THE RURAL WORLD.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 553, 26 March 1913, Page 6

THE RURAL WORLD.

HYGIENIG* MILK. According to a French authority standard hygienic milk should have been put through the following processes : 1. Analysis and testing to remove watered, skimmed, Boured or loWgrade milk. 2. Filtering or straining to remove mechanical impuritieß such as hairs, dust, etc, 3. Pasteurisation at a temperature above 176 degrees Fahr. and immediate cooling to about 40 degrees to destroy pathogenic microbes, such as those of tubercuolsis, diphtheria, typhoid fever, etc. 4. Bottling or sealing in sterilised containers. It should then be kept at a low temperature until sold. The first country to establish this standard for milk was the Argentine Republic, which enacted statutory regulations as long ago as 1890. These were.soon followed by similar laws in various European countries. In Argentine the treatment described has become obligatory. — Chicago Produce. , N PEOPLING ONTARIO. Emigration to Ontario during the month of October Bhowed an extraordinary increase over October, 1911, nearly 3500 people arriving iri the province during that month, as compared with 36 during the same month of the previous year. The records for November also show a surprising increase. Recently the Ontario Government's London office sent forward a conducted party of 200 domestics under the care of the Government matron. These girls are proceeding to guaranteed situations in which tbey are placed after they arrive in Toronto, 'and have had a period of rest at the hostel there The protection afforded to young girls by being under*the care of the matron is responsible for the / popularity of theße conducted partie's, which have been more successful than was expected. and it is hoped in the spring regular monthly sailings of conducted parties will be arranged.—The Scottish Farmer. AUSTRALIAN SHEEP IN SOUTH AFRICA. According to South African Customs figures, the value of sheep received by that country from Australia since the year 1906, inclusive, is no less than £123,146, and represents in round .figures 29,300 animals. As could only be expectel, rams have largely predominated in these imports, and, says the "Wool Record," it needs scarcely a moment's reflection to see what an immense influence this new blood must be having upon South African sheep and wool.

It is an appalling thing to learn that the capture of even three grain ships Would result in such a sharp rise in prices that England would become appreciably nearer starvation point. In 1912, at sixty-seven sales of Shorthornß held in Great Britain, an average of £36 14s lOd was secured for 5377 head of stock. This gives an aggregate of. £197,549 15 3sd, and compares favourably with the sales of the past two years when there was an outlet to the world —a thing almost unknown in 1912 —owing to the foot and mouth disease outbreak.

Twenty-one years ago no classes were provided for Romneys at the Royal Agricultural Society's Show of England. Last year the number entered at the Royal, hut not exhibited owing to the foot and mouth order, was the largest by 23 head of any of the breeds of sheep represented, a position it ha« now held for two years. Some weeds have a perfectly marvellous power of increase. The history of the ox-eye daisy in Scotland illustrates this. A few seeds of this plant found their way in a package to the Island of Golonsay, in the west of Scotland. In less than five years the daisy simply infested the whole island. Then the Scotch thistle arrived in a bed tick filled with its down. The down was replaced with feathers aiid thrown away, and next year a large crop of thistles grew. Every ton of potatoes, or straw, and every bag of oais, peas, chaff, etc., sent out of the country depletes our soil of its available supply of plant food, which must be made good if its fertility is to be maintained, and does not add materially to the wealth of the Dominion; on the other hand, every ton of produce that is consumed, converted into milk fat, and exported to' England, or elsewhere not only causeß no loss to the fertility of our soil, but—as it is sold for gold —adds materially to our national wealth.