Farm and Dairy.

Lake County Press, Issue 2166, 25 April 1907, Page 2

Farm and Dairy.

DAIRY MOTES.

ORIGINAL ARTICLES. [All Eights Kgskuved.] IJfiPROYIMG POTATOES. VERY much can be accomplished toward improving potatoes by carefully -electing the seed. Of course a great deal depends on the condition and circumstances under which the crop is raised, but the first

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stop is to cxccrcisc care in the selection of the seed. If one is at the time growing a particular variety that he intends to plant the coming year, then is a good time to begin to make selection of the seed. The character of the vine while growing can be studied, and it is a good plan to go through the held with some sticks in the hand and when a hill of vines is found that approaches your ideal of vines of that particular variety of potatoes that you wish to cultivate, place a stick in the ground beside the hill, and so continue throughout the field, Then just before the crop is dug go along and dig those marked hills, and if the potatoes in each hilt* are near the standard desired as regards shape, uniformity, and productiveness, leave them out and reserve them for seed. If they fall far below the standard desired, the potatoes can be put back in the hill, covered with earth, and left there until the entire crop is harvested. If the crop is dug by hand, one can be on the look out for the hills in which the potatoes arc uniform in size. Anyone who has not hitherto hecn observant in regard to vine growth, productiveness, and other desirable qualities will bo surprised, when they make a trial of these methods, to ascertain what a large amount of good can be accomplished in improving any variety of potatoes in a few years. It lias been noticed that where people have paid considerable attention in developing new varieties, they have so far advanced in a general way'; that when circumstances compelled them to purchase elsewhere in order to complete their seeding arrangements at digging time, the difference in the yield and general character of the potatoes from the seed planted of their own raising lias been very marked and distinct, thus proving the great value of careful selection and breeding from the best. THE JfIAJtAGEJnEJtT OF DOGS. The most important factor in the management of the kennel is cleanliness, and if plenty of clean straw is supplied and frequently changed, a good deal of time and labour in grooming the dog will be saved. Attention to this rule will also tend to keep the dog's coat and skin in order. The situation of the kennel must be carefully considered, and one's own common sense would suggest that it should be placed in a dry position. This will not only apply to a largo range of kennels, but also to the ordinary kennel used for dogs in any ordinary backyard, and it will be as well to point out here

that it is not always that sufficient care is taken to pV-c the bound in such a position that the dog is able to find a shady spot. A regular supply of clean water is another tiling to be remembered, and the water will • not be lit to drink if the vessel containing it be dirty. There is an amazing amount of ignorance regarding feeding. Many 'people entirely overlook the fact that vegetables in some form are required, and an evil smelling animal is the result of feeding entirely on meat. Dog biscuits are good, but they arc apt to be too bandy, so be careful of this, and give the animal a fair proportion of meat together with rice, potatoes, bread, and biscuit.

During the busy harvest time it often happens that milking is driven oft until dark, or at least close upon it. Then the udders are apt not to be properly cleaned out. For the sake of an extra two or three minutes to a cow some of the richest milk is loft behind, and the cream that rises on the milk after panning tells of this. The first milk taken from tho udder is, as compared •with the last, as different as skim milk is from water. Then again there is a further loss in tho thin cream on the milk in the dairy. The dregs left in the bag tend to dry off the cows. The milkman should not under any circumstances be hurried in his work, else not only is there the failure to milk the animal's udder well out, but too often there is no time to wash the hands before starting work. There is also a certain amount of hurry, bustle and confusion in driving the cows to and from the sheds. Management of this kind will tell a serious talc in the butter book at the end of a year's work. The plan ol' milking in the open field agaiu, is a bad one, although it is difficult in many cases to adopt any other. For instance, a bird thing out of the hedge may startle a nervous "heifer, and she may almost upset the milkor. And then he judges the udder to be nearly enough cleaned out, so lie catch the cow up and finish her off. STACKING TURF AND MANURE. Every opportunity should be taken by gardeners to obtain supplies of good turf, or '<ods,' which, after being placed in a stack for some lime so that the grass may die and the soil become mellow, will make first-class material for potting and other purposes The best turves are those from an old pasture, and the sods themselves should be about four inches in thickness. Select a piece of drv ground on which to build the stack and it should bo covered over with a, Hood layer of soot or lime. The sods should be laid with the grass side downwards, and in the accompanying sketch is shown how the .tack is built, The ground having been well •overed with lime or soot, the first layer ot turves may be placed in position, and given a

good dusting o( soot, A row of sods must next bo placed round the four sides of the , stuck, and the space inside, which shou d not ibe less than four inches deep, idled with ..ood horse or cow manure. Another Layer of turves is then placed on this and covered i will, a layer of soot. A row of sods is again hud round the four sides, and the space : filled in with manure as before. 'J Ins process : i--. repeated until it becomes necessary to | form the roof of the stack, when the outside : turves of each layer are drawn close together, I -o tint thev meet ill a sort oi point at the I top, thus forming a roof-see sketch-aiid I ..ilowili" hWV rains 10 run oil. Keep the ■stuck us j >iiile. The figures in the sketch denote 1 ! turf, 2 soot, 15 manure.