JOTTINGS FOR FARMERS.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12825, 8 June 1907, Page 12

JOTTINGS FOR FARMERS.

Anstialia his her occasional losses from both drought and flood; but it is very doubt tui (says the • "Sydney Daily Teiegr.-ph") indeed it her losses from the-,0 causes are Hourly as heavy as thoso from tho riyjorous winters in Canad'i and northern United Suites. 60 heavy wits tho mortality among cattle and sheep during tho past very severe winter that th© American Huji.ane A&sociation has protested against tlie lack oi protection for animals on tiiu ranges in severe weather, suggesting legislation to render the providing ot —hcliers compulsory. Tno jiresideut ol tne ——soeiutioii declares tiiut the case ....«> paitiiulariy b-id in an aioa covering JUU,(JuU bquaie miles east of the Itocriy -Mountains, and in Alberto Province, just over tlie Canadian border. I'rfiiiiu-n'-j of experienced slock-raisers put tne l(iit» -it no less tnan 75 por cent, ot the c-ittlo in theso tracts ot country, while, j lo,s_ ot IU per cent, in a flock oi Ih.i.U/J sheep is reported. As to shelter, it is nnrdly pructicablo to provido it tor the immense and scattered herds ot cattle ou tho ranges, and, if it were provided, hall the animals could not be gathered into it when a great fall of snow oicuis suddenly. Besides, it is I rom starvation rather than low temperaturo that animals die, and, if anything should be compulsory, it should bo a supply oi stored food to keep the animals lor a suiiicient period ot the winter. »Soiiio experiments are at present being conducted in road-making in .England uhich should interest all concerned with tho liiyiti_-oiit of new roa-i.s through clay country 111 .New Zeiland. Tho toudway selected for treatment is plougui'i as deeply as possibly. Furrows aro then dug across the road from ditch to ditch, lit apart. Cordwood is then placed in the ridges thus formed, md ploughed clay is laid thereon in Liycrs. euro being taken to provido flues, in order that the wood, which is to be set alire, will readily burn and bake the clay. When the bring is completed the treated clay is rolled and compacted to eight inches in thickness. Tlie clay has been changed by tho burning into clinkers, which compact into a solid road-bed, which will not form mud. Tho cost is low, and while tho wtaring qualities of tho road havo not been ascertained, it is believed that it will wear as well as otlior mado roads, Whero wood is dear it is thought petroleum might b© substituted.