FARM, GARDEN, AND ORCHARD NOTES.

Waikato Times, Volume 2632, Issue 2632, 25 May 1889, Page 2 (Supplement)

FARM, GARDEN, AND ORCHARD NOTES.

« Potatoes for Distillation Purposes.— Potato culture for the production of alcohol is rapidly extending in France. Germany distils 880,000 gallons annually of that "brandy," and sends oceans of it to France to he made into eoguac, ifec. Riehter's Jmperator is the best variety of tuber, as it contains 18 per cent of feeula for distillation. China a Market for Butter.—Ship, moots of Canadian butter have lately been made to China with very satisfactory results. The secret of exporting the butter successfully is said to be known only to a firm in British Columbia, which obtains the supplies from Montreal direct from Vancouver. Tho butter is much liked in China, and is eagerly sought after as soon as landed, notwithstanding the shipments made have been very large.

The English Dairy School.—There is an itinerant dairy school in England, fitted in a Aan, which travels from village to village. The plant comprises a 2 horse-power steam engine, liana separator, Jersey and Dorset creamers, shallow pans, churn«, &c. The staff consists of two lady instructors, costing about 25s per week each, a malo attendant and a doorkeeper, at 3os the two per week. Pupils pay 21s each for a 10 days' training, or os each for a one day lesson, and spectators are charged Is admission each. The success of this travelling dairy is fully established.

Depression- in tiie American Cattle Interest.—An almost unprecedented depression pervades the cattle interest of the United States at present. The receipts of beef cattle at the leading markets have been very large—at Chicago averaging over 50.000 per week, and prices very low. Steers of fair quality sell at Chicago for 4 cents per lb. live weight. Many cattle raisers are discouraged, but others confidently look for some change for the better, made the more probable by the unusually large numbers of oows, heifers and calves being marketed. Dairy products are fairly satisfactory in prices. Well bred cattle are low in price. Prices for horses are lower than they were a year ago, unless for good stallions. Prominent importers speak of their sales as unusual in number and at satisfactory prices.

Milcii Goats.—A movement is on foot to include goats for exhibition at cattle shows. There is no good reason why they ought not to have a special section, like oysters and pond fish—two very profitable though recent branches of fanning. Tho goat has been call tho " cow of tho poor." Its milk is disliked by microbes, since they will not live therein, so it cannot bo a vehicle for disease germs. Tho milk, too, cau be given without tho addition of sugar to new born Flncks of goats are kept in the Fnundlinif hospitals. There are upwards of 1,100,000 iroats in Franco, and 138,000 in Paris alone. One company organises tho treats into bauds that under the charge of a young herdsman with a dog and a flute, traverse certain streets, and are milked before t lie customers, just as in the case with asses. A j/ood goat costs about lof., and its milk per annum averages If. per week. Two quarts per day is the average yield during tho best part of the season. Tho goat is a destructive) animal, and terrible for trees when not tethered. In Germany coats are kept in flocks and controlled by dogs. In poor districts goats are profitable. They are very common in Algeria, Switzerland and Norway. Spain lias 2" ■roats per 100 inhabitants, and in Greece tho goats are as numerous as the population.

The Importance ok Pig-rearing —It is very much to bo regretted that so little attention is given in this country to pig rearing. If it bo admitted that livestock pay better than crops, there can be no denial to the assertion that, of all stock, pigs are the most profitable. Thero is always a demand for pork and bacon, while really first rate pieces can always command a good price. Pigs breed much faster than dp either cows or ewes. Thoy are less liable to accident from injury or disease. They can digest and turn into flesh a larger proportion of food tkan any other ruminant, it being proved that 51b I of barley meal will make lib of pork. Or, to put tho matter in another light, 1001b of dried food given them will produce an increase in live weight in cattle of Oil), in sheep 1 lib, and in pigs 23.Sib. In ether words, pigs get twice as much nourishment out of food as do sheep, and nearly threa times as much as do oxen. And there is another consideration. While the value of pork during the past SiO years has not deprewtei}, tlje cast of all kinds of artificial foods have been lowered, barley having fallen about lis per qr. So that if pig keoping ever was profitable, it must mo more than ever nowadays.— liixchangc,

CoNTINJiN'TAL CO-OI'EEATI \'K DAIRIES. —In Holland, Germany and Southern Denmark a new departure has set in respecting cooperative dairies. The old plan, that of working up the residue of the dairy, such as the skim aivl luittar milks, into thin cheesgs and hog fatting, on the co-operative premises, is in course or being abandoned for the system of purchasing the fresh milk, and returning the residue after being creamed or churned to the member furnisher. In other words, the latter is to utilise the resiiUie milk in any form lie pleases, :uul

at his own homestead. In figures round, the dairy purchases the fresh milk for one sou per pound; and deducts onethird of this sum for the returned residue. From a cursory examination of the published balance sheets of co-operative dairies in Germany, Holland, Switzerland and France, the assnciates receiving on an average at the rate of something over one sou, or six centimes per lb for fresh milk, and a wholes lie price for butter at 1;} franc per lb. It may be intcro.-ting to state here the enormous strides that milk is making as a beverage. Soon not a dram shop in Paris hut will have its carafe of fresh milk on Iho counter as prominently in view ;ir alcoholic drinks. The proprietors of " rum lules " say it pays them better to Hell milk than other drinks. Stomachs burned by lire watets find relief in milk, and young persons fall back on milk as an antilode against chemical cordials.

Patiikian Fat Stock Show.—The annual fat cattle show just held in Paris was rather a lean display. Tho coming preparations for the exhibition contests explain why tho season's display was meagre. The butter and chccso contest will come off during May and September, and all nations can then test tho latest novelties in dairy implements and machinery. The Durham - Charleroi carried off the bluo ribbon; it was an ox that weighed 23 cwt. It was as square built as a parallelogram, with clean limbs, fine horns, slender head and bright eyes. The samples of pure Durhams, though few, were excellent; it is clear that French farmers prefer its crossings with the Charleroi. The Normand bulloeks were huge, but destitute of breed qualities. The local races were numerous, but it is not clear what is gained by encouraging them to remain pure. An intelligent stock breeder would confer a real benefit on his country by encouraging selected crossings. Tho little Bretngne cow fattens well. She is like a cross between the Kerry and the Channel 1-1 inds. It is the fashion now for important families to keep a Bretngne cow for 1 lie needs ot the town mansion, and the animal has its box; in the stable The piys were enormous masses of lard ; clearly there is no desire to produce streaky bacon. " Why should there be ?" as a farmer replied to me, " when we obtain the same price for fat as for muscle, and We can produce tho former in half the time." In sheep, the nieiiiioes ruled, aud next, perhaps, a few pens of Shropshires. The ideal sheep in Francois that, which is precocious, relatively small in the article of letrs of mutton, aud capable of yielding a fair clip.

Pkokitahle Ac,k of Dairy Cows.— Many dairymen and others who milk cows for profit believe that when a now reaches the ago of 7 or 8 her useful years are over, and that she should bo replaced by one younger. But, other thin its being equal, this is a mistake. A cow that has been well eared for, with generous rations and proper attention given to her comfoit through all seasons of tho year, is better, and will make a more profitable return at 8 years old than any earlier age; in other words, she is i" her prime, and she will continue in this condition several years, and will not bo considered an old cow until I I or 15 years have passed. Cows with first calves—at two or three years—are generally unprofitable in their milk yield, and one really good cow between 7 aud S years old will pay a better revenue than two that are performing their first year's duties in the dairy herd, and she will probably consume but a little more food than one of tho voungo ones. This is a fact worthy tho con-

MdenititiD of those who arc dairying fur profit. A pnidint dairyman who manages wellj kn<iws what are his best cows ; these he won't sell under ordinary circumstances, as lonjr as ha continues in the business, It i.i therefore wise in buying a cow to investigate well the reasons for selling, if from one who is working his herd for the revenue derived from its yield. It is highly essential that a dairy cow, to be profitable, should be a hearty eatei, for just in proportion to her ability to consume and assimilate food will she make returns to her owner for his care and attention. This valuable feature can generally be determined very early in the animal's life. A calf with a dainty appetite is almost sure to retain this undesirable quality after she becomes a cow, while one with a rugged constitution and greedy, like Dicken'4 Oliver Twist, always wanting more, becomes the cow with power to consume food largely, and if she be bred and constructed for dairy work is the kind that will pay largest returns.