THE FARMER

Patea Mail, Volume VI, Issue 532, 12 June 1880, Page 3

THE FARMER

As a practical man I can toll you a sure and simple cure for warts on cow’s teats. Apply treacle every time after milking; ori if the cow should be dry, apply the treacle twice or three time s day.—An Isle of Wight Man. Pure water and salt must bo supplied to milch cows ad libitum, as 87 per cent, of the milk consists of water, and whore salt is sparingly supplied the digestive powers o£ the cow are enfeebled, and the milk is defective in keeping quality, and proband ably, also in quantity and quality. Milk removes much phosphate of lime’ and the pastures should bo sown with ground bones or rock phosphate of lime. Wool removes sulphur, and therefore sheep pastures arc improved by plaster or sulphate of lime,- Ashes and salt are of the highest value to pastures. But when the pastures have too far failed, it is better economy to plough them up as fast as possible, and sow them to pasture grasses and seed to oats, to shade the young shoots and tender roots. All that is lost by burning any vegetable matter is the carbon and nitrogen contained in it. When the waste material cannot bo used in any other way, it is economical to burn it, as the cai bon is of no value, and the loss of the nitrogen cannot be avoided. The ashes saved are an excellent fertiliser. But when the matter can be used in any other way it is not advisible to burn it. In burning dead grass and..leaves,-many insects and eggs are and this is by no means unworthy of consideration. ’ Breeding ewes that are expected to. drop lambs early, should be closely watched. The springing of the mldcr is an unfailing sign of approaching parturition. The ewe should then be removed to a separate pen and kept quiet, but visited at least every three hours and the last thing at night. It is rarely that any help is needed, except, in very cold weather, to wrap a piece of soft blanket about the lamb and to help it to suck as soon as possible. As soon as the lamb gets a meal it will bo all right, and the ewe may be left to herself for a few hours.

On my way borne I stopped and spoke to a man ploughing. His horses seemed light, but were in splendid condition, and seemed to get over their work without fatigue. I asked him on what he fed them. He said “oats for breakfast, and chaff for dinner, and for supper, boiled barley and chaff.” He also informed me that ho got through more work with them than if fed altogether on oats.—Cor.