PACTS FOR FARMERS.

Waikato Times, Volume VII, Issue 334, 4 July 1874, Page 2

PACTS FOR FARMERS.

A Mr G. W. Campbell describes a method by which he claims to be able to ascertain in advance the qualities of seedling grapes. He says that "in the taste or flavor of the green tendrils of the vine may be fonnd a true index of the character of its prospective fruit." He further declares that the tendrils of each variety possess a distinguishing flavor, by which it may always bo detected from any other, and a seedling -with this peculiar

character may be at once set down as good, even in advance of its crop. His predictions have been verified in every instance, and frequently too when the appearance of the foliage would lead him tothe opposite conclusion. The reclamation of a very valuable trad? of land upon one of the Scotch rivers "was made in a simple manner quite recently. Stakes were driven into the mud at the water's edge all regular distances parallel to the course of the river. Between these stakes brandies and brush were wattled or interlaced. This simple contrivance resulted in the deposit of very high water of large quantities of .silt and mud until at last an embankment was thrown, up without any further expense sufficient to keep out water except at high floods. The land thusreclaimed was sown with grasses and is now used! for giazing cattle, and is valued at £75" per acne forthis purpose aloneIn breaking heifers it is important to start theirhabits right in the first place. Nothing is truer than the cow's capacity for milk is influenced by the treatment of the heifer, beginning with the calf.. > Treat the young animal kindly and with familiarity,, and you will have a kind and affectionate cow, satisfied with her condition,, which is always an ad.. vantage, the lacteal secretion being influenced by affection. The difference is considerable between such a cow and one trained to wildness. Early maternity is another advantage, as connected with it is the early secretion of milk, which* thus be1 oomes a/ habit near the beginning of life,, the Babit growing with the growth of the animal, enlargrng J and strengthening the capacity for milk. But the; animal wants to be fed liberally and' well' talten careof, so that it can stand the early strain. In thist way what would be usually an ordinary o©w cam fte 1 made a supeiior one. It is therefore best to raise your own stock,, only however when oare is taken with it. In treating both the young animal and the? cow, the doctrine should be, never overfeed, never underfeed, but keep up the condition and the milk.. The machine,, the cow, may then be kept in order,, and do work, good work, for many years — from the .seoond to the 117-th or 18th year,, and sometimes longer. Some cows at I's ai*e as good as at any previous time. Blood tells; but more is in the care early begun and continued, making docile, makirg early milkers, keeping up milk and flesh, avoiding, the severe heats of summer (by stabling and soiling),. 1 the great cold of winter (by proper shelter), and 1 the cold autumn and spring rains. If you have gwund bones, make them up into a compact heap with twice their bulk of coal ashes, muck, sawdust, loam, or even sand ; moisten the whole thoroughly with water and" cover the heap with a few inches of earth. In warm weather the bones will begin to heat in a few days, and usually in a week or two the bones will be reduced to a mouldy mass, that may be rubbed to powder in the hand. The exterior of the heap for a few inches of ' depth may not ferment as thoroughly. If needful the heap may be opened, turned, moistened again,, and set into a second fermentation. The larger the. heap, the finer the bone, and the warmer the weather, the more rapidly will the fermentation go on. Tfte above process will not only reduce coarsely crushed i bones to a state suitable for distribution,, but is an excellent treat to give bone-dust just before application, rendering it more active. With coarser bones more time will be needful, while opening the; top of the heap at various points and pouring in stale urine or dun-heap liquor will expedite the process. The Russian method of reducing entire bones with potash, or what amounts to the same thing,, with wood ashes and lime, is as follows : To 4000 pounds of bone take 4000 pounds of wood ashes,. 600 pounds of fresh burned lime, and 4t>oo poundss of water. First slake the lime to a powder, mix itjwith the ashes, and plaoing a layer of bones in a wooden vessel — a pit in the ground lined with boards or stone slabs — cover them with the mixture, lay down more bones and cover, and repeat this until < half the bones or 2000 pounds are interstatified with the ashes and lime, then pour on 3600 pounds, of water and let stand. From time to time add water to keep the mass moist. So soon as the bones have softened so that they oan be* crushed between the fingers to a soft-soap like mass, take the other 2000 pounds of bones and stratify tliem in another vessel or pit with the contents of the first. Whem the whole is soft, shovel it out to dry, and finally mix with dry muck or loam (4000 pounds) or enough to make it handle well. I should supposethat the latter method might be advantageously modified somewhat, as follows: Arrange a circular layer of bones closely laid on a bed a foot thick of good loam, wet tHem from a watering pofy and 3 , sprinkle wood ashes over them enough to fill the chinks, then give a coating of gypsum ; put upon, that a few inches of muck or loam, and add as much, water as will well moisten the earth and ashes, but not more than the mass will" easily absorb ; then place another layer of bones, with asKes, gypsum, soil and water, as before, until the heap is built upseveral feet; finally cover with loam, and keep, moist by adding water from' time to time, but not enough to run away from the bed. When the bonesare sufficiently softened", mix well" together with theloam used as bed. and cover, and with more if need* be. This plan would require longer time, but I think would be nearly as efficacious 'and more convenient than the process last described. lam not aware that it has been tried in practice. — ProfestorS. W. Johnson.

Mb Arch's Mission to Canada. — The lfational Agricultural Labourer*' Union at Leamington hare received *m official document from the Government of Ontario, respecting the scheme of emigration arranged daring the visit of Mil Arch to Canada. Colonel Den icon, the late Commissioner for the & jTernmtnb in England; states that the response tocirculars, asking farmers to return what labourers they r«quire, what wages they would give, and what cottage accommodation they could proyide, baa been exceedingly limited,, not, it is said, because farmers do not require labourers, but from the novelty of the scheme, and it not being fully understood. That nothing might be left undone to carry out tht understanding with Mr Arch, the Government, we are told, are about to send a number of canvassers throughout the country to take orders from the formers for the labourer* they require, so that upon tße arrival of the labourers every , arrangement may be made for tboir getting into work immediately. The Union, in the meantime, may send by the-flrsb ship sailing to Quebec TOO married farm labourers withtheir families, and 100 single farm labourers. This number can be sent every week, Colonel ©enison saja, until further notice. It was found that the Government could not act, a* was contemplated, respecting cottages and clearances in tree grant townships ; but an Act has rscsived the assent of bis Excellency, and a small number will be prepared as agreed, though the difficulty named had delayed matters so much that they could not be ready so early as was anticipated: Colonel Denison adds that the $6 bonus given by the Ontario Government can be advanced in reduction of the passage money on. application to the London agent. And this is the upshot of the grand emigration that waa to take place this spring to Canada ! If we remember correctly, 50,000 men were to bo sent out, and each family was to have several acres of land I cleared and a cottage built for ite reception. The thousands' of men hnve failen to a few hundreds,, and the cottages are reduced to ' a small number," which have yet to be built Canada is obviously practically closed against the Union, and the soonsr its dupes open thair eyes to the fact the better for them. At the banquet given by tb» City of London to the chiefr of the Asbantec expedition, Sir Garnet Wolseley, in replying to the toast of his health, is reported to have said— " The military world of lata years has been employed in discussing many plans for campaigns on a> large scale, and that without reference to England t bat it is a great blessing tous that these little wars, such as those of Abyssinia and Ashantee, teach" tis a lesson — that when we have selected m general to take command of on expedition, it is mfcessnry totrust him, to give bfm what he asks, to rely on him, and, abovo all things, not to trommel him. This was the mistake of the New Zealand war, and I trust no gentral will ever again be sent who is not entrusted with the charge of tht whole of the affairs connected with the country into whiob ho is to adviincp. If I bad had a civil Governor at my elbow or an nmbassador to control me in such things, I finnlv bclieie I should nerei hare leached Coomitsie."

Newspapkbs Domestically Considered. — Too lpw an estimate i» apt to be set on the domeitio value of newspapers. After reading them, and putting ourselves through their agency, in mental correspondence with the world, they are thrown aside and forgotten. But to suppose their usefulneti bounded by their news column* and the waste-bag is a thriftless mistake. In the first place, there are the household recipes, to be found in stray corners, often excellent, and deserving a refuge on the fly-leaf of the family cookbook. Then come the pretty verses, the strange- and droll atories, the brief biographies and reminiscences whidh, pasted in a scrap-book, are a source of never-ending pleasure* not only .to those who do not oare for richer intellectual food, but to those who bare oirly odd minutes fer reading. Notwithstanding the squibi jocular journalists have penned on the use of newspapers for bed-clotking-, we know from experience that these are not to be despised. They may not be so comfortable as your blankets, but certainly they keep out the cold. Two thicknesses of paper are better than a pair of blankets, and in the case of persons who dislike the weight of many bed-clothes, they aro invaluable. A spread made of a double layer of papers between a covering of calico or ehintr, is desirable in every household. The papers should be tacked together with thread, and also basted to the covering to keep them from slipping. An objection has been mado on account of the rustling, but if soft papers be chosen the noise will not be annoying, especially should the spread be laid between a blanket and the counterpane. As. a protection to plants against cold, both iv and out of doors, nothing is better. If newspapers aro pinned up ovtr night at a window between pots nnd glass, the flowers will not only not be frozen, but will not even get chilled, as they are »o liable to be at this season. In the same way, if taken to cover garden beds, on the frosty nights of early autumn, they will allow the plants to remain safely outdoors some time later than is common. One of the oddest services to put our journals to u the keeping of ice in summer. An ingenious housekeeper recently discovered that her lump of ice would last nearly twice as long when wrapped in newspapers, and placed in any kind of covered box, as when trusted solely to a refrigerator. This is very convenient, since it is possible to have the best and cheapest refrigerator constantly at hand. To polish all kinds of glass after washing, except table glass, no cloth or flannel is half to good. as a newspaper; and for a baker's dozen of other uses, quite foreign to its primal purpose, it is without a rival. — Scribner't Monthly.