FARM, GARDEN, AND ORCHARD NOTES.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2552, 17 November 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

FARM, GARDEN, AND ORCHARD NOTES.

Sri.ACK I'Oit Milch Cows.—The best results are not obtained from the feeding of silage alone. A mix-d diet is always preferable, for milking cows the quantity that may be consumed will range from 251b. to 351b. per head per dav. Should the silage be the sole bulky feed iu the ration, oOlb. to 001b. will be required. It will weigh, after it is compactly settled, 401b. and oOlb. the cubic foot.

JI'.USEYS IN' Ameum.- The Jerseys appear to bo gaining ground in America. During the past year 8,008 animals were registered in the record kept by the American Jersey Cattle Club, and these without exception were all bred in that, country. The entries included 2,280 bulls and (i,;i-JS cows. During the previous year only 8,300 animals were registered, the, record this year showing an inciea.-e of :i()S, including 280 bulls and 28 cows. Only four animals were imported during iiie year.

Honey l.v Amkkica.— Tho annual honey product of the United States is about 28,000,000 pounds, or half a pound apiece to the population. In 1880, Tennessee made 2,131,000 pounds; Now York, 2,089,000; Ohio, 1,027,000; North Carolina, 1,501,000 ; Kentucky, 1 ,ooo,oUo ; and seven other States — Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, lowa, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Virginia—produce more than 1,000,000 pounds each ; altogether in the States named, more than half tho entire product, of the country.

U.suh'uii Information'.—A rod is Ki.V feet or 7>} s yards. A mile is 320 rods or 1,700 yards. A square rod contains 272] square feet. An aero contains 43,200 square feet. An acre contains 4.540 square yards. An acre contains 100 square rods. A section or square mile contains G4O acres. An acre is S rods by 20 rods. An acre is 10 rods by ](i rods. A pint of water weighs lib. A solid foot of water weighs G2Mbs. A gallon of water holds 2,'il solid inches. A gallon of milk weighs Ribs. lOozs.

Tun Cost of Rariht Okstiujciion in Apstkalia.—The Hon. J. S.damon recently stat'-d in tho Legislative Council of Sydney that up to that time 7,833,787 rabbits had been destroyed and paid for at a cost of £,'iOI,J!)2. This represents the very large sum of U 1-lld per rabbit, and, adding to this a proper proportion of the bonuses paid by stock breeders, farmers, and others, each rabbit killed is found to have cost iibout, Is .'id. In other words, it costs as much, or more, to kill a rabbit ill Australia as to buy one in England.

A Maize "Ring."—An explanation of the recent rise in the price of maize is given by a Vienna correspondent, who says that for months past a " ring" has been in exister.ee. which has been buying up maize in Austria-Hungary with the object of putting up prices. Until quite recently, however, the scheme failed, and prices continued to fall until the " ring" came perilously near bankruptcy, when at the last moment the members were joined by English speculators with large capital. This has put new life into the " ring," which will now be kept going. Large quantities of maize are being sent to England.

How the Ploughshare is Kei't Sll.uu'.—The portions of a plough are now generally made of cast iron, and a very beautiful property of cast iron is made use of in the point of the share. It is well known that cast iron when poured into an iron mould becomes intensely bar: 1 .. It is called chilled iron, and is used where ordinary cast iron would be too soft. In casting the share, the lower surface of the share is of chilled iron, while the upper surface is of ordinary cast iron. The effect is that the upper part of the point is worn away more rapidly than the under surface, and consequently the share always presents a sharp edge.

An Ayh.shikk Xi-xjokd.—The longest kept milk records in the country (says an American contemporary) arc those of J. O. W. French, in Essex County, Mass. His herd of Ayrshires was started in ISGS, and the milk record began inlS74. The average of 1!)7 cows for the fourteen years shows an average yiekl of 5,012.', lbs. of milk per cow per annum. Most remarkable is the continuous record of the cow "Roxana'' for the whole fourteen years without a break, she bringing a calf each year. Her greatest yield in one year was 8,183 lbs. of milk and her average for the whole fourteen years 5,808 lbs. per year, or a total of over 40 tons Several others of the cows have a groat record at their credit, but " Roxana " is the premier milker of his herd. Fruit Prospects in Upper Waikato and WaipaAs the present is an opportune time to ascertain a pretty correct idea of what the forthcoming fruit harvest is likely to yield iu Waikato and Waipa, we intend making a tour of inspection of the chief gardens and nurseries,aud shall fiom time to time report thereon. We shall also endeavour to get the proprietors to inform us what sorts they consider to bo the best for home consumption, and also for the market, particularly those that are best litted to stand the packing and journey to the Old Country, as we feci sure that ere many years have passed Waikato and Waipa will be doing a largo export trade in that direction. Many of our settlers commence planting orchards without the slightest idea as to what are the most suitable kinds to grow, and consequently lose years of

valuable time while their trees arc coming to maturity in consequence of having sorts that are totally unfitted for the market. We think the method we intend adopting will be a great help to those thinking of embarking' in the fruit business, as they will—by peru-dnsf the reports—bo able to arrive at an approximate judgment as to the most payable varieties. Wo shall also state the various methods adopted by the orchardists to rid themselves of that terrible pest, tho codJin moth, which last year played suoh dreadful havoc with the apple crops. MR OEOKDK HKXSOX'S NURSERY. The first establishment that we visited was the ouo mentioned above, situated in tho Victoria road, Cambridge ; and here we found everything in apple-pie order, not a weed to bo seen ; aud indeed, although wo have during our experience visited some hundreds of nurseries, we never recollect ono that was kept in a better state, although, among the number wero many in the Old Couutry at which scores of gardeners were employed. Mr Henson cannot possibly be a lazy man, or he would never keep his garden up to the pitch of perfection in which we have always found it, as ho is only assisted by his two sons who have not yet reached man's estate.

Apples.—The chief varieties of apples I grown are the Stunner, Stansell, Stephenson's Winter, Probcrt Winter, Winter Majetin, Kentucky Redstreak, Northern Spy, and Five-crowned Pippin. The three first named Mr Jlcnson considers are respectively the best for oxport purposes, as they are excellent keepers, and would, he thinks, stand the journey to England better than the other varieties. The Winter Majetin he also thinks would be a servicable apple for export, Many other varieties are grown, but are gradually being weeded out as the proprietor is laying himself out to do an export trade, upon which, he considers, the orchardists of this colony will have to depend for many years to come. The whole of the apple trees are fruiting well this season. Last year the Five-crowned Pippin did not fruit, but a week ago they were the most perfect in bloom of any that wo have over scon. Thero are niuo trees of them, averaging about 20ft in height, and wo do not think there is, in any one of the uino a single branch that hai six inches of space upon it without carrying a bloom bud. Had these trees been in the Old Country they would be considered phenomenal, and would have attracted thousands of spectators.

PIiARS. —Mr Henson has not any pears that would do for oxport. Ho has, how-

over, a number of trees grafted, with tho reputed best varieties, which arc looking very healthy, lie considers the best, dessert pears (o be the Keekel, a small but very sweet one, and a Benrrn Diel a largo one and a sum cropper. I'l.uus.—-Of this description of fruit Mr Honsen finds Pond's Seedling dip most, marketable, it being large and of good quality, witli a small sfoue. Prince lingelbert he also considers good, the flavour being p irticularly line. Guthrie's (Jreengage he also grows a number of, and they find ready sale. On tho whole the plums bid fair to be a heavy crop this season. Pkaimii'S.—Mr llensou grows si number of peaches, the most profitable being the Marly Rivers and a very large lateone, of which he has forgotten tli.Miauie. The hitter w-igh nearly half a pound each, and he thinks that if packed in lemon leaves they would bear the journey to England as they are, excellent kie'pors. He has also several good varieties that he has raised from stones, but he has not yet named them. (iOoskiskkwks. —Of these .1 large quantity are grown, for last, year nearly half a ton wt-re sent to the Knglisli market. Mr Ilensoti pins his faith to the Improved Farmer's Glory—a great improvement on the old one—and Zell, a very large late yellow variety, which lasts well into January. Indeed, last year a quantity were sent to Auckland on Regatta Day, January LJDth, and some of them were not even then ripe. The average price received last year was about old per lb, some being as high as 4d. Strawr.Kßiufcs.—A quantity of these delicious fruits are ripe already, and we can bear testimony to their excellence as we freely sampled them. The Duke of Kdinburirh is the mo-t profitable one ; but Mr Henson also arrows a large white one, that is also very good, of which he. does not. know the name. He obtained it, of Captain RuneiuKin. who bought, some of the fruit, in New York, and noticing that there was seed upon it, took if, off, and planted it when he returned to New Zealand. They howevr, did no good with him, aud he gave Mr Hensou some of the plants. Oooux Moth.—Until last year, when this pest appeared in such numbers, Mr Hellion had a portion of his orchard, excepting immediately round the trees, in grass ; but last fall he burnt it oif. Imping to destroy many of the larva!. He then had it ploughed, and has lately had it, cros-°-ploughed, so that it now stands in big lumps, and through the summer he intends to harrow it, well, so as not to leave the slighter harbour for the grubs. He docs not believe in syrinjing the trees with Paris Green or other poisons, which lie thinks are deleterious to the fruit, but contents himself with puttinir bands upon the, frees, wV.ic.h h? examines every fifth day. Mr Hensou thinks that the C.idlin Moth does not, fly far itself, but is chiefly spread when in the chrysalis state among packages, etc.