Agricultural. ECCENTRIC HUSBANDRY IN MADEIRA.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2200, 14 August 1886, Page 2 (Supplement)

Agricultural. ECCENTRIC HUSBANDRY IN MADEIRA.

Goat's milk is .used alm.qat.exelusively in Madeira. Ai4 instead ql carrying the V(\.ilk about in gourds or in cans, the goats themselves ar.e drj^e'n, into the town every morning, and aije milked in front of the purchaser^ (joor— he\)ijUnself or his servant inspecting the entire, process. This certainly oreyenta tjhe '.milkman from e,n ßering into partnership with the pump.: Cow^dp not seem to; be used for milk, but are employed., very generally for draft. The yoke does not ,'taVe' h^ld of the > foreshoujders'as'with, us^'duV is, fastened to \ the' forehead' just below the hdrns > sd .that thd cattle .seem, to butt their load ■ along rather than ip draw it. I under* wtancl that the gain ip thi^ sort of harnens, ia that thereby they secure .the strength. of the «eck as well as that o^ foe body, •If they would hitch to the top 1 pf the horns they might get the strength of those also. ! All of their tools are of the clumsiest and most bungling pattern. The hoe is heavy enough to break a man's back in a day's work., The plough is a crooked stick ot Wood with one handle,' the rfiaxe being sometimes iron $hod,. and sometimes not. If earth i« to be moyed,it ia curried on a. man's back or'Kead* \n a basket; There, seems to be no appliances for paving labor. The aptness of the. islanders tor such things is' illustrated by J an anoedote • told me ,at Madeira.- tyr , piandy, an Englishman living 'twere, had some 1 grading to be done in his grounds and, for that purpose ordered B,ome common wheelbarrows to sent to him .from Eug.i laud. On their arrival he se£ the men to work with' them. In a couple of days the foreman came to' him ? and said that the men objected to using the new-fangled machines, complaining that they were too heavy. Mr Blandy went ont to where one of the men was wbrkiiig with it, aud found him filling the barrow with earth, and then hoisting the load, barrow and all, on his head, to he carried to the dumping ground. <

A VE^Y INGENIOUS DEVICE. The Merino corresipondent.of the Hamilton Spectator reports that he noticed about a month back* a very ingenious device for cutting downthiHtles, and all acquainted with the locality will realise what a fine field it presents tor such an invention to 1 operate. It consisted of a common mowing machine drawn by a couple of strong horse*, which 'cut thorn down ; and a sort of harrow rake traling- some yards behind, attached by wire, does the gathering. But the novelty norisMts of keeping the accumulated maHS burning, thus reducing it to ashes a.s fast as gathered. The appearance at first was verj novel. THE NEW PAUM SCHOOL AT DOOKIE. The Ccmncjil ol Agricultural Education hat, made tho following arrangements (says the Australasian) for the opening of tho farm school at "Dookie :— Steps are being taken to .appoint two teachers, viz, a principal to teach qhemi-jtry, botany, entomology, nod geology ; and an English roaster to teach advanced English up to tho understanding of technical expressions arithmetic, mensuration, surveying, and bookeeping. The farm manager, Mr J. L. Thompson, who has already been appointed, will direct the students in practical work on tho farm, and give instructions in field operations, tho u*.e of implements and machinery, tho treatment of tho various crops, and tho management

of lire stook. Students not less than fourteen years of ape, who are able to pass g|kfi flimple state school Btundurd£j|j!6di|Mfr* Scion, will be admitted. Thqedffiat On | fto be entirely fß^e/^ULt a&n!tnn oT£'| per annum, pnyftoto'TOlf<|fcarS| in awj ranee, will bo "^©^frWia^dMftdgmjl. and washing. Tnc^TSourse wil oe'n tMee' years' one, and it is oxpnoted that the ( jstudenU ,wha now, enter at Dookie will be i able to finish at tho central college which | tho <3ouucH\hopc/to havo «staljl^Bheti in' time fdr that purpose. A' Bohdol bhilding, . with, acoomuiodatiou . for. Jot atudauU, ih in courflo of orootion, and nearly completed. Tho Council expect to have the arrantroinonts completed for opening the (ioliool towards tho oni of, Ausrwjt.