FARM & GARDEN NOTES.

Waikato Argus, Volume V, Issue 363, 5 November 1898, Page 2 (Supplement)

FARM & GARDEN NOTES.

During the past week the weathor has been unusually cold, a keen westerly wind accompanied by cutting showers generally prevailing. Ample rains for tho requirements of the crops for some time to come have falleu, and some bright, warm days would be acceptable. The prevalence of so much cold wind has been prejudicial to orchards; the tender leaves and buds of fruit trees —whenever exposed to its force,—presenting a blackened and shrivelled appearance, which is very disappointing after the wealth of blosAom displayed only a few weeks since.

Pastures, grain, and potato crops, are however going steadily ahead, and are well advanced for the time of year, feed in many parts of VVaikato, being better just now than for some seasons past, though tho herbage is of course of rather a rank and watery nature, not calculated to produce hig h percentage of butter-fat in the milk sent to creameries. Stock everywhere, are fat and getting into condition, though prime beef and mutton is none too plentiful. Ewes and lambs are having a good season, especially the latter, and seldom, if ever, have we seen a finer class of lambs than are now to be found in the majority of VVaikato sheep farms, including the big estates. In view of the excellent season, and large numbers of fat lambs that will be available in a month or two, it is to hoped our sheepbreeders will take advantage of the opportunities offered for freezing and shipping, and export a considerable proportion of the present lamb crop to the English market. Such a step would undoubtedly tend to enhance the value of those sold locally, and also the probabilities point to remunerative prices being obtained in the Home market for frozen lambs. The late Agricultural Show has been useful in bringing before breeders some grand specimens of tho high class stock, for which the Waikato has becom deservdly famous, among them being draught stallions unsurpassed for weight and symmetry. In view of the upward tending of the markets for draughts our settlers would do well to make a rule of breeding, at least, one or two good colts each year. The produce markets are firm, and from reliable sources we learn that there is every prospect of remunerative prices ruling for farm produce during the coming season, which will be extrtmely satisfactory to many of our hard-working settlers. The grain markets are fairly firm, wheat—owing to adverse crop reports from Victoria—is recovering some of the late drop in values ; but in view of the unprecedently heavy yield expected in the United States is not likely to again reach the rates ruling at last harvest.

Parsley for Sheep.—The Feilding Star says that a settler whose experience has led him to this conclusion, says that no sheep paddooks should be without a bit of parsley, For years it has been his custom to gather all the parsley seed he can from his garden, and to scatter pinches of it on bare patches left after burning logs. The sheep are very fond of it, and never have any of the ailments which have troubled so many of the local flocks. A Tinwald farmer has imported through Messrs G. G. Stead and Co. this season 5 cen. of | parsley seed to be sown for sheep feed. t t

Cheap Paint for Wood and Iron.— lib. new unslacked lime, grind up with £!b. of boiled linseed oil ; add this to 2gals. skim milk, stir well, then add 141 b. whitiug and 1 pint raw linseed oil. Let stand 24 hours, and apply with a large brush. This paint is dead white, but may be coloured by mixing any of the painters' pigments, ochres, &c. Another Recipe.—Take any quantity of skim milk, and stir in gradually best Portland cement until the mixture is as thick as batter. Then apply with a large brush. t t t

Limiting tue Stallion Season.— A correspondent of the Western Star, Rivorton, writes :-■" A great deal of discussion has been going on for years past whether stallions should be licensed or not so as to draft out the weedy sorts. Good breeding must be maintained at any cost, aud the point I wish to draw under the notice of the agricultural society is one that has always been overlooked. Different societies went the Government to take the matter in hand. I do not Bee that they could do much, but they could do what I suggest. My idea is simply to prohibit entires travelling for the purpose of serving mares later than Ist January in each year, my reason being that a late foal is severely handicapped for life, as it is generally weaned at the same time, as its elder brother broken in to work at the same time, and then it goes through life a dull, spiritless, though perhaps a useful slave with which to do odd jobs about the farm or contractor's camp. t I t

Filtering Milk.—The filtration of milk, which has been practised in some Continental town for several years, is said not only to free the milk from dirt, but to reduce the number of bacteria. Very little fat is removed, but a quantity of slime and mucous is retained by the filtering material. The filters, as used by a large firm in Berlin consist of large cylinrical vessels, divided by perforated horizontal partitions into five compartments. The middle three divisions are filled with clean sand, while the lowest division contains a perforated inverted cone, which assists in supporting the weight of the sand. The milk enters the lowest space by a pipe under gravity pressure, and after passing through the sand from below upwards, it is carried by an overflow to a cooler, and thence to a cistern, whence it is drawn into locked cans. Whenever there is an epidemic in the locality whence the milk is procured, it is pasteurised by special apparatus while in the pipe supplying the filter. t X t

Calf-Rearing Apparatus.—The other day I read, a description of an apparatus by which calves may bo fed, and feel certain that a description will be of value to my dairying readers. The contrivance (which was awarded the silver medal at the Islington Dairying Exhibition) is on the same principle as milking bails ; the calves are'bailed up aud fed out of common earthenware set in Portland cement. In rearing a large number of calves on separated milk the difficulty of regulating the quantity needed according to the ages and constitutions of the calves caused serious loss and led to the devising of the present system, which has been in operation at Home for 18 months, aud has proved most satisfactory. The advantages claimed over the ordinary plan of of feeding out of a pail or buoket are : —l. That the quantity of milk given to each calf can be precisely regulated ; 2. That the process of feeding occupies less time and lees labor ; 3. That the basins are easily cleaned ;4. That aftor the milk has been drunk a quantity of crushed linseed cake given iu tho basin dries the calf's mouth and prevents the formation of the bad habit of •* sucking " amongst tho calves ; 5. That the expense of erecting this appliance is small, t 1 t

Pumpkins as Foddkk.—ln giving- attention to the growing of fodder crops for the use of stock, the pumpkins should not be overlooked. As a fodder for all kinds of *took it ranks high, and has the advantage of being easily raised. Cows will milk as well on pumpkins as any other foddei crop that can be grown for them ; calves learn to eat them when very young ; houses take to them with avidity, and young pigs need nothing more than a sufficiency of pnmpkius along with grass and plenty of water to v.ipidly qualify them for the topping up pens. In tho Mitchell Itiver Vally, around Lindenow, where pumpkins are extensively grown, every farmer having his patch, the practice is to grow pumpkins and maize in

the same field. The land is well prepared, and tho pumpkins seed sown in rows 15 feet apart, with a distance of 12 feet between tho plants. About, -21 bof seed is required to sow an acre, three seeds being dropped at tbo interval mentioned. The sowing period is about October, and a- 1 tho distance between the pumpkin rows is wide it is considered desirable to sow two row's of maize between each. Jn the early stages of tho growth of crops the horse hoe is etnploved to keep the weed* down, but when the vines get h fair start the 7 rappidly spread over the ground and check tho growth of all vegetation, except the maize, which, being of a tall habit, is not interfered with. The yield of pumpkins varies from 15 to 25 tons per acre, the latter return being considered a heavy nrop for the rich land of the Lindenow Valley. When the pumpkins are ripe they are pulled and stacked in heaps,_ and arethen available for autumn and winter feeding, When being -riven to cows they are usuully first chopped with an axe, but for horses or piys even this slight preparation is dispensed with, the animals being able to break through the rind with their teeth. Farmers who grow them regularly for their ctock say that horses will at any time leave a feed of chaff and oats to obtain a pumpkin, and no better proof than this of how the fodder is apreciated is needed. Aug soil that is capable of growing maize or potatoes will produce a good crop of pumpkins.—Leader.

Points on Pigs.—Summir'sed conclusions come to by Mr W. A. Henry on this subject, as the result of his own observations, are thus put :--" Our experiments show that, young pigs make as good gain when fed through the dam for a given quantity of feed as after weaning when on the same feed. There is no danger from heavy with young pigs provided always that they are given the ritht kind of feed and sufficient exercise. Let the feed consist of milk, middlings, barley and wheat, all ground together with some maize. The hitter may be ground to meal or fed soaked. Feeders must never forget that when pigs are heavily fed they must have an abundance of exercise. If it is summer let them run in a pasture; if winter they must be turned out into the yard, and if very fat must be driven about for exercise. Pigs which die of "thumps" do so because of excessive fat. Peas are an excel'ent feed for pigs of all ages. Sow the common field varieties at the rate of two bushels per acre, covering them about 4in. deep. When the peas are planted sow three pecks of oats per acre and harrow these ill. The oats will help support the peas when the peas are two thirds grown in the pod. Pigs will do their own harvesting, and the pea vines and oat straw give much manure to the field. Peas should yield from 15 to 25 bushels per acre, and the pigs will eat from 21b to 31b daily. In pig management care should be taken to give the pigs feed which has bulk or volume. It will not do to feed growing pigs and breeding stock with maize only, which is well enough for fattening hogs. Use middlings, milk, ground barley, swills, &c. For shoats and breeding stock cook potatoes, beets or other roots, and add some chaffed hay to give the mixture volume. To this mixture add some maize meal, middlings, bran and other meals With one feed a day tf such a mixture as this the stomachs of shoats and breeding stock are kept filled with feed without getting too much nourishment. Pigs kept on concentrated feed have a small digestive tract, and do not make good breeders, nor do they fatten as well. Some unground oats may be fed to breeding stock. Scatter the grains thinly over the floor or clsan piece of ground, and let the sow pick them up. This helps to give exercise. For young pigs oats are an excellent feed, but they should be gronnd. Some oats and bran are always in order for breeding stock to give volume to the feed as well, as to furnish them with nourishing food. The main rules to be followed in successful pig management are :—" Give the animals a variety of feed, not using much maize until boi'e and muscle have been formed. For breeding stock use coarse feeds. Heavy feeding may be practised on young hogs and with fattening animals. All pigs, except when fattening, should have an abundance of exercise. If this cannot be given the feed should be materially reduced," —Leader.