NOTES AND GLEANINGS.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 367, 11 May 1889, Page 4

NOTES AND GLEANINGS.

Pigs for Bacon and Hams. — For myself, says an English writer, though I do not dispute thnt the factory-cured bacon and hams — from pigs nob above six months old — is very good victuals— probably the best which is generally accessible, I shall maintain that one got better, occasionally, at old-fashioned homesteads, where the curer knew not only the c.\act age and sex, but the feeding of the carcase operated on ; and go was able to proportion his salting, smoking, and storing accordingly. Flitches and hams were then hung, and kept to a turn before any port of them were cookod. Then, if the sides and legs of what a correspondent calls " a matronly pig " had to be dealt with, they got ihe proper time allowed to every stage, so as to bring out the superiority of flavour; which (let the advocates of pix-months-old bacon-pigs gay. what they will) the maturer flesh possessed But, then, the older bacon pigs got the treatment which makes Newmarket muliton so good. This generally comes from ewes, which, after they have milked to a skeleton, are turned into good pasture ; and, reclothed with new tissue, made quickly from sweetest herbage.

Bkkedixc; Hitstkrs. — Upon this subject a practical authority soys : — P»reed them with neat, expressive heads, powerful, rodining shoulders, length, associated with muscularity — two sporting fashionable ends — a capacious middle, a good throat, ]<nees and hocks well on the ground, good -sized, well-turned feet. We must have brains in the hunter, and a convexed forehead is the natural accompaniment of superior intelligence. Tho correct angle for riding is gained when a plumb Hoe (imaginary) is let fall from the poll, and jusb grazes the noso ; the other point that demands the breeder's eye, the throat, a sure index of wind. A foot may be narrow without being contracted, but for hunting and steeplechasing we must have size and correct angle — 45 to 50 degs with the ground. Weight-carriers are bred in the North of England with three crosses of blood on the dam's side. In Ireland they have four or five, and these, dealers and hunting men npserb, can carry more weight than tho English ones.

Enkt.ish Exports or Herkfobds.— -A reburn has been furnished us of the number of high-class pedigree Hereford* which have been exported during 1888 to Australia, New Zeuland, Jamaica, and South America. The total is 276, amongst them being a large number of Royal, Bath and West of England, and other prize winner?. They include the Earl of Coventry's Textuary, Mr J. Price's (Court Housed Prince Alfred ; Mr J. R.ankin,M.P.'s,Gay Lad and Fortuneteller ; Mr.T. H. Arkwripht's Ivinjrton Lass 24th ; Mr A. E. Hughes's Royal Head and Memento ; Mr H. F. Russell's Sir William -, Mr Rees Keene's Three R's ; Mr H. W. Taylors (Showle Court) Royal Dublin; Mr Aaron Rogers's Reliance; Mr W. Tud ire's Lady Wilton ; Mr J. Tudpe'a Alton ; and many other noted winners which were sent out before tho show season of 1888 virtually commenced.

Rabbit Skins.— At public sales of Australian and New Zealand rabbit skins held in London in February, 1,631 bales were offered and 1,608 sold. There was a full attendance. Prime thin pelted New Zealand skins brought last sales' rates to Id per lb decline ; stout heavy pelted skins being Id and l^d in buyers' favour. The commoner qualities s>o!d irregularly, but were generally about Id per lb lower. Taamnnian, Adelaide, and Melbourne skins quoted Id to l^d cheaper. Black and fawn sold under competition at about similar prices to those ruling at last auction. Good to prime win'er skine, lglb to 2|d, Is 6d to Is B^lb per lb ; fnir ordinary to jrood, IJlb to 2§lb, c 3Jd to Is sij-d j common ov low season,

lglb, to 241b, 6£d fco Is 2d per lb; small and suckers, Alb to lib, 5d to B|d per lb ; black and fawn, 9Sd to Is s£d.

Restoring a Scythe Blade. — Many scyfche blades are laid aside while perfectly sound, because they have become bent by striking hard substances, or th« thin part is twisted out of the proper level, so that it will noc take hold of the grass, .i. T. Baker, of Borrien Co., Mich., says that he finds a monkey wrench an excellent tool for straightening such bludes, and sotting thorn on the proper axis. The wrench is adjusted to h'b the back or the thin part of the blade a3 may be desirable. This is much more effective than the old method of hammering a bent scythe on the top of a stump.

Tiir, Birmingham Sjewao*. Farm. — In a communication bo tho Gewndheils Jnr/cnieur, Charles Hancock, F.S.S., dosciibed t.h<* pewage farm ab Saltloy, Birmingham. This farm has a total area of 1,227 acre*, of which 888 are freehold, and the remainder leasehold. The area of the disbiicb drained is 47,275 acres, with a population (1885) of 619,693 and a ratable valuo of £2,401,093. The dry weather flow of the sewage is. on an average, 16,000,000 gal daily ; and it reaches the farm through ! three sewers, the largest of which is 6ft 6in high by 9ft wide. For tho purpose of precipitation, about 11 tons of lime are ' used doily ; the machinery being kept in motion during the whole twenty four hour?. The lime after slaking is conveyed bo the upper story of the lime shed, where ibis poured iuto a. large ve?&el resembling a brewer's mashtub, whore it comes in contact with part of bho sewage, which is pumped in on the other side of the vessel. The lime is ground up here by two revolving stones, and the compound of sewage and lime which has now been converted into milk of lime is then run into tho " roughing " tanks, where the grosser impurities are procipitated. There are three large tanks and sixteen smaller ones at the farm, with a botal capacity of 1,169,360 cubic feet. From these tanks the sludge is raised by an endless chain of dredgorbuckets, and remored to bods prepared for it in other parts of the farm. The sludge is allowed to remain on the surface for fourteen days, and then dug into the ground, on wkich various crops are grown with great success. The liquid after fche separation of tho sludge is aUo passed into the land, and percolates through into drains, from which it issues finally as i clear and odourless eflluent.