FARM NOTES.

Franklin Times, Volume 10, Issue 797, 5 January 1923, Page 8

FARM NOTES.

Clearing Bush Land. The average bush is a much easier proposition than the timbered land. Anytime during the summer can be chosen for the work. The large bushes should be pulled out by chain. Sometimes, if two or three bushes are close together, by fastening the chain around them they can be taken out at once. (The bushes will come out better if the soil is damp, but it should not be damp enough to hinder the horses in getting around. Any logs and stumps should also be moved at this time. If the logs are very heavy for the horses, it would be well in putting the chain on, to give it a half roll and drive the horses so ’as to pull the log sideways. Once the log is moved it is usually easy for the horses to drag it away. There will always be good deal of light brush which need not be taken out by the roots, can be cut with the bush hook, either before or after the bigger bushes are pulled out. Where there are trees intermixed, they can be chopped off stump high, or grubbed out. . Just when is the best time for burning is hard to say. A good plan is to light one pile when it is dry, and if it burns well, it would be all right to go ahead and fire with the rest. In doing this it is well to start at the furthest edge of the clearing from the wind, light each pile on the side towards the wind. By-' so doing there will be less danger of the fire spreading, and the wind will have a chance to drive the fire into the piles. Each pile can be started from lighted brands from the previous fire. These can be carried) from pile to pile by a long handlecj. pitch fork. The fork can also be used to “brand up” the piles when they are about burnt out. By “brand 0 up’" is meant to throw together any scatter portions of the pile so that nothing will remain after the fire but ashes. In > case there/ is some unburnt wood after the fire is over, it can be thrown on the ploughed land with other roots and sticks ,turned up during the preaking.

To do the best work use a breaker plobgh and keep the coulter sharp. It makes very liitle difference whether the breaking is done ifi the fall or the spring, that is so far as the crop is concerrycd. Therq have been equally good results on either. For the sake of, convenience it would preferable to break the land in the fall, rolling and discing it if possible. . This would save time the following spring. Cultivation. In the cultivation of breaking it is essential tfat the first discing is done lengthwise with the furrow and the discs should be set at a moderate bite. This is so as to prevent the furrow from being flopped hack the wrong wgy. Usually three discings with alternate draggings will be sufficient preparation for a seed bed. The first discings and dragging is done lengthwise with the furrow, the second is done crosswise, and. the third discing and dragging is often done diagonally. The cultivation after seeding will depend on whether the seed is drilled in or sown broadcast. —f ABOUT MILK FEVER AND CAKED UDDER. There are a few points in connection with the treatment of cows that have just freshened that will go a long yvay to remove .danger or ill effects to the cow. Caked udder need not be feared, no matter how greatly extended the udder may be so long as all the quarters milk out freely and so long as there are no hard, feverish spots. Where such exist they can be reduced by rubbing with hot water, which is safer and more efficient’ as a preventive measure* than many other recommended treatments, a A careful massaging following the application of hot water is also to be recommended. The question of milk fever, which was such a bugbear with dairy farmers a few years ago, has little terror for the up-to-date farmer to-day. l,The usual practice of leaving the udder .distended with milk for the first two or three days after calving is a most efficient thod. This does not mean that the cow should not be milked, rather that she should not be igiilked dry ; merely enough taken away to remove undue pressure. After a few days the danger pf, milk fever is over and the udder can be milked out clean. All of the cases of milk fever that have come to our attention in recent years have been traceable to the misiake of taking all of themilk away from the cow shortly aften calving. One of the mostcommon mistakes that leads to udder trouble is trying to give full feed shortly after freshening, and here lies one of the advantages of heavy feeding before rather than after freshening. At this critical time the cow should be in such a condit-

ion that she can stand considerable drain on her system through the production of milk and thus allow a complete adjustment of her functions before being called upon to exert herself by digesting large quantities of food. After a week or so, when she has become normal in all respects, is ‘“plenty G f time to greatly increase the grain ration, and even then this increase should not be greater than a#pound a day. In fact the sow should not receive more than from two to fouij pounds of grain for the first two or three days and this should be of a cooling, laxative nature.