FARM, GARDEN, AND ORCHARD NOTES.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2683, 21 September 1889, Page 2 (Supplement)

FARM, GARDEN, AND ORCHARD NOTES.

♦- Selling Stock by Weight.—A paper presented to visitors to Woburn on the occasion of the recent annual excursion gives a striking proof of the superiority of the weighing machine to the best of estimates in determining the weight of cattle. Eight Hereford bullocks, subjects of feeding experiments carried out last winter, the results of which have not yet been published, were placed before five experienced agriculturists, some of whom, at least, pride themselves upon their judgment in estimating the weights of cattle, and each gentleman put down the carcase weight which he assigned to each animal. The cattle were afterwards weighed alive and ibad, and the actual weights are compared with the several guesses. The names of the estimators are mercifully withheld, as only one of the five was within 20 stones (of 81b.) in his total for the eight animals, while another was over 67 stones short of the actual aggregate weight, all the estimates being below the mark. Even the most successful judge was wrong to the extent of 9 stones with one bullock and 10 stones with another. If the beasts had been sold at 43 Sd a stone, and at the carcase

weights put upon them by the several estimators, the losses on the eight bullocks would have ranged from IGb Hd to Cl 5 lus 7d, and over £5 in each of the

intervening cases,

Breeding Black Sheep.—lt has always been a debatable point whether it is possible to breed a flock of black sheep. All sheep breeders are aware that, by a freak of nature, a few black lambs are found in their flocks every year, although the sires and dams of those have been pure white as far back as their pedigrees can be traced. The lambs come black, and no satisfactory explanation can be offered as to why they are so. Following up tho breeding, however, it is found that the theory of like producing like does not hold good where black sheep are concerned. The progeny from a black sire and dam will, in abn'ut 7 cases out of 10, throw black to the previous generations. Mr F. M'Farlancl, of Barooga, one of the most experienced and observant sheep breeders in Australia, is of opinion that the type and colour of black sheep can be fixed, and lie is now devoting attention to the carrying out of his theory, All the black lambs at Barooga are collected and sent to Malonga, a station iti the Lachlan district. He finds that by careful selection and the rejection of all lambs having a trace of white about them, the colour can, when a considerable degree of certainty, he depended on in the third generation. He intends persevering with the experiment, and has no doubt that in time he will become the possessor of a black flock having such a fixidity of type as to be capable of transmitting the colour to their offspring. The wool of on account of its scarcity, is extremely valuable.

Successful Exportation' ok Aitlks to England.—On her last Homo trip to Doric tuok some eases of apples forwarded by tho Styx Apple Company, wit!) a view of testing whether softapplcs would carry to England. Tho different kinds sent were the Emperor Alexander, Cox's Pomona, and the Kentish Fill basket. The experiment (says the Lyttelton Times) has proved entirely successful. The apples arrived Home in the best of condition, aud realised 15a to '20s per case, after paying all expenses. This is of the greatest importance, as it shows that properly packed aud sent in a cool chamber, all kinds of apples can be sent Home. A few boxes of new potatoes were also sent, They arrived iu excellent condition, but the price realised was not good enough to induce growers to try tho experiment again. The total charge's of ever} kind, including freight, charges, and commission, amounted to 6s 9d per case. Apples arriving in London in good conditions during the month of May realise from 10s to 2Gs per case, according to (juality, with an unlimited demand. Freight to London in cool chamber by direct steamers, New Zealaml Steamship Company, or Shaw, Saville, and Co., is Ud per lb., or, roughly speaking, 5s per case. This might possibly be reduced if large consignments could be sent, but even with freight at 53 per case and commission, Sec, added, a larger margin of profit would accrue to the shippers than could possibly be obtained in the glutted market here.

The Codlin' Moth in Tasmania. Through the Chief Inspector the Hobart Fruit Board has addressed the Treasurer, asking his attention to the following matters :—l. That for tho more effectively carrying out tho Codlin Moth Act in tho City of Hobart, it is desirable that you should place on tho estimates the sum of £50, to provide a salary for an inspector during the months of November, December, January, February, March and April iu each year, whose chief duty it i-hould bo to inspect shops, stores, vessels and fruit arriving in tho city from outside districts during , thuse months. Such inspector to bo under tho authority of tho Hobart Fruit Hoard. 2. This Board have, during tho most important months of thpj-iuason, employed a second inspector, but even with this additional help thej , feel that the work of inspection has not been so thorough as they could wish, though they believe their inspectors have done their duty in every respect, o. This board are exceedingly anxious to do all in their power to eradicate tho Codtin moth pest, and vigorous inspecliou they are certain is tho best means to ensure this being done, but the rate now levied (and an exooss of it would, tho Board feels certain, bo reseated by the Hobart public) will bo quite insufficient to pay for the extra inpectiou required. This

iMi»iitiriiirrrr*iiiiHfciufiniu_.iijuLi--L_ ,^-_-_—.^—___^_^ Board would respectfully point out that the additional inspection necessary ie not so much required for the city proper as it is to prevent the spread of the tho post to dean or partially clean districts, and therefore ic is that this Board considers they are entitled to ask for thin assintanca from tho ponoral rovpiiue of fchn colony, The Codlin Moth. Mr Tho«. W.-lls. of Cambridge, at tho lust ineetinir of the Waikato Fnrmere' Club, introduced a subject of great importauiii' to p»iii'i!oi<iiita, and al.to to f iniicrs, for nearly all Waikato farmers iivit fniit-srrowers t> a greater or less extent. We refer to thei insect pestx of all descriptions that devastate our gardens and nruhimlrf, mid with wlriuh our country seems to be ever pregnant. Mr Wells stated that he had almost despaired of finding !t remedy, f,, r | ln ) i:i ft tr j e( i p 0 many things that professed to settle tho difh'unlty, and not a one had the dosirod effect. Some little time since ho VL'iieii-ud a circular regirding a blight specific, manufactured by Mr Chas. Redwood, of Kiverhinds, whicli is stated to work wonders with all descriptions of insects and blights. Noting that Mr Redwood had been a fruit-grower for ■20 years in New Zealand, Mr Wells wrote him, putting a few pertinent questions, particularly regarding the Codlin Moth. In reply Mr Redwood stated, " The specific is not poisonous to animals of size, such as pigs, dogs, cats, rats or any domestic animals, but it is most deadly to all insect life that I know of. The dressing will remain for weeks on the young fruit, and any ova that may be deposited during that time will be destroyed; this is my experience." In answer, to the query, " How does the specific affect the bloom and young leaves at the spring dressing; that is, does it burn or scald in warm weather similar to Paris Green?" Mr Redwood says, "The specific is not injurious to vegetable life of any kind, unless used very strong when the buds are young. In winter, no matter how strong, no harm will be done to either bark or bud, but all insect life that the specific comes in contact with will be absolutely destroyed." Mr Wells thinks that if the specific will remain for weeks upon the fruit, as stated in Mr Redwood's letter, that the ova of the second and third crop—if we may so term it—of Codlin Moth, which is so destructive to apples, may.be rendered harmless. Mr Wells intends giving this remedy a good fair trial, and will doubtless favour us with the result, which we shall be happy to make known to our readers.