FARMERS’ COLUMN.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2125, 6 July 1907, Page 4

FARMERS’ COLUMN.

A straw-stack placed in tho cow paddock or the stockyard (writes a contributor to a contemporary) docs not provido sufficient food for a milk cow. They will live on it, and that is about all. I may add that I find that a patch of kale or cabbage, or both, provides capital feeding for tho beginning of winter, while tlio roots are coming to maturity.

RINGING FRUIT TREES. The practice of ringing the bark of a fruit tree to induce fruitfulness was known to the ancients, says a writer in tlio Journal of Horticulture, but, although they knew it to br effectual in certain cases, it is improbable that they possessed a clear idea of why it was so. Plant physiologists, however, now clearly understand the point, and, to put the matter briefly, the following may bo given as the cause: —The ascending sap goes up in the young or heart wood, and, after being elaborated in the leaves, passes downward in the bark, feeding every growing part in its passage, and going down to the roots to assist in their development too. When a ring of bark is removed, the ascending sap is, therefore, not hindered ill its course, but the elaborated sap, in its downward course, is stopped at the point allure the bark-lias been removed. If, therefore, the lyirk is ringed early in spring, the rich, elaborated sap is distributed more freely for a time in the branches, but, as the roots are not to any extent supplied with elaborated sap, they do not increase in strength during the season; consequently there is a diminished upward flow, which checks growth, and the elaborated sap held up in the branches becomes thicker and richer, and tends to the formation of blossom buds. If the ring is a narrow one. about fin in width, the young bark is made during the summer, which connects the two cut portions, and the following year the sap flows under almost normal conditions. If, however, a wide strip of hark is removed, the tree invariably dies, because the roots, being cut from the elaborated sap for too long a time, gradually get weaker and weaker. The practice of ringing is not to be generally recommended, because the bark around opens the door for an attack of canker and other fungoid diseases: hut under some circumstances ringing may be turned to good account. For instance, when it is difficult to get at the roots of a very votin''' tree, or when one branch of a tiee is exceptionally strong and the others ivoak. Slitting tho bark of a bark-bonnd tree Is sometimes a commendable practice, but sometimes trees arc slashed about indiscriminately, the

oporator having no real knowledge as to why ho is doing it; A voiiug, vigorous tree, having, freely expanding bark, should novel’ be so treated. Tho practico can only serve a useful purpose wlion a comparatively young troo lias, through uny kind of chock, become so tougli. and fibrous m tho bark that it caiinot expand freely. Tlio bark is then liko an iron band around tlio troo, and prosses so closely upon tlio wood colls that they are unable to expand freely. In such casos a few longtitudinal slits made in tho bark in spring will enable it to stretch, and now tissuo .will bo formed to fill tlie cavity. AVhilo atree is young and lioalthy tho bark stretches liko on olastic band; the wood colls are thus able to exiiand at will. As tho troo gets older tho bark has less' and loss capacity for stretching, until it reaches a stage when it call expand no longer; but if the troo is healthy tho outor bark cracks and forms scales, which gradually pool off; thus the treo is kept from; becoming;bark bound, or, as it is sometimese called, hide bound. On the question of latent buds, tlie writer remarks that wlion a large treo is cut back to a point whore tlio stem is apparently quite freo from buds, it breaks into very strong growth, sueli growth being sont out from what is known as latent buds. If one removed tho bark diroctl- tlio tree was cut down, beneath the baric the latent buds would be visible, and could bo traced back through several layers of wood. They were formed long ago, but being less advantageously iilaced than other buds on the tree, had remained dormant, ami wero gradually covered with bark.

FARMERS’ FOWLS

Tho farmer (savs tho Poultry Bulletin), with that fine disregard for what he is pleased to term feathering,” most resolutely sots lus face against anything in tho lino of a reliable pure-bred strain, and 'infects the nondescript for his poultry requirements, arguing all the while that fowls are far too unimportant to engage his attention or make serious calls on liis giant intellect. In tho rare casos wherein he unbends from this cast-iron mode of procedure and deigns to invest in a pen of pure-bred stock, his notions of economy impel him to secure the cheapest quality available, and he is thus saddled with specimens decidedly inferior to his ordinary farm-rais-lCl Give if'good stock, of creditable productiveness, there is no reason why the farming community should not raise poultry culture to the position of tho most lucrative undertaking on their holdings and derive a considerable amount of both pleasure an 1 profit from tho raising of stock of tlie highest quality. Before this desirable consummation is over brought about they will require to live down tlieir prejudice against show birds and decide to become a shade more liberal-minded ill regal’d to tho figure that is necessary to sooure satisfactory’ foundation stock. They will, moreover, require to erect suitable buildings and maintain their flocks on a bettor footing to secure satisfactory results and conduct their poultry-raising business on systematic and comniercial-liko lines. Ilie extra advantage derivable from a close study of tho market for farm products—with a view of obtainin'the best possible price—is well understood by them, and the same system must be practised i n connection with terms are aimed at. Haphazard methods of sending eggs or fowls to market have never yet succeeded, both fowls and eggs if satisfactory nor will they ever succeed in regard to those any more than to other classes of products. Equally with his brother breeder in tho suburbs, tlie farmer must employ intellectual" efforts in improving and developing his stock along most desirable lines, and add to tlieir productiveness by persistent and painstaking selection. He must be keen ti discover tho best layers in tlie flock, with a view of arranging for their reproduction, and equally keen on locating tlie drones to permit of tlieir being got rid of at tlie earliest possible moment. Extra, large, or specially choice table birds, should also engage his attention relative to tlie best methods for their perpetuation. and all specimens intended for market should he yarded separately and fed in a liberal manner to ensure highest market value being pbtained when sent forward for disposal. These are the details that count in a mQn,ey-making programme, and that have served to bring into pro-'' minenco tlie names of the leading breeders throughout the world. At a .minimum expenditure of time and cash farmers are afforded the opportunity of thus placing their operations on sound and satisfactory lines, and would, in consequence, be speedill convinced that given a fair show poultry would prove tho most valuable asset on the farm.

WOOLBROKER’S ADVICE RE GROWING OR WOOL.

When all the different arguments regarding wool-growing are analysed, it must be admitted that after all the manufacturer is the best judge of what suits his purpose; and the wool broker, being the medium through whom he procures his supplies, is in consequence best able to advise his clients how to grow the staple that will command most competition at the sales. Wool of an attractive appearance always commands competition, and every grower of the staple is fully alive to tile value of an extra bidder when his clip is passing under fine hammer. To ensure that extra bidder for their wool, growers cannot do better than follow tlio excellent advice given ky Messrs Dalgety and Co. (Ltcl.), the largest firm of wool brokers in tho world, iii the annual wool circular issued by their Melbourne house. On page 35 they state, with reference to the effect of a scientificallyprepared sheep dip oil the growing fleece, as follows—viz. : ‘After using Quibell’s Dip the results are —Clean sheep; wool not rubbed or matted; better lustre (a considerable point when wool is opened up for sale); bulkier clip; more wool and more mquqy pier pound; larger cheque;—natural result of cause and effect.”

Such advice, coming from a firm of the undoubted authority as Messrs Dalgotv and Co. on all matters relating to first-class wool, should provo interesting to every sheepowner.