Notes and Events.

Manawatu Herald, 30 November 1895, Page 3

Notes and Events.

We were all startled a short time ago about a new machine that was going to turn milk into butter direct from the cow. It does not seem that we are to get it at once as a Londtn correspondent of a con temporary states that a well- known dairyradj writes to him thusly: — 11 It is a great question whether this machine is yet sufficiently perfected for adoption in the colonies. The combined work of separating the milk at the same time as churning has not, as yet, proved a success, for the reason that the required temperature for separating the milk is un* suitable for the churning of the butter; besides, cream during its passage through the machine has not an opportunity of acquiring the necessary ' ripeness ' to insure in* creased yield of highly-flavoured butter." A curious affair happened at the shearing at Cathkin station, in Vie toria. A sheep, which had not been fleeced for two years, and thus had very long wool, was being shorn, when a large tiger snake crawled out of the fleece and along the board. The sudden appearance of the snake caused some of the shearers to be very frightened, and they let some of the sheep go only half shorn. One man cut his hand with the shears. The snake was immediately killed. In some country districts in Victoria deer are becoming so numerous as almost to constitute as great a pest as the rabbits. They are doing great damage to the crops and orchards, and the highest fences are no obstacle to them. When it was first sought to acclimatise deer it was thought it would prove very difficult to protect them. But a perpetual close season was declared, and a penalty of fifteen pounds was enforced on* anyone killing them. These restrictions were never removed. The Minister, however, promised a deputation of farmers that he would amend the Game Law and of their destruction within certain limits. It is intended to establish a large national park where deer may be herded, and within which their destruction will be prohibited.