ON THE LAND

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 25 January 1917, Page 3

ON THE LAND

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS (From the Journal of Agriculture.) MILK TESTING SAMPLES. " Inquirer," Pahiatua : — Kindly inform me whether it is possible by using caustic soda to get an accurate test of milk, which has curdled ; also whether milk tested every 11 days will give as true a test as would a weekly test ? The Dairy Division:—lt is inadvisable to add caustic soda to a curdled sample of milk, as strictly accurate results cannot be expected by this method. As regards the length of time which samples may be kept for testing, the usual custom at dairy factories in New Zealand at present is to test on the 10th. 20th, and last days of each month. When there are 31 days in the month it is noticed that there is practically no difference in the result of the test with the older samples, provided that sufficient preservative has been used to keep the milk in good order. SKIM-MILK CHEESE. F.B.W-, Glenham, Southland: —Kindly inform me how many pounds of skim-milk it takes to make lib of cheese ? The Dairy Division :—The quantity depends mainly, of course, upon the amount of casein in the milk, and the amount of unavoidable loss which takes place in the process of manufacture. About 251b of skim-milk would be required to make lib of cheese, It may be mentioned that skimmilk cheese has little or no sale in New Zealand, neither is it suitable for expbrt, as such cheese dries out very quiokly and becomes almost unsaleable. NON-FRUITING CHERRY TREES. H. O. Bruce, Otoxo /—Will you please advise me why some of my cherry trees after having had a lot of blossom should fail to set fruit. The flowers just wither up and leave the bare state? -The Horticulture Division.; —If the failure to set applies to this season only, it may be due to unfavourable climatic conditions during the period of blossoming. On the other hand, the trees may be affected cherry-leaf-scorch or brown-rot These are both fungus diseases, and the same remedy applies to | both —namely, spray thoroughly with 8-6 40 Bordeaux mixture as soon as the foliago falls and again as the buds begin to swell. Cut away all aSected parts and destroy all old foliage during the winter, BLOOB AS A FERTILIZER. J. Preston, Lyttleton : — Kindly tell me whether pure fresh blood from an abattoir would be beneficial to an ordinary vegetable, flower, and fruit garden, and what amount should be applied L tq, gay, one square yard. Also, would this manure alone be sufficient for the ground, which is light, on a hillside facing south? Climatio conditions are dry a.n4 hot, The Horticulture Division ; —-Fresh blood would be suitable for the purpose indicated, although, as the nitrogenoontent of blood is moderately i slow-acting, its full benefit would not be available unless applied some time prior to planting. An even dressing of 3 cwt to 3j| cwt per acre should be sufficient. The site and conditions described s^g T ge§t \\\e advisability of applying a certain arnount ol stable manure^ o,r. tl;e raising ancl turnjng-in. qf a. legume^ such as white lupin.