RURAL NOTES.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 3118, 9 July 1892, Page 2 (Supplement)

RURAL NOTES.

Tios—There is a keen demand for breeding' pics from the best herds. A note from Mr Sanders Spencer, of llolywellmanor, the celebrated breeder of white Yorkshire pig-, states thai, in addition to home orders, he has had applications for a hoar and a yelt for Swedi n, and a boar

and a yelt for lb Hand, a boar and two yell.for Canada, three boars and six yelts for Russia, two boars for Ireland, and eleven boars fnr Germany. Inquiries have also rocentlv been received from New Zealand, the Cape, France, and other foreign countries,so English pit's.-ire a< marketable as, if not more than ever. The trade in bacon pigs is also a little better than it was, and especially in Irebmd. Mr

Spencer's herd comprises some 1.30 head o' pigs, and is probably the best, te nn of Amw animals he has brought, together.

i'he exhibitors of Yorkshires must therelure be prepared lor one more year of very keen competition from the i'lolywell-inanor Lord. When will this broedor " rest and be thankful,'' and leave the prizes to those who breed animals from his superb herd ? It, is not suggested that he should give up breeding, because his experience is almo-t beyond value, -but he might leave the prizes jutt to "encourage the others.''

Gkk.se.—Geese livo long, and produce good progeny to a ripe old ago, there being instances of their fertility at over forty years of age. Tho ganders, however, do not remain vigorous so long ; they are too bad tempered for that. Two geese to one gander are enough for breeding purposes, and the goose seldom lays till about a year old, the period of incubation being thirty days. Sometimes they lay two sittings in a season, but these are exceptional cases. The eggs of tho Ernbden arc pure white, large, and very thick in the shell, and for that reason they should be regularly sprinkled with lukewarm water to prevent the shell becoming so hard as to check tho egress of the young. It is very seldom that geese-breeders allow the birds themselves to set; as a rule they put eggs under sonre of the larger common fowls. Three or four eggs are as many as tho ordinary fowl will cover, but a dozen rcay be put under a turkey, which makes a capital mother. The Knibden goose is a good setter, but the Toulouse is bad in this respect. Neither will stand much handling. They lay about fifteen eggs in a season, after which they will feather their nest for setting. Thirteen eggs arc as many as the goose will cover with safety.

Always Hayb Something to Sell.— It is a fact worthy of note that the most persistent croakers about hard times are those who lack in industry, good management, and have little farm produce to sell at any time. These men make no special effort to obtain the best results. They make few intelligent experiments, take no heed to what others are doing, and continue in the old ruts to satisfy their own vanity. Farmers of this class are unfortunately only too plentiful, but they seldom retain many years in the farming ranks. In certain situations and circumstances some farmers may become specialists. That is, they may demote their whole time and attention to the production of special crops, or to the breeding and rearing of certain kinds of stock suitable to their own locality. As a rule, those who are not so situated as to avail thems Ives of special producing and marketing .advantages will find it to their advantage to engage in general farming. By general farming is meant not only the production ot the various kinds of grain, but raising several kinds of stock, and the culture of fruit, vegej tibles, and poultry. The general farmer will thus have some article of his production that may be placed upon the market at any season of the year. The wheat crop, which on a small farm does not look large, cuts no small figure iu making the accounts show up ou the right side of the ledger. Then a few bales of wool, and later on, the fat lambs and some store sheep and cattle bring in a welcome return. On suitable occasions a fat bullock or horse can be sold at a good profit, and, in their season, fruits and vegetables also help to swell the increase. But this is not all, for the good housewife has been busy all the while making butter and cheese, and the industrious hens have prepared many eggs to meet the grocery bill, while the numerous chickens and ducks reared also yield a handsome profit. By these means, combined with steady intelligent labour, success and prosperity may be written in large lettpra over the homestead of any farmer in this country.

Cloves —A good crop of clover always poys if properly handled, and there is do bettor preparation for a cereal crop than the " root" that is ploughed in. A plant of grass seeds is not such a good preparation for the following crop. Clover adds to the fertility of the land, where grass at the best only maintains the condition, but adds nothing to it. Of course, if cake is freely used, that increases the cropping power of the laud, but that is common to land under all kinds of cropping. The reason why clover is sa valuable has not been understood until lately ; it improves the condition of the land by eliminating from the atmosphere nitrogen which goes to build up this plant. Part of this nitrogen may be taken away in the hay, or fed back on to the land ; but a csnsiderable portion of it is left in the root and stump, on the decay of which it becomes incorporated with the soil, which is thus enriched. Even when a cloverhay crop is taken off, the land is richer in nitrogen than it was before the summer, because the amount taken from the atmosphere is greater than the quantity taken from the soil. As nitrogen,purchased in the form of nitrate of soda, costs something like £70 per ton, the Talue of that thus accuinlated becomes evident. Farmers will now be busy sowing olovor, The drilliag and sowing of the seed have long been a contested point. The best plan to be guided by is the condition of the soil, weather and crop in which we wisli to sow it. In some seasons a good plant is obtained on a rough seed bed, while on a smooth bod it is a failure ; and vice versa. Drilling insures sowing at an even depth, and a fair distribution over the surface Many believe th.st a distribution most favourably to the development of the clover plants is secured by broadcasting as it is very rare when there is not sufficient soil on the surface to cover the seed ; in fact the commonest danger is that the seed may be buried to deeply and not b3 strong enough to work its way to the surface.