Farm and Garden.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 697, 13 October 1909, Page 2

Farm and Garden.

ORIGINAL ARTICLES. (AH Rights Reserved.) LIVE STOCK NOTES. There are cows and heifers that lie off about this time. They should receive especial care. Exercise is essential, and it may be got in its best form by letting- the animals run out in pasture fields during- part of the day. In rambling- after such bite of grass as is to be had, and to look up the favourite drinking place, the daily exercise is enjoyed. At night time an open shed to resort to at will, a spacious strawyard, or, in the warmer districts, sheltered open fields, may answer very well. Heating food is not advised, and a heifer in normal condition is often just as well fed. on prime hay only, with a'run to pasture, as if more concentrated and expensive food is given. Two or three pounds of linseed cake per head daily, added to the hay rations answers well for older cows. It is time that calf pens, sheds, or lying quarters were closed up more. Calves, from 4 to 8 or 10 months old feel cold a great deal, they have about done with milk, and are as yet but delicate eaters of solid food. The best quarters are such as give space for exercise, plenty of fresh air. and are sufficiently warm. So long as ventilation is given from above, and all draughts are carefullv excluded from the sides and below, the object is in a great measure accomplished, more especially if what little sunshine there may be is made full use of. Another essential is good littering. Probably more calves are ruined by being compelled to lie on poor litter at this season, than from all other causes combined.

A PITFALL RABBIT TRAP. To make a pitfall or tip trap for catching: wild rabbits, a sectional view of which is, shown in the sketch, presents no great difficulty. In the first place, hollow out an oblong: pit, a very suitable size being 4 feet long, 3 feet wide, and at least 3 feet deep. Be particular that the sides are cut out perfectly square, and that they are firmly beaten so as to prevent the soil falling into the pit. Should the trap be intended to remain permanently, it will be advisable to line the sides with wood or brick. Next make a wooden frame, of 2-inch by 3-inch stuff, and sufficiently large to overlap the ed"-e of the pit by at least six inches all round, and 12 inches wider and longer than the pit itself. Bore a hole in the centre of each inner side of the frame and insert a piece of metal tubing in which the pivots of the flap

can work. The wooden flap should be made so as to work freely in the opening of the frame, by means of the two metal pivots in the centre of each side, and which are inserted, in the tubes in the frame. In seiting the trap cut away just sufficient turf from the edges of the pit to receive the frame, and then cover the frame with the cut turf. The tip-up cover or flap should be lightly covered with moss, leaves, or herbage, making- it as nearly .as posusible the same as the natural - surroundings which cover the ground immediately around the trap. It will be advisable to place small bundles of hedge-clippings, furze, etc., around the trap, in order to induce the rabbits to pass over the pitfall. The position selected for the trap should be where i abbits are in the habit#f passing and re-passing freely.

| THE GREYHOUND. This is not the kind of dog for anyone to keep in a confined area, as. being of a sporting character, they naturally require a considerable amount of exercise, and preferably across the fields after a hare, although in earlier days they were mostly employed to hunt the stag. It will be, observed on looking at a preyhourfd that the animal is much thicker in the front of the body than behind, that the animal is placed high on the legs, and has a long head, especially from the "stop" to the tip of the nose. These are the general points which a casual observer would notice, but a good animal should possess the following characteristics: —First of aM, it is rerv smart a*»' "racv" in armearance, and

has great length of neck, which quality enables it to pick uip the hare with greatest ease. The shoulders are extremely narrow at the top and very oblique, and the brisket is very deep.

and well let down between the forelegs. Besides these qualities a good greyhound should possess well made muscular quarters and hocks which are well bent, and not too far from the bottom of feet. There is a slight arch in the back, whilst the legs are eyes prominent. The whole body of the animal should show evidence of its strength and muscular character. The weight of the greyhound varies greatly; this is fully displayed in the case of winners of the "Waterloo Cup." Amongst them we find. "Coomassie," weight, 44i lbs. ; "Master McGrath," 54 lbs.; and "Fullerton," 64 lbs. The height of these dogs also varies from about 24 inches to 27 inches.

GROWING TOMATOES. If a moderately early crop of tomatoes be wanted, the sooner seed is sown now the better, for something like four months must elapse, even under the most skilful culture, between the time of sowing and the gathering of the first ripe fruits. A genial warmth is requisite to induce the seeds to germinate quickly and strongly at this season, and to keep the young plants growing on steadily. A sturdy, short-jointed growth is of the utmost importance, and abundance of light, room, and air are the chief means of securing these points. A good compost in which to sow the seed is two parts good loam and one part sand. Remember that it is a great mistake to sow the seed too quickly. One to the square inch is enough, though if the seedlings are pricked off as soon as they can be comfortably handled, the seed may be scattered a trifle more closely. The seed will be found to germinate very quickly if the pots or pans in which it is sown are plunged in cocoanut fibre in a box, and the box placed on the warm side of the house or in a green house and covered with a sheet of glass (see il-

lustration). When large enough prick off at iJ or 2 inches apart into boxes about three inches deep, filled with two inches of nice light soil and one inch of drainage, and stand them on a high shelf near the glass in a nice growing temperature. When the plants touch each other pot them singly in 4l inch pots, using good loamy soil in a rather rough condition, and after making some amount of growth they may be planted out from these with good results.