Farm and Garden

King Country Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 216, 13 December 1909, Page 3

Farm and Garden

COW STALLS. The subject of cow stalls is one of the most important dairy studies. Poor miserable sheds*, cold and damp in winter and not necessarily coot in summer, are too frequently in evidence. It tray be a little easier to use some old tumble down shed built 20 or 3rt years ago than to pull the place down and reconstruct it on intelligent lines, but such a proceeding bespeaks laziness. That feature in one department will make itself manifest in all others. Any dairyman worthy of the name is a man of vitality without a lazy bone in bis body; he will manage in some way or other to kerp his cows in a clean, sanitary condition and make no fuss over the daily task of making their surroundings in complete accord. Such a man has a horror of seeing his cows standing on a dilapidated old floor with out bedding enough to make a decent hen's nest, and their hind feet an inch or two deep in filth. Clean, sanitary milk under such conditions is an impossibility. Good work done by good men is too often discounted by the miserably lazy folk who conduct their business in such a slovenly manner as to bring discredit upon the whole dairy fraternity.

FOOD VALUE OF GRASS. It should be rrmembercd that the food value of grass is not as good during, or just after, rain. a* in dry weather, owing to its rapid growth and consequently washy nature, pursing mares arc apt to get their milk flushed by it so as to cause scour in their foals, a complaint which frequently proves fatal in those of tender sge; therefore prompt treatment is desirable. Dry food, such as chaff or bran.with a handful of crushed barley, should be given to mares whose foals have the least tendency to scour, and long hay may also be given to check the flow of milk. It is necessary to notice whether the youngster sucks frequently, and if not, the milk should be drawn away at intervals tilt he regains his appetite and can take a full quantity.

ELECTRICITY IN AGRICULTURE.

The latest experiment, which is being carried out under the direction of Professor Grcig, of the Aberdeen and North of Scotland College of Agriculture, has reference to the electrification of the soil. The electricity is carried by means of wires on poles, about 70 yards apart, in parallel rows. Between the wires there is an intersecting network of wires, ten yards apart. The voltage of the generator is 250 volts,and with an induction coil this is increased to 100,000 volts. In the application of the electric power the negative terminal is put to the earth and the positive is connected to the line. The poles which carry the wires arc sixteen feet high, so as to obviate any obstruction when ploughing or harvesting operations are in progress. Two areas are to be tried, and in each field there will be an electrified plotaa well as a central plot, in order to make comparisons. In Scottish farming circles the keenest interest is taken in the experiment. BIRDS FOR FATTENING. Before putting a bird up to fatten it should be ascertained whether it is suitable for the purpose and likely to do welt. First of all it must be explained that all birds are not ready for the fattening pens at a given age. It is largely a matter of size, which is dependent upon a variety of circumstances, such as breed, date of batching previous feeding, weather, etc. Then again, if the bird has been pushed along—i.e., well fed from the startfar less fattening is required and the bird is usually large enough to go in the fattening pens earlier than is the case with a sparsely fed bird, which has only had sufficient food to develop a good frame without much covering. All breeds of birds can be fattened.but some breeds lay on flesh far more rapidly than others. The non-sitting breeds, or, in other words, the layers, generally mac the poorest table birds.

UNSUITABLE BIRDS. Certain birds are unsuitable for fattening purposes. All those intended for the fattening pens must be in a fair state of health, or they will not stand the strain. Very wild birds will not fatten well. Feather eaters must on no account be placed in the pens with other birds, as they will worry them by continually picking at their feathers, and so the whole pen of birds will be retarded in growth, and food will be wasted owing to the birds not fully benefitting by it. Fighters must also be excluded. It has been said that the non-sitters, such as leghorns, make the poorest table birds; but if they are crossed, say, with a Houdan, a fair bird for the table can be produced.