FARM, GARDEN, AND ORCHARD NOTES.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 3055, 13 February 1892, Page 1 (Supplement)

FARM, GARDEN, AND ORCHARD NOTES.

Fakm BooK-KKEPiNfi. —This can commence at any time. Howevor if you wish to know the income of your farm for the year it will be necessary to tako an inventory or aoeeunt of tho stock. For this purpose take your book and and make a memorandum of everything properly bolonging to the farm. This will includ* live stook, hay, straw, grain in granary, or in store for family use, pork in barrel, potatoes, poultry, &c. Do not include in this the household furniture, clothing &c., only that, which properly belongs to tho farm. Place a fair market value opposite each item, and when you have them all down add tho respective amounts up and find tho total value. Many things you may have to estimate the value ol', but; the result will ho found most useful.

Tkaix tiik Horses.—'The man who constantly usos a horse and does not teach him some useful lessons neglects one of his chief opportunities for making tho horse a valuable student. Horses can easilv be taught toobey promptly ordinary words of command, and, as it takes no extra time and but liHleextra trouble, they should be so taught. It is annoying to have a hotvo that won't stand even to a roiid wnsriron unless tho driver has hold of thnlines: that they will not be oanurht without cihasingor bringing up all the horses on. the farm ; is hard to bridle : is habitually impatient in standing and starting, etc. Some men's horses do not have such traits, because they take pains to teach them the good or to avoid teaching them the bad habits. Most men, however teach one or two horses and let the rest go. Teach them all what the words of command •.jean, and when you give a command you menn it, and you will avoid the annoyanco of their starting off beforo they arc required. As Old Custom.—lt is remarkable, after all that has been said about the injury which hairy legged hordes sustain when they are taken into tho horse-pond on their return from work, that the practice of walking them round it should still be permitted : but it still prevails, and to a considerable extent. Old customs are hard to break, especially where the men are allowed to follow their own inclinations, and the horse.pond seems to possess a sort of fascination to the ploughman, which ho cannot overcome ; hut the farmer who permits his horses to be subjected to the cruelty, let alone the injury, of being waded breast deep in a cold pond when they return hot from work, should be made to walk round the pond alougside the horses. Nothing hns been so productive of grease as this custom of shilling horses' legs, and tlie practice,doubtless started through ignoraauce, should be peremptorily stopped.

Cckk for Hor.se Manok.—A correspondent of the Queenslander thus describes " a Biinple and effective euro'" for horse mange and the maimer of its discovery :—" Some ye irs ago when as Government roads overseer, I was travelling in the western district I met a tribe of blacks, and among 1 them I recognised an old ex trooper whom I had kuown at Cooktown in the early days of the Palmer. He informed me that his tribe was travelling' a long way to hold a oorroborea and get medicino. Curiosity induced me to inquire from my quandani friend what sort of medicine they wanted and for what purpose it was required. He did not feel disposed to answer, but a present of a shilling and a fig of tobacco had a moat magical effect on his reticence, I was informed that a nnmber of the tribe were suffering from a scrofulous disease known as the 'giggle giggle,' and that by washing themselves in water in which blue gum (eucalyptus globulus) leaves were boiled or soaked the disease was cured. About two years ngo a friend of mine had a valuable horse which affected with the mange I suggested a trial of the eucalyptus cure, but as the treos did not grow iu the locality and the owner left the district, I thought no more of the matter until a few weeks ago, when I accidentally met riding the same horse, which was per.ectly cured ; iu fact, only those who had seen the horse when so effected would believe he ever had the mange. The owner told mo the following was the treatment used:—Ho first boiled a bucketful of green leaves of tlio eucalyptus for two hours. Before using the liquid he washed the affected parts of the horse with warm water and soap and dried with a cloth. He then applied the liquid on only two occasions, with the r« suit as above stated."