ON THE LAND

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 1 July 1915, Page 3

ON THE LAND

USEFUL INFORMATION TO ALL

IN ANSWER TO COERES-

P3NDENTS.

(From the Journal of Agriculture.)

TROUBLE WITH LAYING-HEXS

" Poultry - yabd,'' "Waikato :— What is the cause of and a cure for hens that strain their laying-parts and then die. It protrudes out about the size of an egg. We feed on grain in the morning and a big snpply of milk all day. The fowls have a free run.

The Live stock and Meat Division : —This condition is generally brought about through your supplying forcingfoods, such as meat, its substitutes or condiments. Milk is also of a forcing nature. This, with the quantity of insect~life picked up by the birds on their free range, is ptobably responsible for the trouble. I would, therefore, advise you to reduce the quantity of milk now being supplied. I may point out that birds of a wak constitution are very susceptible to troubles of this kind. Perhaps the introduction of fresh blood into a flock ■would do much towai'ds preventing a recurrence of the kind. Of course, prevention is at all times better than cure. Provided the bird is attended to soon after t\he protrusion takes place it may be cured. First apply salad-oil to the affected parts, and gently force them back into the vent. Then place the bird in a kerosene-c>ise, care being taken to keep the rear end slightly 9levat6d. This may be clone by fastening a piece of string round the legs and tying it to a nail driven in at the top of the end of the case. The patiant may be made comfortable by putting a sack on the bottom. LUCERNE. J. Sutherland, Palmerscon South: —I am thinking of trying about a couple of acres of lucerne next spring. 1 have been toll that it will not do down here, as the land, although good soil, has a clay subsoil, and that as soon as the lucerne roots strike the clay it seems to die away. I sowed a small patch last spring, which seems to have done all right. Could you let me have your opinion in this matter ?

The Fields and Experimental Farms Division:— Where the v land is well drained (the water table at least 5 ft from the ground-surface, on the average) and the subsoil is fairly open, or has been rendered thus by subsoiling, it should grow lucerne successfully, provided, of course, proper cultural conditions are attended to. The soil you refer to could be made to grow lucerne well by using a single furrow plough, with mould board removed, in the furrow made by a full-mantled plough. The subsoil is therefore opened up considerably for lucerneroot penetration. If, of course, the substratum is specially stiff the crop will have difficulty in establishing itself.

GROWING HAWTHORN

"Subscriber," Ngaio :—How are white-thorn plants to be grown from haws ? I have often tried, and got no result,,

The Orchards, Gardens, and Apiaries Division •.-•Seed with a fleshy or touch covering, such as white thorn, holly, &c, should be mixed with damp sand (in about equal proportbns), when quite ripe, immediately they are gathored, and left in the open till the following- season. Frequent turniDgis necessary to thoroughly rot the pulpy matter. The seed can then be sown in the late autumn, and should germinate in the following spring. gum- trees. F. St. Omen-, Queenstown :—Would you kindly let me know it it would be advisable to plant young gum-trees in the autumn, and what month ? The Orchards, Gardens, and Apiaries Division: —In n?ost districts autumn planting is preferable. The work should be undertaken directly the nurseryman can supply the trees after the hot weather has passed. If the locality is subject to very heavy frost, then it is desirabb to plant in the early spring. YELLOW-WATTLE (Ml MOSA\ ACACIA, AND PINUB INSIGNIB. "Farmer's Wife," Waipawa : — Please could you inform me the best time to sow yellow-wattle (mimosa), acacia, and ''Pinug insignis? Would I have to scald the wattle-scad in boiling water ? It is very dry ground where I wish to sow the sood, for shelter plantation.

The Orchards, Gardens, and Apiaries Divibion:— The most suitable time to sow aoacia (wattle) and "Pinus insignis seed is in the spring, about September or October. Wattle-seed should be soaked in boiling water for about eight hours before sowing. This is best done by pouring boiling water into a vessel and at once tipping the seod into it. The seed should then be mixed with sand or sifted soil and sown where the trees are fo remain' permanently, as the wattle will not stand transplanting unless done with extreme care. BLACKBERRY PEST. J. 0., Urnukurri;— On page 110 of the "Journal" of February, reference is made to the blackberry pest and its treatment with kerosene. Could you let mp have the proportions of kerosene and water used with success ?

The Isolds and Farms Division: —The only experiment L know of in regard to the spraying of blackberry with, kerosene is that mentioned iv the February " Journal " and referred (o by you. In this experiment undiluted kerosene was used I am afraid it would he impossible to dilute the kerosene with water, as they would not mix. In auy case, I have no knowledge of this ever being attempted.