ON THE LAND

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 12 April 1917, Page 3

ON THE LAND

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS (From the Journal of Agriculture). ' MILK FOR PIGS A.N., Eangataua : —Many farmers in this locality muke a practice of allowing separator milk to become sour before being fed to the pigs. Is there any advantage in this procedure Or do pigs thrive better when fed on milk fresh and sweet. The Live-stock Division : —Sweet milk is preferable for very young pigs, but with regard to older pigs it makes very little difference whether the milk is sweet or sour. FERMENTING OF CREAM X.Y.Z., Dannevirke :—I have had trouble with my cream lately. After enough cream has accumulated for a churning 1 stand it on on« side to ripen, and the last two lots have apparently fermented and risen up like a sponge set for bread. If stirred up, it would sink to the former level, but after standing a while would rise again, As an experiment we churned the cream, and the butter was eatable, but perhaps not first quality. New cream wa3 always allowed to cjol before mixing with the old. The Dairy Division:—The cause of the cream rising in the manner described is a process of fermentation, which may he expected to develop during warm weather, unless the cream ia cooled. If you have a wel into which the cream could be lowered, after placing it in a suitable can with a close cover, it would keep in better condition. Each lot of cream should be cooled down separately before mixing, and the cooling should take place as quicKly as possible after separation. As an additional precaution all vessels with which (be milk and cream come in contact should be thoroughly scalded with boiling water after washing.

PIPI-SHELLS FOR LIMECARBONATE Q-.E., K>rikeri, Bay of Islands: — Thei'e is a good quantity of pipi-shella on the beaches here. If ground fine ©uough would they be suitable for the same purpose as ground limestone for top-dressing, etc. ? Also could you advise aa to the best plant for grinding or crushing ? I have an Bhp oil engine, so would only require a crusher. The FWd3 Division:—Provided ■the beds of shells are not intermixed to any extent with sand, they should be highly suitable for the production of carbonate of lime for agricultural purposes. The shells contain fully 90 per cent lime-carbonate, and should grind well. For your requirements a small '• Jeffrey Puiver " (John Chambers and Son, Jervois Quay Wellington, agents) should be suitable, The following are particu* lars regaiding this machine; No. 2 Jeffrey portable crusher wath elevator $iB7 at Auckland j capacity of 1 ton crushed limestone per hour; power required, at least 12 h.p. Aa you will be crushing shells, in all probability Bhp would do the work of crashing without difficulty. PLANTING WHITE LUPJN M.8., Te Eapa :—Please inform me Tjha.t time of the year is best to plant white lupin, how much seed per acre. The Fields Division :—White lupin seed is best sown in the, spring when all danger p,f frost is> pas.t. You will be the best judge of when that period begins to get in. Sot^ about 1J bushels, per acre (6Qlb per bushel). FORAGE CATCH-CROP J.C., Oulverden ;— I have a small piece of ground of 7-acres, and have just taken off a crop of oats, and wish to get in a catch-crop for late feed for lambs or breeding ewes. The ground is good—pleaded arid, drained ! flax swiarnp. What js the best purpose to -pu,t this to, and be in a position to plough again about September. The Fields Division: —We would advise you to plough up the land, and work it well, ane sow Huda Kale, 4lb or 51b in drills, or 81b to 101b tro.ids cast per acre, lliis will provide some* foed in late aulivp.p or e^rly winter and'can be U\\ i'u'r' pvovKUng further ftapd in early spvina-. B,uda icole is hav-dy an 1 will stand the frost well, ; Seed nyiy b--> obtained froiu the f Ohristchurch seed firms.