FARM, GARDEN, AND ORCHARD NOTES.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 2683, 8 June 1889, Page 6 (Supplement)

FARM, GARDEN, AND ORCHARD NOTES.

4 Chemical Ccx.stitukxt or Oat.s.— Oats are reckoned hard on land, as much so as any grain excepting wheat, and some farmers think even more than that. Their chemical composition snows them to be exhaustive botli of uitrogen and of the mineral elements, phosphate and potash, all of which must be furnished by the soil. They contain less starch than barley, and, therefore, a smaller portion of the grain may be furnished by the carbonic acid of the atmosphere.

Loose Tires and Spokes : A Remedy. —The simple plan of applying hot linseed oil to the felloes and stock when the tyres and spokes show signs of looseness will tighten the wheels and keep the tires on. A correspondent states that he has practised this method nine years, and found that the wheels always keep in good condition. By repeating the oiling once in two years they will remain so until they are worn off. Having recommended this plan to a number of neighbours, they also have found by experience that oiling the felloes, spokes and stocks is preferable to having the tires reset, while the expense is a mere trifle.

Pigs and the Canadian Thistle.— When farming in Canada, as long ago a 9 1835, Mr Baker, of Norwood, South Australia, writes that he found the Canada tbistlo was a constant source of annoyance to the farmer. The plan usually adopted at that time was to enclose with a strong fence the portion infected with the thistle and broadcast sow the fenced in piece with maize and harrow it in. After a few days turn in a number of store pigs, and leave them there to obtain their owu living by rooting up the maize, and with it tho thistles, which they devour ravenously. This was found to bo the cheapest and most effectual method of eradicating tho Canadian thistle.

In Pii a ike op Silage.—A Yorkshire correspondent writes, enthusiastically describing th« succgss of his first experiment in feeding with silage. He made afout 70 tons of seeds and clover and 50 tons of green oats and woodland*grass into ensilageon the roller system, and found that his cattle, sheep and horses alike took to it. An Aberdeen heifer fed principally on ensilage was found to have laid on sGlbs. live weight in three weeks, between Ist and 22nd Dscember, and the milk and butter from the cows fed on ensilage was not only free from any objectionable or peculiar flavour, but the latter, in both taste and appearancc, resembled "grass butter."

Norwegian Baulky.— In parts of Norway and Sweden, where during the summer there is almost continuous daylight, barley crops are grown with only from six to eight weeks intervening from seedtime to harvest. Now, we sue how slow plants are to change their habits, from the example of the deciduous trees of high latitudes, which continue to shed their leaves when transferred to warm climates iu preparation for a winter that never comes. How long would this quick-growing Norwegian barley retain its habit of hurry if cultivated "in New Zealand? It) would 1-u woi th ex peri menting upon, for if it would retain this habit for a good many years and grow well it should be a valuable grain.

A New Mktiiod of Keki'imj Fiujit. —Mr W. M. Bell writing in the Chroni'dn on a method of keeping apples and pears in first rate condition some months longer than can bo done on fruit shelves says: — " I prcparo a mixture of 2 or 3 bushels of cocoiinut fibre, lib of powdered charcoal, loz. of powdered sulphur, and Ann. of salicylic acid, nil duly mixed. Place a layer of this about an inch thick on the damp briok or stones in a cold cellar —the temperature, say, 35 or 40 in the winter —then spread out the fruit evenly, then more of the mixture just to cover tbe fruit, and another layer of fruit and so on. The materials must be damp not wet. Jargonelle pears were tried and kept months after the others were disposed of."

Plants Obnoxious to Blights.—The following plants are enumerated in the Revue Horticole as repulsive to certain injurious insects Nasturtium planted about tbe trunks of apple trees infested with the woolly aphis (Schizoneura lanigera), will eventually rid the trees of this pest. The insects are much reduced in numbers the first year, and all disappear the second season if the planting is renewed. The roots of the Black Henbane (Hyoi-cyamus niger) planted in granaries will drive away rats. The common Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) used as litter in the kennel will rid dogs of fleas. The Oxeye daisy (Chrysanthemum leucanthemum) mixed with the litter of stables will drive away flies from tho horses. The fresh leaves of (he Elder (Sambucus will rid cabbages of caterpillars. The buckwheat (Fagopyrum) protects cabbages and radishes from tho flea beetle (Haltica). The leaves of the Chamomile (Anthemis) rubbed upon the skin of horses protects them from annoyance by flies. A decoction of leaves of the Walnut (Jufflans) answers the same purpose. This list is from the Revue Horticole.

Irrigation in India.—ln Bengal nearly if not the whole of the irrigation is done by tho Ryots from their own wells. The water is not far from the surface, and is raised by the ordinary lever with a bucket at one end of the pole and a weight at the other. This is the course adopted in shallow wells. The usual way, howover, of raising water is by bullocks walking down an inclined piano straight, from the well, and drawing up a large skin full of water, which collapses on landing, and lots tho water out into a trough, whence it runs into tho small channels made for irrigation purposes. The wells in Bengal rarely exceed 40 feet, and the average may bo taken at 25 feet. These wells are in thousands, and may very often be seen within 100 yards of each other where the holdings arc small, as in Bengal, where there are over 6,000,000 of Ryots, who cultivate from 1 to 5 acres each, tbe average being about 3 acres. The area of Bengal is ]50,58S square miles, with a population of 60,091,450 at the last census in I SSI, or 443 to the f-quaro mile. The land is a dead level, as is the greatest portion of the plains of India, and therefore peculiarly adapted for irrigation. All through India by far tho largest proportion is dono from private wells, the land irrigated from tho Government works being small as compared with their enormous cost, though in most cases a good revenue is derived from them.

Stoking Potatoes.—ln storing potatoes there are three main evils to be guarded against, viz., dampness, heating, or fermentation, and premature germination. If either of the first two take place the tubers very soon decay, and if the latter results they not only lose much of their goodness as food, but are weakened for use as seed. Sometimes potatoes are stored in houses or root sheds, but more commonly they are stored in what are called pits, pies or clamp. The pit or clamp method of storing is perfectly safe and reliable where a few necessary precautions are taken. Potatoes, when pitted, heat and give off moisture and if care is not taken to remove this it is speedily followed by organic decomposition. The remedy lies either in evaporation or absorption. It is effected by evaporation, when the pit is ventilated by opening a connection between the potatoes within and the air without, which is most conveniently done by placing ventilators of straw on the top of tho pit. With every attention to ventilation, however, where straw is used beneath the clay it is often impossible in wet weather to prevent decay and incipient putrefaction in the pits; and tho alternative adopted with success has been to cover the potato with soil only. The ventilation is then far better, because the soil covering does not retain the exuded heat and damp as the straw does, and the tubers are not so liable to destructive fermentation. It is difficult to keep potatoes in sound condition unless they are lifted when the ground is thoroughly dry, and in storing there is no better remedy against decay than mixing a fair quantity of dry soil with them.

Tiik Fruit Industry in California.— According to the latest reports from California abundance of rain had fallen during the month of March in every part of the State, and appearances pointed to a prosperous season for fruitgrowers, there being a certainty of good crops. Discouraging statements had been made as to an overstocked condition of tho market, but it is found that the facts are tho other way, and responsible dealers arc united in the statement that good fruit, carefully handled and packed, will always bring a good price, although efforts have been made by interested persons to force down prices for dried apricots and peaches, but the demand for a choice article in these lines was greater than, the supply. It is believed that irrigation is bound to receive a groat stimulus during the present season, news coming from all directions of the formation of districts for construction of comprehensive systems of irrigation, and should these be carried out the result will be to at least double the area of lauds under cultivation in the State. It is considered that the recent large sales of nmall farms in the central part of tho State are a good omen. The era of speculation has passed, and in its stead has come a period of solid development. Hundreds, if not thousands, of settlers are going upon these 20 and 40-acro tracts, and are earnestly at work making homes thereon and planting vineyards and orchards. Tho development in orchard culturo of various kinds is larger than in any previous season, showing tha*; the popular mind is not easily impressed when interested parties prate about over-production.

A Swiss Botanist ox Ensilage.— Dr, Stobler, the Swiss botanist, in his magnificent work on the Ihst Forage Thuds, which has just beeu transl: t'd into English by the botanist of the Highland Socioty, has tho following note on ensiliige :—ln most climates and seasons the process of ensilage is now coming into use for preserving cut grass. In this process the grass is placed either immediately after outting, or after a few hours' exposuro to the air, in a silo, and closely covered, so as to prevent access of air, and, to a certain extent, decomposition. In wot climates, where grass is very difficult to convert into hay, ensilage may, with advantage, supplant hay making as a means of obtaining winter forage. In drier climates, having occasional wet or

late seasons, or in tnoso yielding a ssc.ond crop too lato for hay making, it could also be used. Even in good seasons and climates, where hay making can be relied 011, ensilage will be of great bcnciit, because coarso and unpalatable grasses are thereby rendered wore succulent and

pnlatablr. Tho chief bonrfits nf cnflilago are : —lt coxivcrttt conrvse, woody graseea, otherwise of little value, into succulent and palatable food. When given to d;u'ry cows in winter it increases tho quantity of milk. Butter from cows fed on ditiilage has the quality, color and flavor that pnrlnin to it in summer. It

.-aveM,he diort arises whieh «re loftt in. hay-imtUhig. In the case of clover and clover yracs the leaflets, which are the !iiost valuable part of the clover plant, are naved, wlirreas in oiflinnry Jiaymaking thty readily break off, and arc to a great exteut lost.

Autmohitativk contradiction is given to rcuent Fonsational stories about the condition of the Empress of Austria. ( 7ukv hair for woman is becoming such a rape in Paris that locks which until lately would have heen dyed a p.dden brown are now bleached white. Thkkh are 02,000 women in America interested in the cultivation of fruit, and there are numbered among them some of the most successful nrchardisbs of California. Women, indeed, are more successful than men. It is one of the most healthful occupations, there being no cramping in close rooms, and tho physical exertion is not severe.