FARM, GARDEN, AND ORCHARD NOTES.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 3052, 6 February 1892, Page 1 (Supplement)

FARM, GARDEN, AND ORCHARD NOTES.

A. Prolific Cow.—We hear of a very remarkable instance of prolifimies* on Mr Davidson's farm, near Hawora. A co w there recently brought forth no less than three live calves. The cow in question has, we believe, beat the record. Within three years she has twice had and reared twin calves, and this year has produced triplets, two being left with her to rear and one is to be brought up by hand. Seven calves at three births is tho best record in cattle-breeding , we ever heard of on authentic authority.— Hawera Star.

Danish Butter. —A bill has been iutrodmed into the Danish Folketning providing, for a national trade mark for Danish butter. It is proposed that this national mack shall be branded or stamped by the local police authorities on all fiikins and packages containing butter made in Donmark ; and heavy punishments are to be inflicted on parties who slmll cause receptacles containing foreign made butters or butter substitute to be stamped with the national mirk. It is hoped that the adoption of the national mark will further enhance the reputation of Danish butter in foreign markets, and eventually lead to better priie*. AoKiooLTDRE Is Denmark.—ln a report on agriculture in Denmark we note the statement that the stock raising-.espeo-ially in dairy cows, shows considerable development in that country, and exports of cattle have increased. Ic is mentioned that the number of cattle exported from Denmark last year was not far under 130,000, or about 25,000 more tliau the average for the previous 10 years. The demand in Sohleswig-Holstoin for leau cattle was very large in the spring,andover 21,000 head were sent to those Duchies being about double the number for the previous year. The attempt to scud lean cattle from America to the same destination does not appear to have succeeded. Pig breeding played an important part as a source of income for Danish agriculture. The opening of German frontier importation of pigs had a favourable effect on this trade ;but exports from Esbjerg to England almost ceased owing to the higher prices ruling Germany.

Consumption IN Fowls. —Consumption is a disease attended with tlie formation generally in the lungs of a deposit called tuberculie, which enda in destroying the lung tissue. The symptoms are cough, waating away, and loss of strength, and the result is death. The causes are any of those that lower the system of the fowls, although it is possible that once established it may become a hereditary disease. Poor food, damp and cold coops, are among these causes. It is not possible to foresee the disease, for eveu in cases where the fowl is ailing it is possible that other disturbances are the cause; and it will generally be very undesirable to attempt to save the lives of those attacked by it. The administration of croup powder, cod liver oil, etc., may be tried. Feed all the fat you can induce the fowls to eat. It is suggested that consumption is the cause of the death of so many early-hatched chicks, the prevention of which consists in keeping the parent stock strong.

Basic Slag for Grass Lands.—Basie elag is very good and useful mitnure on grass. It has a most beneficiel effent in improving the quality of the herbage, and fostering the growth of the finer grasses and clovers. Experiments have been most carefully and scientifically carried out in various parts especially in Germany with thin valuable source of phosphoric acid, and the results havu shown a large increase amountiog in some cases to as much as 78 per cent, extra crop on meadows. The slug is rather slower in action than tho phosphatio manure commonly used, i.e., dissolved bonos and mineral superphosphates, and should be applied as soon ns possible if tho full bonefit is to accrue to next year's crop. From 8 cwt, to balf a ton is a fair dressing for grass land. There is uo danger oC losing valuable matters by applying elac now, as the soil has a great retentive power for phosphoric acid, and at this element in the slag is not very soluble in itself, but is continually becoming eo in the soil, there is no loss through retrogessioa, asinight be the case were superphosphates applied now. Slag must not be mixed with other chemical manures, speaking broadly, as loss takes place through chemical actiou in the mixture. Buffaloes. —The White Star steamer Runio, which arrived in the Mersey recently from New York had amuujrsr, her caru'o 10 pure bred Western buffaloes. They were magnificieat specimens, obtained from Nebraska, and arrived in first class condition. They were in cliarye of Mr C. J. Jones, the owner of an extensive ranch in M. Cook County, Nebraska. He had made buffalo breeding a speciality for some years pant, and states that as the animal in its natural and wild state is now almost extinct, and the only way to keep the species in existence is by means of parpartial artificial mUingand hehas organise a special company for this purpose, Somo time ago Mr Jones visited England, arid secured orders from several noblemen and gentleman for young buffaloes to be sent over and pinned in their parks. Bsing raised in captivity, he states that they are comparatively tame, and altogether preferable, ot course, to anyone of the wild ferocious type which mny still be found on the plains. That they are not without spirit, however, is whowii by tho fact that in the case of many of those which arrived bv the Runic, thoir shipment on board at Now York was a work of some difficulty, and whs accomplished amidst considerable popular excitement. Thn 10 animals in qneition, the price paid for which is stated to bo 500 dol. ,:iro consigned a Liverpool gentleman. The attempts at crossing made by Senator Choeraue, of

Cunuili, Mill titlicr* in the United Stutes, have not ko far been attended with satisfactory results, but it is hoped that cxporiment.il in the same direction in England with the animals now imported miiv be in--.n Hiiccofisfnl.

A Wheat I?E:iT. —Many wheat, fieldsin Fiano h ivo this year sufiVted from tho ravages of a caterpillar which in August eats its way into the grain and fceis upon the Honr. When tho wheat is standing it ia not easy to destroy it, but as it is cut and placed in tho granary something can bo done. Tho presence of the catcrpillcr can to eusily recognised by a whito powder under the wheat. Then the grain should be watered with somo sulphate of carbon and covered with sacks at onee, so as to keep the smell from evaporating. Generally tho inroads of the caterpillars are finished by the end of August, but this year, on aesount of tho rains, they have grown slowly and have done, and are doing, damage in the granary. Fkxcks and Treks For Shelter,—A correspondent of the Field writes very sensibly on this subject. Having shown that air and ventilation arc especially desireable for corn and roots, and that fences and small fields are a serious drawback in all operations of tillage, ho advances a plea for shelter for live stock in pastoral districts, and rightly so. The fences have been greatly improved, but some of them may still be too wide, uneven, crooked aud straggling, roughly planted and full of brambles, docks, and nettles, and couch cast in from the fields. There are miles of such fences in tho home counties and in many others, and they are deemed to be picturesque- ; but shelter and a pleasing landscape might be combined by tho planting of groves as well as hedges, and by using evergreens such as holly, for low fences, and Scotch fir for high beltings and irrovos. Tho groves and fences might be disposed with a special viow to effect as well as shelter ; but the point of importance ia planting hedges on the pastures and opening up tho arablo fields, except when shelter is needed on account of the

exposure. Makinu Cidkr From Rotten Aj?pi.ks—The question whether rotten apples should be mixed with sound ones when making cider is what ninny people differ upon. Some say that they do not have a bad effect upon the cider, but even give it strength. Mons. Dennis-Durmont says that all rotten apples should be thrown away, and in the " Traito du Cidre " he prints the following note :— "The sugar matter contained in the tipples is the origin of nlcohol which is developed in the ciaer. To this susrary matter is due the alcoholic fermentation from which the cider more or less derives its strength. If then is no sugary matter there is no alcoholic fermentation, and no cider, but a yellowish water, which is tasteless. It results, then, that the is to choose tho time when t.he applo contains the largest quantity of sugar. Here is the result of a chemical analysis : Three npples were taken from the suine tree, the essential point in the making of ci.ler, one was analysed before it was ripe, the other at its complete maturity, and the third whpii it was rotten. The amount of sugar furnished by the green apple was 6 per si'iit., by the fully-matured apple 12 per cent, and in the rotten apple tliaro was but little trace of sugar. The analysis shows that if fruit is put in the press when it. is fully ripe, and tho eider mixed with half water, it will still contain as much alcohol and will be as strong a a eider obtained from green apples, As to tho cider from rotten tipples, it is scarcely more than yellowish water. The Middleman.— Tho Melbourne Leader writoe as follow?.—"If farmers cßuld nnly get a fair share of the price which consumers in tho city have to pay for couutry'produco.they wouldhavo no reason to complain of thoir returns for butter fruit and other commodities of this class. But somewhere between producer and consumer there is leak wiiich seems to swallow up the greater part of the total value of the produce. The middleman is perhaps an individual whose services cannot very well bo dispensed with, but in* etauces have came under our notice lately whom consignors of goods having beeu swin died by their agents, and the fanners are warned to bo" careful with whom they deal. As an example of the system very widely practised, a producer forwards a. a quantity of fruit to a Melbourne miles man. In the course of a few days he receives a return showing the number of cases sold and the prices obtained, with a cheque for the amount enclosed, less commission and expense*. The amount seems all correct and irenuine, but generally tho price of the article sold is most disappointing. Now the reason of the unsatisfactory prices realised can frequently be explained. The agent Aral buys the fruit in his own name and sells it again, not for the consignor, but tor himself, at considerable profit. Thus the salesman reaps the profit to which he has no right whatever, as well as a commission from the transaction, all at expend to the producer. Fradulent dealing of this kind is unfortunately too common among Melbourne produce asrents, and it should he put down if possible. Farmers ou«ht to insist on havins , the nntno and address of the purchaser inserted in their returns, and if dissatisfied with the prices quotei make some enquiry into the matter." The tactics complained of are,wo fear, not peculiar to Melbourne commission agents. SitOHTiioßN.s — The decay of the once fashionable Bates and Booth shorthorns is attracting almost world wide attention. For some years back the delicate but handsome and showy Bites shorthorns have had to retire from the English show yards, and the rotund Booths, or those inheriting a large share of the bhoi of the Booths, have been left to do battle for England against the Scotch shorthorns. The latter'having come off victorious, the battle is now raging between the Aberdeen shorthorns and another Scotch type of the breed worthily represented by the herd of Lord Polworth. That such a rapid revulsion of opinion should have come about among shorthorns breeders and show judges seems unaoconntable to those who have not clonely followed the course of even's in connection with the breed, In Scotland the shorthorns have all along been in the hands of tenant farmers, shrewd nvn, whose only aim has been the production of the primeet beef, depending more on hiirh prices from the butcher than on faucy prices for stud animals by exchange with others breeders a3 was the cu?e with many breeders of Bates tribes. The crazs that existed in American for fine brod shorthorns induced many English breeders to ontor for tl:iit market, looking to the sale of stud animals rather than to beef production for an income from their herds. This led to a too sparing use of the knife, with the inevitable result—delicacy and general

deterio-ntinn. The beautiful soft touch and handle so highly pvized by many in some of the lush priced BitM iriben was but a t>o sure index of a tuberculous tendency, nnd that same fine delicate touch has in lnrge measures btun answerable for much of the prevalence of tuberculosis in these colonies. The Americano were not slow to discover this when ranching was so largely entered upon in that country, and ii'run upon the Scotsli shorthorns was the result. No animals has ever answered the purposes of the butcher bettor than the first cross between the back Aberdeen and tho shorthovn as ho lms been bred in the north of Scotland. The fanners who produce cattle for the London market aro keen judge.*) of padiareo, but their tost of value depends en no theory, and a lino of blood or a pedigree only come to hi val.ied when

experience has provedils fjoodnoss. Tlio application of such a system for many years is now resulting in a type; of cattle which is triumphant m thfl show yards nud populiir in tlio sale rinp. PnoFlT-SllAßrxo IX AoKifin.TPUE.—A

statement hns just been published showing how a fiirm of I,SCO acres at Learrcnuth, in Northumberland, lias been worked on the profit sharing principle for five years, nml produced during that, time WOO. This was an experiment carried out by Mr Albert Gray, who is to be commended for any efforts he may make in trying to better the condition of the labourers anil others engaged on the laud. Mis accounts show that the workers have earned a bonus of about G per cent, on their wages, which means an increase of about 9d. per week. Of course, this is not to be despised any more than other small benefits. ]iut tho result cannot hardly be accepted as such a grand succcss as profit sharers and co-operators would like us to regard it, for with all the extra c:iro and energy which are supposed to bo displayed by the hands, the profits on the whole farm for the period was scarcely 13s. per acre. Another point is tho management. Now would anyone who Knew anything of tho work, and had to live by it, manage a farm of 1,800 acros for £25 a year, which is what is allowed for management—2s per cent', ou tho profits ? Cut the manager does not get even this much—he only receives twothirds of it, the other third being divided between the steward and the herd. So to manage a farm of 1,800 acres, tho magnificent sum of £16 13s 4d. is considered suffieent. Though Mr Gray may have increased hia income and enjoys the "rights of proprietorship far more fully than if the farm were leased to a tenant." and, further, tho labourers havo saved 9d. per week, the experiment of the Learn outli farm does not provo that it is in this direction that tho lot of tho labourer is to be improved. Preparing: Mimc for Cheese Making.—Considerable the subject of cheesemaking for a single day's work, .•■no duty

begins 1 " the night before'. At the tiurn when the milk is bum;,' brought into tho daily rake nolioc of the temperature of the atmosphere, and regulate tho setting with a view to ii certain condition in the morning;. If the atmosphero be clear and dry, set the milk :it a depth which experience has taught will bring the temperature down to that point at which the milk of the particular dairy is known to work best. If there is a close, muggy atmosphere the milk should be cooled lower, and at the same time set shallower ; others wise the milk will be too far advanced in the morning. The object in all this is to secure in tho morning, at the time when we wiah to begin -work, that degree of acidity essential to the success of the whole operation. Any definite guide ennnot be given as to how or in what qu-intity to set the milk, aa tho whole thing depends at thi* point on tho good judgment of the maker. If it is found that the milk works best at a temperature of 6Sdeg. in the morning, the study tho night before should tend toward* such a result ; and experience soon teaches how best to manage tho milk of any particular dairy, in Home dairies the milk works quite fast enough at a tempprnture of u'ldeg. in the morning, while in others tbo milk set in the same way would bo very much out of conditiou by being too sweet, causing hours (if delay before matured enoagii for the rennet to be added. Shelter for Stock.—" For several year," says a practical farmer, in a letter to us, " I have urged on all farmers and all who own eattlo to house them in cool but weather-proof sheds, and I am pleased co find that my letters are in many cases beginning to bo attended to ; but still there: are many who will not listen to reason. Animals are, like ouraclvs?, liable to rheumatism, colds, and other ailments, and if exposed to the inclemency of the wsuther, with, too often a very poor quantity of food, and not too much of that, become poor and debilitated ; and in the case of colts, tho growth thatjthey ought to have made during the winter, results, through such careless attention, in a poor, half-starved, weedy animal when the spring arrives for him to bo broken into work. With horned cattle, a cow just calved, and supposed to give a good supply of rich milk, if fairly fed and comfortably housed, will pay her way, yield a profit, and give a strong calf next time. With young cattle it is just tho same—they too often are kept in a most miserable condition, barely having shelter or food to keep them from starvation, tho owners never considering that this process, instead of yielding a profit, brings them into debt, for it certainly is so if a yearling bought for.say. £5 goes out after his wintering for a pound or so for the buying next spring. With fattening sheep [ have, in spite of what others have said as to their becoming lame, had them for many weeks during the winter months in well-drained yards, and littered up every day with a little fresh straw. One would not credit the difference when contrasted with those kept in tho fields, exposed to the full blast of snow, rain, and rough weather. How can they thrive when their coats are full of water for days and weeks ? In fact, I know for certain that, in many instances, for days they do not lay down at all, as the mud wouM stick them tight to tho earth." The Effect ok Earth Worms.—Many of our readers have doubtless read much l-cl.itixo to the action of earth worms, and the benefit derived by agriculture from their presence in the soil. Some agricultural writers, however, have held that the presence and habits of earthworms, was uo benefit whatever, but rather tho reverse. The question appears to have been recently investigated in Germany by Wolny, an author who in 188*2 expressed the opinion that the worm was more injurious than useful to plants. He does not seem to have regarded tliis opinion as conclusive for he set about solving two problems. (Ist) What is the comparative plant production, when earth-worms are present and when they are absent? (2nd) What physical and chemical modifications of the soil are produced by the action of the earthworm ? In his experiments he made use of varnished flower pots which had fine wire gauze bottoms. Half of them were filled with rich soil carefully mixed, from which all earthworms ha-1 been removed. Wire gauze barriers uire attached to the rims of the pjts to prevent worms from entering at tho to]>. The soil iu the remaining half of the pots was similar and contained earthworms whiah were prevented from escaping. All the pots were sunk in the ground. The plants used in testing were peas, beans, potatoes, rye, vetches, flax and beets. AH pots containing the same kinds were similarly treated. Duriug growth the plants in the soil which contained

worms were more vigorous. In no ease did the plants suffer injury from the worms. In all cases, other things beinj; the sruvie, the results showed that the soil containing the. worms was more fertile than that from which they had heen exeluded. This was strikingly exhibited by the beet*. As to the second question, it was found that the worms contributed essentially to the porosity of the soil, increasing both the quantity of air and water which it contains. Chemical analysis proved that the development of carbonic acid in soil, having worms was much greater than in similar soil deprived of them. Although the quantity of nitrogen present was but slightly different in the two soils, yet even here the presence of the worms was beneficial and i showed an increase whether the nitrogen existed a3 ammonia or as nitric acid.

>7mv ."'ltth W.u.ks T.Wint. — The " Lyil.lt'in Timns," whirh is one of the lividitifr ProtiH-iionist papers in Xew Zealand, acknowledges vhnt tlw NowSouth Wak-M tarill' will do New Zoalimdors lurni, though lit the suniu time it inaki'.i the strange assort ion fur a

Protectionist purer that it will do the New South Wnles farmers no good. There in, however, ono {food .suirfftstion in a recent leading article pii'ilis-hid by it, viz. :—" There is, howevnr, a method by which the effect of these imposts on our trade may be considerably minced. We refer to the reduction of the railway and other export charge?. This is a matter we have repeatedly insisted upon, and the present is an opportune tirao to refor-n it again. I f the Railway Cmtimif.si<;iierti, the Harbour Boards and the Union Steamship Company were to tuke counse), an arrangement might bo muds which would minimise, at any rate, the blow the tariff strikes at our expert trade." This affords a better opportunity for tho Government to do moro good than the pattern",' oi all the [Shop Hour Bills ever thought of.

Sam; ov Cohn hy Weight.—Tho Corn Sales Cummilteo of the Central Chamber of agriculture tailed in their recent report that 97 percent, of the returns fioin .Ireland show the sale of corn to he by weight, and the import of food are, liko the agricultural returns of I re'.and reckoned by tho hundred- u-rL'ht. Therei'oro tho general adoption of this weight is recommended for consideration. Thy coininittco further pointed nut that this standard could be used for tithe purposes, uni thus render unnecessary the translation of different weights by market inspectors far calculating the corn average!'. If the Central Chamber ran manage to secure some legislation which will make Ihe udo of corn by weight compulsory and "reneraljt.hey will do a good wofk and iicoomplishsomething on which tho majority of farmer-* arc agreed. The objection does not seem to nri.se so much from from tho farmer as from the dealer although it i< cuimnonly said that it is tho farmer who dous not wiint change. It is with corn us with cmUlu— the-producer is muro likf-ly to got closer value for his produno if ho sella by uniforui weight than in the prysuntiiiunuer. The Chamber will do well to I'iko caro that some good and strong witnesses are forthcoming for examination before tho Parliamentary Committee. Testing Milk.—ln an article on Cooperative Dairying, in the Murk-lano .Express, tho author remarks thai;—" Scarcely a factory now exists in Denmark where the milk is paid for nil alike—good, bad and indifferent. Tho instrument uced to test tho milk when tlie Danish separator is used—the late Professor Fjord's ' Controller ; whentho Do Laval machine is preferred by 1 )r. Do Laval's test, which is practically tho same as Fjord's in principle. The Danish Government experiment station has proved boyond a doubt the accuracy of the test. But for those who do not use a separator the best and cheapest known te3»-. for general purposes is Professor I'auum's 1 actoscope. This aparatus costs but 155., and has been used with the greatest satisfaction to all parties in the laboratory of the JRoyal Danish University, as well as for 13 years by tho Copenhagen Milk Supply Company, an institution handling tho milk of about l-JOO cows, and making in all some 2000 l.Kitosr.opir. tests per month. The farmers who Rupply the milk and cream tire all *-'ali--fied with tho efficiency of the test. The oonsequunce of Ivivinrr their m'.lk paid for according to quality is to innlw the Danish and Swedish farmer." test tho milk of each individual cow, and breed not only for quantity but quniiiy. Adulteration of the milk is worse than useles 3 , for only the butter fat is paid for, and the farmer runs the certain risk of being expelled from the society." Nitrogen for Wheat.—There is not so much danger of the loss of nitrates as some peoplo imagine, if some recent exporiinents can be taken as establishing anything. It was decided to find tho form of nitrogen best adapted to wheat, and if tliero was any advantage in fractional applications. Nitrogen was applied to every alternate plot, so that each plot that received nitiogen was compared with a plot on each side of it that received no nitrogen. Or, wrtiiin plots tho nitrogen was all applied in the autumn, on others one-half was applied in tho autumn and one-half at tho opening of spring, and on others onethird in the autumn, one-third on Apiil loth, and one-third on May ISth, when the heads weiv just appearing. The l'CMilts chowed that in no ease was any marked advantage derived from fractional applications, while in the case of tho ammonia compounds a decided advantage arose from inakins tho full application in the autumn. Nitrate of suihi gave a gain of 9S'-1 per cent, of jri-iiin"and lOo'-o per cent of straw. Sulphate of ammonia gave a srain of sl'i per cent, of jjrain and C GO per cent of straw. The nitrate in one lot in the autumn therefore gave rs good results as were gained after three fractional applications. PilKEr IiriEKDERK. —This is an age of lionfrreneos. The cheep-breeders of the United Kingdom are tho last to meet in this wise, their object being to en-Jcavour to eontiol matters which affect their business of sheep-breeding and exhibition. The resolutions passed at their first essay in conference embodied tho following views —That the Royal Agricultural Society ought to inform judges that there lire now no inspectors of wool, and that the judges ought to tako iuto careful consideration any inequalities in tho length of wool. That it is advisable for agi{cultural societies to consult tho viiirous sheep-breeders' associations with reference to tho selection of judges, that tin-re should be special judges for each hiecd of sheep, and tho names should be published immediately after the closing of the entries. That the Royal Agricultural Society of England should add classes for owe lambs for all breeds where prizes for ram Limbs are given. And that agricultural societies should bo requested to assimilate their conditions of shearing to those of the Royal Agricultural Society of England. It is agreed, too, that a concession ought to be made to Dorset horn sheep in the prize-list of agricultural societies, so that their age should dato from December Ist of the previous year, instead of from January Ist of the current year. Co-orERATioN by Farmers.—An Eng-

lish exchange says " The Central Chamber of Agriculture discussed favourably the question of co-operation by farmers " for purposes of purchase." Tois is not a new proposal, or even a new thing, as such a practice has been long followed in this country to a limited extent, and is done more on the Continent, especially in France and Germany. Thcro is no question that the gcncr.il run of farmers would benefit by a scheme of co-operation, though not anything like so much a3 they would have done a few years ago. The merchants and tradesmen who supply manures, seeds, machinery, &c, nut prices more closely than they were wont to do, but there is probably still a margin which intelligent co-operation may lop off to the advantage of the buyers. Farmers, in some cases,

are frightfully victimised, but the decep-

tions from which they suffer may be avoided by a self-supply association. It must not be supposed that co-operation of the kind proposed is going to convert a losing trade into a profitable one, though it may be one of the means to inch an end. Co-operation for purchase is not all that the farmer wants. He frequently finds it difficult to sell what he has grown, or if he can sell it, the transaction brings but little benefit to him. When a scheme has been put on foot to enable the farmers to buy, it may be extended to one that will enable him to sell, for in that direction he wants as much help as in the ( ther. To buy the best in the cheapest market and to sell in the dearest is the right way, certainly, and if the Central Chamber establish a plan by which this can be done, it will accomplish a great thing in the interests of the farmer, who may then be reasonably expected to produce that which commands the top figure."