FARMING NOTES.

Waikato Times, Volume XL, Issue 3210, 21 January 1893, Page 2 (Supplement)

FARMING NOTES.

A I-frs'T For Rke.Kekpkik-A Belgian agriculturist planted at the beginning of the spring, two white birch trees, and pruned them at the time when the sap was risitur, The next day, from each opening, flowed an abundance of liquid, and the trees wen then surrounded by quantities of bees, which eat with delight tho sweet water. This natural flow if water continued for several days, and the colonies of bees the whole time presented a great sight, Bee-keepers, who have small trees, aro recommended to make incisions in tlio bark for the spring.

Tin: Pin Tram:. There is an old description of tho pig in Ireland, that ho is "tho gintlcman that pays the rint," It can hardly bo said that be performs that onerous responsibility on the general run of English farms, though be now is the moHt profitable and best price stock in the market. Indeed, he forms tho only stock in tho United Kingdom which is bringing a moderato price, and that is becauso of comparatively great scarcity. Tho price of pigs has advanced, too, in tho United States of America, Thero prices are higher this year than they havo been since 1882, and are fully 10s, fid. a cwt. in advance of what they were only a year ago, When wo think of the markots which tho American farmers find in this country for their corn, it is still more discouraging to find them sending increased weights of bacon, and for us to be told that thoy liavo had ten years of very satisfactory average returns from the breeding of swine. Tho American prospect is stiill regarded as good, for not only do they expect that present prices are likely to be maintained but there is good ground for tlio belief that even better values will rulo during the next few months.. Rkd. or White Whkit ? - Which is tho most profitable to growredor white wheat ? The report of experiments conducted this year, on behalf of the Essex Agricultural Society, shows that several varieties of wheat were tested. The seed was drilled in the'fourth week in November, 1891, at the rate of two and a quarter bushels per aero, two cwt. of phosphatio Peruvian guano being applied before drilling. The crop was top-dressed twice with half a owt. nitrate of soda during tho spring, ,Kach variety had given to it a plot of three-fifths of an acre, and all plots were treated precisely alikii, tho preceding orop having been oats, Half a dozen red varieties were grown, and tho same number of white

varieties: tho average yield of the rod was 11'G bushels, and of tho white 31'9 bushels per acre. Tho.results seem to point to tho advisableness of sowing red. instead of white varieties; but as the differanco in price between tho two sorts (only Is. to 3s. per qr.) is so small, this conclusion is far too wide, tho evidence being of ono reason only on a single farm, Although, as a rule, red wheats are more hardy and prolific than white varieties, there aro districts iu which tho latter do remarkably well and are believd to pay the best,

Yikld of Jersev Cows. Complete records showing the milk and butter production of Jersey cows would be interesting and useful, A step has been made in this direction, but it does not so fur onnnab, The English Jersey Cattle Society lmvo roosntly mado an interestinir analysis nf the butter t»sts cirried on under its an«picrs since the year ISSIi. Tho object wns to discover, as far as possible, tlr period mid time of the grei'test profit of tho J-'i-sev cow. During seven years ondinsr 1592, 213 animals, ranging be'ween 2 and 11 years old, were tested, and it. was found that the average yield of milk of these animals per day 301b, 7-.\oz„ equal to about 12 quart", whilst the day's production of butter was lllb. 9}oz. Thn butter ratio wns about 8 quarts of milk to lllb. of butter. Tho period of maximum profit of tho Jersey cow is shown by these tests to be botwe°n the age of. firo and ni ie years, her yield, both of butter and of skim milk, then boing at tho largest. Tho tests on which this analysis has been founded range from 52 to 78 days in m ! lk, and in no case does it exceed, but by a few days, 10 weeks. Tho normal milking poriod between calf and calf may be stated as 40 weeks, so the conclusions which are drawn from tho analysis referred to aro really confined to the first 10 weoks out of 40 in the successive years of a cow's life, Tho English Jersey Cattle Society realise that before they can lay before the publio complete information respeotin? the Jersey cow, evidence as to the produce in milk and in butter must bo forthcominsr for tho remaining 30 weoks of the milking period,

Making A, Champion* Cheddar There has been a (Trent advance in cheesemaking of Into years in Scotland, where it is mostly carried out on tho Cheddar principle. Perhaps the most striking exhibition of cheese in North Britain takes place at Kilmarnock, near which town is a first-class and suonessful dairy school, /The winnor ; of tho champion prize at this year's show, being..asked to give some notes on the making of his exhibit, said lie followed the method laid down by the instructor* in using no sour whey. The winning l cheese was wade on tho 23rd of July, 1892. Tho evening's milk had been set, and the morning's added, after whieli the milk was heated up to 85 degrees Half an hour was allowed for ripening before putting in the rennet, which was done at S4 degrees, tho amount »f rennet being at the rate of 4oz. per 100 gallons, In 'lO minutes tho curd was ready for cutting, which was done in 15 minutes, after which it was stirred up gently for a quarter of an hour, when heat was applied gradually, raising the temperature up to 101 degrees, the'time occupied in doing so being three-quarters of an hour. The curds wore then stirred 3i5; minutes, after which they were allowed to, settle for 40 minutes. The whey was then drawn off, and tho curd liftsd on to tho rack, whero they wero stirred five minutes. After allowing them to malt, turning them at intervals for one hour and 40 minutes they wero then millod and stirred for 20. minutes, and then salted, ten minutes being allowed for salt dissolving before putting to press. Tlio pressure was applied gently at first,. gradually raising it up to 25o\vt., and they were allowed three day 9 in press before putting into curing-room, which is kept at from 65 to 68 degrees. Cheese-makers might take a wrinkle from these notes.-