FARM, GARDEN, AND ORCHARD NOTES.

Waikato Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2483, 9 June 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

FARM, GARDEN, AND ORCHARD NOTES.

A Paradise of Flowers According: to Mr Freshfield, who Ims been a vicepresident of the Alpine Club, the higher peaks of the Caucasus r;ingo are a very paradise of flower.''. Ahorse laden with baggage was entirely hidden by floral growth at a height of 10,000 ft; and only the head and shoulders of a mounted man rose above it. Mr Fresh field talks of millions of gigantic sunflowers, and Canterbury bells ivhich grow 6ft or Bft high.

Frozen Meat Trade.—The price of frozen ineat has not declined, but business continues slack (wrote ,i London correspondent on April 0). The cargo of Sydney ineat ex the Lusitania lias been discharged in good condition, and is bringing - 2s 6d per stone. New Zealand meat is bringing 2a Sd to 3s, and River Plate 2s 2d to 2s 4d.

The Victorian Model Dairy.—The National Agricultural Society of Victoria, after having advertised for tenders to construct a model dairy which was in-

tended to be exhibited at the show grounds in Melbourne, has abandoned its idea. An interview with the Victorian Minister of Lands led it to anticipate Government assistance. Representations made at the time to the society have been repudiated. The Minister has taken the matter into his own hands.

Discovert of a New Orchard Pest. —Mr G. Neilson, curator of the Royal Horticultural Society's Gardons at Richmond, Melbourne, has discovered a new pest at the roots of the apple trees growing in a clay soil. The pest is a bug about twice the size of the codlin moth, and is found at the roots of the tree, which it completely destroys. Mr Neilson said that the pest was entirely new to him, and was only found in clayey soils; the trees in alluvial and sandy soils being free from attack. Colonial Butter.—A tin of butter— part of a churning made by Mrs Burton, New Plymouth (N.Z.), in September last —which had been sent on a voyage to London in the Coptic's freezing chamber —remains! a few months in London, and was sent back to Maoriland in the lonic's freezing chamber, arriving at New Plymouth about six weeks ago. This tin was opened, and the butter proved to be as fres.h as on the day it was packed about six months ago. Some tins of Brittany and Milan butter were opened at the time ; but the samples compared in no way favourably with the Taranaki article.

Flour in America.—The North, western Miller recently made the following statement in respect to the enormous production of wheat in the west:—The Minneapolis mills made 114,100 barrels of Aomin one week, and exported 45,000 barrels. The market is steady, but not active. The St. Louis mills made 68,700 barrels iu the same week. The market hns been more active, and the output will be larger. Thirty-nine north-western mills outside of Minneapolis made 359,694 barrels of flour in January, as against 338,556 barrels for the same month in ISS7- These mills exported 91,443 barrels in January, against 70,808 barrels in that month last year. Deterioration of Orchards. —An Illinois horticultural society has decided that the deterioration of orchards noticeable everywhere is clue principally to double-cropping the land and starving the trees, and that the secret of their restoration lies in ploughing under green crops, or sowing clover to remain uneut for the double purpose of mulch and manure. The only way to continue bear-

ing fruit trees healthy, vigorous and prolific, is by giving them full possession of the land, good cultivation, and supplying a sufficient quantity of manure to keep up the fertility of the soil. The neglect to meet these requirements is the main cause of the premature decay of many old orchards. Decaying trees of 20 years old, with proper treatment, ought to have been in their prime at twice that age. Water ix Butter.—Some buyers of very good looking and well-flavoured butter complain that it is too salt; while the maker insists that it has not been over-salted. The same buyers say that a slice or print of the butter left exposed in a warm rocm will, in two or three days, become thickly incrusted with salt, which may bo scaled off. leaving the butter quite salt enough, That is true,

too, and yet the maker may not have spoken falsely iu rogard to over-salting— that is, if the old standard of an ox. to the lb. is not so regarded. But let the purchaser weigh the print or slice carefully before exposing it to the air, and then, after a few days, without removing the salt coating which has appeared, weigh it again. He will find that it has

decreased 10, or even 15 per cent, in weight. How is this ? Simply a dairyman's trick of adulterating his butter with water. To this adulterated or extended butter, he adds tho usual weight of salt per lb., making it perceptibly too salt, even to thoso who are accustomed to salt butter. In the warm room the water comes to the surface, and is evaporated, leaving the objectionable incrustation. Horses.—The shrinkage of the muscles of a horse's shoulder (commonly called " sweeny") is due to some lameness of the foot or limb, which induces the horse to favour the shoulder and throw the muscles out of use. The inaction causes the muscles to decrease ill substance; and the shoulder flattens or becomes hollowed. The remedy for this disfigure- | ment is to relieve the lameuess, and restore the shoulder to proper activity. The seat of the trouble may be in the shoulder, which - may have been sprained. If this is the case, pressure with the knucklcs 011 the shoulder will show it ; if not, it will most probably be found in the foot or the pastern joint. Navicular disease is the most frequent cause of this shrinking of tho shoulder muscles. This disease is indicated by the animal pointing the toe of the foot forward, and by going lame at starting and soon recovering, Driving fast down hill is the usual cause of trouble with the shoulder by injury to the joint or to the feet. Dusty or mouldy food should never be given to horses. Not only has it a bad effect on the digestive organs, but it has also evil results upon the respiratory functions. Idleness is conducive to indigestion.