FARM NOTES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XX, Issue 2382, 21 March 1893, Page 2

FARM NOTES.

Tbe weather during the past week has been a most agreeable change to previous experiences, and a continuance of it will give tbe grass a chance and allow of work being pushed forward before the coming of the winter.

In the late potato competition at Normanby, tbe judges were an hour and a-balt arriving at a decision, so tbat they did not fail to give plenty of care and attention to their work.

Some of the novelties shown at Nor* manby by Mr John Mason are, it is hoped, the earnest of more to follow. Now .that Mr Mason has a little more time than he bad wben the care of a farm was on bis shoulders, he is spending his time experimenting in various speoially imported eeedß. The oats and the swedes shown on Friday were decided successes. Settlers like Messrs Mnßon, Livingston, and others are placing the district under an obligation by devoting leisure to work of tbis kind.

Some time ago a contributor sent us a letter on the meat trade question, iff which be ridiculed tbe idea that Nelson Bros, were urging tbat an import dnty should be put on Biver Plate mutton to kill a competing trade. Our correspond' ent sent a copy of the paper to a brother in a good way of business at Home, and in a letter, dated February 3rd, tbe latter wrote : — " I read with much interest your letter to the Star, and was astonished to bear tbat Nelsons proposed to put a duty of 4d per carcass on Biver Plate mutton, for nobody but a madman would dare on this side to do such a thing, and I really cannot believe that snob a proposal ever emanated from Nelson's. First, were such a tax pnt on, it would apply to New Zealand and all meat. To show you tbe utter fooliebnesß of the proposal, I must go into politios a little! as of course you are hardly up to the state of

tbe parties. At the last eleotion the Gladstonians got in by 40 (now reduced to 38 by a Conservative gain) and 12 of tbis ' huge ' majority are labour candidates, that is free lances, tbat acknowledge no party but their own, and supposing Gladstone wanted to put on a tax on food, tbe Labour Party would vote en masse against the Government, and unless tbe House was full tbe Ministry would be defeated. No, tbe Argentine meat trade is not to be smashed in tbat way. You might supplement your letter by another, giying these reasons if tbe Gladstoniaos are in power when this reaches 30U, but as tbe Unionists are solid and tbe Glad* stonians are divided in four parties amongst themselves, they are bound to fall, most likely over tbis Irish question."

The Asburst correspondent ot tbe Manawatu Times says:— Mr J. Polglase baa the merit of introducing a new and effective method of preventing a cow from kicking. Tie a ropa to one of tbe cow's bind legs, pass it along her back to the top cross bar of the bail, bore a hole, and pnt it through that, and fasten to the born on the same Bide as the leg is tied. Wben she kicks sbe pulls her head down; she doeun't like it, soon leaves off, and is cured on tbe same principle as fastening a rope to tbe bit and then under tbe tail of a borse inclined to run baok and break the bridle.

The Lyttelton Times asserts that tbe Ashburton Plains are breaking all previous records in tbe smallness of tbe yields this season. Many farmers on the plains are threshing out less than five bushels of wheat per acre, and several under three.

The latest of tbe valuable leaflets for farmers published by tbe Agricultural Department is on the horse bot fly, a horse bee. Ie states under tbe heading "Symptoms" tbat horses suffering from a severe attack usually lose flesh, go off their feed, and sometimes bite their sides, oougb, bave difficulty in breathing, and stiffness of tbe joints, followed in some instances by convulsions. No case of the death ot a horse has ever been positively proved as directly due to bots. In every instance where veterinary surgeons bave held post mortems some undoubted immediate cause of death, such as rupture, has always been found. It is generally believed that there are no real oures, but several bave been tried with more or less success. Mr. H. Thompson, M.8.C.V.5., says:— "l know of no medicine that will destroy them or make j them leave their winter quarters until fully developed. A good feed of grass in tbe early spring causes them to detach themselves the soonest ; but lam inclined to think tbe larva will bold on till fully developed before leaving. As a medioine, 2oz turpentine and 2Ooz raw linseed oil, mixed, and given as a draught once a fortnight, is the best remedy — i.e., ii it is thought the loss of flesh and condition of tbe horse is due to the presence of bots." If in doubt whether a horse is infested with the bot fly larva, Dr. Frankisb, of Chrietohurch, recommends, " A quarter of an ounce of aloes mixed with half an ounce of shag tobaoco, moistened with treacle, made into a ball and given to the animal." The larger dose he prescribes below should .then be administered: — " Three ounces of shag tobacco, moistened with a little glycerine or treacle, to which half a teaspoon ful of oil of cajeput has been added, should be made into balls, and tbe whole given as a dose. Two hours afterwards half a pint of linseed oil in a pint of gruel should be administered. If notice be taken ot the evacuations, the

larvae of tbe bot fly will be easily seen. Tbe above is for a hack. Half tbe

quantity is the dose for a pony, double for

a draught horse. This system of treatment has been found successful wben tried early, and is therefore beyond the region of experiment." Several mechanical contrivances, such as knee-caps, aprons for fitting olosely under the horse's throat, &0., have been invented, and in some instances patented. It is very doubtful, however, if any purely mechanical applianoe will prove effi* cacions. That, luckily, is not of great moment, for the following precautions will, if carefully carried out, prove effectual in preventing- the deposition of eggs on tbe coat ot norsea : — It is desirable that the long hairs on the legs and under tbe jaw should be cut off. Working horses should, after being groomed, be rubbed over with carbolised oil, kerosene emulsion, or other substance obnoxious to flies. Tbe best agent for tbis is Little's dip, one part of dip in from twenty to twenty-five of water. Where horses are kept in numbers the wash may be applied by yarding tbe animals and using a spraying-machine with oyolone nozzle, such as is found in every well-managed orchard. Tbe mistlike spray will permeate the coats of the horses, and while its effects last no fly

will attempt to deposit her eggs on them. One application per week will in most cases prove sufficient. Tbe Queensland Government has decided to establish a bacteriological and pathological institute in Brisbane for tbe special study of diseases peouliar to stock in Queensland, it being considered that the importance of the matter to tbe pastoral industry of the colony warrants independent action. Endeavors will most likely be made to secure as direotor a member of the Pasteur Institute. The Gloucester County Council having determined on steps to check the sale of adulterated butter, chose tbe city as their first field of operations, with the following results — of samples taken trom 93 shops over 20 per cent, were tound very largely adulterated. Aocording to tbe Live Stock Journal tbe usual legal steps were taken, and four of tbe " most flagrant offenders " were prosecuted. They all pleaded guilty, and three were fined £5 each, whilst tbe fourth was fined £15, and oosts, be having been previously convioted. On this result being reported to the County Counoil a member remarked upon the totally inadequate fines that bad been imposed. What good, be asked, was it to fine a man a lew ponnds who was making £50 to £60 pet week profit ? The following is a table of Great Britain's imports of dairy produce :— Butter.

The bert Remedy fob Indigestion.— Norton's Camomilb Pills are confidently Recommended as a Simple Remedy for Indigestion, which is the causo of nearly all the diseases to which we are subject. Norton's Pills, -with justice called the ' Natural Strengthener of the Human Stomach," act as a powerful tonic and gentle aperient, are mild in their operation, and safe under any circumstances. Sold in bottles at Is lid, 2s 9d, 11s, by all medicine vendors throughout the world.

"KEATING'S POWDER" destroys Bups, Fleas, Moths, Beetles and all other insects, whilst quite harmless to domestic animals. In exterminating Beetles the auccesa of this powder is extraordinary. It is perfectly clean in application. See the article you purchase is "Heating's," as imitations are noxious and ineffectual. Sold in tine, 6<J, le, and 2j 6d each, by all chemists

Jiroin— 185KJ. 1881. IKK/. Sweden £1,243,016 £1,269,187 £1,172,722 Denmark ... 4,848,735 4,865,840 4,422,257 3ermany ... 713,859 615,791 544,271 Kolland 750,314 770,460 792,786 Prance 3,027,648 3.038.C6S 2,847,144 Canada 255,752 187,392 60,739 United Stat»s ... 191,139 251,750 322,385 3ther countries, principally Australia and N.Z. 934,821 592,698 433,544 Total ... £11,965,284 £11,591,181 £10,598,848 Oheese. From— 1892. 1891. 1890. Holland £678,575 £673,387 £723,105 Prance 143,208 138,486 127,832 Canada 2,493,625 1,091,597 1,914,232 Jnited States ... 1,961,407 1,779,260 2,081,546 3ther countries, principally New Zealand ... 140,902 142,639 128,519 Total ... £5,417,777 £1,815,369 £4,975,234