FARMERS COLUMN.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 121, 23 January 1915, Page 7

FARMERS COLUMN.

RATNPROOF TARPAUUN. Take two parts of Stockholm (net coal) tar and one part of Neatsfoot oil. Do not use linseed oil, as it hardens the canvas. Heat the oil by itself to boiling point, and then add l the tar with a wad of oakum or soft rag in preference to a brush, and rub the mixture well in. Allow it time to dry well. destroy:: :g dice. When mustering for dipping, it is wise to send a man round with a strong solution of dip to wash any stumps, trees, fences or posts wheie sheep have been rubbing, or if the season permits they should be burnt all round the places rubbed. This kills any ticks cr eggs lying underneath the pieces of bark or in cracks. A big stud-breeder in Riverina says that after dipping the solution that has been used can be put to good purpose by painting the fences and posts of the surrounding yards with it. He states that whereas he used to throw away the liquid after dipping, he now uses it for the above purpose. DEATHS AFTER SHEARING. Every shearing shed should be thoroughly sprayed with carbolic acid before starting shearing. Mysterious deaths occur among sheep after shearing, and many owners are puzzled for the reason. The fact is that dead wool lying about the shed during the yeai is the cause. Dust from this wool gets spread all over the shed, and directly the machines start the vibration brings the dust down, and it falls in the cuts of the newly-shorn sheep and gives them bloccl-poisoning, PHOSPIIORISED POLLARD. To make the above baits, boil a gallon of water in an oil drum cr some fairly large vessel; take it oil the fire,, and put at once into the boiling water two sticks (4oz) of phosphorus. Stir briskly until thoroughly dissolved, Add a gallon of cold water, and keep thoroughly stirring and adding pollard in small quantities till it comes to the consistency d/f (lough;, '.Tjiiei starring must be continued till the mixing is completed. If proper care be taken there is no danger in preparing the mixture, nor of it setting the grass alight in the field, if the phosphorus is thoroughly dissolved. LIME WATER FOR CALVES, Calves which are being fed from the bucket often benefit considerably by being given some lime water, a useful form of treatment for troubles like diarrhoea and indigestion. The proportions may be of such ratio as a quarter or one-third of lime water to the ration of milk. This prevents acidity and also the formation of the milk into unduly large and indigestible curds Lime water is made by adding two ounce® of slaked lime to- say, half a dozen pints of water. The mixture should be stirred briskly and then allowed to settle. The undissolved matter will go to the bottom of the vessel, and the lime water can then be poured off. The solution is then ready for use. CONCRETE FLOORS. A good mixture for a concrete floor is one bag. of oPrtland cement, two cubic feet of clean, coarse sand, and three cubic feet of screened gravel or crushed stone. The sand should consist of material ranging from the finest particles to these passing a quarterinch mesh screen, while the gravel or stone should b screened to sizes varying from one quarter to one inch in largest dimension. In finishing the surface of a concrete floor the use of a steel trowel should | be avoided except in gutter and man--1 ger, as a smooth, slippery surface is not desirable elsewhere. The surface should be finished with a wooden float, which produces a finish easily cleaned, and one giving a good foothold for stock. LAMP AS. Lampas, a swollen condition of tlxe horse’s palate immediately oehind the upper incisors, necessitates very little treatment. If the horse is running out, with plenty of good grass, no special feeding is required. If stabled, soft food should be given, in the shape of bran mashes. A dose of laxitive medicine is nearly always beneficial, and a little dry burnt alum may be rubbed on. If this is not efficacious, loz of bi-carbonate of potash in tRe drinking water twice daily may be allowed, Burning is extremely cruel, and quite unnecessary. A veterinary surgeon will sometimes scarify the inflamed part but an experienced hand may pierce a blood vessel, and fatal cases have been known to result from haemorr--1 hage. HAND-FEEDING SHEEP. When hand-feed ing time of drought, give wethers for a stait olt of oats per day, increasing to :;lb 01 11b it the former ration is insufficient and assuming that there is a picking ol !soms sort in the paddocks. As an al tentative feed, give lib of hay pe' head per day. For lambing ewes, tin daily ration should be lib chaff am Jib oats or 11b of bay, and for wean ers Mb chaff and Mb of oats or hi hay. The same supposition as regard La small amount of natural feed also ar plies in these oases. 1 :

WORMS IN HORSES.,

As it is not always possible to tell what particular kind of worm a horse is suffering from, the treatment should be general, and the following is advised: Starve the horse for eight hours, then give powdered aloes S drachms, linseed meal 8 drachms, water 1 pint. Follow with the followingmixture every morning for six days: Santonin, 30 grains; sulphate of iron, 2 drachms. At the end of the six days —the next morning— 10/, turpentine, 1 pint linseed oil. During the treatment keep the. horse fairly well nourished, but, not gorged. If the red worm is present, there will be great debility, j accompanied by a swelling along the belly. Such cases require special care in feeding. The animal should get daily doses of codliver oil, a few eggs, and nearly as much milk as it will drink. Should the horse affected be a valuable one the lest plan is to call in a veterinary sv.r;-; : : u.