AGRICULTURAL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 229, 20 June 1872, Page 8

AGRICULTURAL.

Sheep-raising in Australia must be a profitable business if many instances like the following occur: Ihe Mortlake " Despatch" asserts that Mr. L. Fallen of Koloru, has a small lot of ewes, nine in number, eight of which have this season given birth to twiu lambs — the total increase thus being seventeen. One of these was, a four-toothed, whilst suckling twins, weighed 2161 b, and her last fleece turned the scale at 111 b.

Our friend Hon. John W. Harris, of Boone county, says that he can, at any time, within a few minutes, cure a horse of slobbering in the summer time. The remedy is a very simple one. It is to give the horse a cabbage leaf. This will stop tho slobbering till he eats soinethiug that will again produce it. Our fanners who are afflicted with horses thus troubled in summer time should plant an additional amount of cabbages the coming spring season. — " Colman's Eural World." Horses that are doing nothing can be wintered on good, bright straw, with four or five pounds of corn per day, cheaper than on hay. If they are worked regularly they require higher feeding ; say ten pounds grain, ten ponnds hay, and ten pounds straw per day. On a grain farm, where scraw or grain stalks are abundant and hay is scarce, one-third hay and one-third straw and stalks, cut up together with one-third the weight of corn meal mixed with it, make a more nutritious food than more hay and less grain. The publication of the statistics of the South Australian wheat yield, showing au average of about 5 % bushels per acr j, has caused anxiety to be felt for an authoritative return of the Victorian harvest. The intelligence contained in the harvest supplement of the " Australasian " is certainly the reverse of encouraging, but the average is not likely to be below 12 bushels; and as a rather large area of new land is known to have been under whejit in the newly-settled, outlying districts, it would surprise few to see the registrar's average up to 14. The manager of a large dairy in vScotland, gives the following as general orders for all hands employed about his stock : 1, Every cow must be in her stall at the appointed time of milking. 2. Milkers are expected to be on baud at 5.45 a.m. and 5.45 p.m., Sundays excepted, when mil ing will commence at 6. 15 a,tn. and 5. 15 p.m. 3. Each milker will have charge of a definite number of stalls, and will be held responsible for the thorough milking of every cow occupying them. 4. Gentle words and kind treatment are enjoined. (Striking cows with stools' clubs, or hetavy sticks will under no circumstances be allowed. 5. In driving the cows to and from pasture great pains must be taken not to hurry them.

There was a time, well defined in the history of British agriculture, when the bare fall >w was the necessary substitute, or preceder, of forage crops in the fertilising and improvement of the land. The introduction of the turnip husbandry and the artificial grasses, and the consequent increase of live stock kept on the farm, were the inauguration of an entirely new system, by which not only was the soil of Britain enriched, but farming itself became a source of great -wealth wherever the new system was carried out. The number of. live stock kept on a farm was the criterion by which to judge of its productive powers and its profits. Adverse seasons notwithstanding, it will not be denied that the condition of the farmer as well as of the soil improve in proportion as this system is adhered to — namely, that df keeping proportionately large herds of live stock to consume the forage crops, and convert them am} the straw jn,ta manure,