FARM, GARDEN, AND ORCHARD NOTES.
Benefits of Irrigation".—An instance of the beuefits of irrigation is given by Mr Milvain, of Walmsbury, (Victoria), who, ou a farm ho has at Benjeroop, about 20 miles north of Kerang, grew 503 bushels of barley ou 11 acres. The laud was irrigated thrice. A few years ago the land was regarded as so poor as nut to be worth a fence. The barley was sold to tho Kyneton Brewing and Malting Company for 5s 10d per bushel.
Good v. Bad Pj;ujt.—On a discussion on fruit growing at a meeting of fruit growers in Gloucester recently, a Mr C unpbell, describing a small orchard he had made and the profit heobtain«d from it, remarked :—" One learnt a good deal by experience, and it was his intention next year to take all the bad fruit from every tree —he had soma 5000 or 0000 trees—and thus throw all the strength of the tree into the remainder of the fruit, and when market time came ho should absolutely have not a single fruit to throw away." American* Wheat for Australia.—A circumstance, says the Agricultural Gazette, almost without precedent in the corn trade is the chartering of steamers for the transport of Cabfornian wheat to Australia. A fair quantity had been ordered before the recent fall of -d per bushel in freights, and it is expected that a larger trade will now be done. Californiau wheat finds favour with Australian millers by reason of its approximation in colour and quality to the Australian wheat, but Australia has hitherto been self-supporting, even in deficient years, and the poorness of the crop now being reaped had not been regarded in Europe as so serious as this news of actual purchases at Sail Francisco would now load us to suppose.
Manures J'OR Wheat.—lnteresting experiments on the effect of different mammal dressings on the wheat crops were carried out during the past year by Mr J. Mason at Kynsham Hall, Oxon. Mr Mason has long been an ardent agricultural experimenter,and for the purpose of this scheme afield of 13/, acres was divided iu 27 plots of half an acre each. The primary aim of the experiments was to compare the results, from a pecuniary stand-point of dung, basic slag, lime and superphosphate. The result of the experiment goes to show very clearly the merits of basic slag. Dung, with a top dressing of nitrate, gave the largest crop, but the expenses was so heavy that there was a loss of 10"d per acre Tho basic slag IScwt) withja top dressing of nitrate, gave a total yield of lowt less, but, owing to the difference in cost, the money result was a profit of .£"2 5s 9d per acre. The experiments further brought out the S cwt. of basic slag, with a nitrogenous ton dressing, was more efficacious thau 16 cwt. with the same amount of nitrate.
Itiskk.ast Dairy Schools.—These institutions are coming into vogue in England, established by private individuals or agricultural societies. The Bath aud West of Kugland Society have established a school, working with local societies aud in different centres, of which two courses have already been very successful. Tho local committee of tho society find a suitable building for the i-.e'aool, with water laid on, in the various centres. Of course the expenses in tnis connection varied. The committee always found the milk and got the produce. They had two lady instructors, costing about 25s each weekly ; a male attendant for working the separator, cleaning, &c, 20s weekly. The plant, consisting of a 2 h.p. steam engine and hand separator, Jersey and Dorset cleaners, shallow pans, churns, &c, wore all lent to them by makers as an advertisement. As yet they had had 2-t pupils at Shepton who had paid 21s each for a 10 days' training, and two paid 5s each for a one day lesson. They charged Is each for the admission of spectators, of whom the average daily number had been over 20,
Canadian" Extkrimkntal Farms.— The experimental farms of Canada are (says the Canadian Gazette) amply justifying tho labour and expense incurred in their establishment. From tests made at these places, farmers iu the north-west are now learning tho comparative values of such early ripening wheat as may be counted upon to e-oapo any dainnge from frost. In addition, Professor Saunders is undertaking ihe direct personal guidance of north-west farmers in the use of foreign grain as seed. Last season actual test* showed that the frozen wheat of the north-west varied in the degree of vitality from 95 to 51 per cent., those grading lowest in vitality being weik iu growth, and therefore undesirable for seeding purposes. This year's grain is to be similarly tested, though on a much larger scale. Any farmer may have samples of his frozen grain reported upon, promptly and free of charge, by posting 2 or 3 ozs. to the central farm at Ottawa, How amazingly backward, by tho way, does the attitudo of tho British Government towards British agriculture seem in the face of such action as this on the part of a young country like Canada.
Exi-kiuments With Manures.— The results of experiments conducted on the farm of the Right Hon. Sir T. D. Ackland, ]3art., have just been published. They are as follows :—The calculations which he gave were for (1) wheat per acre, (2) oats do. ; (n) with no manure, 1 acre yielded 390 lb of wheat and 207 "' straw ; (b) with mineral superphosphate and nitrate of sod;>, at a cost of £1 Is per acre, result 520 lb of wheat and 1,113 lb of straw; (c) with mineral superphosphate and sulphate of ammonia, cost 13s 6d per ayre—wheat 270 lb ; straw, 750 lb ; (</) nitrate of soda, cost 13s od—wheat, 391 lb ; straw, 1,111 lb. Oats (per acre) — ('<) uo manure, result —70Q lb j straw, I,OOS lb ; (l>) mineral superphosphate and nitrate of soda, result—l.sSo lb; straw, 2,790 lb ; cost £2 2s ; (c) mineral superphosphate and sulphate of ammonia, cost £1 Is, lesult—oats, 1,800 lb ; straw, 2000 lb ; (</) sulphate of ammonia, coat 13s Gd ; oats, 540 lb ; straw, 2,040 ; (») nitrate of soda, cost 13s Qd—oats, 030 lb ; straw, 1,012 lb. The land had not been touched for 20 years, and he found that wherever the superphosphate touched there the clover came up quickly, but where it had not the land was barren. I
Fruit in Coyest Garden Market. —.Writing on the fruit in Covent Garden market during Christmas week, a visitor remarks in the Journal of Horticulture of 27th December : —" During the whole of lust week the rnarket has appeared to be glutted every day with fruits ; huge piles of boxes, barrels and baskots filled every available spaoe, and it is astonishing whero such quantities could be disposed of. Apples and oranges arc the two great features of the Christmas market, and the supply this year .seamed to bo greater than ever. It has boon noted that the supply of American apples is larger than uiuul," ne-ii'ly twice as many (500,000 barrels) havimr beeu already shipped to JJuropo as iq fcUo earns months last year:
4000 barrels having boen disposed of in fi morninir's sale. These are mainly Newtown Pippins, which command tho highest prices, tho richly coloured Baldwins, and King of Tomkins Count}'. English apples form a small minoiity. As iin ornamental apple, the pretty little Api, or Lady Apple, tastefully ' wrapped in coloured ti-sno p;,p»r and displayed in neat bexes is very notable. English grapes run up as hiirh as Is fid per lb., a small price compared with what used to be paid for grapes at Christmas.
Okowixo Peaches.— The Albury correspondent of the .Sydney Mail writes: — "At one timo Albury was noted for its peaches. From all' tho counties for 50 miles round dealers used to come for their supplies to the federal city, and then obtain fruit which, for size and flavour, has seldom been surpassed. Peach trees, however, aro short lived in this climaio, and ton or a dozen years ago the old trees died out, and for a Ions: timo past poaches have boon scarce and dear. Two or throe energetic landowners recently set to work to supply the want thus created, and some of tho poach orchards arc coming into full bearing, with the most satisfactory results. In one small plantation on the bank of tho river 300 young trees are fairly laden with really splendid specimens. The varieties planted iuclude Golden Eagle, Lord Palmerston, Sea Eagle, Malta, Royal George, Whatmough's Seedling, and other choice sorts, all making luxuriant growth, and perfectly free from blight. The trees are IS feet apart each way, and the ground beneath each tree is kept loose over a circle six feet in diameter—tho size of the hole. The intervals between the trees are planted with prairie grass, which is mowed for stock. Tho plan adopted for couqucriug the blight has proved most effectual, though at tho approach of spring tho black aphis showed on nearly all the trees. Tho system is simply that of bending over each shoot affected into a small vessel containing a mixture of tobacco, quicklime airl sulphur, boiled in water. The application of the remedy in this way is. of course, more troublesome than that of applying the mixture with a syringe ; but it is also much more certain in its operation, and a more economical way of using tho material. The owner of this vineyard estimates his yield even this year at 30 dozen per tree ; and as all tho fruit is in demand at high prices the return from the little patch of two or three acres should be verv remunerative."
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Waikato Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 2596, 2 March 1889, Page 2 (Supplement)
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1,615FARM, GARDEN, AND ORCHARD NOTES. Waikato Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 2596, 2 March 1889, Page 2 (Supplement)
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