The Farm.

Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 35, 31 March 1894, Page 11

The Farm.

BRITISH PRODUCE MARKETS. Denmark retains a butter expert, M. Faber, to look after the interests •of her business in the British markets. He reports that butter supplies from. Australia and New Zeal.ind aie iu■creasiny, and attained in 1b92 to -about .10 per cent, of the imports from Denmark. This competition is felt all the more severely, since it refers to five or six months of the year. The production of butter in Ireland, lie says, is also steadily increasing, and though the competition from Uhat quarter is felt somewhat severely ■during the summer, there is at present no occasion to fear it during the winter months. With regard to the imports of butter from Victoria ■t-his is stimulated by a high export bounty of 3d per lb, on butter which sells in London at Is per lb. Under these circumstances the imports rose from 20,083 cwt. in 1891 to 47,593 cwt. in 1892, but the premium has since been reduced to one-half, and -will shortly disappear. More anxiety is felt with regard to New Zealand, her exports showing a steady increase without artificial stimulus. The increased exports frem New South Wales also tend to stimulate Danish farmers in their endeavours not only fo top the market, but to maintain maximum results at minimum expenses, and with this end in view the production of pork and bacon continues to have close attention in Denmark. The high prices realised for pork caused farmers to turn their attention to pig fattening, and the exports under this head during 1892 reached £2,500,000. After America, Denmark at present contributes more of this article of food than any other country, not excepting Ireland. About 700,000 head of swine were slaughtered, against 550,000, in the previous year, while 220,000 live pigs were sent to Hamburg, making a total of 900,000. This branch of farm produce brought to the little country £2,500,000, or 58 per cent, more than in the pi e vdo'is year.

WORK A HORSE WILL DO. A. horse will travel 400 yards in 44 min at a walk ; 400 yards in 2min at a, trot; 400 yards in Imin at a gallop, : says An exchange. The usual work of a horse is taken at 22,0001 b raised ■one foot per minute for 8 hours per ■day. A horse will carry 2501 b 35 miles per day of 8 hours. An aver- : age; draught horse will draw I,(1001 b 23 miles pei day on a level rood, weight of waggon included. The ■average weight of ahorse is I,ooolb, and his s(length is equivalent to that -of live men. The greatest amount a liorse can pull in a horizontal line is ■ooolb, hut lie can only do this momentarily; in continued exertion probably .half of this is the limit. He attains his growth in fi vo years, will live 25, -average 16 years. A horse will live 25 days on water without food, 17 days without eating or drinking, but only five days on solid food without water. AXOTHER OUTLET FOR W OMEN. While most of the colonies have their farms for the fostering of agriculture, Victoria has, at Dunolly, one for the growth of flowers, and the manufacture of scents ; and, as flowerfarming and scent-distilling are in ■.many respects peculiarly suitable as .an occupation for women, a. new departure lias recently been made, and a number of female students are now in residence at Dunolly, who spend ■each day upon the farm, learning the mysteries o: the art, under the guidance of Mr Mellow, the manager. Many of the scents of commerce are made on the continent of Europe, and in the East. Algiers and Rice are famous for them ; but lavender and rose water are made of better quality in England than elsewhere. Many English farmers add to their income in this way. Many lowers yield a volatile eisence, and these are the most prolife yieklers of perfume.