Farm and Garden

King Country Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 244, 23 March 1910, Page 3

Farm and Garden

LIME IN THE DAIRY. In all Danish creameries barrels containing lime water occupy a prominent position. The creameries, which years ago practised the steaming of all churns and other dairy utensils regularly in order to keep them sweet and pure, now simply scrub them in hot water, and while the surface is still warm, apply with a brush a generous coating of thick lirnewash. This is partly absorbed by the pores of the wood, which it purifies and makes bright and firm. The surplus lime is afterwards wa3hed off. It appears that the lime takes the place of washing soda, being much superior for creamery purposes, and a great deal cheaper as well. Lime removes grease and sour smells from floors and utensils, makes tinware brighter, and the grain of wood firm, bright and loose. Some creamery associations strongly recommend suppliers to use lime for cleaning their milk vessels a3 well as for whitewashing stables, milk houses, etc. The formula for preparing lime water in which utensils may be immersed is thus given:— "The solubility of lime at ordinary temperature is one part in 700 parts of water. Such a solution would be termed saturated lime water. Translated into pounds and gallons this means that one pound of lime is sufficient to saturate s»iven gallons of water. However, owing to impurities in commercial lime, it is well to use more than is called for in this statement. If good, freshly-burnt quicklime can be obtained, two or three pounds to five gallons would bo thoroughly saturating. The method of preparation is simply to slake the lime with a small quantity of water, and then stir the milk of lime so formed into five gallons of water." YOUNG PIG MANAGEMENT. A hog is half made when past weaning period without a stunt or kink in its growth. Every check or halt in prosperity through its first two months is more expensive than at any later period. Too much rich, feverish milk of the dam, causing thumps, or oth?r ailment, may leave harmful results, perhaps as much so as scant feeding or other neglect of the sow. More injury may be done to a pig's growth in two or three days than can be repaired in a month—even if he is made the subject of special care, which, where many are raised, is not the rule, nor easily practicable. "Good luck" with pigs, call 3 for attention, and that not occasional, but frequent and regular. From the first week after farrowing until weaning time the sow will be little else than a milk machine, and to be a high-power machine in perfect operation she must have proper care. Nothing else is so well calculated to make pigs grow as a bountiful supply of wholesome sow's milk, and the pigs that have plenty of other feed with the milk of a well-slopped sow for eight weeks will ordinarily have much the start of those weaned at five or six weeks, no matter how much food and attention the earlier weaned pigs may have had. At eight or nine weeks old, most pigs are, or, rather, should be, fit to take away from the sow. DAIRYING ITEMS. The essential thing in cow-keeping is to know the cow. In all Danish creameries barrels containing limewater occupy a prominent position. The feed pails of the calves should be thoroughly scalded out every two or three days. It is not profitable to purchase large animals to obtain a living on thin and poor herbage. The establishment of a herd of profitable dairy cattle at the present time is by no means an easy matter. Feeding jpails left in the pens or yards where the calve 3 are running day after day are sure to make trouble.