FACTS FOR FARMERS.

Waikato Times, 15 January 1874, Page 2

FACTS FOR FARMERS.

It is reiato 1 of .an "^ijjj^ &wnee ihftt ,h« epnden»ed b;a pract cil ex erienco inUr'fch is f^e^Ks^^Qdr lan 1 before it m hungry rejjt it fcefor^it « t w%v| afi^eed it before it » fojul. - £ .■, *;* ' V ' A » French agriculturist report* tjjjajfc a/ter $rjii»g every mejhod known to bim for'tbo .destruction of infesting «otnp of hia fruit tqeesj ho succeeded in affecting I) is purpose in tj|o most complete manner b,y pln,cisga ;nistj*re ojf argenjc nnd sweetened water in a saucer a|j the foofcof the tree. For tlj • In* gi-r ho ma le use "of honey instead of su ;ar.. an 1 In) foun I Mint in .t fow days time lie could extorniinute phem completo y. In order to obtain tallow quite freo frqm smell, and to preserrp it for a lorn; tiinn witljput beootjiin? rancid, 'flip lolfowiug jimpjo procea*', (iays the Ghnnical Review), may be mod. ~S<LV fresh tallo* i* melte.l in.bo'il in; water, nnd « hrn completely dips>lvi>(j, anj consequently ho», it is pawd through a h>j#n iiltor — it. is tnon boi'ed along with tho »vitennd rfai»/>illy ■*nnmpd— then ren lered-solid by cooling and whsli^ I witti w ter, und 1.-wtly separated from it carefully by-pres>-ure. It may be melted at n moderqto heat aud'preserved it) yessels, cnyored witlj a bladder, paper, or stood rioting li-t. H thu linejj filter is not thick enough t-» keep otlier inßrndien^ fruin p-uiirii turuu^h besides the liqni,l tpllow and w»\or, it u belter to repeat the filtrntiow. lalW tlms obtained m.iv be used for ordinary food, for pomades bv tho addition of pure olive oil, for salves and pl.uitors by the addition of wliito wax and may be kept well pr.«iervBd for a Uvae, as frc« from smell as when first propared. It; U a well-known fact that what is poisonous to on© ftmin«l maybe taken by another vrith entire impunity. In '"illustration of this proposition, we tire informed that; strychnino, so f tul to tnosc animals, may be eaten by certain specie* of monkeys with perfect safety. In tho ca*e of an iinst. India monkey, known us tho LungQO", (Presbytis entellus), one grain was llwt coneoaL-d in & piece of cuuumber, which wns eaten bv t he animal with no apparent effect. Three groin* wore afwrward gi" en, and with the »ame result. To tebt the btrychninc used, three grains wero given to a dog. which proved almost immediately fatal. Another Indian monkey, known m the pouch cheek monkey, has been toiind to bi» inoru syaee- tiblo than than the Lungoor, but not s?, nmcli so as tlw dog. It is also stated that pigeons cm take opium in largo quantities with no injurious consequence; gont3, tobacio; and rabbits, belladonna, stramonium, and hyoBcramua. How (o diaaolye bones conveniently on one's farm or country place for fertilizing purposes, without resort to sulphuric ncid, ix an enquiry often asked. Place the bones in wood nshe*, the pile being moistened with water, is the reply that has heen given. A method said to be in use in Russia is ns follow* :— " A trench, three or lour feet deep, and of any desired length, is dv» in the earth, and filled with alternate layer* of mhos and old bones, each layer being about six niche-, thick. The lowest as well as the top lnyers are of ashes, and each lnycr of ashes is thoroughly saturated with water At. distances of about three feet poles ars rammed down to the bottom ol the ditch, and every eight or ten days they are taken out and enough water poured in the holes to saturate tho nshed. At the end of two months the whole heap is thoroughly stirred up with a fork, so ns to mix the ashes and s<olh nod bjr.e*, which are then left to ferment again, water being added as often as nectary. J» about three months more, tho heap beinj worked over twice or three time* more, the decomposition of the bones will be so complete that oulv a few of the largest bones remain, and these are taken out and put in another heap. The proper depth to i-lant ireds is a question of considernb'e importance, and one which, like many other similar questions relating to plant growth, cannot receive a definite answer th«t would be of general or universal application. In dry snndy soils, situated in dry rlimntes, a deeper covering will be required than would be judicious where both sod and climnte indicate the revrrae of these conditions. For instance, it has been shown that peas continne longer in bearing condition, on sandy sods, when sown at a depth of 6 inches, than they do when p.'nced nearer the surface ; and it may be nieful to the occupants of our irreat interior plains to know that, the Indians upon tho tnblo-landa of the Colerado plnnt, corn 10 or 12 inches below the hurf.ice with the best revdi* ; but if planted with only 1 or 2 indies of covering, the opop fails. Seeds also vary m their ability to penetrate depth* of soil in the germinating. Leguminous seeds, and some cf the largest seeding graminec, can bo planted deeper than those of a lighter character. It has been given ns a general rule that nil seeds gprminntp most speedily when covered with ft depth of soil equal to their own thickness and where the constant )>re*ence of sufficient moisture, for germination enn bo maintained ; this rule i«, perhaps, as nearly correct ai any that can be given.