FARM & GARDEN NOTES.

Waikato Argus, Volume VI, Issue 406, 4 March 1899, Page 2 (Supplement)

FARM & GARDEN NOTES.

The weather has beou fine duriug the week, and for working stubbles, breaking up new land, or other farm work it has been simply perfect. Good progress has been made with the autumn work, and, already some of the fields lately under grain have been drilled with soft turnips, which would start away all the quicker for a good downpour of rain. Land intended for grass should be well stirred with disc harrows until the middle of the month, and sow down during the latter half. Sowing autumn grass before the end ot March involves considerable risk, as, should the seed germinate with a shower or two, and dry weather follow, a large proportion will, almost of a certainty, perish in the ground. This, also applies, and with even more force to grass seed sown on new bush clearings, and rough country, where it has to germinate on tho surface. Heavy losses have been caused in bush districts by early sowing when the autumn has turned out dry ; and the end of March is quite soon enough, even to obtain a good growth before the cold weather sets in ; if the rainfall is normal. The late rain though beneficial was altogether too light to do much good to the swedes, which are now badly in need of a good soaking. Much damage has already been caused to this crop by the dry spell, the aphis and grass grub being very much in evidence among the roots, while that fresh green hue, usually eo conspicioua in Waikato turnip fields is fast being replaced by a blueish-grey tint that indicates only too plainly a stoppage of growth in the crop. When making preparations for winter, farmers might sow, in addition to soft turnips, a fair breadth of oats for green feed. If drilled or ploughed in, with, say, a couple of huddredweight of good fertilisers to the acre on any soft, well worked land, such as that lately carrying a potato crop, the oats will make a rank growth, and in conjunction with hay or straw, form a valuable food during winter and early spring, for dairy cows, working horses, or ewes suckling early lambs. Most varieties of oats will answer for the purpose, save the Dun ; whose slow growing, close habit renders it unsuitable for cutting for green feed, (it has its value for sowing later on), and if potato land is used, the dense crop of green stuff effectually smothers all weeds and leaves the land oleau, and in good condition for next year's crop. Potatoes are being taken up, and as there seems to be but little opening for immediate sale; they may be stored in a cool dry spot. If placed on a bed of fern, or straw between two walls of ti-tree wattling, and covered with a thatch of rushes, potatoes will keep as well, if not better than in a tight barn or shed. Tho main points to be considered in storing potatoes are to keep them dry, and shaded from the light, and open to free currents of air. The markets have shown some changes during the week. Fruit and farm produce generally are selling in large quantities, but prices for many lines leave but a small margin for the grower, An export demand for potatoes is springing up, which may result in better prices later on. Onions also are becoming overstocked, and prices have receded for all but specially well-graded lots, which are at £4 to £5 per ton. Butter and eggs are in moderate supply, but prices are showing an upward tendency ; good dairy butter making from 6d to B|d per lb at auction ; eggs being in brisk demand at from lid to Is 2d per dozen. Poultry and pigs are in good enquiry, the enhanced values of the latter being due to the cheapness of pig-feed. Iu the stock markets, business is not quite so brisk ; fat stock have shown a decline in value during the week, and with the continuance of dry weather all classes of stock are a shade easier. A good downpour ot rain would do much to steady prices, but if anything like an autumn drought should set in, lower rates for both cattle and sheep would be almost certain to rule.

JubaiNG thk Value of Sheep.—lt is strange the different opinions that different people hold concerning sheep. At the Hastings ram fair recently (reports the Standard) a vendor was astonished to find a ram, he valued at lOgs or 12gs realised 40gs whilst one he valued at 30gs did not elicit a higher bidder than Bgs. As one settler put it: "Its like two men fighting over a girl. They both consider her handsome, but other people fail to disoover her attractive points." A Cukiotjs Anomaly. A curious anomaly of the Dingley wool tariff cropped up lately in America. A lot of sheepskins have been imported and the general appraiser held that sheepskins with the wool on were liable to a 10 per cent ad valorem duty, under the term of nonenumerated unmanufactured artioles. This decision has been overruled by the assistant secretary of the Treasury who held that sheepskins with the wool on are freo of duty, as " skins of all kinds raw." Bringing in the Cows.—The dog whips around the pasture, cheered on by the boys, barking and snapping at the heels of the cows, until he forces them through the bars with a rush, and gets them in line in the lane. Now, how does a cow with a heavy stomach and a big udder look like when she is running from a dog ? Is she not the most distressing creature in the world ? -Her eyes have a frightened look, her udder swings from side to side, and is generally leaking with milk at every jump. The hind cows in the lane are always the heaviest milkers, and the chief obje'et of attack of both boys and dogs, who are cortain to be blamed if thero is any delay in bringing up the cows.—Rural New Yorker.

Lack of Enterprise.—Any New Zealander who stands on the Auckland wharf and watches hundreds of cises of tinned fruit b.'ing landed for colonial consumption from the San Francisco mail steamer cannot but feel ashamed of the lack of enterprise and industry that permits such a condition of affairs to exist.—Poverty Bay Herald. Black Sheep.—Mr Thos. M'Whirter, manager of the Tarras and Morven Hills station is going in for a race of black sheep. Ho now has (says the Cromwell Argus) a flock numbering Dearly 1000. He finds that black wool commands from Id to 2d a pound more than white. It is used to make the garments of an order of monks, whose rules oblige them to wear clothes made of undyed black wool. The experiment and its results will be watched with interest by those concerned in sheep breeding. Hich-Priced Rams.—Mr J. Wilkie, the well-known sheep breeder in the Waitotara district, has imported four very high priced Lincolu rams from England. The Live Stock Joornal says that these sheep were the best procurable and from a Home standard of excellence no better were to be found in England. One of the rams came from the famous flock of Messrs Dean and Sons, of Lincoln, and three from Mr R. Wright's stud at Rnockton Heath, in the same county. Three hundred guineas were given for one ram, aud the others were purchased at over one hundred each, Seaweed as a Manure.—Attention is being directed at Queenscliff (Victoria) to the value of seaweed aa a mannre, and Mr Sternberg, M.L.0., intends in conjunction with Mr Levien.M.L.A, bringing the matter under the notice of the Minister of Agriculture, with a view to practical action being taken for the utilisation of the weed. Local experiments with the latter conclusively prove that it is a rich manure unequalled for the production of vegetables and other crops, whilst on the other hand its presence on the seashore is very much of a nuisance to residents and visitors. Spread upon the tilled land and ploughed in, or burnt to ashes, and then used as a dressing, the weed is of great value. The Queen's Action Regarding Tuberculosis.—A private meetiug was held at Marlborough House recently, under the presidency of H.R.H. the Prince of Wales, to further the objeets of the National Association for the Prevention of Consumption and other form 3 of tuberculosis. Addresses were given by Lord Salisbury, Sir W. Broadbenk and others. In the course of his remarks, the Prince of Wales said: " The way in which much can be done is to extinguish tubercle in cattle. I agree with Lord Salisbury that to try to pass a law which would foroe farmers to preform operations on their cittle would possibly be unpopular; but still, if people would sacrifice their cattle which are suffering from tuberculosis, they would do more by good example in stamping out this complaint. I mention the matter because I have been informed that Her Majesty the Queen gave authority that thirty-six of her dairy •ows at her home farm, which on being tested by tuberculin were found tuberculous, were to be destroyed." Public Taste in Bacon.—Over fatpigs are becoming alike unmarketable in Great Britian and Americia. The public taste is indicated by the report of a leading London firm engaged iu the trade. One day with another, it is stated, the pig that commands the highest price is an animal which, though well finished, must not be over fat, and which turns the scales dead weight at about lewt. 2qr. (12st). The live weight of this animal would be about to 16st, It is called a " sizeable " bacon pig, and is the type of hog required for the London long-side siugled bacon trade. Pigs weighing from 1 cwt, 2qr. to lowt. 3qr. are known as •' stout," while those scaling from lewt. 3qr. to lowt. 3qr. 14lb are known as over weight. These pigs are always quoted at 3s to 4s under top price, as the bacon manufactured from them is inferior, and has to be sold for considerably less than best quality bacon in the English markets. Pigs known in the trade as heavy over weights scale over 15st, and are of little or no value for bacon, and if taken at all will be subject to a very considerable reduction in price. Sixes is a term applied to pigs under lowt. lqr., which at some seasons notably the spring, are quoted at 4s to 5s per cwt less. At such times it pays the farmer to feed them for a few weeks longer. Mixing Rape With Turnip.— The Wyndham Farmer says that a large sheep-farmer iu Southland sows turnips with his rape and finds that plan answer well as the rape is eaten first by the lambs and the turnips can then it not required for the lambs be held over for winter feeding of other sheep. The farmer in question may not have been correctly reported with regard to this matter, but, if so, then I feel inclined to dissent from that plan of mixing seed. I do not see what is to be gained by it, and it seems to me to have drawbacks. If the rape grows strong and luxuriantly, it will overtop the turnips and cause the latter to make very little growth till the rape is off, and in feeding the rape it must surely be that the turnips are trodden under foot and knocked about. The whole growth of rape is above ground, while that of turnips, is not; therefore if rape grows fast and free it soon leaves the turnip shaws in the shade. However, experientia docet is a true saying, and so also is " the proof of the pudding is the eating," and as the farmer who adopts the mixed growth of rape aud turnip is suocesscul as a lamb fattener, then it goes without saying that he finds the plan serve his purpose satisfactorily. For my part I prefer to have the rape in one paddock and turnips in another, and then the latter need not be stocked until the proper time arrives, When rape is fed off early in the autumn the land is clear and in good order for putting in dun oats or rye for the ewes and lambs iu early spring, and after being thus fed the oats can stand for a crop and many a good yield of oats is obtained in that way. Moreover, oats thus treated are ripe before either wheat or springsown oats, and can sometimes he cut aud stacked ere other grain is ripe. The best crop of oats in my district last season was obtained in' that way—sown in autumn after rape, fed off till late in the spring, and then left for a grain crop. Spaying Sows.—The advantages gained by desexing bows are not recognised by many pig-keepers in Australia. Un•payed sows are very U7jreliable as to weight when they are fat, and equally deceptive in a half-fat oondition. When spayed the sows do justice to the feed that has been given to them. The pork when dressed, is firm and sound, and buyers who know tho good points of the unspayed sows will give tip-top prices for them when their condition is right. These remarks are published in answer to " Breeder " (Kiama), who wrote last week for information on tho subject. A lucid description of the process of spaying sows is given by an American authority as follows :—One man should be in the pen to catch and two to hold the sow, by the feet alone, flat on tho ground on her right side, and stretched out tightly. The spayer, kneeling at the sow's baok. will cut tho hair off tho place where tho insicion is to be made (a little back of tho last rib, and about midway up and down) ; then cut a gash—if on a hundred pound sow, about half an inch deep and three inches long, up and down ; slip the flesh back each way, about an inch, making a round gash or wide incision, then turn the knife, and stick tho blado straight in, gently, deep enough to go through the peritoneal lining, or inside st.rift'en, at tho upper corner of tho incision. Then put the left forefinger in, and with it and the right forefinger, tear the holo large enough to allow working room for the forefingers ; feel insido near tho baok, with the first two fingers of the left hand, for the " pride " a little

knotty lump, which cannot bo mistaken, for there are no othors like it within reach, but if it is not found, as is sometimes the oass, then feel for srrall guts, called the " pig-bag," and take them out the best you can until the first " pride" is reached ; take this off ; follow back down tho pig-bed to a fork where two guts coming togethor form a lurgor ono, as two branches running together from a creek; here take up the other branch until the lower "pride" is reached; tako it off, put the pig-bed back in good order, and see that it is all in the belly proper, and not left at the gash, Slack up the upper hind leg, so as to close the gash, and sew up with two stitches, taking good hold, but going only skin deep ; one stitch near the middle of the gash, the other above it; draw the edges together, so as to touch from tho middle of the gash upward. Both stitches may bo taken beforo tying either, and then tie the threads or twine, crossing oach other in the form of a letter X, and when the sow is let go press the hand over the gash as she starts off. For spaying purposes, the twine or thread used should not be too harsh or too tightly twisted.— Leader.

A NEW SOUTH WALES MODEL DAIRY AND A DAINTY DAIRYMAID. Mr James Saville, of One Tree Farm, near Casino, is one of those dairymen whose methods are deserving of the highest praise and commendation, and which if emulated, would be the means of placing the industry upon a far higher plane than it is at present. Above all things he recognises the value of cleanliness, and in this respect his dairy is a model. Mr Saville has a 90-gal Alpha Separator, driven by steam power. This is erected iu a commodious room specially built for the purpose and conveniently arranged for the handling of the milk and cream. The boiler is in an adjoining room, the floor of which is concrete. But the chief feature about the place is its absolute cleanliness. The floor of the separating room is so beautifully white that it can only be likened to the passenger's deck of an-ocean mail boat shortly after it has been scrubbed down. A microscope would fail to discover a sign of dirt in any nook or corner, and this spotlessness is as apparent round the separator as anywhere else, the whole place, with its gleaming tinware and polished separator, gives the impression of having been just fitted up and kept for show purposes, and it is diffioult to imagine that tens of thousands of gallons of milk have been separated there. From what we have said it will not surprise our readers to learn " a woman is at the bottom of it." Miss Letitia Saville is the dainty dairymaid who is responsible for the state of things, for she runs the "whole show" from beginning to end—the boiler, the separator and the cleaning. It is impossible to bestow too much much praise upon this young lady, and we only wish that our farmers' daughters would take up this sort of thing a great deal more than they do and then do away with the impression that our Australian girls are *• above ' such work—cleanliness is next to Godliness. Geo. Herbert said: A servant with this clause Makes drudgery divine Who sweeps a room as for Thy laws Makes that and the action fine. Mr Saville sends his cream to tho New South Wales Creamery Butter. Coy., at Casino, and the manager there informs us that tha cream is of exceptionally quality, and is remarkabie for its even consistency, the test hardly ever varying at all. When Mr C. C. Lance, the general manager of the company, recently visited Mr Saville's farm he was so impressed that he sent Miss Saville a souvenir of his visit as a token of his company's appreciation of the exquisite cleanliuess aud general excellence of method that was observed. No one realises the value of this sort of thing to the industry more than Mr Lance, and he did well to mark his special appreciation of it. The same scrupulous cleanliness and excellence of method is observed in Mr Saville's bails, as indeed everywhere about his primises. Neatness and cleanliness seem to be the watchwords at One Tre<j Farm, as they should be iu every dairy farm in New South Wales ; that done, and we shall take first place as a butter producing country.—Frem " The Farm and Dairy " N.S.W. THE TUBERCULIN TEST. The value of the tuberculin test has been demonstrated at Pahiatua by Mr Park, Government veterinarian, and Inspectors Miller and Harvey. Amongst a herd of cows that were being tested was one whose general appearance gave rise to the suspicion that she was not all right, and the owner intended to destroy her. Her temperature when taken before in oculation was higher than that of any of the other cows, but when taken 15 hours after inoculation there was no reaction. To prove the correctness of the test and satisfy the owner, it was decided to destroy her. On a post mortem being made the animal was found to be perfectly free from disease. The Adelaide Chronicle mentions a case that shows its reliability for detecting the presence of tuberculosis even iu the very earliest stages of the disease, A bull that was purchased to go to Western Australia, which had to be subjected to the test before delivery, showed such signs of reaction that it was decided to slaughter and examine it. This was carried out immediately, so that the examination was performed at the Adelaide Hospital Laboratory while the specimens were quite fresh. No mere superficial or ordinary examination could have given the least indication of the presence of any disease whatever in the animal, which appeared to be healthy and well nourished. About half a dozen solitary, isolated, pin-head specks were found just underneath the pleura. These proved to be typical tubercles in a very early stage of infection, exhibiting, however, all stages of growth and maturity. It is a most remarkable fact that the reaction should be so intense while the tubercles were so few in number and so isolated, while at the same time every other organ of the body was perfectly healthy. This test, and the subsequent investigation arc of the highest importance to stock owners, as showing that the tuberculin test will answer its purpose in the very inception of the disease. The appearance of the carcase after death was such that no inspector would have been justified in condemning it as diseased from superficial inspection, and only the microscopical investigation made it certain that tuberculosis was present.

RIDER HAGGARD ON FARMING. In a recent issue of Longman's Magazine, Mr Rider Haggard gives a further instalment of his racy notes on his farming experiences in Norfolk, of which the following is an extract:—Compared with other and rougher countries it is curious to note the ceaseless nature of the work needful to the carrying on of an English farm. Wc have brought cultivation to such a pitch of science that every day has its appropriate and necessary labour without which all would be spoilt. Yet the pity of it is that, notwithstanding the care, knowledge and intelligence which are put into the workiug of the land, under the the present conditions it can scarcely be made to pay. The machinery works, the mill goes round, the labourers earn their wage, and the beast his provender, the good man rises early and rests late, taking thought for the day and the morrow, but when at Michaelmas he balances his books there is no return, and lo ! the bailiff stands within the gates. Although there have been gleams of hope during the past year in our parts, the ancient industry of agriculture is nearly moribund ; and if the land is farmed fairly, it is in many instances being worked at a loss, or at any rate without a living profit. The reader may say that this is impossible, that no one would carry on the business

under these conditions; yet it is still carried on, in many cases from sheer force of habit, or because those who practice it have nothing else to which to turn. The small farmers only too often keep up the game till they are beggared when they adjourn to the workhouse or to live upon the charity of their friends. The larger farmers go on until they are absolutely impoverished and retire into a cottage, or, if they arc fortunate, find a position as steward upon some estate. The landlords with farms upon their hands work them with capital borrowed at high interest from the bank, till they can let them upon easy terms to _ any sort of tenaut. Unless they have private means to draw on, or are able to earn money, into their ends it is best not to inquire' ; they sink and sink till they vanish beneath the surface of the great sea of English society, aud their ancient homes and accustomed place are filled by the successful speculator or South African millionaire. All this Mr Riger Haggard sets down as the result of Free Trade, which, he coutends, if it has brought prosperity to the people as i whole, has taken away theliving of those classes that exist by the land, at any rate in the eastern counties. DUAL PURPOSE CATTLE. A very animated discussion has recently been carried on in the United States regarding the relative merits and adaptability of special and general purpose breeds of cattle. The cattle breeding industry in North America may be divided into three classes—the rauches where the animals are bred and fed in immense mobs ; the more closely cultivated holdings, where they are bred and fed on a system more nearly resembling that which prevails in Great Britaiu * and the dairy farms adjoining populous centres, where the production of milk or butter is the main object. For the first purpose, of course, the beef breeds are the most suitable ; for the second what is wanted is the general purpose animal, while for the third the Jersey. Guernseys, Aryshires, Shorthorns of the milking type, Red Polls or Dutch are what suit the requirements beHt. The controversy has been carried on ohiefly by Governor Hoard proprietor of Hoard's Dairyman, tho leading dairy paper in America on the oneside aud Professor Shaw, of the University of Minnesota, on the other,andit isto the latter that weowotheexpression" dual purpose" cattle in substitution for " general purpose " cattle. Mr Hoard has for many years maintained that there is a dairy form and a beef from in cattle, and that for special dairy work it is ruinous to use cattle of the beef type, and that there is some foundation for his opinions i 3 not open to dispute. In this connection the following account of the building up of a noted dairy herd in Victoria as given in the Melbourne Leader, will be interesting : For mauy years the Ariuga Estate, situated between Port Fairy _ and Hamilton, aud owned by J. C. Ritchie, has been noted for the quality of its beef cattle. The lv. rd was built up from the principal strains of imported Shorthorns ; but since the introduction of the dairyiug industry, Mr Ritchie has added the Leuri Estate to his property, aud much attention has been paid to the breeding of a high diss dairy cattle. The idea the proprietor has had in view has been to follow as closely as possible on the lines of the breeders on the South Coast of New South Wales, where the noted "South Coast" cattle are bred. The best cows from the original herd were selected, and at various times bulls of the milking type of Shorthorns, procured from Mr J. G. Brisbane, of Colac, have been used. The selected heifers from these have been put to Ayrshire bulls, descended from Mr G. Rolfe's herd. MiRitchie has a great preference for the red colour, and his ambition has been to develop it in his herd. The effect is seen iu the red Shorthorn, and almost whole coloured Aryshire cows grazing on the pastures by the sea shore at Aringa. Mr Richard Fry, who has had charge of the Aringa herd, is now milking 2SO cows, all of which have been bred on the lines iudicated. In selecting the herd no use has been made of the Babcock test as a means of grading ; but animals presenting the best appearance, and giving the largest quantity of milk, have been kept tor breeding purposes. The Aringa herd now presents a splendid illustration of the " general purpose," or, as the Americans call her, the " dual purpose " cow which is valuable either for butter production or beef. The Shorthorn blood imported by the late Mr Neil Black predominated in the original herd, while Mr Ritchie speaks in the highest terms of the sires Sommerton's Duke 12th, Brunswick's Duke 19th, aud Jessamine's Duke 32nd, which were procured of late years from Mr J. G. Brisbane, for the development of milking characteristics. Over 400 cows were formerly milked ; but through tho severity of the past few seasons the herd has been reduced to some extent. There is generally a brisk demand for the heifers bred on this estate, and these as well as the fat stock are sold privately. Mr Fry explains that he frequently uses the Babcock toßt after ho has selected his cows on appearance ; the most profitable cows are not those which give high tests, and go off early in their milk. " Tho " persistent " milker, which has to be dried off, oven when giving a good flow, is the ideul dairy'cow. Tho herd is closely culled, and only those animals with robust constitutions are retained in the Aringa herd.