FACTS FOR FARMERS.

Waikato Times, Volume III, Issue 168, 5 June 1873, Page 2

FACTS FOR FARMERS.

In feeding pigs or other animals, much depends on the condition of the animal when feeding 19 commenced. With farmers who raise and fatten their own stock, the quantity of feed consumed from beginning to end is very rarely known ; and it shows how important it is that they should keep accurate accounts of these matteis, if they would have a real and prjritable undent uiding of their business. Some people say never water a horse immediately before or afuer feeding. I say that if a horse is thirsty always give him drink, and lie will ihank you for it. I have often seen hordes put in the stable at noon for an hour or two, and eat a pound of hay or gram, but looking wishfully for water, and then their careful owner, who would not let them have water when warm, will come to give them enough to kill, and ride or drive the remainder of fie day on two buckefs of water and no feed. Ten chances to one his horse gives out with him or gets sick bcfoi c ni^ht. Now, I *ay, give tuo hoise water if he is ever so warm ; give him a swallow, rinse out his mouth and nostrils, give him a bite of hay, in a short time a- little more water, but not too much. If he is watered several times, a lifctlo at a tune, until he is satisfied, ho will not drink moie than half what he would if you let him gulp it down all at once. L. N. 11. The art of profitably feeding cattle for market on farms is one to be learned 111 this country. There are not many fanneis who know how to do it. Those who do use the best judgment in buymj such cattle as can lay flesh on rapidly and cheaply. Thii ty steers are purchased m the autunni, when they are low. They are fed the coarser stuff, as straw and btalks, with potatoes, some turnips, pumpkim, and coin meal. In summer they are sold at 50 per cent advance on their first cost per pound, and an additional gun in weight is nude. Theie is a goo.l pile of manure aho, which is worth something. Thousands of slieep are thus fed in E'iglaud and America, too, with even greater profit, as there is a lamb, the fleece, and the fattened sheep tinned oil' within the ycr at a profit of 100

per cent above all the cost in money, and the {manure beside Soinuch depends on tact and judgment, not only^ in feeding, but in buying and selling, that some succeed^ better than others. The time will come when thousands, of pooe beasts will be brought to the vicinity of Sydney and there fed, and much money mode by it. It will be the old tale- over again — one man raises the raw material, the ox, and another manufactures him into marketable beef; and this division of labour seem« not only inevitable, but the best. The discussion of the cheapest means of doing it and the results of practice communicated for the common, benefit will help much to bring about success. The correspondent of the Journal of Horticulture, alluding to the prevalence of American blight on the apple trees m Australia, details the plan employed to obviate this pest. It has long been known that the SVinter Majetin was Hot subject to its attacks ; and it appears from experiment! mado in the gardens of the Horticultural Society of Victoria, that out of several hundred varieties not more than ten or twelve were found prooi against the attaclc of the Aphis lanigent. Amongst those absolutely exempt were Northern Spy, Majetin, Early Oofton, New England Pigeon, Charleston Pippin, and* Stubbart's Codhn ; while the following were very slightly afFected : Conrtpendu Plat, Gravenstein, Duchess of Oldenburg, and L»le ot Wight Pippin. It was, of course, an object to secure stocks ot these blight-proof varieties for-grafting, but it was found difficult to supply the requisite numbers. The following method was, therefore, hit upon, which promises to be successful : — The shoots yf the past season's growths arc taken and made into cuttings about six inches long in the usual way. A slit is made in the side of these cuttings from below upwards an inch or two above the base, and into this notch is fitted accurately a piece of tho fibrous rook of one of the blight-proof varieties. The upper end of this root scion is wedge-shaped so as to fit into the noteh r and it is secured in place by a slip of calico. The grafted cuttings are then planted in rows, three feet about and nine inohes between each cutting in a warm sheltered borderland scarcely o. failure occurs, while the growth in the first season is often** four to six feet. A poultry keeper who always has a liberal supply of fresh eggs in winter, and in whose management tho neighbours chink, there must be some hocuc-pocus, recently delivered an unvarnished tale of his whole course with hens— the itratagems, the mighty magic he won his eggs with. Space is of the first importance ; there must be no crowding. He does not find necessity for much warmth. What is essential is a tolerably uniform temperature, and there must be absence of all drafts and'gusts of wind. Leghornj have gained the race for his esteem, and the daily bill-of-fare opens, " as soon as it 1 is light: enough for them to see," with a feed of cracked corn, wheat screenings, or oats, and wheat bran, scalded and* w arm. Very soon after comes oyster shells pounded fine. They then have fresh water from the pump, as much as they will drink, and they drink a good deal (fowls often suffer for water). After eating his own breakfast he goes again to his feathered friends, aud gives them " scraps and cracklings from the chandler's shop broken in pieces with a, hatchet." Sour milk is administered eaoh day with a liberal hand ; also some cabbage, or boiled potatoes, or turnips. At noon. a little whole corn, screenings, or oats, ai the case may be, and again fresh water in clean vessels. At night they get as much whole corn as they will eat and again fresh water. In addition to all this they have what falls from.the master's table. This only is the witchcraft ho has u»ed. The tame gentleman reports that he weighed the eggs of large and small fowls, particularly Brahmas and Leghorns, and he finds an average difference in favour of the former of only li ounces per dozen, or one-eighth ounce for each egg, so • that the oianous advantage of the big breeds is really so very trifling as to scarcely merit notice.