FARM, GARDEN AND ORCHARD NOTES.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 3011, 31 October 1891, Page 5 (Supplement)

FARM, GARDEN AND ORCHARD NOTES.

Why Guano is Vaujaju.k. —It is sometimes said that ordinary hon manure is worth as much as the best guano. This is not the fact, and those who use hen manure with this ides are sure to bo disappointed. Tho grain food of domestic fowls has not the phosphate in it that the birds of the South American Pacific Ooaet find in the small fish on which they mainly feed. Then, too, the heaps of guano are deposits of bird, dung that has lain for centuries without rain, and in that time has enormously concentrated its valuable properties. Composting hen manure, with enough phosphate to snpply this deficiency, would make it more li!;o guano in supplying quickly available fertility.—American Cultivator Overfeeding a Vocno Calf.—When a young calf is gorged with milk, indigestion follows, and the stomach is clogged with a mass of compact enrd. Tho connequencosisthat the animal becomes dull, dribbles at tho mouth, and grinds his teeth. The treatment should bo to givo n teaspoonful of carbonate of eoda or salorntus in half a pint of water, which will diusolvo the curd and aid its passajjo through the intestines. In six hours after nivo one tablespoonful of raw linseed or eaetor oil. Offer no food until thn bowels aro cloared , out, and then give only ono quart of warm, fresh, millj at » meal overy three hours. When a calf is drinking milk it should be fed xlowlv and with intervals of rest and coll milk should never be given, as this chill-* thr stomach and provokes indigestion,

SoLPHATEOF AMMONIA TOK TtJßNirS.— Mr J. Rose, who during the past twenty year* has bpon grievo on thre° "f tho Urgcst forms in the north—MeikleK'liruininie , Druraderfit, and Oidbo I Mouni —writes as follows to the Invcrn • • Courier :—" I ha»e, I think, grown thn heavie.t crop of turnips on Cadboil Mount (•OHflon 1S89) that ever was grown nor h of the Gr-unpisna. The following wero he tenure* I used: Pwonfyfive load« of fold mtinure ploughed down on stubble in autumn and winter, nnd *t s<>win / time; A owt sulphate of nnnv>ai* J nwt Peruvian i;uan», 2cwt bonemesl ; 2«wt bonedu-t 2vrt superphosphate Gjcwt in all. Tho plant*—iwed<>s, purpl« top (Dnimmond HtirlinsrH) were hoed with 9in hoeo. and the result was 70 hea-oi londs, nvorRgimr fully 12 ton", or ful:y 42 him p-er acre Tho only fault found with the • wedes was th<it 'hoy wero far too big. I attribute this heavy crop to using sulphate of ammonia. I grew upwards of 32 tons per acre of swedes last year (1890) on the same farm by similar manures and prooess, although tho season was wot and cold.

The Paphr Horseshok.—The paper horseshoe, frequently advocated, but relegated by tho " purely practical" to the realms of fancy of tho theoretical faddist, is an accomplished fact in Germany. It i« made of comproesed paper, and it is claimsd for it that, in addition to elasticity, it has the valuable property of being insonsible to the aotion of wator and stable liquids. It consists of leaves of parohmented paper rendered able by means of oil of turpentine, •trougly stuck together by a spsoial mixture (mixture of Venice turpentine, whiting, lacquer, and litharged linseed oil). These leaves of paper are then shaped by moans of a stamp. The shoe is afterwards subjected to strong hydraulic pressure, and when dry is finished with the file. Use is also made of s paper paalo, mixed with sand, turpentine, lacquer, linseed oil, and litharge which ie prebsed into moulds so as to obtain, after drying, a perfectly homogeneous and impermeable mass, But experience bai proved that tho horseshoe thus prepared is lees tenacious and Ices elastic than that made with euporim posed leaves of paper. Both, however, may be put on either with nail* or by means of a paste made of mineral tar and indiarubber.

Thk Benefits or Lime.—Spcakinor »t a meeting the other week of tho West Riding Chamber of Agriculture on the use of lime aud lirao refuse, Professor Muir, the newlv-nppointed professor of agrioulturo at tho Yorkahiro College, said the quantity of lime to bo used on land depended upon circumstances, some land requiring more lime than others. The quantity used varied with tho depth of the soil, and sour and badly-drained land required much heavier dressings of lime than better-drained land. Arable land also required heavier dressings of lime than pasture land. Generally speaking, the best practice was to u»e a little lime and often, in preference to heavy dressings at rare intervals. An average dressing was equivalent to 10 busheli of lime per year, four tons every tenth year, or two tone every fifth year. Lime when mixed with soil combined with other properties destroyed the acide and eweetened and purified it. It also exertod a useful influence in making ingredients in the soil more available. It further made land more open, and rendered it more eaiy to work, and it enabled plants to retain more water than on unlimed land.

Rife Cream versus Greek.—Among those who have most successfully iuveaiitfated the changes that cause Ul2 ripnning of oream and the development of flavour and arotn* in butter, it is coining to be pretty well agreed that thosu processes are tho work of'ceitain organisms called bacteria. It is hold by some of tlnwe investigator* that each 'iintinct flavour developed in milk, butter, and cheese, from ripening to decay, is the product of a distinct npeciee of bacteria. It iH n>iid that in tho lijrht of iuvc>fitiir>i> tiona raado iu this direction the process ! of cream ripening is vory similar to, if not identical with, that of ripening Perfectly ripe cream may be euid to be in exactly the Rime condition as a perfectly ripe plum, peach, or orange. Thr-r.>fore fully ripe cream must be in its vury fee*!, condition for mikinir ffood, rich, and full-flavoured butter, just ae a fully ripe peach is nt it« best stage for possessing similar qualities. But some people make a mistake in thinking that ripe cream is rotten, for it is no more 80 than a ripe pe.ich or plum is rotten. At all events, the idea eceras to be gaining ground that it is advisable to allow the cream to ripen before churning, though it is manifestly absurd to coDcludo that good butter cannot be made from sweet oream just

removed from eweot mile, a* wiu -.luwn by the workiuu , dairies al the Dun--li Kxhibition, wbero the milk was tak<from the cows, nepnmtod, nhaniMH. m made info saleable p.itM of inont d It :i m biittor, mid >i!i this wns dono " whiii- y. tvaitpd." as th.r> H'iv

A New Esemv to Fkcit in Knoland —A now no f e of nl<rm is "ounded fro■/• Kent, whero growers of what, ia cilli> i?ronnd fruif—thut is, raspberries, irooh. , - berrios, and currants—Luce, it xoeinn, to o»ntend with nn entirely unknown enemy which eerionsly threatens the present crop. Tho following is the description given of thin new pest :—" It is a kind of earth-beetle, which, like the phylloxera for vines, has developed an extraordinary taste for the fruitn mentioned, especially raspberries. The voracious insect has tho same colour as tho eoil. During the daytime legions of them lie in the ground, fruui which they aro not distinguishable-, near tho plant*. When darkness sets in thoy cliuib up the branchun of tho bushes, devour the leaves and sap ihe strength oi the plants until dawn oouimeiicoß, and then drop to ihe ground, whero they remain until tho huu sets nguin. iSlaku'i limo has been tried as an antidoto to their ravages, but without much success. In fact, the iuHeots seem rather to like it, and to roll themselves in it, for thou»ai;i]s of them have boon ehakou ofi' tho h.ishus during tho night-time as white as millers. One advantage, however, is that it permits the husbandman to distinguish thom on the ground. Rut where one i? destroyed 10 soom to be forthcoming tu take its place."—Land and Water.

Shire Houses.— The value that shire horses of high clusx have now attained was amply provod, Rnys the Live Stock Journal, at the Royal Show at Don caster last woelc, when Mr Rowel), of the Manor farm, Bury, Hunts, disposed of his 2-year-old stallion, Bury Vintor Chief, to Mr Joseph Wainwriirht, of Chapel-eii-le-Firth, Derbyshire. for2:loS jruineiiß, or speaking plainly, £202. J. is put thus clearly so that there should be no fnisunderstnno'inu' a« to the aetunl pricf paid. At t.ho first sight that priue m>v appear larjre, but when fully eon~ider>d it ie beyond no moanti diffienlt, to demon* strato that purchases of thin description are based on sound business be cause the annual earning , eupieity of o ohenomenal stallion such us Bury Vietor Chief is so large that he should Day fm himself in three eenson j , and thfn ha wi'i only be 5 old, while iu the me«n. while in-i:,rinco cover* risk. Mr Wnin wriirht is curtainlv to he (rrt'«t'y enn on having secured hiks":i horse, who, from tho dav hi* flrnt appearc iu publi ,hum:v«r had to take ho""ti nosition, oxept whon Vun«n 'icut him i< Loarlun for thn Elesenham Cu ■.

SOFFOLK SltEF.r , AND H'IKES. — All in interr-ting extract from ii letter sent nut byColonolGorton. whninnowin Enj-l-ni, ha-) been published by tho RftTiirit"'-f i■ Advoe-ite. Wγ , irirfl a portion—Tn.' j Suffild-heep :ue eoninp , trrculy to *li • front, mid arc, without: dotihr, the be-t bl.iel; fanpd ."hoep Ih:i7i> ••'epn. having v,<r\ hi fro frnmps and th' , burehrr" like a< thev do not rnn to fat *o much ac tin , Lincoln, and are deleious cutiutr, Th ni'-tioneT told me his snn on hi» fur■■■ kiltnd a whether IS-mnniht old wei-fhitp/ 16011 s. Thev !;eo:. rh--> '■evind thut a?o, ind L'ener.illv -t?ll them :i-»2-touth Ifo 1 mmvini'.nn thes >-hi" |> would do splendid in New Zoilmd, nnr , would b a jii-t thn kind to cri-s with oiv lineoln »wo" for pbtH lmnfe-i. Tbov wotill yv>\<\ «plendid lambs, pit' in frame an-1 heavy in weight, nnd would be l/Oifl dnfr<, I siw thenrorn hot-seen tjie C«t--wold and the Suffook owe, and the result was excellent. Of course what is againsl the Suffolk is that they only clip about Gibs of wool, I don't think they comejon as fast as other t-heep, but I am told they would livo where other nhnop would not. I am much taken with them for crossing our old ewes to pet lambs, and will further post myself about them, hut the ebeep tn my fancy goueral flock is undoubtedly the Cotswold. I like them better than Lincolns ; thoy nre bigpor iu carcase, nearly as good in wool, and the wool is finer. I am going to work up that subject Commenting on and desoribiuff a sale he had attended he snys : The auctioneer did not soil well. lam conceited enough to think I could have knocked spots out of him. lam going over tho Duko of Aamilton's farm on Sarueday, whero I shall see tbo best Suffock horses, and soma splendid shorthorn cattlo and Sufl'ok sheep. I am going with a praoticrl farmer, who konws tho Stewarts veiy well, und I am told I shall get a good reoeptian. Thn Duchess has a model dairy farm, and if at homo I am told would probably insist on showing it to me herself. I enjoyed tho Royal show at Duncaster immeiiesly. I have serious thoughts of sending out a Suffoll: horse. They are beautifui horse, and I am sure for our work in New Zealand aro more suitable than either tho Clydesdale or Shire.

Pw Proof Fences.— Barbed wiro and wire netting havo been found to possess a mnch wider epbero of usefulness than was at one time thought. Iα combination they have been most extensively used in the eroction of rabbit and dog proof fencing, and in this way have become extensively valuable agents in subduing the ravages of these pests. Without the aid of wire netting it would have been well nigh impossible) to keep rabbits in chock in the mallee districts, aod barbed wire Ins been most useful in protecting shoep from the attacks of dingoes. Now that these useful inventions are so wall known they are com inn into general use on ordinary farms as n cheap and effective means of keeping , stock of all kind within bounds, and the prejudice which once existed against barbed wire on account of its supposed danger to domesticated animals has now to a groat extent been overcome. Those who have had experience of pig keeping know how difficult it in to prevent those animals from atraying whore they please, but barbed wire has been found a very useful agent for the purpose. A (trout many pig paddocks are now enclosed with barbed wire, but of late there has bpen a disposition to use wire netting tor thia purpose. Experience baa shown that, after the piga havo had the run of the harvest fields, they object strongly to being ehut up in a email paddock again, and it sometimes happens that, in their efforts to get out, the small pigs cut themselves severely against the barbs. A fence capable of stopping all kinds of stock is made of posts, wiro netting, two barbed and two plain wires. One plain wire is woven through the wire netting and stapled to th« posts right on to tho ground, the other plain wire being drawn through the netting, on top aud the lot strained as tightly as may bo wished. Ouo barbed wire is run along about G inches from tho ground, and another aftixod to the posts about 0 inches higher than the netting, and the fence is complete. Those who have tried this kind of funoe say that it is ouo of the best that oan be used, as not ouly docs it keep the pit's withiu bounds, but it effectually proven , .* horses from rubbing when the hniris oorning oif in spring, a habit they are piirtieularly fond of indulging in where post and rail fences ars used.

Oats fou India.— Tho Martau Mercury having suKircsted that some one in the business of Khippiuu horsc-e to India hould|Crivejhiß opinion on tho ndvisnblenoß« of sending New Zoalund outs to India, ono of them, Mr John StevcnH, wrota in reply :—I regrot thut 1 am nimble to give such full information upon the subject afl ono would wish I do not h9weTor, think that any trade of nn appreciable extent

• nil l>.■ e-i-iT \'.h d. i- iher.- nn- ••: ny 'Ili'iiH'if bu» ! i •!■< if i> i>. T" >•'; i i ?!|i !i-t ;in f ic.l, ili.'.e ir<- b,ri.'.> < ( n iiitiM.-N of 'n-. coro-il •spivl' 'I t'i -\n-iia!iii. wti 1 s-ill i thi' ci)'..iiy lit CIIIL-μ.Tihic lei- p(,r ■il-hel tin' our riil..ni il pr'"iu':t. \lrh')ii|rh 111- Tri'ii in ii-iM iln> irif-no;- in iii'ilily. tti-ir rhoipiif-' cn-nri's h ' iilo hoinsf ■lone, in'«i ].■> wlii.Oi, iii-iny of the traininir f-taniinliti). Nts n-o what unall-! I ludia con try (i>it- in pri-fon.iicr-l> th" import*'! irrtin On th.. nnoa-i.in of the firwt trip, I h<d mvrnl thowwnil} of bnnheto of New Zealand nets for snip in Calcutta, 'nnd offered thorn to Lord William Boresford, the. Mnhimjuh of Cochhehar, the Mnbn- <.iah of Durbunpah, and Newab Surdnr J tm Sinirli, brides many others who n«R thousands, pf bimhnl.'j of oats durinsr a yeir. B ith thr-y and their trainwrs cnnbi,iyr.."l that for purposes ludian oats were quile rqiul lo thofo grown in tho colonic In uppc.ir. ance, however, tboro is no shadow of comparison as the fonnor aru I r.g and thin, with comparatively pinull kcrni.l and very larßo husk,und mo the idea thiil, 'hoy wero l>:idly lillud and not properly ripened, bu , . owing;, I suppose, to tlio excessive lii>at tho gniiu is vory bard, which in, of oourue, an advantage fir traiuiuj? purposes, and owiug , to l!io lensth of thn train und qiMuiity of lm«k, horsi!* ;irti immnnllrd !■> thom well boforo

Pho Government of Indiii nrvvi-inn-iily hnv <!olnuiil" "t's for 'lu> piirpo-n nf "iipjjlyiujf their Z.:nind.ir.-. with m 0.,1, ),ul only to a him nil rxtont. It appcure •*triiti!?o at first Mtrlit that in a country where millions nf hor-c-s are constantly Wept in tho sLubln tlicrn should i:ot h" n largo demand for our colon! il on\*. Gram, which i-i n'milar fo n voted or smiill field pen, i* u?rd iii-tninl of outs or norn. Tho price of urutn is one rncne "ijrlit. nnnns per maund (SOlbs), whpren , ? oat* cost two rupefi" oiitht to twj'lvp nnnns oer maund for tho Imlinn product, nnd colonial ont.9 sell at, a hivrhrr p'icf., ,">■ inc: to tho demand f"r ■« 1 •.>■ nnrticiilar funny of wnin few p, r-on« wiio miy hfl training lit-ci. ... T do not think it ivlvisiilili- to s«j! <vitt for xnln to Inula in I.ir.'.'nr .piiii'ili < !:-,in tbo.it two Imnrli'i-d sir ':••. in ■ ■''' nsijn» •nent. af. inlorri!- of U<>-n :;;n o- thrno months, as I in very dilTicult to rlicpose of <nt<, . x.-cpt.inir by a fnw fauks it one tiaie. Th« ouv.ilry and artillery, lud in fact all hor-eN cxenptiuu' rao >orse«, arc .:'■! fl" f-d upon pram On he nf Afsf'nniu'-n th- hor-t'S h»'ro ar" Ini-L'ely fc ' .\p<m jram nn 1 t.lio

• ■ tjNti nf U-- :r. nrx"d mid wnrko'l into a i irr] b<ll i!cm »ini nn« fer>i. wliiiih i< hrnvvu on (, ■ flic tfrnund, nml thr> renkH it vviili hi* f>r(> font iinrl pats it . ith a-it'-i! n-li-.li