AGRICULTURAL HINTS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 242, 13 March 1880, Page 2

AGRICULTURAL HINTS.

If refuse fish can bo procured cheaply, feed it to your poultry ; they are exceedingly fond of fish, and a little given to them at this season of the year is very beneficial.

The most effectual method of preventing cows from kicking ia to have a strap buckled tight around the body jmt forward of the hip bones and close to the forward teats. They may dance a little on first trial, but they soon give it up and rein in quiet. After using it fox a time it can be dispensed with, as (hey will stand quiet without it. Young fowls are the best for laying eggs. It is not good to keep bens beyond the second year. Good authority jmgg- •—“ PVefling will do a great deal

—a surprising work indeed—in the production of eggs, but when old. hens, are concerned ; that may }.ut on fat, but they can not put down eggs. Their y toh* is told, their \ o>'k is over.” A teamster in Maine says h • can start the worst balky horse hy taking him out of she shafts ami making him go round in r. circle till .e is giddy, if the first dame of this sort doesn’t cyi him the second will. To cure a lif-rse, simply place jour band over ; horse’ mse and shut of liis win till ho ( wants to go and lin n let him g >. / To keep a lawn fresh and given, put j on frequently a slight sprinkling of .salt',, or Inun dust, or superphosphate, or any / good fertiliser. When the soil is soft'* run the roller over ; it helj s the appearance greatly. The application of a little ground gypsum will also freshen up the grass. Eut above all, hevi r neglect to run the mowing machines ov.-r frequently. Crushed hones and oyster shells are very good to keep poultry in health, and

to supply lime for making shell in laying: liens, Lh ring summer, insects and': vaiious seeds supply much egg shell matter, but as soon as this is stopped make good the loss by supplying tho ab./ve liberally in trays that can he reached at any time. The inixtuic is l not oivy go id for eggs ells hut it assists digestion and the healthiness ofthe flock.

A good method of sowing seeds of annuals is to pro}.are the.ground carefully and place the seed on the top, covering them with earth to the depth of an eight of an inch After pressingslightly, place a bit of ci tton cloth on the seed he!, and keep the cloth damp* by watering morning and night. Ina week the seed will spout, when the cloth mav be reu o-ved.

An exchange well says : —“ Many little farms well tilled, with manyindustrious, sober farmers to till them,, constitute the highest degree of agricultural ] rosperity. Jbe greater the number of persons who own ! .ml in any couimnn ty, the more interest they will take in h.o improvement. A If you want the strawberry bed has borne You a good crop one season tobear well the next year, you*must work it out thoroughly and manure well as soon as it is through bearing. Dartput it off until the bed is tided - with weeds and grass. First plough or . spade tins ground between the rows ; cutting the rows down narrower ; .them 1 work the rows out well with a fork, potato digger, and scatter in them a* good quantity of well-rotted-^eompost r guano, or poudrette It is good plum to draw fivsh earth in among the plants.