HINTS FOR FARMERS.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2092, 6 November 1880, Page 3

HINTS FOR FARMERS.

Outwitting thb Bibds.—Tho Chapman correspondent of the " Ararat Advertiser," after stating that the bulk of the crops has been got in under very favourable circumstances, and is coming up nice and strong, observes: —" The birds still pull up the young shoots, notwithstanding the seed having been dressed with gas tar, a process which has been adopted by nearly all the farmers this season ■with the hope of preventing these pests meddling with, the sown grain. It would appear, however, that after the seed is a few days in the ground the smell, and probably the taste, of the tar disappears, and they eat it up as of old, and shooting has to be resorted to. A rather novel and inexpensive plan, suggested by Mr Poison, has been tried here to get rid of the plague, and so far has proved a success. A kite is kept flying over the field, and birds of all kinds skedaddle in every direction. A Hint on Butthb-haking.—Butter-making begins with the cow; one cannot make the best butter from a poor cow. There are cows from which the best dairymen and dairy women will fail to get good butter, especially in the winter time. One may be sure of success (aays the " Town and Country Journal") if he has a good pure-bred or grade Jersey or Ayrshire or Guernsey cow, and some native cows will make equally good butter. But some will not, and the best of them are improved by a crocs of either of the above pure-breeds. The dairyman, then, who would excel in producing fine butter in the winter time, should weed out from his herd every cow whose cream is white or spooky, or apt to become bitter, or that may sometimes foam in the churn. He should also have fresh cows, for the cream from a fresh cow will be of a much higher color than that from a farrow cow, or even from one that has been milking three or four months. Having made a selection of cows, the next thing in order is to feed them on the right food, to seoure firm, hard, yellow butter, having the waxy grain and high nutty flavor so essential.

Thb "New York World " says —"Potato water, or water in which potatoes have been boiled, is now recommended in various quarters as not only an effective, but an immediate remedy for lice on cows or other cattle, also for ticks. The affected parts are bathed with the potato water. One application is generally sufficient. This remedy (if remedy it proves) has the merit of being exceedingly simple, and is employed without injury to the cattle."

Bibd Poison.—The following is an approved reoipo for bird poisoning. Three ounces of strychnine to six bushels of broken wheat. Dissolve the stryohnine in a few drops of spirits of salts diluted with water. The grain to be steeped in as much water as will steep the grain in a copper on the fire. The stryohnine to be added and kept well stirred until the whole is nearly dry. Remarks : Put the quantity of strychnine dissolved in as much boiling water as the wheat will soak up, and then add the wheat and put on the fire again, and get it dried. Of course you can make any quantity in proportion. A Good Pig.—We would not speak of any particular breed, but would generalise, as what can be said of a good pig of one breed holds equally good of one from another breed, if we except the size, shapo, position of ears, tail, &c, and marking. A good pig is one that has the smallest proportionable amount of offal, whose nose, feet, and tail are shortest, generally speaking, and smallest, consistent with proper locomotion, &o. A good pig is one that has heavy broad hams, good deep chest, showing a healthy constitution, which has a quiet disposition, yet one which is always ready to get a square meal, and which can digest and assimilate all it eats in the quickest possible space of time without impairing the digestive organs. We do not want a pig which has a small appetite, but one that eats all that is given to it with an evident appetite. The profit consists in getting your grain and other food rapidly converted into pork—the -quicker the better. Never bother much with a restless pig, for a quiet one, with the same chances in hu favor which the restless one has, will soon outstrip him in the raoe for fafc and pork.—" Swine and Poultry Journal."