FARM AND DAIRY

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 102, 20 October 1911, Page 3

FARM AND DAIRY

' NEWS AND NOTES. } The theory of poisons formed by the excreta of plant life is not new, but for a long time was lost sight of. Rations should be supplied regularly, for the dairy cow is sensitive to such change, and her milk flow is affected. Some cows have a habit of breathing hard when they chew the cud. There is nothing serious in such a case. Potatoes, when steamed, are a suitable food for cows: they are much richer in carbo-hydrates than other foods. No description in writing can give such a good idea of the milch cow as inspecting such as have an undeniable record. There is no farm crop that is more easily, speedily and greatly affected by the supply of moisture than is the potato.

Few foods equal peas when judiciously associated with other foods in producing a well-flavored, good-textured .pork and bacon. The world has never yet had enough good butter, prime mutton and strictly fresh eggs. There is always a market for choice products. There is no farm manure that decomposes more rapidly than does hen manure, and when it decomposes it loses nitrogen very fast. Good butter and bad butter are the result of bacteria—the fermentation' of the milk caused by time, temperature and cleanliness. All cattle reacting to tuberculin in Canada, save those privately tested, are | permanently ear-marked by cutting a large T out of the right ear. ! A soil to grow potatoes well must bo in an excellent state of tilth, sufficiently mellow to make a good seed bed and place for the tubers to develop. Lucerne succeeds on a wide range of soils, but produces best on the soft and medium hard ground. A good lice-killer for chicks is made by mixing one-half pound of moth balls | with a gallon of kerosene oil.

Cull out all cows that do not return a fair margin of profit. Mate the others up with a bull from a good milking strain. Set a standard of production, for your cows and bring tliem all up to it. Then set a higher standard, and work to reach it. To grow young pigs and get best results they must have sufficient water at all times, or at frequent intervals during the day. Centuries ago it was found that sheep grazing on lands benefited them more than any other animal that could be grazed on them. The natural place for a horse is in the open air, and if he is confined in a stable it should be well ventilated and have plenty flf light. Heifers should be bred when 18 to 22 months old. If bred later they will too often acquire the habit of putting on too much flesh before calving. The percentage of nitrogen in hen manure has been found to vary fr;->m 7 to 3 per cent., the phosphoric acid from y to 2 per cent., and the potash from 25 to D per cent. One-quarter ability and three-quarters grit, ambition and love of the business will make the possessor a good farmer, or anything else if lie takes advantage of his opportunities. We are under many obligations to the old German farmer, who, on his little plot of ground near the Rhine, discovered and propagated rape.

Cool conditions and cleanliness are esBential io keep the milk sweet. Don't mix fresh, warm cream with that which has been cooled. Henry Ward Bcecher declared: "Society owes to the horse a debt of gratitude a thousand times greater than It does to the men who abuse him." The secret of breaking-in a colt properly is to keep him from learning bad habits, not curing him of them after they have been acquired. Milk should never be kept in leaden vessels; the acid of the milk dissolve* a portion of the lead, which is thus converted into a dangerotts substance. When the roots are fed to cows it is well to take most of the dirt off; a little earth attaching will not be amiss, as the animal will discard what it does not want. Horses fed irregularly often get the habit of pawing the stable. Feed them regularly, and if not driven or used every day turn them out into the yard for exercise. Perhaps there is no better indication of skilful management in the working of a dairy than that which is shown in the manner and appearance of the dairy utensils. In ordering binder-twine a good guide as to tlie probable quantity required is to estimate that a ball (4 ; /olb) will tie about two tons of hay, or its equivalent of grain sheaves. Placing a bit too high in the mouth is a very fertile cause of getting a horse into bad habits in connection with the month, and is apt to spoil the carriage of his head and neck.

As far as may be, avoid the use of milk pails with seams in them. There are pressed pails on sale, manufactured out of single sheets of metal, which are ideal for cleanliness. Cream should always be put into the churn warmer in the winter than summer. In hot weather the temperature is likely to increase during churning, and in cold weather to go lower. Unless you are willing to give time and attention to valuable stock, don't be too anxious to acquire such. Remember, however, any animal must have rational treatment to give profitable results. There are in Denmark a number of societies for the mutual insurance of the live stock on the farm. The entrance fee is about 2%d for every £5 insured, while the maximum amounts which are insurable are. in the case of cattle. £324, for horses £.">o, and for sheep and swine £Bl. Where small quantities of cream are utilised for butter-making the churning often takes place once a week. This plan works very well in winter, but during the warm weather, unless the cream is judiciously managed, very unsatisfactory results will occur.

Dirty eggs don't soil well. Lice ami strong chicks arc not in the same house. You get more eggs and they keep better if you don't keep a. male bird with laying hens. Successful poultry fanning ' requires the use of the brain more than the muscle. Don't waste time on weak, drooping chicks. Kill them and give added attention to the healthy ones. If butter has been properly worked it will show moisture only in very finely divided beads, not in large drops. There should be no milkiness of appearance. It is not a good thing to bring up the subsoil unless the land is to be rested from cropping for a considerable time; it is usually sour, or the organic matte 1 !' in it is, from incomplete oxidisation. It will mean a loss to the farmer to have the cow afraid of him. It is a loss every time she is frightened. To run a *ow to pasture is like throwing money away. A cow in any way worried will not do her best. The cow that is made a pet of will make money for her owner. The milk of a. frightened or abused cow is uawbolcsoino.