Notes and Gleanings.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 223, 8 October 1887, Page 3

Notes and Gleanings.

Show Pigs not Wanted. — The pigs.which .agricultural societies have been \\;cajt to encourage are ot a class says the English Live Slock Journal, which are wholly unfit either to fight the battle of existence with disease when such comes near fcpthem, or to servo as " save-alls" when not out of health. The wretched victims of unwise feeding and in-and-in breedings which have taken the prizes, benefit nobpety. The rent paying farmer cannot pretend to encourage animals which are only kept in existence by the combined service^, ©f a valet and a night-nurse. The bacon c.urer cannot buy swine which, when converted into bacon, are such as no housekeeper wants to buy. The show-system has signed deeply against judicious pig management. It has stimulated the production, of a type which no one wants ; and snubbed unmercifully every one who ventured to introduce to the public, notice the typo of pig which best meets the wants of the time. Paint and Oih— An exchange truly says : " Theso are the two best friends a farmer can have if he uses them well. The lazy man will ' dab on ' a lot of paint without ! cleaning 1 tho implement, or whatever it is, properly. Say, for example, it is a plough. He. paints upon dirfc, rust, and grease, nuts, screws, and bolts, and by and by the whole lot gets so matted together that it cannot be pulled apart without much straining, and if any part wants repair tho plough must be put into a waggon and sent oit to the smith. The proper way is to take the plough apart, clean and oil the nuts, screws, &c, and put it together again, and paint where necessary. Paint laid upon dirt is worse than useless, and oil applied too liberally only runs to waste. Axles should becleaned once a fortnight, and fresh grease applied, j and oftener if the roads are dusty or gi'itfcy. Paint preserves wood, and oil saves iron, and the man who uses them properly is not a large patron of the jobbing smiths and | wheelwrights." Planting out Tobacco Plants. — A practical hand gives tho following- advice upon the best way to set out tobacco plants ; indeed the method he describes is a good one with any email plants. He says : — Catch the leaves between the thumb and finger of the left hand, open a shallow small nole with the right hand, stick rootlets of plants into it and pour on half pint of water — the i iootlets will float out in a natural position ; when the water soaks down, draw the earth around the plant just leaving the bud uncovered. I never saw a time too dry to set out plants, and never wait for a rain. I prefer soapsuds to any spring or creek water, and am alwayg particular about saving it for both cabbage and potato plants. When the weather is hot, it is well to place a grape or cabbage leaf over the tobacco plants for tbe first day or two. Tobacco only requires loose ground, free of weeds, and don't top) until just before the bloom is ready to open ; then it must be kept free of suckers, which will start out as soon as the top is pinched off. Must be kept free of worms all the time, and it is a job that has to be gone over once every two days by a careful hand. Rotation of Crops. — An English farmer remarked to us a few days ago that New Zealand wheat growers seemed to bother their heads very little about preparatory crops. Now, it is not necessary to point out to a farmer who knows this business that different crops require food elements in different proportions; thus clover and roots need more potash and nitrogen than the grains. A rotation enables one kind of plant to work for another. Thus clover, a deep feeder, brings a large amount of plant-food up from the subsoil, which wheat or oats can use to advantage during their short period of growth. A variety of crops permits the farmer to cultivate the soil and keep it clean of weeds, and deep and mellow. A good, five-year rotation is wheat, clover (two years), maize followed by o&ts. Selection of Seed Maize. — This month in the warmer districts the planting of maize for a grain crop will be going on. We would impress upon intending planters of this crop how important it is to select carefully their seed, both as to the variety to be planted and the individual ears or cobs fiom which the seed corn is taken. An American writer truly pays that "the Importance of sowing or planting good seed, cannot well be over estimated. The law of * Like produces Like,' is forcibly illustrated in the case of corn. There are instances where a difference in the seed made all the difference between a paying and a losing crop. In selecting seed corn, great care should be taken that it is the best. It is not always an easy matter to decide which are the best points. For example, some farmers may prefer two medium sized ears, instead of one large one upon a stalk. We are content with one good ear to the stalk, but it must be long, sound, well filled out, heavy, early ripened, and one that is husked with ease. We ask for only one such ear, and it is asking enough of any single corn-stalk. An equally good ear with a nubbin on the same stalk, is not preferred. In the latter case, the product may revert to the poor ear, to which it is so closely related. The selection should be made while the stalks aro standing, and if necessary, give the chosen ears special advantages for early and perfect maturity, by removing the ' suckers.' or anything else that would deprive the stalk of making the best growth. 'Ihe stalk can be easily marked by some straw or cloth tied around it. So soon aa ripe, the Beed ears should be husked, and placed in a safe place. It is a good plan to hang them in bunches by their husks to the ridge-pole of the corn house, thus providing good and safo keeping for the corn."

A very wealthy young woman questions her confessor. "Is ib a sin, father," she asks, " to take pleasure in having people call mo beautiful ?" " Certainly,my child* it is always wicked to encourage falserhood."