AGRICULTURAL ITEMS.

Mataura Ensign, 23 March 1909, Page 4

AGRICULTURAL ITEMS.

Tho v;ilno of f-ropn food for dairy e.ittlo in dry weather hag hecn demonstrated l'.v a Vajiamea, farmer, who, havmg a pnddeek of lunnic, turned his 25 lion>l oi' cattle info it. Tim yield of mil!: immediately went up iCfllh a day. Tim 'Allien Itnral Journal' of Ihe Capo of Good Hopp, for December, conH. F. Evens. sheep inspector, .Mount Cnrrie, forwards :i photo of a merino ewe, a pet animal belonging to Mr T. 'I. Joyner, oi (ilen Edward, .Mount ('urrie. This animal died in October las', at ihe age of 18 years. This is claimed to lie a world's record.'' 1. pon killing pics, J.S.O. writes in the 'Melbourne Leader: —Jl your correspondent on this subject will' first wet. the pig with cold water ami then apply a small sprinkling of finely pulverised rosin before scalding L venture to say he will never use ashes again. The killing of pigs can bo made practically noiseless and also humane by the use of a small calibro l'iile. The pig- should be shot in the centre of tile forehead une-hall' to three-quarters of an inch above the eves. A pig so shot if stuck immediately will bleed as perfectly as when stuck while alive, I believe the idea of too hot Hater setting the bristles is more theory than reality. 1 have scalded many pigs, and in temperatures ranging from ICO to 208 degrees, and I have yet to see a easo of "bristles set with imfc water." The only ill elfeel, f have noticed with too high temperature in the scalding tub is that in scalding young pigs, if the animal is allowed to lie ton long in the water, it softens the skin so that in scraping it. becomes rough, and gives the carcase an unsightly appearance when dressed.

A KAiniJOirS ADVICE. As showing what a fanner may do to improve himself and his condition, Iho lollowing remarks" by John Drysdalo, secretary of the Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society, are interesting. Tin' occasion was a dinner and prosonta. tiou to him on leaving Arngibhon for Minburgh, to he nearer the headquarters c>r Ihe society : —"lt, i s well nigh L'l! years since I came along I lie valley nl the Forth from m.v native county ;il the loot ol the Ochils, a young man full of ambition, full of enthusiasm, ami just at that dangerous stage which riinies in every man's career ai which lie thinks himself very smart and that whieii he floes not know is not worth knowing. ( n fori una loly some men never gel beyond that' stage. | found niy:,etl very inadequately equipped to the problems which confronted me ai fvcrv stop, and my lack of opportunity had io be made good, ;ind I sej my.M-lf to l!io tusk by hard Mnd.v and eonslanl research and much burning of the midnight oil. The. Aposlolie inl'in?iiou. "J > rove all things,' was the motto 1 had Io keep ever before me, whether as regards the breeding and leediug e| dairy .stock, ihc culti\at'oii or manuring of the land, or the various problems that had lo be solved in con ueelion u nil the manufacture and sale >i dairy produce. The keeping of nnlk records was looked upon by the wiseacres ol I hose Jays as a fad, hut now I am pleaded to think that every progressive eommuniiy of dairy farmers is hastening to repair this too long neglect. and milk record associations aie being starter! throughout all the dairying distriets_ of Scotland. It is now being recognised thnt. dairy stock of the d)o«q can be bred on methodical •cicniitic lines. With reference to my ''arming experience in thU parish I think I may vav with all becoming modovry that there is no' an acre of laud I have lunched lhal 1 have not let j bet ter t hau I found ii. But. genlieinen. the conversion of impoverished land into fruitful hind, however interesting it may be, is an experience J would nor advise anyone to imitate, espc eiallv in the case of land which belongs to someone, else, who can at the end of iho lease ste|> in and reap where )ie had mo sown and gather where luhad not strewed.''

MA Ii KING I'X.W'OIIATION"

!u these dry (lays, when Oinners arc gazing nil land tint is daily pruning more and more parched, the speed at winch I lif* moisture is evaporating from tlie soil must present itself as an inli'ivM ing speculation (says the 'Dominion') The rale of evaporation can ]>e measured hy a simple home-made 111•>t runidi 1, which .some of our farmers ior their youthful sons may like to i make. The evajiorime'.ejs used in the ! Xew A ork Bolanienl (lardens, similar |to l])i>so m>w distributed all over Adi- ; eriea, consist of a pint fruit-jar, lightly corked with a cork stopper flipped in paraflin. Through the stopper a glass tube extends from the hot loin of the jar up through a second eork, which lightly Hoses the opening into a porous • •lay thimble. The glass tube extends to the bottom of the thimble. h'or turlher _ protection against the entrance ol water from without a paraflin. '■J piece of cloth is fitted lightly around the glass tube, and extended as a roof over the top, 0 f tl 1( , fruit-jar When P.ui <>iit lor use the jar is (idled will, distillled water up in zero mark, and Ihe porous thimble and glass iube are also filled with distilled water. The evaponmeter (as this instrument is called) ts sunk into tin. ground io the level of the iruii-iar. As evaporation takes place I' the surface rif the thimble the , V ll, ' l l ns,,> ' jnr up throno-l, J 1 "- tube, thus keeping the thimI'lueriiii: the surface of iho waler in the jar. 'lhe rate of evaporatmn varies willi the relative humidity l " 1 ' surrounding air. :iii([ (he amount is measured l,y careiully pouring more en.,tilled ualer into the jar from the Sradiliilf until ilir water .surfiKv of the Nil' rises 111 to the zero murk. Tlio amount, ol iv,-itcr uere.ssait to iicconipish tins is the measi ire of the amount "I evaporation lor lliejuiven period. >.V means ol th,, instrument described extended investigations Oil evaporation '"'li't-': earned out all over (lie I- niiH Slates. I lie making ol tin., inslrumenl ami its use would l,e an inlereslll,;.; liohby lor tile studious sons oJ' "lII'.I ■nine,,, ami lor.n a valupai l. ol Ilu-U- edtip.'i-

Ji is best to allow a calf to remain ;V U !° "lotner lor the first two or three cljivs, then take awav the ~,|| '"in the cow and teach lhe young ani- • 1 " « •''lter, bay, \-> hours "u HI,Ul I V,. easy matter. ' lils ''ecu on whole milk '<>t ,ti ( i»i h\,» worky, then u ! - m ' " milk, nut » M ,iv t| i;in •>{, funis a day U Jie.. more than that. 'plantuy „| H ] ilm mi [ k is I , iv( , l| l|j(i |s liable to bo ■irouhled with ,scours Iced three tlines a day to vonim iMiiniuJs, i';illht tlinn nvj n » ;i day' wli ■ ! little I,l,Hid meal or blood flou'r't,,' the fi'jliv. I Ills IS very lii'ij)! ul in jiri'VcntH'g scours. If, also contains iron, to muscle; but do not iced, very much ol the bhiiid meal. '

l'l.i.;s BK'fNt; MONf,Y BACK

•U til.) sliiirlest, il lakes lm> bm-drr Ul I.UIM-S si'ivn ~i-|l t n-ars to sru t| u . Ilnnl pinTaii,;!, ( ,| |,i s iS(lK . ki |, m t!|( , en. h-« 1 11.' third tion llv " and this uo| i„ ilte H'NII ('I oiu. suliiaiy animal, hut in a « <nnvd ul ftoiui' L'llll juoh- Vt a r'>u;;li r.tnnau., ll,„ |i rs |. liti.-r mav nrouuhvc Innialrs. '1'],,,,,, In tllni ]>n>dn.e < >l Int live, nmkin;; nventv. ,l .\" * mv t<)l ' ltl " s ''coiul genera lion. Illf'S.' IWenly-livr -ills, ol' exaeily the >:;!!!!(' lij-f-iim;.-:, nuiy now Ik-. ma led to i"ur or live, diliereul Imars, when tliev will hnnjj iorlli_ 1 (,I - ;i i!,ir<! : i»i a vor.'U'io ol eaeli ineludinjj; !'ia inah-s. Ainon.u; those -CO Vdllli.r. sters lhero wi!S 1»' likeness nurj dissimilarity m i fiii it'il t to elisor!) 111 < 1 interest :i l l!)' k St i!' | lull S l>l'eed»T. iil.lt ;,t > i ■ < ' I I itur ;ilr e\!'.:ih;iv ''' ' * i i -!i«HV|! I)V Ir-.!-. <-i i! K J H' I c I ( 'i'^' i !'' A'ii'iciiii ih'iil C 'oll**. In :: ' 1 'M H\ r veal's fi;,. ' 1 a I' 1 i V. > i M-i I! Li, wilval. i'.iltl ■\ a « U).!(lr v\ !i#• i 1 i !U 1 hllld WSIS '.Kiriil dry ein.ijjJi to wurlv u» »cmkl advan- : * 1 • <■ nd s'vri';:! (ifi - MT-.hn-x wviv a! I'M t ■ r\;i I.S ;)| n|]r week. The yi; U- .i/;raih and straw ji"i' jii 'i't* lV I 'i' : < m•;;i jiii-*! tmin the c:ij - 1 iiv-c sowing With -lirif<-: nil.-at and barley. and [mm will: I>a t s ;n m i peas. I'or ■'very day •, -!*■!..y iu altov tlie hr-t \V!'way an avera.:i' do'"••'i i'' <>t nnts, 5311) <>\ liarl'.v. ~i)P> >:j r j= ;.i wiii-at". and liUlh ;d pf-r ae:v. ' | A v, ri: « •• ir. : • i).ii! v (.'• :* ,-nd Tii'.iif 1;»•;v«; • :>i il- : - United Strut--' nU-rry..- ijia l ij-'-sin j -;r> until 1007 thvi r.irratv l fields oi i'eni and Chile pro-1 'iuo'.'.i 36.413,<£7 ions of nil:ate. übftlit

two-thirds of which was produced during tho past ton years. "Tlicro lias boon," says tho writer, "much said about, tho exhaustion of tlio nitrate mines or beds, but. from t.h n host, information obtainable they are good for two hundred or throe hundred roars, oven at. double tln< production, which in about 2,00(l,00ii tuns per year. Fully one-half tho production has been not profit, but a new process has been added that, will do for the nitrate business what tho cyanide process did for the gold production. Heretofore from 9 to 10 per cent, has been loit in the waste, but with the new process it is clamed that there will not bo a loss of :J per cent., and at a less cost of jiroduction than by the old method, hven the waste or tailings can be worked with a great profit."

HOW NKW AYHEATS ARK BRED. An interesting lecture was recently delivered by Mr G. 1,. Sutton. .New South Wales Government wheat experimentalist, at a meeting of fanners in the (lien Inucs district. The lecturer created great interest by showing the process of crossing one wheat with another. The method was shown to be ijuite simple. Mr Sutton explained that each grain was treated specially, full notes taken in a hold-book, and the full pedigree of oarh variety was always obtained. A photograph was shown of the first grain of "Hob" wdieat. in 1800. In 1000 tho quantity was like drops of water over Niagara Falls in multitude. Ho especially referred to the growing demand for .strong wheats to make strong Hour, and said that, if a wheat wore 12 points of strength greater than another kind, that meant that wheat like "Jonah".then absorbed 1.2 quarts of water more than some other varieties, and that the baker could make 12 more loaves out of a ton of it. So they could understand why they could get more money for their strong wheats. He dealt with the need of plenty of' organic matter in tho soils, oven if well manured. The yield would be more than doubled if plenty of organic matter were pnt in the

ground. Good farming, lie said, implied lliat a farmer slumld lie alile to hand down liis farm to liis son. and even liif grandson, in as fertile eniidi- < ion as when lie himself eoninieiieed to cultivate it. One liand.v way of doinjj; this was hv erop rotation. Deep-rooted crops. like hieerlie or sorghum, brought up valued constituents troin the suhsoil, which shallow-looted crops, like wheat, never reached. He strongly advocated plenty of cultivation. and showed nicttires of the cultivation and on-hard on (oolahah exiierimental farm, near Boiirke, formerly a desert, and where dry fanning, with a.s low as 'J'.iii nl' rain on the whole crop, had turned the wilderness into a garden. K\ i'n here I hey 11;i<I .short droughts, and when thev had these dry spoils they would innneiiseU increase their yields hy dry cultivation.