HINTS FOR FARMERS.

Waikato Times, Volume XVI, Issue 1346, 15 February 1881, Page 2

HINTS FOR FARMERS.

Cosswold SHEnr.— A correspondent 01 the " Ohio Farmer " cay that lie h.as found by experience that six tiotswold sheep will not consume more food than a cow, and are more profitable. He estimates that six evren will produce eight lambs per annum and 501b. of wool.

Impctke W atee.— Not only is the blood of animals who drink impure water liable to be poisoned by the bactera which suoh water frequently contains, but these putrefactive germs will impregnate both butter and milk if permitted to come in contact with them. The boiling water, which should always be used in washing dairy utensils, will destroy the bacteria ;yet, as butter cannot be washed 3n boiling water, it iR in tho first degree important' that the cold water it is washed in, should be pure.

PUT IN SOMB Rye. — The' practice of sowing rye for pastures and as green manure or grass crop, to turn under, to be followed by corn, is too lightly estimated, (tand has not yet received the consideration of* even the most progressive and wide* awake farmers in all sections of the country that it should. , It is a cheap crop to grow for the purpose mentioned, as there is no expense connected with the harvesting of it. The green rye, dv ing the winter and early spring, regulates the system, consequently ijhe blood is in good condition, and the animals that feed upon it grow with great rapidity. Every bushel of rye sown will pay for the cost of the seed and the preparation of the ground a hundredfold, if used exclusively for pasture. It will pay equally as well if it is ploughed under in the spring, or if allowed to grow until the other pastures are sufficienty grown to form a good bite, and the gram is allowed to grow and ripen. Rye affords an excellent pasture for sheep and young calves. All the tramping they will do when the land is not exceedingly wet will do no injury, aa the manure dropped by the animals will more than make Up for it. — " Farm and Fireside. "

Unsuitable Harness.— The Williamette Farmer enumerates the following miseries which are every day inflicted on horses by the use of unsuitable harness : — Ist. Abraded breast, 2nd Ttittamed back from defective saddle or harness pad. 3rd. Sore mouth from a too tight gag rein, a severe bit, or both. -Ith. A sore tail from too tight or badly made crapper. stb. An abrasion under the body f caused by a too tight or bidly fitted belly-band. Gth. Irritation of the eyes from blinkers being strapped too close together, or allowed to swing 1 around, first striking one eve and then the other. 7th. Ears chafed by the brow band being placed too high, or by metallic rosettes with a sharp outer rim, the base of the ear pressing across this at every motion. Bth. The excessive fatigue of all the structures of the 'neck under the influence of the bearing rein. The bearing rain, if made tight, and kept so for any length of time, is a source of groat discomfort to all horses, and an insufferable tormeut to many. A taut reitt can be used with entire propriety, on horses of fine easy up carriage, especially whils in motion, but if the muscles and bony structure of the neck extend forward horizontally from an upright shoulder, rather than striking out from a slanting shoalder, then the most intense suffering will be inflicted by straining the neck up to an angle entirely unnatural to the animal, especially if this strain be long kept up. To strain a oulprifc np by thumbs, till only his toes touoh the ground, is certainly one of the severest admissible punishments that can be inflicted upon mortals, and the check rein is undoubtedly akin to it, in its extreme application.

Aaroxc curious bequests to wires, that of a John George, of Lambeth, who died in 1791, is conspiouous for its bitterness. After declaring that the strength of Samson, the genius of Homer, the prudence of Augustus, the patience of Job, the philosophy of Socrates, the subtlety of Hannibal, the vigilance of Hormogenes, would not suffice to subdue the»perv«raity. of her oharaoter, he s bequeathed ito.his wife Elizabeth the sum of one shilling !" A writer in Chamber 1 ,! Jotirflal tfives an incident connected with the calamitous failure of the, City of Glasgow Bank, il. lustrating the remarkable vagaries of fortune, A young man had been left a legacy of £1000, and having no immediate use for the money he paid it into the bank. In a few days no 'saw an advertisment about a business for sale, and entering into nepotationS with the proprietor, ended by making the purchase. Singnlary enough," the amount required was exactly what he , had in the bank ; so dosing his account, he paid for the. deeds * and entered into possession. The outgoing tenant, having no immediate use for the money, invested it in shares in the City of Glasgow Bank.' The next day the failure of the bank was announced. , *- A tehkiqijE accident occured recst&y off Ymuiden, Holland- , SomelS*-/. students, who had. gone off in % yjMup'|(i> { seethe departure of the mail siestntt>4 Princess Amalia from Amsterdam for India, ventured too near th© ship with their little cra.fi, whtoh was buffeted against H* 4des,s<> f y)oien% thaHwent^ It&x of the students were thrown overboard. Twelve are mis^ing^ % ' _„ , i [ji ]'' VCU.MHB Dj^b^b-^; ,Sw»mw — .The Siredun Govaram^nfe has guufe ,gre<»t ■ efforts ' 1 to prevent tße'publi<jation of: the fact th»t ! cattle disease h epidemic in Sweden. It Ib now,, however, proved to bm the case. T^e^ress^eajlsjffipa, the Government Ito • Prohibit aU importf into. Denmark of Sw<»