafiioßsii ftppjw&ticm?©f fertilisers ; some varieties of vines require, more pare than, others, which growers , must ascertain themselves by One variety * may rehire flsldse' pruning, whilst another variety must not be pruned •too.severely,-..-: .-,.,, i <v,\-.. ' .