FARM CHAT.

Waikato Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1528, 20 April 1882, Page 3

FARM CHAT.

Grade up your common cows by crossing with Jersey stock. Some fine butter cows can be had in this way. Poor shelter, care and feed will, in a few generations, make scrubs of the finest thoroughbredstock. Thoroughbred scrubs are little better than native scrubs, and the fanner who raises either will always be poor. Breeding the best stock and keeping it in the best possible manner pays the largest profits. Pigs thrive so much better when clean and comfortable that it is surprising any fanner should let them wallow in filth. A dry warm bed, with the same food, will add one-half more weight to a pig over and above oue that is kept in filtla and wretchedness. According to the lato census the following States, in the order given, are the greatest wheat-producing States in the Union, counted by millions of bushels :—: — Illinois, 51,000,000; Indiana, 47,000,000 ; Ohio, 46,000,000 ; Michigan, 36,000,000 ; Minnesota, 35,000,000 ;lowa, 31,000,000; California, 30,000,000; Pennsylvania, , 29,000,000; Missouri, 25,000,000; Wisconsin, 25,000,000. The total crop of the United States is 459,000,000 bushels, grown on abont 35,000,000 acres of laud, making an average of nearly 13 bushels to an acre. ; Some persons contend that feeding salt to stock is not necessary to their health or comfort, consequently a useless I expense. This conclusion is in opposition to the opinions of many eminent dairymen and stock -growers, and ignored by the cattle themselves when salt is supplied them, especially during the season of green feed. Other animals, in the wild state evince an appetite for salt, showing that is a natural and not an acquired habit. It is believed that salting cattle occasionally during the summer months is beneficial to them, and we know it is grateful to their palates by the regularity with which they seek it at the stated places of feeding, and the avidity with which it is devoured. Potato-growing has been the object of a curious experiment just completed in England. A pound of early potatoes was taken and allowed to spirt freely. From each potato a spirt was broken, and potatoes and spirts were then planted in separate rows. Both grew well, and the following is the result of the experiment : — From the spirts, which weighed in all half an ounce, 51b soz of sound potatoes have been obtained, and from the pound of potatoes 51b 4oz, showing a slight balance in favour of the spirts. The spirt potatoes were more regular in shape, the earlier in growth, and the firmer in substance. Dr J. R. Nicholls, of the Boston Jour, nalof Ghcnmtry, gives the following process for reducing bones :— Break lOOlbs of bones into small fragments, and pack them in a tight cask or" box with lOOlbs of good wood' ashes, which have previously been mixed with 251b of dry water-slacked lime and 1 21b of powdered sal soda. Twenty gallons of witer will saturate the ashes, and more may be be added as required. In two or three weeks the bones will be soft enough to turn out on the barn floor and be mixed with two bushels of good soil.