FARM, GARDEN, AND ORCHARD NOTES.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 2608, 30 March 1889, Page 2 (Supplement)

FARM, GARDEN, AND ORCHARD NOTES.

The Kieffer Pear. — The Kieffor pear is growing , in popularity in America. At tho etart too much was claimed for it. Growers now concede it to be a good cooking, a good market fruit, and profitable. They sell in tho market at about 5s Gd per bushel, while Benrre , d' Aujnu brought only a shilling more. But the Kieffer, one year with another, produces double as much as the Anjou. The Kieffer is not subject to insects nor fungus blights. Manitoba Wheat Supply. — The Manitoba wheat crop before frosts was estimated at as high as 12,000,000 bushels. But the frost did considerable damage, affecting it had been estimated, one-quarter to one-third of the crop. The damaged grain, however, is no* wholly spoiled. Tho farmers have, it is said, paid their notes given for farm implements to the oxtent of 80 per cent, of the whole. I The Dominion, taking all the colonies together, viill have scarcely, it is said, any wheat for export, and may have to import frotu the United States to a limited extent. " Doddy " Cattle.—Willie Watson, who has been described as the champion stock feeder of America, in one of his characteristic notes to a contemporary, writes: —" What a glorious career the Doddiea havo had in 1S88? Isn't it marvellous ? There, they ate invincible —champions of the world—first iu Britain, first in America and first iu Australia ; yet they are but in the meridian of their fame. Bless them, and sing: Hurrah for the Doddies, with glossy black bur! They take all the prizes at every State Fair ; Tliey're as good as gold dollars, and beef to the ground— Nowhere on this earth can their equals be found. Potato Culture.—An English paper advises cutting off the blossoms of potatoes as soon as they appear. The theory is that in seed bearing the plant exhausts its vitality. Indeed it is more than a theory ; it is a scientific fact. As a rule, if the full vigour of the plant is preserved, it must be prevented from producing seed. But the recommendation of the English writer is an illustration of how some writers carry a scientific fact to an extreme which its '.pplication will not warrant. There are exceptions to the rule stated as well as almost to every rule. It has little application to the potato. The strength of the potato plant is thrown into the tuber. It is possible that removing the blossoms might make some little difference, but not enough to warrant the trouble and expense of removing them. Demand for British Labour ix the Argentine Republic.—The Argentine Republic has at last entered into competition with America and the British colonies in absorbing the surplus farm labour of Scotland. The Aberdeen Free Press states that on 2nd December a largo party of farm laborers left that city en route for Buenos Ayres, under »three.

years' engagement at £50 per annum and everything found, and that another party of agricultural laborers engaged on the same terms were to leave on the 15th. The men were all under 30 year 3, and especially robust specimens of their class —just the class of men likely to make their wav in Canada or Australia. At the eud of their three years' ecgjigpinent they will, should they care to remain in th/> country, receive special grants of land on exceedingly easy terms. Find of Grain Centuries Old.—A jar of corn has be-.-n uneai'tlvjd near Ynraa, Arizona, that gives evidence of having been buried in the ground, for centuries. Upon breaking the sealed top it was found to be filled with corn, weighing about 301b. The corn was snow white, and the kernels large and extremely tender. The corn was planted in a tract of nearly 10 acres, and just 35 days from the date of planting roasting ears were taken from the field. The corn is very sweet, and produced an immense crop. The planting did not grow 2| feet high, and bore from three to six largesized, well-filled ears of corn. All who have seen the well-filled ears of oorn on the Mohawk Canal speak of the big yield that tnis strangely-found seed gave. New Breed of Shkkp : Upland Leicesters.—The theory that "a roue by any other name would smell as sweet" does not always, it seems, hold pood in the case of names given to the different breeds of livo stock. In Scotland ;\ cert tin breed of sheep prevails, which has always been, known by the term " halfbred." These "half-brecls" were originally a cross between the Leicester ram and Cheviot ewe, but they have been bred in line for go many years that their owners now claim for them the title of a distinct variety. The Highland Society, which never countenances any but pure breeds at its annual show, this year decided to give the " half breds" a place in the prize list, and a committee of breeders of half-bred sheep recommended that the name given to the brend should be Upland Leicesters. The sooiety, at a recent meeting, agreed to adopt the new name. Sheep in* Orchards.—Some experiments in the manuring of apple orchards by sheep have been carried out in America with very satisfactory results. In one ca.-e the object of putting the sheep into the orchard was that of getting rid of weeds, with which it was infested, and that object wns attained. About four times as many sheep were kept in the orchard for the whole summer as the grass would have fed, and cake and corn wore giveD to the animals. The experiment was kept up for four summers, at the end of which time tho quautity of fruit produced was double what it had boon, the quality being also greatly improved. Similar results were obtained in i everal other instances, and on a large scale. As the sheep are reported lo have paid well for the food supplied to them, the enrichment of the orchards was effected free of cost. The Frozen Meat Trade.—The importations of mutton and lamb into London and Liverpool have risen from 400 carcases in 1880 to close on 2,000,000 in 1883. The great bulk of these came to hand in good condition. The quality of New Zealand shipments, which are the largest in bulk, has tended to deteriorate, while the quality of the River Plate sheep has improved year by year. New Zealand mutton is, however, still distinctly superior to either Australian or River Plato produce, and that advantage may still be tnuiuUiued by care. The River Plate is making vigourous efforts to increase its export, and is Micccsi'ful in doing so, being assisted by a lower charge for freight, a bounty on exports, and i low rate of exchange. Sales of frozen mutton were at first confined almost exclusively to London, but with greater railway facilities almost the whole of the River Piate aud nearly half the New Zealand imports are finally disposed of in the provinces. The market was in a very depressed state at the close of the year, with stocks of frozen mutton undesirably heavy. Siiuei- an-ij Turnips.—The following practical calculation is contributed to the Live .Stock Journal by an experienced farmer :—"Taking a good crop of swedes or turnips as weighing 20 tous per acre, I always estimate that oue acre will carry 100 Southdown or Shropshire tegs for f<»u- weeks, which worked out in pounds jjives exactly lliib. per diem to each she-op. I have found this plan both simple auil convenient, as it enables me to calculate by sight pretty accurately how many sheep can be carried by a curtain number of acres for a certain time, according to the crop. I tested my plau yesterday by having all the out turnips given to two peus of tegs weighed, with the following result:— Ninety Southdown tegs eat 12 owt., over llilb. each; 71 Shropshire tegs eat 11 civt., over 171b. each. I may add that they are having, in addition, -Mb. each mixed corn meal, and as much pea chaff na they will eat. They may, aud probably do, eat more roots as the season advances, but as I increase the allowance of corn to lib., and generally finish my tegs off by the end of February, it does not affect my calculation much. j Evaporating v. Canning.—The judgment of the leading fruit dealers in California seems to be that it is better to evaporate the surplus peaches than to can them. Evaporated fruit is growing \ more popular every year. It is the very opposite to the cheap canning process. The cheap canning takes 1001b. of peaches, and by adding water, tiu and weeds, makes it weigh 2501b. The evaporator takes 1001b. of peaches, evaporates the weight to 81b., or at the most 10lb. The 8!b. have ali there is of food in 1001b., and the 1001b. have no more. The 81b. are wholesome beyond doubt, and there is some doubt about cheap aaniied goods being wholesome, especially if they stand long in the cheap cans where the tin and solder are not as pure as they ought to be. The survival of the fittest comes in here. Cheap canning is not the fittest, and it might as well make its will and depart hi peace. Its clays are numbered, " the haudwriting'ison the wall." Conscientious, honest canning will survive. Peaches, apricots, plums, cherries and berries put up as they can be, and are by the best packers are delicious. Tie doubted that in any other way can such luxury be enjoyed. Manure v. Insects, —An Ohio fruitgrower iiives his opinion about manuring and spraying , as under:—Probably the orange tree has more insects pests than any other fruit tree; certainly it has more than any one grown in Ohio, but four years' experience has taught me effectually that plenty of feed and plenty of work are better than all the emulsions and solutions ever made. Give a tree plenty to eat and it will take care of itself. A year last spring I had a limited supply of rotted stable manure, aud I applied it all to the three front rows of trees, producing a luxuriant growth. They are on the west side of the grove, where the wind blows insects in first; yet the scale insects skipped exactly those three rows, beginning on the fourth, and clung to them all the rest of the summer, disfiguring them shamefully, and giving me day 3 of disagreeable and labourous work in drenching them. A tree which is generously fed and industriously worked will generally have strength enough to defend itself against those classes of parasites which prey on the bark, leaves Dr limbs; but perhaps it may need the presence of stock or poultry under them to destroy the germs, or otherwise provent the ravages of the insects which prey on the fruit. The Artificial Manure Supply.— For some years England has derived the Dulk of her artificial manures from linerica, in the shape of phosphates from Carolina and Canada, and guano and litrate from Peru and Chili. The guano jeds are approaching- exhaustion, and dthough the supply of phosphates in the Jnited States and Canada is considerable, ret tho increasing demand in the older States and provinces will, Voss states, 'greatly ourfcail our supply from these ouroes, or compel ua to pay much higher

prices than during late years." In Russia the exportation of phosphate is prohibited, and in France there is a considerable agitation to prohibit the exportation from that country. In the discussion which has followed the publication ol i.hffici faotr it. has bei;u pointed out t.hut in tiikina , ••uch n tmsmirnist viwr of tha sirii.itimi Mr probably did not allow !<ir the f;n;r that in Canada thn phosphite iarlustry is in it , * infiincy, or for tin' fixtflnt of the phosphaf.f) lands and the richness of tho deposits. One of the sources of the future weult.b of C'lnnda probably lies in Iho development of snub minora! dopcHiirs as are found in iho phosphuto liinds in the vailuy of the Lievre, Tliere urn as yet but very small spots toppad, and these are, a< a rule, worked by Americans. It has been only within thn past few years that a few far seein&r Canadians have realised the value of these deposits, and even now the chemical immure manufacturers do not seem to be alive to the question. A SrCOESSFOIi Co-OPKRATIVE SOCIETY. —The following report on a successful fruitgrowers' co-operative society is from the American Agriculturist. The Fruitgrowers' Union and Co-operative Society of Harmmonton, New Jersey, affords a striking instance of successful (iO-oporation among , farmers. It was .started in 1867, upon a very limited basis, but the business did not succeed very well until February, 1884, when thii union was reorgani-ed and incorporated. Cash dividi-nds were at first declared, but it was afterward- decided to issu« share* of .-took, retaining the cash as capital for tho business. With this mouey the union purchased a piece of ground and built <i large store building , . Here, groceries, dry goods, and general merchandise nvre kept. The first year's trade amounted to 28.01)0 dollars, and a dividend of two and a half per cent, was declared. The second year, a business of 45,000 dollars whs reached, and a five per c<=nt. dividend was declared. Last year 63,000 dollars were received, and a seven per cent, dividend was declared. So far this year, the business has been larger than ever before. Thus a large trade has been established and merchandise of various kinds secured at prices lower than the market rates In addition to the mercantile business, the enterprise has proved a godsend to the farmers in way of shipments. In the town of Hnmmonton, 20 years ago, farmers had to avoid raising too large a crop of benies, or a largo part would perish for want of a market. When the union started a market was created, and the business μ-rew. The present year, 2,269,239 quarts of blackberries were marketed. In one week, 367,000 quarts of strawberries, and in two weeks 267.000 quarts of raspberries ware shipped. One farmer from 40 acres of blackberries marketed about 60,000 quarts. The Chilmsd Ploukh.—Writing to the Agricultural Gazette, Mr James Howard refutes as follows the assertion that the chilled plough is the invention of an American :—" The chilled plough of the preseut period is of almost the identical length of the first prize English plough of 1842. It presents little or no novelty in construction, and none as to chilling. The form is that of the old Dutch plough, which was taken across the Atlantic by early settlers either from Holland or from the English Fen country, in which district this plmigli was that generally used from the time of Verimiden down to u very recent period, retaininir its name ' Dutch plough' to the last. The plough, byino. well suited to the easily moved soils of North America, became the mndfl for succeeding genera tious of American ploughs. As to chil lintr, I desire to point out that, notwith standing the uubluahing assertion of a certain American manufacturer, instead of the invention haviug crossed the Atlantic from West to East, the passage was in the opposite direction. Tte facts are as follow : —Six and-thiity years ago Mr Bentall and I were both with experiments in chilling castirou. Neither knew anything of the other's proceedings until, by a remarkable coincidence, both applied on the same date for a patent for a process almost identical. The result was tint, on 22nd April, 1852, we took out a joint patent for ' Improvements \a the Mode of Chilling Cast-iron.' In the specification of this patent (a copy sent herewith) drawings, with a description will be found, showing the formation of moulds for chilling ploughshares, and another drawing and description of a mould for chilling plough-breasts. A copy of this specification was lodged in the American Patent Office at Washington about the end of 1852 or the beginning of 1553. This is not the first English invention by a good many which has crossed the Atlantic and come back to us ni-iny years after as an American invention."