Farm and Garden.

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 112, 3 December 1908, Page 3

Farm and Garden.

<&- — - The Fly Nuisance. Every farmer and dairyman knows how much annoyance and irritation is caused to his animals during hot weather by flies, and a good, though partial remedy is to whitewash the walls of the sheds and stalls once or twice a year. It has been found that flies have a great objection to the colour blue, and if the sheds are washed with a blue wash the flies will quite desert the place. The following instance is reported: -"A farmer had 170 cows housed in different sheds; they were pestered with flies, but he observed that in one shed, the walls of which were a blue tint, the cows. were riot worried. He therefore added a blue colour to the lime with which he washed the walls of his buildings, and from that time the flies have deserted his buildings. The following formula is used by him for the wash:- — To 20 agllons of water add 'lO lbs. of slaked lime and 1 lb. of ultramarine. The washing is done twice during the summer.

The effect of bones as manure extends over several year-4, and is regulated by the state of division or size of the fragment of bones supplied. From the slow action of bones they are well adapted for application to permanent pasture.

Green manuring is effective on both sandy and heavy clay soils, and, indeed, on all soils deficient in humus. On sandy soils its effect is to consolidate the soil, and in clay soils it acts by loosening the texture and letting the air act on it.

In sandy soils green manure nitrifies more quickly than ordinary organic manures, such as bone-dust, ground norm, dried blood, etc., while in stiff clay soils it nitrifies more rapidly than even sulphate of ammonia , or animal manures.

Horses which are judiciously fed and well groomed will stand double the amount of hard work they would under careless treatment.

The era of big pigs seems to be passing away. Pigs weighing from 150 to 200 lbs. —the smooth, small-boned kind- -bring the best money.