RURAL NOTES.

Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1834, 8 April 1884, Page 4

RURAL NOTES.

Commenting on the proposal to inocn late 'the' rabbits with tuberculosis, the Queenslander says : " Viewing the matter iv the light of recent scientific re search, is there now a strong probability that this insidious disease may by this means be communicated to othei animals? and, if so, will the human sub ject be perfectly free from all contagion ? There those in our colony, when the marsupial plague was devas tating our runs, who were of opinion that the wallabies would ultimately dis appear through being infested with worms. No doubt many thousands of scrub vermin perished in this way. but they contaminated the adjoining pasturages to such an extent that they had to abandoned as sheep runs. Until it can be shown conclusively that there can be no possibility of the cjerms of this new plague being communicated, by the decomposing bodies of rabbits, to cattle and sheep, it would appear unwise to set up wholesale cases of tubercular disease in a country the prosperity of which is so dependent on his flocks and herds. Admirers of the Hereford contend that the whitefaces mature as early as any other variety. The shorthorn fanciers stoutly deny this and claim for the red, white, and roan superioiity over cveiy other breed in that respect. The Live Stole Journal of 28th December, however, reports that two Hereford steers, aged 1 year 9 months and o days, and 1 year 7 months and 22 days, respectively, were slaughtered the previous week at Barnsley the dressed weights of which were 8961 band 7001b. The brccdei certified that neither of the animals had been unduly forced, and with the exception of a little oilcake had received no artificial food. It would be hard to beat an instance of early matuiity such as this with any other breed of cattle. Since the adoption of the idea of giving rewards for sparrows' heads and eggs in South Australia 88,780 heads and 496,933 eggs have been paid for by the Government. A machine for spreading mamue (says the Adelaide Observer) has long Leen a desideratum in this colony, and it may be recollected that a woodcut of a useful implement of this kind was shown by a member at a meeting of the Royal Agricultural Society about twelve months age. Mr Rake soon after sent to America for one of these, and now lie has in use a No. 2 Kent's mamue pulveriser, spreader, and cai t combined — a four-wheeled waggon that will spread manure broadcast to the width of fi\e feet, or in one or two drills as desired, completely pulvetising the lumps, and spread it at the rate of 10, 12, 8, or 4 loads per acre. It spiead a load in the period of one minute and a half in our presence, doing work in that time that would occupy the time ot a good fai m labourer about one hour and a-half. It is a very simple implyment, though lather difficult to describe. Imagine an oidinaiy four-wheel light express van. When spreading manure the bottom of this machine works back over a roller, and turns over a roller at the lear, and beneath the van. At the tail end of the van is a revolving reel with iion teetli on the outer edge, and above this is a bar also fitted with iron teath like a rake. The manure passes between these teetli, is broken up quite fine, and distributed over the field far moie evenly than it could be by hand labour. The implement is very simple, and can be used as an ordinary van when not Avantcd for spreading manure. It should be borne in mind that it is just as necessary to ventilate dtauis as it is to put a vent peg into a cask in addition to the tap, Avheu it is intended to draw liquor off ; therefore, a square foot or so at the upper ends of drains should always be filled to the surface with small rubber stones. Drains thus ventilated, whilst they carry of water moie readily in winter," mci case the moistuic of the soil in summer by the passage of aitthrough them. Large quantities of counterfeit buttor have been sent horn Km ope to Rio, Brazil, in tin cans labelled " I'iime Preserved Holstein Butter," with encircling portraits of a big cow, a plum]) milkmaid, and eight pme medals. 1 is said to be almost as pleasant to taste as cart grease. Food for Sheep. — For eight-month lambs and young, giowing sheep, says the National Live Stock Journal, a half pound of bran, with one or two gills of corn or a half pound of oil meal, will keep them thriving. For fattening sheep to be sold in a Lite fall or eaily wmtci give one pound of corn and a half pound of oil meal ; this, with pait pastuic, will push them forward favouiably. Do not neglect the root ciops whenever spare time cm be snatched fioni harvesting works. Keep the w eeds dow n, and picvent them ftom .seeding at atij cost. Look upon a loot ciop as a cleaning crop. The moie the hoe is employed at this time of the yeai among such crops as mangels, mai/.c, <.Vc. thegie.itei benefit will the succeeding eiops icccne. A Cow's Ration. — The staple lalion ol a cow is 151b of hay ,md 51b oi meal, or the equivalent in other food. As glass or green fodder contains 7o per cent more water than hay, four times as much grass or giecn fodder should be given in place ot hay ; that is 601b with the meal. Some cows will lcquiic moie, and very few less, than this quantity of feed : and it will soon be discovered aftei a few trials how much moie any cow can consume with advantage. Ankle-guard for Inteifoiing Horses. — The cheapest and best ankle guaid for interfering horses is made of [ inch now thin rubber hose. Get the length around the ankle (not a tight measure), cut the hose accordingly, and run inside a stiap i3nd buckle. Thus for a few pence you get a boot as good as one for which a dealer would charge six or seven shillings. A simple and effective method of doctoring sheep for foot-iot is to wet every foot of every sheep in the flock, sound or lame thoroughout with kerosene oil, and put what sulphur you can take in the finger and thumb between the hoofs oi each foot. Keep them in a dry place for a few hours. Repeat the opaiation in a fortnight, and no further trouble will be experienced. Pigs can be made too warm by giving them too much bedding— a young farrow especially. But it is only in winter time that that there is danger, for during a cold night the young ones will crawl over each other, and get hot and steaming with too much bedding. The danger is when they come out of the litter into the cool air they are apt to be afTected with rheumatism, also inflammation of the lungtj. Pigs can be kept comfortable without such a very great quantity of straw. Chronic Diarrhoea in Stock.— Careful attention to feed and exercise is woi th more than medicine in the treatment of this disease. In horses it sometimes is the result of a too greedy appetite. In such a case let the food be of such a nature as will prevent rapid eating. Give in all cases food easy of digestion, and exercise the animal gently. Tonic stimulants, such as tincture of poppermint, ginger, or cloves, are useful if given steadily in moderate doses. — New York Herald.

Onk Shilling. —Francis J. Shortts' Popular Art Union.—Ten first-class Oil Paintings by celebrated artists. 0000 tickets at Is. The prizes are magnificent and costly. Country subscribers sending stamps or otherwise will have tickets by return post. Enclose stamped envelope for reply.—FkAncis J. Shoiut, 140, Queen-street, Auckland.—[Advt.]

Life in the Busir—Then and Now.— It is generally supposed that in the bush we have to put up with many discomforts and privations jn the shape of food. Formerly it was so, but now, thanks to T. R. Him, who has himself dwelt in the bush, if food does consist chiefly of tinnedmeats bis Colonial Sauce gives to them a most delectable flavour,,niakioß them as well of the plainest food 'most enjoyable, and instead as hard biscuits and indigestible damper his ImFrovbd CjOWWiai/ Baking Powder makes the very,best .brpad, scopes, caktjs, ,and pastry far •uperior arid more, wholesome than yeast o^; eaven. Sold byilHstorekefcpeirs who can ob-