FARM & GARDEN NOTES.

Waikato Argus, Volume II, Issue 121, 17 April 1897, Page 2 (Supplement)

FARM & GARDEN NOTES.

© Tin: Weather.—The tomporaturo continues mild and growth has received no serious check as yet. Tho rains that fell last week anct again to-day (Thursday) have been beneficial to new sown grass anel oats, and growing: crops of swedes and turnips have also boon benefited by the genial weather we are still experiencing. xxx Potatoes.—The Auckland market remains in about the same condition as reported by us last week, lojally-grown potatoes bdng neglected, with a fandemand and a good prico for prime Southern. We hoar of one settler in the Paterangi district who was fortunate enough to secure as much as CO a ton for his crop at the goldfields. -f 4- 4* Wiieat and Oats. —The wheat market continues in a somowhat languid state, and there has been a further easing of prices in the fc'outh. Oats, on the contrary, are on the rise, and there are plenty of buyers for all lots offering. Milling, feed and seed sort* aro each in demand, there has boon a slight riso in value : and prices aro very firm. Up to 2s 2d a bushel (sicks extra) was obtained last webk in Dunedin for seed Tulars and duns ; prices for other sorts ranging from Is 9d to 2s. Iu the same market a scarcity of oaten chaff is reported, and new chaff is worth from £2 l<ss to £3 2s Gd (sacks extra). A short supply is also reported in Christchurch. xxx Ferrets and Their Work.—-Through the depredations of ferrets, two Mallard ducks and two Carolina teal, which the Wellington Acclimatisation Society had secured at great cost, were killed at the Masterton fi-di pond not long ago. On Thursday night not loss than 12phcasirt3 wore killed "by theso animals at tho society's breeding- grounds at Karon'. Tho other d'jy a feu-ret was killed in tho garden of Mr W. G. FitzGcruid, in Wellington.'—N.Z Times. x x.x The Buttep. Export Trade : Importance of Continuous Supplies.— The Agent-general has written to the Premier on the necessity of regularity in the shipments of dairy and other produce to Englind. He points out that " buyers must not only be satisfied that New Zealand butter and cheese are good, but they must be aide to count upon getting them every week." The Gothic took away on Friday 500 tons of butter and cheese. xxx Worth from Waste.—Mr Cramp, the well-known shipbuilder at Philadelphia, announces that a chemist under his patronage has made a discovery of immense value to the American farmer. The stalks of Indian corn or maize, which last year was tho largest cereal product in tho State', have hitherto been worth little or nothing. By this discovery they will become worth odol per acre. Tho stalks willfuruish material for an astonishing variety of articles—paper, matting, cellulose for ship linings, sugar, smokeless powder, rum, &0 The enormous acreage now given to maize will make its by-pro-duet even more valuable than the cotton see d—jrice a nuisance, but now yielding a value of millions every year. + + .+ Improving Sheep Flocks.—Speaking at a meeting of the Wellington Agricultural and Pastoral Association, Mr Matthews, the retiring president made some interesting remarks regarding wool returns. He said he had looked up his returns for the years 1872, 1873, and 187-1, and found that despite the high prices which wool then fetched, tho returns per thousand were lower than those for the past three years, a fact which showed the advantage of improving the class of sheep. Shcepfarmers had during the last few years improved their flocks, and the averago weight of fleece to such an extent that the returns were now equal to what they were per thousand in former years. In his own ease he had more than doubled the weight of fleece, and that was where the profit had come in. + -t + How tiiev Regard tub Sugar Beet Industry in America.—S. H. Linton of Marceiine, Michauan, who has taken an active interest in this industry writes : " I consider this a grand move. 1 may never grow beets or own stock in a suaar factory, but like nil other American citizens, I am deeply interested in this gigantic industry. At least one-fourth or more of the 05,000 miles in Missouri can produce sugar crops. We havo filled mammoth corn cribs, great ricks of hay are everywhere, cattle, bogs, aud horses are feeding by the thousand. These and other farm products, if thrown upon the markets to-day. would hardly pay the freight, yet the country is sending abroad millions of money that ought to go tD our farmers for sugar crops, that would reduce the surplus aud ealnuce the value of these other staples. " xxx Sacaline. —There has been a great deal written about the value of sacaliue for a forage plant. We (Melbourne Weekly Times) have refrained in tho past from advocating the use of this plant until wo wero submitted proofs of its usefulness. Last week we paid a visit to Ripon Lea, Elsternwiek, the residence of Sir F. Sargood, when wo wero shown a splendid lot of sacalino raised from seed. The seed was sown in boxes on December 31, 1805 and wero transplanted when large enough to handle. The plants have now (a little over 15 months) attained a height of 6ft, aud the cattle cat them with great relish. From the appearance of tho numerous eyes formed at the base of tho stems, it would prove of great use if cut the same as lucerne. The crop has only been watered once during the summer. It is claimed for saealine that it will stand both the extremes of heat aud cold. + + + Pkeserving Meat isv Ei.ecteicitv.— A provision mecrchant of Rio Janeiro, according to the Boston Transcript, " applies the method of ' catiphoresis,' or the forcing of foreign substances into animal tissue by electricity, to the preservation of meat. lie immerso-> the meat to be preserved in a 30 percent, solution of common salt, and passes through the whole a continuous current of electricity. In from 10 to 12 hours the salting is said to be done, and the moat is taken from tho bath and hung up to dry. For the guidance of those who might be disposed to try tho method, it may be added that in working a bath of 3000 litres (750ga1) of brine, in which 1000 kilos (22001 b) of meat may be immersed, the current may be of 100 amperes, with an electromotive force of eight \ olt3. Tho electrodes must bo of platinum, since if other materials, such as zinc or iron, were used, tho metal salts f jiined would bo injurious. -I- x + Raising Onions for Market.— A successful York State specialist writes to the American Agriculturist as follows: Onion growing may be divided into culture in the kitchen garden, the market garden, and on the farm. In the market garden the first thing under consideration is tho soil. The best suited for tho onion is a dry, sandy loam, not wet, or soggy, for if it is you will have nothing but scullions at the end of the season. Take a piece of Ir.nel tbatjhas had early potatoes anel as soon as thfsa are dug - , haul en plenty of well-rotted barn-ycird manure, spread evenly, plow, not too deep, but just deep enough to cover tho manure. Then sow rye on it at the rate of six bushels per aore. Don't be afraid of sowing your rye too early in the fall. Don't plow too eirly in tho spring, but give the rye a chance to start. By plowing it again in the spring you get all your manure on the top, just when you want it for onions. The roots of the onions are all near tho surfucs. After going over it with a good smoothing harrow, the ground is ready for the seed. Make tho rows 18in. apart—they might be nearer, but 1 think this near enough, because it. gives a better chance to work tlium with a double wheel hot, Wlieu

the onions are about 4iu. high sow on I'ood nshes at the rale of 100 bushels per acre broadcast. I never thin my onions but leave tfecm us the drill sows thorn. Harvest as soon as the tups diu, and sow rye as in the fall previous, ready for another year's crop. If these directions are followed I promise you a line crop of onions. -!- + + Applying Artificial Manures.—MiDavid A. Criohton, F.R H.S., in :>. paper on, " Manures and how to use them "''says that " In applying fertilisers to the land the cultivator should take into consideration the requirements of the soil and the particular crop that is to be grown. Those requirements as a matter of course vary greatly, and no precise formula cm be laid down, much necessarily having to be left to the discretion of the cultivator. In all eases the pratioe should bo to use such fertilisers as are required in proper quantity, in the most effective way, and at the right times. There is an enormous wasto of money and energy in this colony (Victoria), duo to the ignorant and o ireless use of expensive artificial fertilisers. Very frequently they are applied to soils that do not want them, when their use may actually do more harm than pood. Iu many eases two or more fertilisers are mixed together before they aro used, and as a consequence the eorobinition causes them to neutralise each other, and destroys their value for mammal purposes. As simple icstauce.", if superphosphate is mixed with lime it reverts to phosphate of lime. If sulphate of ammonia is mixed with lime the ammonia in quickly liberated and escapes. Even quicklime, when mixed with stable manure, as is often done ignorantly, causes a rapid evaporation of the nitrogen in the form of ammonia. It will therefore be easily understood that carelessness or ignorance may materially reduce tho value of the most expensive manures. Another common fault in using fertilisers is to bury them too deeply and more especially those that aro rich in nitrogen." ' + + -IThe Sparrow at Home and Abkoad. —A writer in the Farmers' Gazette deprecates the effort of the farmers of the west riding of Yorkshire to obtain legsl sanction to destroy sparrows. The writer referred to could be committed, and lovers of birds throughout the country should do all they can in the way of deprecating the idea of any public body taking any steps whatever in tho way of rendering assistance towards the destruction of a bird which is in tho main a valuable ally. He then goes on to quote a mass oi evidence from various sources in support of his contention that the sparrow is a useful bird which does far more good in the way of destroying insects than any possible harm it may do at other times. From the authorities quoted one would infer that the consensus of opinion in Europe- is that the sparrow is a useful bird. How different the view held by New Zealand farmers, who have suffered seriously from their depiedations. With us the conclusion is that the good work done by the sparrowin the way of insect destruction is far out-weighted by their persistent destruction ofcropsthroughouttheyear. Nodoubt tho habits of the bird have changed since it becamo acclimatised in these colonies, and the abserce of some article of diet common enough in the old country drives the sparrow to perennial mischief here. It would not be easy to persuade the average New Zealand farmer that the sparrow is a friend. One and all the farmers consider the sparrow an and as such ho is doomed to destruction by every means at our command ; and our chief sorrow is that we cannot wholly exterminate tho little pests. x x x Ouk South American- Rivals.—Tho Buenos Ayres Standard of January 15 contains an article on Argentina—the great rival of Australia in pastoral and agricultural matters—from tho pen of Mr M. G. Mulhall. The population of the Argentina is now about equal to that of all tho Australasian colonies, inclusive of New ?jealand. Buenos Ayres is the most populous city south of the equator, containing nearly 700,000 persons, against, say, about 450,000 in Melbourne. Agriculture has taken wonderful strides in Argentina, the area under cultivation having increased from 820,000 acres in 1574 to 12,450,000 acres in 181)4. Mr MulhalFs opinion is, however, that Argentina is not especially suited for agriculture, for although tho soil.'in somo of the provinces is extremely fertile they are subject alternately to drought and loeuscs. lie puts the wheat average at 10 bushels per aors, which is about tho Victorian average. Argentina in 1805 produced l(J,oo6,Coogal of wine and GO,OOO tons of sugar. Over 2,000,000 acres arc down in lucerne, upen which sheep are fattened for the local trade as well as for export to England. Mr Mulhall thinks that tho country is moro pastoral than agricultural, and he states tho live stock as follows :—Horses, 4,440,000 ; ' cattle, 22,870,000 ; sheep, 80,200,000. The fleece in Argentina is lighter anil very much dirtier than tho iiocce in Australia, but, on the other hand, the carrying capacity of the land in Argentina is greater, while water can be found anywhere at a depth of 40ft. flic total value of the pastoral and agricultural products of Argentina in 1804 is estimated by IMr Mulhall at £40,000,000. There is no country in the world whoso industrial affairs and development demand more careful observation by Australians than Argentina. + -I- + WIIEAT-GROWING ON SHARKS : A Pr.o--fitajiliE Partnership.—The experiment of wheat-growing on shares, which was largely entered upon last year throughout Riveriua, appears, says tho Sydney Daily Telegraph, to have been highly successful. Tho returns to a number of tho farmers who obtained land on this principle have been so good that a great extension of it during the present year is anticipated. Instances arc quoted of men who came from Victoria with only a working plant, and who, as tho result of a year's farming on shares, have received a return of i'soo. Naturally such profits as these have given the agricultural industry in Riverina a great impetus, and have produced a host of applicants for land on the sharing principle. Also, as tho landowners have made considerable profits, they begiu to realise more generally the advantage tobedorived from allowing their acres to be put to a better use than has hitherto been the easp. On one property, where 0000 acres were under wheat lust season on tho shares system, an additional 10,000 acres will be (>o treated this year ; on a couple of others 5000 acics will be offered. The effect of such an increase of cultivation and its prospective further extension has been to cause great general activity in the districts affected, and it is likely that for somo years this will continue. It was the combinatnn of a good local yield and a high market rate which made wheat-growing in Riveriua so highly profitable last season. Tho continuance of the first condition may be reasonably looked for. There is no part of Australia, and but few parts of tho world, more suitable for wheatgrowing than the ricli acres between the Murray and Murrumbridgeo rivers. But it is equally unlikely and undesirable that such inflated prices as have prevailed recently will always bo obtainable in tho wheat market. Tits: Tenacity of Lucerne.—Lucerne is well known to be one of the most tonaeious of the fodder plants when fairly established, its deeply seated roots rendering it almost insusceptible to drought. An American farmer drives a remarkable instance of tho tenacity of lucerne. He says ;—" Six years ago I seeled a patch of two and a half acres, and si. eo then have cut annually remarkable crops. I sowol it in drills so as to cultivate it and kill tho weeds with a hand cultivator. It makes a sleuder, upright growth, alTording little or no shade, and the weeds have a good chance. The soil was full of little stones which interfered with the cultivator, and wo hoed the plant and kept the weeds dowuifi uuAuasure. The sequel year wo

put in (mother drill botween the old drills, and let the crop take caro of itself, Tlio weeds were pretty well subdued, but then timothy and red-top came in. For two or throe yearstho lucerne wan tha principle crop, butnow it if sot in a carpet of grasses. The first crop this year was part lucerne and part timothy and red top, cutting fully seven tons. The second crop, as well as the third, was pure lucerne, and wo have cut nearly 12 tons all told from the two and a half acres. We had a spring drought, and what impressed mo was the uninterrupted growth the lucerne made without any apparent concern far the dry weather. When the grass had reached above 2in. in growth the leaves seem to die down to the roots, but the lucerno kept right on growing. .Subsequent rains started the grass, and our first cutting was a grand mixedcrop. I do not expect wo shall be ablo to subdue the grass bntlseo no reason why we may not cut Itu'go crops of hay from this patch for three or four years to come. Tho grass may run out—l wish it would—and then I would count on a big yield of pure lucerno for yean to como by the use of manure in top-dressing. In my judgment,, the land was too rich and too full of seeds of both weeds and grass for tho bei't results with the special crop. Sometime since a western correspondent from Colorado, I think—said when they had any land too poor for any other crop they seeded it with lucerne. It docs not require rich soil to make a start, and a thin, sandv loam, in which weeds will not riot, is the best for the purpose. With my poor success in keeping the weeds and grasses in cheek, this plot has nevertheless produced three times tho burden of fodder borne by any other p'ot'of similar size on tho farm. According to my experience and observation, thcro is no fodder crop that will compare with it for profitable yield." + + + Tin: Qofstiox of Drainage.—Tho harvest being over, the next concern of the farmer will be the preparation of the grouitrl for tho next season's crop. But lieforc the plough, is put to the land every fanner ought to outline what he means to do in the way ot drainage. By far too little attention has been paid to the important question of drainage. I well remember a few years ago going over a farm which was well drained, and tho benefits were so apparent that anyone could sec at a glance the advantages of eliicient drainage. The land I refer to was iutersecced by a number of swampy gullies in which Maori heads grew luxuriantly, to the detriment of the property. These same swampy gullies were an eyesore and a source of trouble, as stock could not go into them without getting bogged. The proprietor theretore set to work to have the same gullies drained and turned to profitable aCLOiiot. Consequently he had kilns erected and a large quantity of drain pipes manufactured lor tho purpose. Thereafter a change speedily crept over the face of that farm, and the unsightly swamps gave place to cool grassy hollows, where the stock could always get a fresh sweet bite, even m the driest seasons. Besides that the water was allowed to flow at intervals into the troughs for the stock, the overflow going again into the underground drain. In this way the stock, whether sheep or cattle, were always supplied with pure cool water, instead of being compelled to suck up the ooze in surface mudholes. But that is only one kind of drainage that requires attention. There arc other features of the landscaps that require to be studied in connection with an adequate system of drainage. Level swamp lands are more difficult to deal with ; yet as swamp land is usually the richest, it .pays to dram it. There are other level lauds, not swamp, which can be profitably drained. Often such soils are too wet in winter and too dry in summer. The reason is that the subsoil is resting upon a hard pan, which retains the water as effectually as concrete. The overlying soil being shallow, the moisture is on the surface, and the heat of summer soon evaporates it all away, I such land is drained a wonderful transformation takes place. The hard pan gradully breaks up, and the subsoil becomes more retentive of moisture without soaking the surface soil. The growing powers of the land are also considerable enhanced. Anyone who tries a few deep tile drains across a piece of level land of that description will he surprised at the benefit occurring. Drainage must be done according to the farmers' means, but draining ought to be kept steadily going. Make a beginning, and do a little every season. If that is done systematically in good time the whole farm will be properly drained. Every pound judiciously spent on drainage will return £o to the farmer who owns the laud.—" Agricola," in Otago Witness. A MILK SUPPLIER'S BALANCESHEET. A FEW FAO TS ABOUT FEEDING. The greater number of dairymen never consider what the cost of a pound of butter is to them, and are sadly wanting in knowledge as to what is a cheap food, being content to feed their cows upon grass that nature provides so bountifully in this favoured spot ; and, if by any chance you ask a dairyman how much it costs to make a pound of butter he will say he does not know. The object in writing this article is to try and instil into the dairy farmers of this country the fact that it pays them to know how much their products cost them, and to foster this idea we intend to ask everyone who keeps cows to send us a dctailo I statement setting forth the. debit and credit account of their cows' work, if only for a period of, say, three or six months ; better still for a full year, and not charging any item up for the labour of milking. As an example, we propose to illustrate the process carried out on a farm in Taraniki, so that our readers may have a guide to follow. There are fifteen cow 3 in the herd and the account is made up from .January Ist, 1896, to December 31st, 18U7. The holding comprises forty-seven acres of undulating land, of which seventeen acres were cropped for hay, roots and green feed. The live stock comprises fifteen mature cows, seven young female stock, one bull, twelve pigs (of which six were brood sows), two horses and two working bullocks, sundry fowls, ducks, turkeys and geese. All the milk was delivered to the factory, and the rental of the place was 12s per acre. The whole <,f the produce of the land was cither fed to the cattle or sold to buy concentrated grain feed and linseod nital. KXPEXDITOEE. To rental of 47 acres, at 12a £2B 4 0 Paid outside labour for cropping 17 acres ; harvesting, seeding and manuring s'.ino ; cartasre of potatoes and bran .". .. .. 51 0 0 Interest on plant and stock, y.IJQ at S per cent, per unnuin .. .. .. 20 0 0 C'JD I 0 EKCEIrTS, By 071101 b milk testing 3.8 per cent. = 308011) butter-fat at Sd.. .£122 13 i By i) steer calves, 2-3 s 11 o 0 ~ 5 heifers calves on hand, 2-53 6 5 0 ~ -12 pigs, sold .. .. 30 18 t! ~ surplus food over and on hand .. .. .. 21 0 0 C2Ol 1 -1 From the above statement wo see clearly that, the method of account has been only roughly kept, but better to than not at all. Allowance, however, must bo made for this, as it was tho first attempt at keeping an account at, all. Let us analyse it a little. Fifteen cows produce I'GHOlb of butter-fat, equal to 42G(Jlb of commercial butter—a very fair aver.igi. Therefore, as tho whole expenses arc chargeably tu the. cows and. their by U produotS;

it is only fair to credit them with what theso bye products arc turned into in nctuul cash. The balance stands thus : It cost £99 4s to produce £2Ol Is -Id, so that each cow rightly earned close on .€7 per annum. Again, it took approximately, £OO worth of feed to produce 4201 bof butter, therefore each pound of commercial butter costs on this farm 3,12 d. It may bo in order to point out that the crops grown were well cultivated and yielded heavily, tho surplus potatoes being exchanged for bran and sharps. The land that carried the root crop and cat hay crop was manured with artificial manure and good dung, being sown with rye and vetches for winter feed. All tho manure i« duly debited in the item of £sl. The vaulation of pigs in excess ot tho date of starting ; tho seven young stock havo increased at least ;C1 per head ; tho seventeen acres ore again in crop aud tho fertility of tho land is fully one-third greater than before, owing to tho good cultivation combined with tho continuous occupation of the laud with crops of one kind or another, sustained by the application of suitable concentrated manures containing tho necessary elements of fertility. The occupier hopes next year to forward a better statement, and as ho intends to test his cows' milk regularly wo shall expect, to hear that some of his cows are doing what is vulgarly called " pulling his leg " if ho cannot do better. That is our advice, test frequently and weigh tho rnilk, and if your cows do not yield 2501 b of butter-fat during tho year sell them and breed better ones. Then you may get your butter cost down to 3d per pound, which would be a very creditable preformance. —N.Z. Dairyman.

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

Tho Wyndham Herald States that Mr W, 11. Lambert has just received from England an order for 100,000 trapped rabbits. You may cut off the horns of cattle in Scotland and Ireland, according to judical decisions in both countries, but in Eugland it has been determined to be unlawful. A Wairarapa blacksmith is turning out aluminium horse shoes which only weigh 4oz tho set. A trial shipment of 10001 bof Queensland butter has been made to Hongkong under tho Produce Encouragement Act,