Farm and Garden.

King Country Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 102, 15 October 1908, Page 3

Farm and Garden.

In this climate there shoukl always bo a good supply of srhid plant.-, and especially so during cur hot. summer months. The most valuable s;;!ad plant we have is the lettuce, anci by successive sowings a continuous supply may be had all through the year, ii: a judicious selection be made of vauet:. s best adapted for summer and winter use. If the lettuce is to be crisp., ten ler and sweet it must be grown quid 1/. and to attain this it must be . planted in deep rich soil; it should net be allowed to suffer from dryness at any stage of its growth, or it will be tough and bitter. The plant responds quickly to' occasional waterings v,i';h liquid manure. The ground in which lettuce are to be grown should be heavily manured and deeply dug. Rotted stal le manure cannot be beaten, but in its absence bonedust or some other artificial fertiliser may be used. For winter culture lettuce seed is usually sown in seed beds, and then transplanted, but from now onward, all through the summer, it is better to sow in drills where the plants are to remain. In hot, dry weather there is a little risk in transplanting, a severe check is given, and the plants are likely to run to seed. The drills in which the seed is to bs sown, where the plants are to remain, should be eighteen inches apart, half an inch deep, and the seerlings should be thinned out to about nine inches apart. There are numerous varieties of lettuces. The Cos or upright growing kinds are usually preferred for winter work, and the Neapolitan and Drumhead sorts for the summer and autumn. Some varieties are recommended as being quite free from bitterness, but our experience is that the bitter flavour is generally the result of inferior cultivtaion, of slow growth and lack of moisture. A few of the new knds of lettuces should be. tried by our readers. The radish is another important salad plant, and this also must be kept growing quickly if tender, mild flavoured roots are desired. The soil should be light and rich, and it should not be allowed to get dry. If. it be not moist, the rr dishes will become stunted hot flavoured, and lacking that crispness which is so essential. About every fourth week a small sowing should be made. The seeds quickly germinate, and the young radishes are ready for use in about" a month from the time of sowing. The seeds must be sown where tne plants are to remain ; there is no transplanting with •the radish. Sow in shallow drills. ,9in. apart, and thin out to about two inches apart as soon as the plants are large enough to handle. Sometimes radish seed is sown in drills, where carrots or parsnips Jure sown, and the young plants pulled as required. There are numerous varieties; some are long shaped, others are round, while the French Breakfast is of oval form, and it is of excellent flavour. Our seedsmen catalogue some new varieties, which are highly spoken of. Inquiries are often made as to the alvisability of dehorning calves, and how dehorning should be performed. It might be reassuring for those who are anxious to try the experiment, but who are afraid of injuring their young stock to learn that with ordinary care no harm, not even for a day, does ensue. There have been a number of inquiries on this point. For the moment, no doubt, some pain may be inflicted upon the calves, but it is trifling; when one thinks of the benefits that follows. The calf feels it so little that it does not lose a meal. To all outward appearances five minutes after tire operation, it is as lively as it was five minutes before. The only possi- , bility of inflicting lasting pain is letting the stick of caustic potash get too wtt, so that the moisture runs down on the surrounding skin. After having securely fastened the calf the hair should be clipped round the horns which can be easily felt when the the calf is a few days old. Then after moistening the caustic rub the horn until it becomes highly inflamed, but not long enough to draw blood. One application, if properly made, should be sufficient, but if the horn should not be entirely killed the first time a second application should be made, as soon as it is seen that the horn has commenced to grow. The practice of dehorning is fast gaining in favour among the dairy men of the different states, for the advantages are so many, and the disadvantages none. As far as the bulls are concerned, they may lose a little in appearance, but this is no serious objection to the practice. On the other hand it is claimed that the males are more docile if deprived of their horns.

Where grass and other weeds have been allowed to grow up amongst the fruit trees, the present is a good time to plough or dig them in; if permitted to rema'n they will soon become too tall and bulky to be easily buried; besides, they extract a lot of nutriment and moisture from the soil.

A little disbudding of the various kinds of deciduous fruit trees, just as the wood buds appear prominent, will save pruning later on; it does not take long to rub off any superfluous buds.

All breeds of stock are good and profitable. Select the one which best suits your fancy and conditions, and then try to make the most out of it. Some have superior advantages alongcertain lines, so first consider well along what lines you want to work, and then proceed. There may be a profit in keeping a poor animal, but there would be a greater profit in keeping a good one. How much more does it cost to feed a sheep that shears 121b. of wool than one which clips only half that amount? All stock on the farm soon tire of their ration if fed exclusively on one class of feed. A variety stimulates the appetite, and is more palatable, and the stock get more nourishment from the food.

Any animal that has once been stunted will get a slow start to growng again. When an animal has been stunted, the profit on that one is gone, and likely the profit on several others with it.

".'The average farmer should keep plenty of stock around him — enough to consume all he grows; but this does not mean to overstock, for this is still worse. Never run short of feed unless you know Where you can get more.