RURAL NOTES.

Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1844, 1 May 1884, Page 4

RURAL NOTES.

Mr J. Turner, wood broker, of Hull, in a circular says :— " In the Autumn of 1879, I had the honour of calling attention to the great depreciation in the value of English lustre wool. The movement started at that time carriel up the value from about 11^ per lb to 17(1 per ll>, and gently benefited the English farmers, as lustre fleece wool can be, and is, no where produced in the same perfection as in this country, and p-irtieulaiy m the Northern and Midland Counties. Fashion, on tnat occasion, did not, however, come sufficiently in favour of ihe diess, &c , materials manufrctuied ficin lustre wool, so thatthemovementgradually languished, and piiccshavconce more icceded to about 11 d per 11), the lowest point for over 40 years. As I pointed out in 1079, these unduly depressed values of British wool mean.i loss to our Home fanners of o\ei £14,000,000 per annum on their wool alone. However, fashions are at length decidedly tending in favour of lushe .in bright haired woollen fabnes, the tendency is certain to be sustained for some years, and farmers will receive their pioper share of the advance in values for then next clip of wool. Nowhere, not even in Australia and other Colonies, can pure lustre fleece wool be grown excepting in England ; the present value is lid per lb, while on the last occasion (some ten or twenty years ago), w hen lustre woollen fabiies wcie in the height of fashion, the values ranged between 24d to 27d per lb." Theodore F. White is the cattle king of Arizona. He pastures his cattle on a range coveting 400 square miles. Mr Alfred J. Luce, a prominent New York hop dealer, is now known in Canada, as the propiietor of the laigest hop farm in the conntiy. About two years ago Mr Luce, to the smpiisc of all in the trade, started gi owing hops at Cazaville, on the noith shore of the St. Lawrence, wheiene\t season he will have about 300 acres under cultivation. Last year he grew about 40,0001b., and thisyear he expects moio than double that yield. The rapid diffusion of soluble substances in the soil as poon as sufficient moisture is supplied, and the return of these to the sutface may be seen under several circumstances. If salt is spread upon giavel paths for the purpose of killing weeds in dry weather it lemains without any eflect. When nun falls the salt disappeais, and its diffusion in the soil may lie tiaced by the immediate withering of the w eeds. After a few dry days the salt appeals on the suifacc by efflorescence, to disappear again with the next ram. The same ciFect may be noticed upon new biick walls which are often covcicd with a white oilloicsccnce in dry weather, which disappeais with rain, but which thus comes and goes for several years. These effects arc m every respect similar to othcis which aie continually occiu ring in thr soil, and seive to explain how feitih/ing matter, although \eiy easily soluble, is retained in the soil by a soit of attraction of the particles of it to these dissolved subtances. Faimers, in knocking aiound the barns dm ing the winter, frequently get ugly cuts and biuiscs, which are affected by the cold weather, and piove not onl> painful in this season, but open soies in the spung. Keioscne oil is vciy good. It is good also for diseases of the scalps of childien. Tlieie is a bad odour about it, which can be lelicved by the druggist, but aiomatics aie not always healthful additions. Vaseline is the condensed petroleum. But nc\er be without caibolic acid in some shape. For a toilet soap nothing is better. It cleanses the hair and "-kin. It cures chafed poitious of the body, especially wheic the clothing is lough. There is a stiong caibolic soap for use on animals, It has been used successfully on hens and dogs, sheep and cows. Do not \o*--t" pet into their mouths, for it ism, poison. The caibolic salvo is a great healei of sores. It can he put up by .my diugtnst. It is invaluable. Since wilting the above we find the following in the Connecticut Farmei : — '"A bottle of caibolic acid should be kept in eveiy iaim house, not only as a disinfectant, but as a wash for wounds and <wcs For any purpose it should be diluted with water or oil. Its po«er to destioy fungus growth makes carbolic acid nnaluable in pruning orchards of peai, plum or peach where blight or disease is suspected. The pruning sheais should be frequently dipped m caiboli cacid water." It is estimated that a supply of 300,000,000 gallons of water pei diem will be secured for Sydney by new water■y\oi ks. ])k Stkmn*, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Edinbuigh and St Andiews, died intestate. The imentiy of his peison.il estate has now be leturned, amounting to £ Ml, finm which arc deduced debts and funeial expenses, amounting to CI I 3, le.u ing i'OS as the sum chaigeable with dut;. . The lite Archbishop was \eiy geneious to the poor of Ins chuich, Tin: Amciicin Picsbytciian Chinch has in Pets a 10 <ndaine 1, 3 medical, 12 female inissionancs, and 1717 connnuni cants. 'Hip A'nei ican Bible Society lias an agency with headquaitcis at Tiabe/i. The London Society ioi the Conversion of the Jews repoi ts two missionaries and two assistants at Hamadan. Tin: elephant is eaten in Abyssinia and other paitsof Afiica, also in Sumatra. Some steaks that were cut ofF Clninee, the elephant that was shot at Exeter 'Change on being cooked, was declared to be " pleasant meat." In t Denmark the well-known Bishop Maitensen lecently examined and ordained two young Eskimos, who will engage in missiou.uy woik in Gicenland under the apices of the State Chinch of Denmark. They sailed from Copenhagen a short time ago for their field of labour. Bp.es and Orchards. — A scientific writer commenting on Mr Gladstone's advice toßiitish iarmeis to grow more fruit, says:— "l would point out that the mere planting oichaids is not enough — we must extend bee culture in the same proportion. The blossoms of our orchai ds are haidly half fertilised as it is, owing to the compaiathe scarcity of bees. In ancient times, when cane sugar was scarce and dear, people were forced to keep bees for the Fake of their honey, all kinds of orchard fiuitwere plentiful enough. The United States aie now the chief supplicis of our foieign apple°, and significantly enough, it is fiom them we also get our imported honey. The association is woithy to be lemembered." t It ha\ ing been found that the regulation sword of the mounted branches is all too heavy for the British cavaby soldier of the present day, it is in contemplation to issue soon a much lighter weapon. In the last session of the Dominion Parliament, an act was passed authoiising the formation of a standing army, composed of three batteries of artillery, one troop of cavalry and two legiments of infantry, about 1200 men altogether. In the district of Montreal alone, though only 100 men were lequired neaily 1200 application were received each man is required to be a genuine British subject, and to serve three years. He will be provided with a free kit. The pay per diem n a dollar for staff sergeants, SO cents for sergeants, 70 cents for corporals, 40 cents for privates. Hats and Mice.— If you wish to destroy them get i packet of 11 n i \ .Magic Vkrmiv Killpr in packets, Od, Od, and Is, to be obtained of all storekeepers, or from £. 13. Hiil by enclosing an extia stamp. Life in the Bu&ii— Then and Now. — It is generally supposed that in the bush we have to put up with man} discomforts and pniations in the shape of food Formerly it was so, but how, thanks to T. H. Hilf, who has himself dwelt in the bush, if food does consist chiefly of tinned meats his Colon rAL Sauce gives to them a most delectable flavour, making them as well of the plainest food most crjoyable, and instead as hard biscuits and indigestible damper his Improved Colonial Baking Powdkr makes the very best bre«i<l, scones, cakes, and pastry far superior and more wholesome than yeast or leaven. Sold by all storekeepers who can. Ob« tup it bom any submit ty Autf&W l !