FARM, GARDEN, AND ORCHARD NOTES.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 2629, 18 May 1889, Page 2 (Supplement)

FARM, GARDEN, AND ORCHARD NOTES.

KMccrriiro Lkjiit and the Codmn Moth. —Though au exj.en.sive process, it is found that the presence of an electric light suffices to completely destroy all eodlin moths, as well, probably, as all other nocturnal insects. An orchard in the United States that used to be infested with the moth did not contain one. last yeir, after an electric light had been started in the neighbourhood, though no attempt was made to destroy the insects.

A (;iiii:t;i/n:KAi, Onisis rx Italy. — A scvcie ayiieultural ori-is in prevailing in Italy. A work by Mr Beauclerlc, of the diplomatic service, on Rural Italy, sums up the situation in tho following words: — u Agriculture i s in the throes of a severe crisis. American compelition is strongly felt in the corn trade, and there arc those who even go so far as to predict that the agiicultural population must retrograde to tho pas'oml state unless thiuyrs change for the better."

Tile Best Method ok Stoking Apples.—Mr W. Crump, writing in the Garden of 23 rd February on storing applet, says :— " Enclosed. I forward two fruits of Blenheim Orange, one of Wellington aud one of Prince Albert, which have been .stored in barrels instead of shelves, the orthodox method. The barrels were taken to tho trees, filled carefully, returned to stores and not interfered with again until required for use. Not 1 per ceut. los<." The editor remarks :—" Excellent specimens for the jc.iHOn, The common way of keeping apples is very much in want of a change.'' This Vai,uk ok Lttcerxe to Sheep- I KAKMEUs, —A (Jiilifoniiau fanner pays of ! his experience in sheep raising that 320 acres of lucerne will maintain 1000 ewes aud their young, besides as many cattle, horses hogs and poultry as any one would be likely to want to keep. These ewes will produce about 1000 lambs, and the lambs will sell in the winter for 8s each, or .£4Ol, and sell readily. Besides there will be two clippings of wool each season, which will more than pay all expenses of maintaining the sheep. Moreover, much better sheep can be reared than under the wild range system, in* creasing tho profits on both wool and mutton. The Winti:u Fekdixg of Dairy Cows jx Denmark.—M, Sagnier draws attention to the feeding duriug the winter sea sou of '221 days, of milch cows in a. firstclass Danish dairy, where each animal receives a total of rations thus composed : —Palm cake, S4lb ; bran, 2921b ; brewers* grains, 12 cwt; clover bay, 13 cwt; meadow hay, ,'U cwt ; roots, carrots, turnips, &c., 17 cwt. Each cow yielded H tons of milk during thut period, which produced 1201b of butter and 1051b of cheese. There was 7 cwt of skim inilk

and wlioj', which, whether sold or employed to fatten hogs, reprofouted oiewt live weight, of pork curried to the credit of c'icli cow. Fkuit Kernels as Fitkl.—-In Solano comity, California, it has been demonstrated that peach stones will make as good a fire for household purposes as the bent coal in the market. The fruitgrowers, instead of throwing the kernels away as heretofore, dispose of them at the rate of 24s a ton. A sack of the stones will weigh about SOIh, last as long as an equal weight of coal, and give a greater intensity of boat. At many of the orchards in the valley may be seen great stacks of peaeh and apricot stones, which will eventually lind their way to San Francisco and other places to bo sold for fuel. The apricot stone does not burn as readily as the peach, and will not command as fjood a price. As soon as the owners fiml they have a market for the stor.es a greater number of peaches will be dried than heretofore. Akoma of Buttf.r.—The aroma of butter hns a very complex origin. It springs from certain volatile oils which exist in the plants on which the animals ferd. Voclcker reported butter to contain 2 per cent, of the oils, but the per cent, varies in the product of different cows. Every species of herb upon which the cows feed, and, indeed, upon the farm, has more or less volatile oil peculiar to It-elf, on which its peculiar odor nnd flavour depend. It is e:isy to see how the flavour and odor of butter are affected by the food the cow consumes. Cows Jo not live upon a single variety of herbage. Twenty different kinds are more likely to be found in a single pasture than only one. The mingled oils of all these constitute the aroiria of the butter made from their milk, each one having' its modifying influence, though some may be distinctly recognised, when, like onions, garlic, or cabbage, their influence is greater than that of all the rest. Brkwery Wash for Dairy Cows.— Brewery \va<h is excellent feeding for milch cattle, provided it be the product of good barley be consumed fresh, or bo properly conserved. It is malt exhausted of its starch by maceration. The best barley is converted into malt by germination, and then dried at a hivth temperature. Next it is groti.id, and in order to complete Ibe conversion of its starch into sugar it is " digested " in water, raised to a temperature of HtTto I;>S decrees Fab. To the filtered solution hops are added— result, beer. The residue represents about 5-fiths of the nitrogenous matters contained iu the grain, but if the steeping has been well executed no starch ought, to be present, that, having been converted into sugar. Fresh from the brewery the malt contains 75 to SO per cent, of water, the rest being dry matter presenting in this stage much analogy with green clovcr. The dry matter is composed of some 20 per cent, of nitrogenous substances, 7 to 8 of fat, and the remainder of digestible eellulosc. This wash alters very rapidly; in summer acidity will set in within 24 hours, then must, and finally, putrefaction. If given iu the turned state to milch cows not only will it bo detrimental to their health, but their milk will bo injurious if consumed. Tjie Turkisii Peasantry.—ln Turkey the land all belongs to the Sultan, and no one owns a foot of ground in the whole country but him. He lctsothcrs live upon and cultivate it, and for that they pay enormous taxes. And if the legitimate taxes were not enough to keep the peasant in a state of the most abject poverty, tiic pasha and his subordinates in each district would take all the rest, leaving the unhappy farmer only enough to preserve his life. The result of this is that the poor peasants all through Turkey and all her dependencies do no work, plant no crops and raise no cattle beyond what they actually require for their meagre support, always, however, counting the four-fifths for the taxes. It would all bo

[ taken from them on one pretext or another if they did. The waste in Turkey is never restored. When the trees are cut down no others are planted, and there are very few trees left, a few clusters in Stainboul and at the sweet waters and in the cemeteries being about all there are, and yet the Turks are very fond of shade. In some of the villages along the Bospliorus there arc here and there trees which show in their rich thrifty growth what could be if it wero not for the short sighted policy of the Government which takes all and gives nothing, which exhausts her peasantry and cuts off her own resources to support hordes of lazy extravagant women and useless officials and troops of servants.

Sanitary Rkijuikmiknt.s of a Dairy Fakji.—The folio wing memorandum on this subject has bc.-eu prepared by Mr Russell, of Glasgow 1. A farm house ought to bo wholesome in struoture, and the steading well supplied with pure water, drained by vitrified pipes, and with privy accommodation for both sexes. L>. The hou s e ought to Rtand apart from the premises used for daily purposes. A di.stinot domestic washing house is indispensable. The milk hi use ought to open into the free air, and be at a distance from the dung pit. The dung pit ought to have retaining walls, an impervious bottom, and a light roof borne on pillars The byre ought to be well lighted, ventilated, and paved, and regularly cleaned, i. No person who sutlers from

iufoctious or any recent indefinite illuesw, or who has been in any way in communication with an infected person or thing, should onfiajro in tho milk hnsinom. 5. The milk of no ar.imul which scem> to be ill, or which has any sore about, udder or tents, ought to be fold for human consumption. G. The udder* and teuts, if soiled, ought to bo washed before milking'. Snap, warm water and towels ought to bo ;:f. ha rid, and every milker ouirhl In wash hinds before bcpinniiif.'. 7. Healthy i;;ittle, heallhy suiVHiit.- 1 , cle.inliiie.in in wary detail of the business of the dairy j f>irm, mean money to the producer and retailer nf the milk.