AGRICULTURAL ITEMS.

Mataura Ensign, 20 March 1909, Page 4

AGRICULTURAL ITEMS.

Salt is the great cleanser of the blood. It performs an important mission in animal economy and should be supplied to all liw stock in liberal quantities. Somo experiments tried in Franco showed that stock having a regular supply ol salt were more thrifty and made bettc- use of the feed they ate than those di privod of salt, tor a considerable time. Salt is one ol the necessities of animal existence. Even wild animals travel long distances to seek salt in the shape o! .salt springs of brarkish water. Horses were destined by nature to lien an outdoor life. Farm horses and such others as aro not in work would b.' far better in a well-littered yard with an open shed in winter and in the open fields in summer than breathing and rcbreathiiig the, air made enervating by the outpourings of their own bodies. When liberally fed horses so dealt with are brighter, stronger, more enduring in their work and withstand as others cannot do colds and their consequences and escape from or resist the wages of contagious diseases in mi exceptional manner. AH that can be said against this free life only amounts to a negligible quantity. As a means of preventing disease and ensuring a healthy, vigorous race of horses an outdoor existence day and night, winter and summer, is the one to be commended, where no substantial reason exists to the contrary.

"Never kill an animal that is losing flesh," is a maxim followed by butchers and observation points to a logical reason for the saying. With an animal failing in flesh the muscle fibres are shrinking in volume and contain correspondingly less water. As a consequence the meat is tougher and drier. When an animal i-. gaining in llesh the opposite condition obtains and a better quality of meat will be the result. Al.v) a better product will be obtained Ironi an animal in only medium ilesh but gaining rapidly than Irom a very lat animal that is at a >tandslill or he-iiie; ill llesh.

The type of animal best adapted lor beef production i- lo»y. lil.H-ky._ rectangular ill shape, with short ii'-ck. shnr! leys, 100,.-, mellow •.kin. iiiin. clastic Mesh jiikl >pii"t. gentle disposition. Such an nnimal will m'll tor the highest price | in the market when properly fattened. Animal- hi tin- puny type are to be avoided ; 111<■ v arc usually nut profitable feeders, because they do not gain w. 11, although tlii'V may soil fur a go.nl price when marketed. The narrow-hark.,!. Hat-sided animal with - 1neck an.l thick lii.L- will not tak.- ..h flesh rapi.lly an.l even wh.-n la I, does iu>V appear so. Lieutenant I'. K. firm-.-. Sunuybank... Tasmania, -olfor.s a. suggestion lor oflVctivcly dealing with tin- rabbit problem. He says:—"As bunny Ims come to stay ami is (-...stilly thousands of i pounds annually tu try an.l exterminate ] linn without success, -,y|iy not oneoiii-| age him an.l go in for rabbit farms:" 1 know liy experience that the breed .-I rabbits .-an ho improved jtir.t tii>- same as other stock. The samo_wire netting that will keep l.im out will keep liini in. That much dune, with. sow your crops to latlcn him and Jio will harvest them without any tmihor expense. Itaio your own factory, prc-ervo the rarni: -■.- for export an.l make If-h ol the waste! fur trimmings, and rugs.etc., of the li.-sr quality, nulling the olfal into a salable manure, glue, ere., or put it hack on lo tho land to grow mure crops for him. I trad thai furs are getting scarce all over the wc.ild and thcrelore .Mr Rabbit will have to make up 'he deli-i-ncy. He c-ertainlv is a - I ioo.l cointlovliiy. I l-A.-rv particle .an 1- mm-,,'.. 'Ha-! X.-w'Zealand rabbit- always bring thhighest price on tin- London mark. I. siinpiv 1 M ..-aii>i. th.-v are the 1a11e.,1. I f.-.-l .-..mined that if .v.in.- cuorgct-e , settler with means would give a rahb,t larm a lair trial he would' mak- a l"i----t- much e.i-it-r than widi stock " A Tokomairiio larnt'-r reports what he considers a retold in the us-- ..f l-inder twine in a crop which (says the '.Mirror') ha- jus!- lieeu cut ill the district. He says that about one. hall |. -r aero is the usual run in oats, hut Jl.ssis .). and .). Allison, ol Mmioymorc. used -tl) hall- ot twine in a 'Jo-acre paddock. Regarding experiments at M.nmihaki lor tint fat lamb trade He- Xmv Zcalan.l annual ■•.■ port lor l!'<e-t slat,-:--. - "The cruss'ireil-laiuh hi- ling expi-n----molit W'hieh we have heen conducting for some years hack was resumed I.el .March (10071. Again •?-' crossbred cw-; were mated to a ram oi each ol t1..following I.iced.-, viz., Ik.rder Leicester. Knglish Leicester. Shropshire and Southdonn. Owing lo on-- ol the rams proving not lo he a sum-:~tu! lamb-gel ter th.- experiment was spoilt, for lasi year ami it was decided not to record the results as they would have a mhieading effect on the' data already produce-!. This was disappoint in-; hut it is one <.l the many things which crop tip -nil inlerfi re With experimeinal work. The experiineul is to lie continued lor the coming season: one nun each ol the breeds already inciilioiie.l :md one Cheviot ram have ''ecu mate.! to ;"»i i-wos each, with the intention of recording later on their adaptability lor tinhit lamb trade." The following i- a dressing tor promoting growth of hair on the mane and less of horses.—Crensote. '.'../.. solution of potash. :ioz: water, hall-pint: linseed oil. one quart : vinegar of caiithavides. °07.; sulphur. 'Sw.. .Mix together the ereo-ote, potash, water and litlsped oil. thon add tile sulphur (po«tlerecU ami vinegar of eantharides. mixing the whole 'thoroughly. Apply to the roots of the hair where rcpiir.-d with a small hrush twi.v each week.

THE AU'.UA IN NEW ZEALAND.

Al the Feilding Simw ih.-re was an alpaca sheep on view--an incongruous object. Its experience in Nov. /.-aland.! has uol been a lnmnplial march hut j rather a I'oiiorn stiim-do lo tiianiiain | and pistiVv its existence h.-te i-si.v.- the i ■l-'ariiier.s'' W.-ekly'i. It 1,-iuaiu- m-u | merelv as a eui ,n-ity. alilaaiuh i.eint- ; nallv il lias a e.unmel, ial value. Al ~;„■;, H-onl (or hair, is us„| ,„ the niak j iiig of umbrellas and ol sun,- slroii;; ] dress malerials The history of il..- j species in New Zealand, so l.n a,, can be gatliercd. appeals lo he as lollous: I' was lirsi brou-lil out bv Mr 11lthodes and all. rward- ih- <>,■,„:, I I towns Estate kepi twenty-one ol ib-m. i These, however, became eraduallv re ■ .luccd and the „nly survivor is the ONlubited at 1". lldiny by il.- owner. Mi i J. 1!. Mcl.cnnan. ol Wait una West, lis' long legs and angular hcaire su ; ''.;- . latioilsliip with ll.e gom. but its -i.'ci; : has the poise ol a cam. I's am! iis iiii.ulli j ami face generallv have al-o the peculiar camel expression. Il is said, per- | haps not Irulv. ibai üben it came lirsi . into the Kcild.e;: district a country ■ sclioolniastur t-ok a partv of bis hoy- j to see it a- an Are. goat- a natural , and pardonable -i;,-i. iierhaps. althiingh : the seltiers a] "ear to r. gaid it a- a ! joke. It has a"-u.;.-."l-..r mj of v.s, nt-' ing atinoyanee. lor n e.icei ; a stream o! greenish did .•<••:• lis a-.-ailant. !> is about the size of a donk-y i.re! the color of its ha,r is like that ol a bli.-k

simp It lakes two lii'ii li> shear nti ; alpaca sheep: one holds him down while; the other shea;-. II i- saidMiat wivv the herd was numerous they n-ed to he revived till theoldllMTV -h-cp we, e link-died to pr.nl-le a Ire!;.-..me v, u: ' !■;• to the season's s!i, ariti::. 'llvy a"; viei'i 1 oii'iv 'in.' ,'■■".Vi'i. ."'«;...! Th., market w i- about 4- tM per lb. i-T.imun in surer. Now that the s.-a-im for the ram and .uve tail's is upon .;> isays dloii-eabo-.tt'' Mi the Tiniaru IV-t'l the question et fertility in slue;, should he one el special interest to tb-ekew-ors. It is Uimv realised that the treatnieiit <>! ewes ill the autumn previous to iiipint';; ]. ; l, a verv great deal to do with the lam'.. ing percentages in the following; sprint: A committee of the Hifihland Agricultural Society has been conduct mc; investigations with the object of ascertaininc the causes of fertility in ones. The first conclusion arrived at was that •'flushing" at the tuppifljl season has a very beneficial effect on rim per-i-entace of lambs born. is proenred bv pviii;.t the ewes better feed for a few w, ( ;,, vrior to m nil:;;. But there is a greater factor thin tin-him' in fecundity in oits and ttvir I- here dity. Some of our tWkmast, is have already discovered that fa-tor and have done their h v -t to sebcr erres from twins. Ir has beer, prove-1 th-- h\selection c.ve:- can be hind t ■< yield :-,-. a lambs every time, r- is s-*:it.--l that ■• Hampshire breeder bv seVit;,-;, abme was able to obtain '2OO lamhs to every 100 ewes. Tho power to yield t«o lambs l>cr season is heredity, and may be iui-

proved by selection. It lias been proved that rams from twins will 1 "dig most twin lambs in turn, wdiile tiini feeding in their vouth will develop greater vigor. Tim fulfilment of the desire to see twins in the flork at lambing time must bo met by providing feed for the ewe of good q'ttdiiy and in sufficient quantity.

• LAMPAS IN HOUSES.

Latnpas ii, a cominc-h disease among stable horses, and the barbarous practice of operating with hot irons at the tender bars of the horse's mouth is often followed with a view to affecting a euro. The disease affects young horses before lhey have their full set of teeth. Young horses ehaged from green pasture to dry, hard feed m ,ho stable are* much troubled with it. The bars ol the roof of ihe mouth will inflame. Merely give soft feed, consisting oJ bran mashes, to keep tho bowels open, soaked or scalded oats, boiled roots, etc., for a few days, and the trouble will generally disappear. It can positively be said that no other re 'tiedies need be used. In eases of loss of appetite one tcaspooJiful to one tablespoonful of rex conditioner may be sprinkled over each feed. This will restore a vigorous appetite. Avoid hiirning the horse's mouth. It itiius ihe delicate sensitiveness to the touch ol the reins so noeo.sssary in a pie i-a nt. well-broken roadster. It often destroys the palate and makes the horse a confirmed "wheezer." limning is inhuman and lessens the value of the horse, ; ud it is unnecessary.