FACTS FOR FARMERS.

Waikato Times, Volume VII, Issue 368, 22 September 1874, Page 2

FACTS FOR FARMERS.

The New York Commercial Advertiser says : — A beautiful and high-spirited horse would never allow a shoe to be put on his feofc, or any person to handle his feet, without a lesorl to every species of power and means to control him. At one time he was nearly crippled by being put in the stocks ; he w.is afterwards thrown down and fettered ; at another time, one of our most experienced hoiseshoera was unable to manage him by the aid of as many hands as could approach. In attempting to shoe this horse recently, lie resisted all efforts., kicked aside everything but an anvil, and came near kicking himself against that, and finally was bi ought back to his stable unshod. This was his only defect ; iv all other respects he is gentle and. perfectly docile, and especially in harness. But this defect was just on the eve of consigning him to the plough, where he might work barefoot, when, by mere accident, an officer in our service, lately returned from Mexico, was passing and being made acquainted with the difficuty, applied a complete remedy by the following simple process : — He took a cord about the size of a common bedcord, put it in the mouth of the horse like a bit, and tied it tightly on the animals head, passing his left e.uunder the string, not painfully tight but tight enough to keep the ear down and the cord in its place. This done he patted the horse gently on the side of the head, and commanded him to follow, and instantly the horse obeyed, perfectly subdued, and as gentle and obedient as a well trained dog, suffering his feet to be lifted with entire impunity, acting in all respects like an old stager. This simple string, thus tied tied, made him at once docile and obedient as any one could desire. The gentleman who thus furnished this exceedingly simple means of snhduiug a very dangerous propensity intimated that it is practiced in Mexico and South America in the management of horses. Be this os it may, he deserves the thanks of all owners of such horses, and especially the thanks of those whase business it may bo to shoe or groom the animal." — The principle of the plan would seem to be the same as that of other ingenious devices which have proved successful — to divert the animal's attention to something else for the time. At the present time some American farmers consider themselves the most unfortunate of their class — that they work harder for less profit, and enjoy fewer of the comforts of life than any farmers elsewhere. It may probably tend in some degree, says the American Agriculturist, to dispel such a mistaken idea to consider the position of farmers elsewhere. With this view we give an engraving of a farmstead and grist-mill in Scalloway, one of the Shetland Islands. The grist-mill, which is shown in the foreground, would be impossible to match in this country for poverty and wretchedness. It contains but one pair of stones, which are turned by a horizontal wheel, consisting of pieces of board fixed to an upright shaft, and the moveable stone is fixed npon this shaft, making but sixty revolutions per minute. There are bolts in the mill ; the only grain ground is oata, and eaoh farmer who carries hi •, grain thither grinds his own grist, which runs from the stones upon the floor, from which it is swept up and taken home in the bags in which it was brought. If this process is rough and inconvenient, the farming upon these islands is equally rough and surrounded with hardships. Oats are the staple, or rather the only grain which ripens, and sometimes this croj> f.iils to mature, or the season is so unpropitions that it cannot be gathered, but remains in the shock far into the next season before it can be dried sufficiently to thresh, or is sometimes totally lost. The herbage is scanty but nutritious, and sustains the very diminutive ponies — which are the only horses upon the islands — a very few small cows, which give three quarts of milk per d^S&during a short season, and some very short-woolleu sheep, some of which are not much bigger than goats. The winter lasts six months, and the agricultural operations of v the inhabitants me supplemented by fishing, which is rendered hazardous by the frequent storms. We doubt if there is one farmer in our highly favoured country whose position wotxld be bettered by changing places with the most prosperous Shetlander. The Hawke's Bay settlers are taking vigorous measures to improve their stock by importing fresh blood. The Daily Telegraph states that in addition to the pure Lincoln ewes that arrived to the order of Mr M. H. Millar lately by the Rangatira, there were imported by the same opportunity thirteen stud merino ewes and five rams, selected from the celebrated Learmonth flock, Victoria, for the Hon Donald McLean. They are all young sheep, and for quality cannot be surpassed. Then a Melbonrne stock agent has secured for Mr Canning, of Oakbom nc, a "grand horse," a Clydesdale stallion of the very best blood that could be procured in Victoria. With Mr Canning's Clydesdale, and Mr McLeans thoroughbred horse Kingfisher, says the Telegraphy it ought not to be long before our provincial horses equal the character of our longwools and shorthorns. We fully endorse tho plan and sentiments expressed in the following, extracted from the Clutha Leader :— A recent visitor to Inch Clutha, observing a clump of intice bush standing in each of Mr Fergusons paddocks, Inverclutha, expressed his surprise that that gentleman should not have the same cut down and the ground cultivated. Mr Ferguson being at hand very soon convinced his visitor that these patches were the most profitable portions of his farm. In summer they are a shade for his stock from the scorching rays of the sun, and in winter a shelter from the cold fierce blast. By the free right of access to these bushes, the stock can keep thomsolves comfortable under the most adverse circumstances. While the nutriment of others, shivering with cold upon unsheltered paddocks, goes to keep up the natural warmth of the system, that of those in sheltered situations goes to form bone, sinew, and fat. Tho value of such spots is thus apparent. Pity it is that more of our settlers cannot kgo it, and consequently do not follow Mr Fergusons example. The following plan for hanging gates, so that they will keep in good order, is given in the Cincinnati Gazette, and will be interesting to our country leaders: — "In the spring of 18G7 I hung four largo gates. The posts were six by eight inches square, and were put into the ground two and ahalf feet. Tho post that I hung the gate to was put down first, and the gato then hung. I then set the othor post so as to let the gato shut inside the post, against Wo pins driven in the post, ono foot from tho top and bottom of the gate. Then I put a one-inch pin through tho gate the same way the gate shuts, and extending through four inches, with tho point of the pin elevated ono inch. Tho pin was thus arranged so as to slip over the top pin in the post, with sufficient bearing to take out tho spring of the gate. In this way, when shut, the gato is supported by both posts. The gato is made of timber one inch thick, four or five inches wide, and cloven feet long. I take for the two heel pieces, pieces one inch thick, four inches wide, and four feet ten inches long, I also take two pieces two inches wide for the gate. I then put a brace on both sides, running from the top of the centre upright slats to the bottom of tho heel pi'oce, all being firmly bolted together. The latch or bolt (three and and one-half feet long) is placed on the top of tho third or fourth bnr. A mortace is cut in the post for the latch or bolt to slido in. Tho abovo four gutos wero hung in tho spring '67. They stand as firni to-day as thoy did tho day I hung thorn."

The Oiago Guardian possesses a correspondent at Vienna, who in si recent lutter describes the dittcretit objects of attraction in the Burg. "To me," he says, " tlie most interesting sight is the Royal Mew s, containing 350 horses, each horse in a separate loose box ; one long building contains only white horses, .mother black, another bay, brown, and chestnut. All arc beatifully arranged and orderly, nor is there the least disagreeable smell. The handsomest horses are English. The Emperor's riding- horses are in enclosed stalls : I counted about 40. A groom was trying to saddle a beautiful black mare, which seemed rather restive. He was speaking to her, and I called out, ' She does not understand German,' Then I said in English, ' Come here, Black Rose, my beauty,' and she actually turned round, ran over, and put her nose in my hand. Every one present was delighted." Mr Perret, a French pharmaceutical chemist, lias discovered a very simple and ecconomicul method of shaving horses, particularly when they are not in motion, from being tormented by flies. It consists in merely rubbing them with a little concentrated oil of laurel, which is extremely disliked by the flies. The oil should be specially applied to the parts where the flies usually settle. With about three pennyworth of this oil a horse can be anointed for three days. There is not the slightest danger in using it, and, indeed^ its slightly stimulating action is beneficial to horses, and keeps their coat in good order. This expedient may also be usefully replaced by a solution of 60 grammes of assafoetida mixed with one glass of vinegar and two of water. The strong odour of the assafoetida drives away the flies, and if horses be well washed with this, not a fly will settle on them. No apprehension need be felt in using the assafcetida, which has no deleterious properties.