Farmers’ Column.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 14, 29 April 1871, Page 8

Farmers’ Column.

SPARROWS. - The sparrow question, upon which so much is just now being said by friends and foes, is one that is likely to grow, and that rapidly too, into one of grave importance to all classes of cultivators—the grower of grain as well as the grower of fruit. It is now some eight years since the sparrow was introduced and set at liberty in the' celony by the Acclimatisation Society. The ‘fecundity of this bird is notorious even in the cold climate of Britain ; but here in this,more congenial, and sunny clime the rate at which it increases in numbers is truly astounding, and almost incredible. In localities where a few years ago there was only a single pair, now. in the winter months, they may be seen m flocks of thousands. This is no exaggeration, but the simple fact which we ourselves have often witnessed. The first sight of the pert little stranger, but erstwhile, in the old home, familiar pet, and the first sound of his impudent chirp, roused all the home sympathies in every breast. At sight of the old world sparrow folks'forgot his misdeeds —forgot all about sparrow clubs —and for old .acquaintance sake, afforded him protection, and treated him as a friend. Soon, however, his voracious instincts and destructive propensities began to develope themselves in his new home. Now cultivators begin to find out the mistake that has been made, and curses on the head of the.sparrow and those who introduced it are both loud and deep. Those who make their livings by the sweat of their brows, the horny handed sons of toil, say the sparrow is a curse, that he destroys cherries, grapes—nay, fruit of all sorts, as well as grain—that the injury is greater than the good he does. On the other hand, the sparrow’s friends —gentlemen of the kid glove and lavender water school, who draw their thousands as salary, or their hundreds as 1 rent, as the case may be, spend their mornings in the chamber of the Acclimatisation Society, or twaddle nonsense like schoolboys about birds and beasts in the gardens at the Royal Park, denounce the cultivator as an ignoramus, and drawing upon their imagination for their so called facts, proclaim the sparrow as the friend of man ! If this be the case, it is the duty of . the Acclimatisation Society to demonstrate it, so as to put the question beyond doubt, instead of allowing it to rest on mere assertion. Books on natural history have been ransacked for evidence in favor of the sparrow, and this hard billed thief has been strangely mixed up with the soft billed insectivorous friends of the cultivator, for the purpose of covering his , delinquencies. He has been watched chasing a moth or a butterfly, picking the aphis off a pet rose, and feeding his young with caterpillars—ergo, he is a benefactor. Professor Giebel, of Halle, we are told, dissected and examined the stomachs of fifty three young sparrows and forty six old ones. Of the former only seven, and of the latter only three, were found to be vegetarians. This examination, let it be noted,, was made between the 18th of April and the 24th of June, when no grain, and but little fruit, would be ripe in the neighborhood of Halle. On the other hand, the Hanoverian superintendent Oberdiech declares that the yearly damage which sparrows do in Hanover amount to no less than 50,000 bushels ctf cereals, but this alarming statement is said to have been made from a computation founded on the autopsy of a single sparrow, and hence, says the friends of the sparrow, it would be about as reasonable to hold the old human race responsible for the contents of an alderman’s stomach, as to condemn sparrows in general for the misdeeds of this particular sparrow. Both of these experiments, we regard as equally inconclusive and without force as regards the sparrow in Victoria. Dealing, however, with the sparrow in this colony, we have the evidence of Dr Pugh—who by the way, is the friend of Dr Black, the permanent president of the Acclimatisation Society—and who, as he says, had been “ placed in circumstances more than ordinarily favorable to observe the habits of the sparrow introduced by the Acclimatisation Society.” Where Dr Pugh took up his position, whether in Collins street east, or elsewhere we know not; but it was somewhere in Melbourne and its suburbs, and he observed the sparrow systematically clearing bushes of millions of aphis, and destroying moths and grasshoppers, until where these insects pests had abounded not one was to be seen. The fact that we in Victoria grow our own fruit, and no longer draw our supplies from the orchards of Tasmania, which in consequence have been neglected, is put down by the worthy doctor to the increase of insect life (and of course to the absence of the sparrow) in that fertile little island. The fact that a few crates of cabbages are sent from Victoria in the winter months, when they cannot be grown on the other side of Bass’s Straits, is also curiously enough ascribed to the same cause. He had seen in Tasmania acres of the finest oats attacked by

caterpillars and destroyed in a few hours, “ every head of grain being severed from its stem.” The doctor’s letter was written in 1869; how does he account for the visitation cf caterpillars last year, with our present abundance of sparrows P We could during the past season have placed him where he would have seen both caterpillers arid sparrows buisily engaged in the work of destruction —the former suffering no annoyance from the latter, the one cutting off the heads and the other robbing the ears. Can Dr Pugh explain how this came about ? Much has also been made of what the sparrow has done for the trees in New York. There, it is said, they not only clear the trees of worms and caterpillars, but “ no sooner had the mosquitoes escaped from the stagnant pools of New Jersey and found their way to New York than they fell a prey to these voracious little birds.” In the face of all this nonsense we would venture to ask the oldest inhabitants of Murphy’s paddock, South Yarra, if he could remember a season when both sparrows and mosquitoes where more plentiful than last season, without fear of an answer in the affirmative. The prejudice against the sparrow some of its friends say “is singularly protracted,’’ and some call it an “ ignorant prejudice.” Now instead of Microzoon and others writing whole columns to the newspapers to show how little they know of what poor toilers suffer from the ravages of these feathered pest, would it not be far more to the purpose if they set about dispelling the ignorance of which they complain, and along with it, the prejudice.that exists ? It matters little whether it is Passer domesticus or Passer montanus we have imported—whether it builds its nest in a tree or brings forth it young under the sheltered eaves of a house ; if it does more harm than good it is an enemy to the cultivator, and inflicts loss on the community. It is therefore simply nonsensical to write tirades on natural history and abuse of the sufferers, when it is our duty and interest to ascertain matters of fact. Why has the suggestion made some time ago, tl\at one sparrow should be shot every day in the year, and the contents of its maw submitted to microscope examination, never been carried out ? If this were done in three or four localities (and we can well afford the birds), we should obtain some positive infornmtion on the sparrow question. And until it is done—-whilst grain and fruit are destroyed and insects abound —how can we expect the ignorance to be dispelled or the prejudice to die out ? Let the council of the Acclimatisation Society look to it; they, are responsible for the introduction of the sparrow, and it rests with them to vindicate its character and to show that it is a benefit, and not, as many now deem it, a curse to the country. In discussing this question, we have the advantage of being able to compare the present and the past—before the introduction of the sparrow and since; and we assert, without fear of contradiction from those engaged in practical cultivation, that more fruit and more grain (where that is grown) is now destroyed anhuallv around Melbourne by the sparrow, than was destroyed by both insects and native birds in any five years prior to its introduction. This facts is also patent to all who observe:—wherever the sparrow abounds the native insectivorous birds have disappeared; and if the sparrows are allowed to increase unchecked, the time is not far distant when they will consume more grain than would serve to seed the whole of the cultivated land in the colony.—“ Melbourne Leader.” THE REARING OE CALVES. Intimately connected with the subject of dairy husbandry to which we directed the attention of our readers in our last issue is that of the rearing and management of calves. The proper feeding and treatment of calves are of as great importance as their judicious breeding; but in fact their breeding and feeding are inseparably connected. Without a good breed the food is thrown away; and, on the other hand, well breed stock, in order to prove remunerative, require good feeding and treatment. Presuming that the breeding has been attended to, we shall proceed to describe the management of calves from their birth till they have reached the age of about twelve months. As soon as the calf is dropped it should be at once removed from the dam to a well littered crib prepared for it, and then thoroughly wisped with straw until perfectly dry. In some parts of the country it is the custom to allow the calf to suck its mother for a few days ; but we do not appove of this. By this treatment the dam becomes used to her offspring, and on the removal of the latter frets considerably, and for some time does not yield her milk so freely as she would have done had the young animal been removed at once. . It is a matter of much importance to give the first milk, or “ biestings,” to the calf, as it possesses an aperient quality, which is useful in cleaning the intestines of the black, glutinous faeces with which they are charged at birth., The feeding of the young animal for the first few months will run thus: —Ist and 2nd week, 4 quarts new milk daily, at two

meals; 3rd and 4th week, 4 quarts new milk and 2 quarts of skim milk, at two meals ; sth and 6th week, 4 quarts milk and two skim milk, mixed with !lb Indian meal or flax seed made into gruel; 7th and Bth week, the same quantities of new and skim milk, mixed with Indian meal or flax seed. The calf by this time will be commencing to eat a little hay; and this regimen may be continued till the animal is about three months old. At this period the skim milk should not be discontinued, as there is no more profitable way of disposing of it than by giving it to qalves. We have no cheaper feeding stuff at command, and certainly none on which calves will thrive better. It may be often noticed how the young animals receive a check in their growth when the liquid is withdrawn. In addition to the skim milk the animals should receive each lib of oil cake daily; and this with green hay, will suffice till the animal reaches the age of six months. But at this period the cake should not be withdrawn, nor should any sudden change be made in the feeding; otherwise the animals will receive a great check, from which it will take them weeks, or perhaps months, to recover. Mr M'Combie, who is a high authority in reference to cattle, says, “If you want them to pay, they should never lose their calf flesh, depend upon it.” Now the only way of maintaining their calf flesh is to feed them on cake or meal, in addition to their other food, for a length of time after having been weaned. With a good breed of calves, and the system of feeding already described, our year olds for a number of years back have averaged £9 a piece. Contrast this with the system which is generally pursued throughout the country. With indifferent breeding and bad feeding the year olds at the different fairs and markets do not fetch more than £5 each. FARMING EXPERIMENTS. A few weeks since a committee, consisting of Dr Trimble, Chairman Eiy, and Dr Smith, went on a tour of observation among Some pattern farmers south and west of the City of Brotherly Lore. As - notes of what was seen on the Lower Delaware, Dr T. read the following paper “ The present report is intended to give a brief account of some novelties in agriculture that we met with near Salem, New Jersey. The corn and potatoes on the table have been sent to the Club at the request of the committee. The potatoes are the peach-blows; there are 11, weighing 10 lbs. They are nothing remarkable, either for quality or size; but as the result of an experiment in cultivation, they may be of much interest to potato-growers. The ground upon which they grew had been in with corn the year previous, and was not ploughed at all for the potato crops. The seed potatoes were covered with earth just two inches deep, and then the ground covered all over with coarse hay to the depth, while loose, of about a foot. This hay, of course, was soon packed so as to be only a few inches in depth, but still sufficient to prevent the growth of all weeds or grass; but very little manure was applied. From some cause the potatoes did not come up well, and the stand was pdor; but still the crop was 300 bushels to the acre. The crop on land adjoining, cultivated in the ordinary way, and heavily manured, was only half as good, or 150 bushels to the acre. This experiment was made by Clark Thompson, who told us that on two previous seasons he has had as much as 600 bushels to the acre by this mode of cultivation. To know how to grow such crops of potatoes without the plough, or cultivator, or the hoe, and still have no weeds, would certainly be valuable knowledge to all who have the material for such mulching. The farmers who have banked out the tides and converted mud into meadows have an abundance of such hay. Many others have low grounds or swamps that would produce grass of little value as hay. Mr Thompson next took us to his cornfield. YFe found it like nearly all others in this celebrated corn region—more like a cedar swamp than ordinaiy corn-fields. Stalks 10, 12, 14, or even 16 feet high; ears like these, 1 foot long and 7 inches in circumference, and many of them so high as to require the stalks to be bent over to reach them. Often two to a stalk. The ground on which the corn grew was a meadow, and had been in grass «he year before. It had been ploughed in September last year. Mr Thompson told us he had given ordex-s to go just one inch deep, but it seemed impossible to gauge the plough to shallow work. He was just ploughing an adjoining piece of ground for the next year’s crop. This we visited also, and our Chairman made numerous measurements, and while the sods were mere shavings as compared with ordinary ploughing, we found the average deeper than an inch—probably from 1! to 2 inches, but not moi-e. This sod is torn to pieces with the harrow before planting in the spring, and is truly a coating of vegetable mould. Mr Thompson’s corn crop of this year was, of coifrse, satisfactory, or he would not prepare the ground in the same way for the next one. Clark Thompson is one of these Salem County farmers who has been reported to be much opposed to subsoiling, and we ask him the question. „ * Yes,’ says he, ‘I would not permit anyone to subsoil my land for SSO an acre.’ We asked why. * I believe in manuring, and I want that manure where the roots of my crops go, and I do not want the stiff subsoil made so porous that the strength of that manure will reach, down where the roots do not go.”—“New York Tribune.”

A CURE FOR PLEURO-PNEUMiONIA. The following is the course pursued when the disease appears in the herd:—“First of all you isolate or remove the animal affeoted. Secondly, should the poison have been imbibed by one or more from the animal in which the disease has first appeared, the great thing is to confine it to them, and this is the leading idea of the scheme, and it is accomplished' by, thirdly, tying up the animal in a house. In my case the feeding-troughs are placed round the cow house, and the animals face the wall; on this wall is fixed in front of each beast a square piece of coarse sacking; the cloth is saturated three times a day with a solution of carbolic acid prepared as noted below. As the poison is eliminated from the system it is destroyed by the carbolic acid, which experience has proved to be the best disinfectant. Fourthly, in this way • the infection cannot reach an animal free from it when the herl is tied up. The herd on which I first operated was gradually melting away before I commenced this experiment; only one fresh case has manifested itself, and that animal has recovered. As to the curative action of carbolic acid I shall not say much, having no desire to intrude into the region of medical science. It is enough for me to say that the most eminent medical men now cause human patients suffering from certain forms of lung disease to imbibe carbolic acid : this mode of treatment has been most successful, and from the post mortem appearances of the lungs in pleuro-pneumonia we should expect the imbibition of this acid would be equally efficacious in arresting the progress of the disease. To dissolve the carbolic acid of commerce it must be mixed with an alkaline substance. I use for the purpose lime, as it is the cheapest and most easily obtained, but potash or soda would be better. The strength of the solution I employ is one part of carbolic acid to 50 of water. —T. Baldwin. Co-operation in Farming-. —A correspondent remarks : —“ Thankful for hints in “Register,” March 8, on co-operation in farming. All farmers should look into it; but as we could not find a thousand minds of this stamp in South Australia, we may be content with twenty. Now, suppose, say four men, or family men, were to advertise their intention to go out north or east to take up land, but are desirous to inlist more to make up to the number, say twelve or twenty and that land to the extent of 200, 300, or 400 acres each shall be taken up; that this land shall be apportioned off by lot; that each shall erect his own dwelling on the same lot, but that the whole block shall be fenced soon as land is ploughed ; and this ploughing shall take place only on one side, say to the half of the land that needs most clearing; that a middle fence shall be erected to protect the crops from their own cattle; thus the one-half would he for tilluge, the other for stock: and that this state of things should continue for five years, as the case may be. Then each one shall fall back on this or their original lot. This would at once give a dairy for house and females, which lacking often is a sad loss; united work for hoys and men on the other hand, securing comfort and every prospect of success to all. Each one may till his own piece even in this way.”

Otago Agricultural Statistics.— Before the union of Otago with Southland there were 2,446 holdings; but the number is now 3,016. In Eebruax*y last, there were £22,811! acres sown in grass, the estimated yield being 656,045? bushels; in oats, 66,217 acres —estimated yield, 2,213,138? bushels; in barley, 4,736?- acres —yield, 144,892 bushels ; in grass hay, 7,417! acres—estimated yield, 12,601! ton 8; in potatoes, 3,200 acres —estimated yield 16,609?- tons; besides which there was of last year crops remaining on hand when the forms were filled up—wheaq, 42,278 bushels ; oats, 31,976! bushels; and barley, 52,618 bushels. The returns only include holdings which were under grain crops. Another Pest. —A Coleraine (Victoria) man thus discourses of an insect pest:—“ I must say that we have got, in our March flies, far more than our usual quantity. In the bush they are in thousands, swarming like a hive of bees round the object of attack, whether man or beast. I have lived in the cobnies for eighteen years, and do not remember a plague to equal what this year has brought forth.” New Sheep Disease. —The “Argus” correspondent writes from Sydney : —The long wet weather has disclosed a novel form of disease in sheep in some of the districts in the colony. In the second stomach and in the lungs worms have been developed to an enormous extent. The remedy suggested is salt and sulphate of iron, the latter article being now manufactured in the colony, at the works of Messrs Elliott Brothers. Santionne is also recommended. Dr Cox, one of the leading medical men in the city, is of opinion that the insect is taken into the system with the food, and that the disease is akin to -fluke, which has now been proved to be the second stage of an entoysa, which exists primarily in the body of the small land and swamp shells, but which mollusc requires to be taken into the sheep to be developed into a perfect state. Since the dry weather set in the disease has been perceptibly mitigated. The New Double* Plough. —The latest All England Match this year came off yesterday at Horningsey, near Cambridge. The Howards of Bedford, sent their champion ploughman, George Brown; and the Ransomes, of Ipswich, were also there with a splendid team of horses, and their renowned man, James Barker, who managed the new implement cleverly, and did beautiful work ; but tbfe Bedford champion beat him. This makes the eighth time this season in which the Ipswich firm has been worsted in competition with the Howards, whose new double plough has carried off this autumn no less than eleven first prizes iu fifteen competitions.- “ Daily News.” —Advt