GENERAL ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1504, 29 July 1912, Page 8

GENERAL ITEMS.

At Mokau a horse died recently from some (mysterious complaint, which resisted nil. tho customary remedies. A postmortem examination showed that death was due to a large quantity of sand (nearly 1 cwt.) in the stomach. ■ . • Several young Shorthorn bulls of milking strain, uy uib champion Emblem of Horbaiara, havo usan placed this week by tlie i)aroaiara Estate, says the Sydney '"iciegrapii" ot Jmy \itl. One has gone to Aew Zealand, aaocher and a heiier to Air. Waiter Stiies, of Kanoona, jjega, and two more io tue ltodalln Estate. There is a growing opinion among local dairymen that the past season win prove to have oeen abnormal as'regards results trom bultermaUiiig and cheesoniaking respectively, and tnai the law of supply and demand will soon equalise prices, again. It this view should ue correct, the directors of tho big dual plant factories will head all their, cleverness to show a return lor the huge expenditure of capital that is taking place (says the Stratford correspondent ol the "Taranaki Herald"), lie acids that probably the best result over a term of years will be achieved by the factory that has, and keeps, a rule to males butter in spring aad autumn, anc£ cheese in the Hush. The market is a r wi!l-o'-th'-wisp, and the choice lends to perdition." The quality claims on New Zealand shiiep tnis season, also on lambs, have, says the London correspondent of the "l'astoralists' itsview," licen few and far between; ot course, in such a good market as we have had one does not hear much about such matters. With regard to the carriage of frozen mutton, a report from Sniithfield is to the effect that there have been many complaints of sheep being badly treated at some stage of their career; legs broken, the "bark stripped off, giving the carcasses a ragged appearance, a. point which does not improve the selling value. Mr. C. French, senr., ,who recently retired from the position of Victorian. State Entomologist, is being dispatched hurriedly to England to represent the States of Victoria, Js'ew South Wales, and South Australia at two conferences to be held' there towards the end of next mouth. The first of these will be the International Entomological Congress at Oxford, ' and the second will be a special conference summoned by the Imperial authorities to discuss the plan of campaign to be pursued by the Imperial Committco recently appointed to carry out an extensive investigation of tho noxious insects •which occur in tho various parts of the British Empire. Among other improvements for live stock at the show of the Queensland National Agricultural and Industrial Association, Brisbane, will bo a hospital for cows, particularly those in milk and near calving. A stallion, Hegira, is still in active service in New York State at the age of thirty, years. The fourth annual report of the Grey-town-Wairarapa Fruitgrowing Co., Ltd., states that the trees in the lirst fifty acres planted are all in excellent condition, and a. consitlerable number of oases of apples sold this year. It is expected that a handsome return of fruit will bo obtained the coming season. The shelter trees are also making rapid growth, and the cross belts are growing well. In addition to the fllty acres, the directors planted sixty acres, broken up last year, and report that the trees are all growing well. The retiring directors are Messrs. Murray and Loasby, who aro eligible for re-election. Hides and skins, according to'the "Pastoralists' Review,"' can lie well tanned by the following process:—Take a quantity of alum and place it along with- a small quantity of water in an old iron pot, and burn it over the fire until it gets to a dry while cake; pound tilts to a powder and put in a tin with perforated top. l'ill another tin (perforated top) with lino common salt. Skin the animal, lay the skin out, and sprinkle the flesh side well with tho alum and rub it'in; then sprinkle salt over the alum sufficiently to cover it with about an equal quantity." Koll the skin up from head to tail, and leave it for from three to six days, according to size and thickness of skin. It should then be ready unless the skin is very large, when ten days might be needed. It only needs stretching, rubbing, and pulling about to make quite soft and pliable. Success is quite an easy thing to obtain when you go after it in the right way. Mangatoki, Eltham, and other Dairy Factories have gone in for greater success by installing "Victor" Vats. If you want to make the coming season the best yet, place your order for "Victor" Vats now. No time should bo lost as a large number of Vats has been ordered for' early delivery. Albert J. Pnrton, manufacturer, Carterton.—Advt.