ON THE LAND.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9066, 9 November 1909, Page 2

ON THE LAND.

THE NORTHERN SPY.

In the July number of the Journal of the Department of Agriculture of Victoria Mr J. Cronin, principal of the School of Horticulture, Burnley, has. a short article on the Northern Spy apple. He describes the fruit as of medium to large size, roundish, conical, slightly ribbed; the eye small, closed, set in_ a deep corrugated basin; stalk short, ineorted in a shallow cavity; skin yellow on shaded side, streaked and striped with red on side exposed to the sun; flesh yellowish white, tender and -juicy, flavour rich, aromatic, very fine. The treo is a strong, vigorous, upright grower, a shy bearer when young, but producing good crops when mature if properly pruned and managed. It is thoroughly proof against the attacks of the woolly aphis, and is now generally used by nurserymen as a stock on which othor varieties are budded or grafted. Although one of the finest dessert apples in cultivation, and a fairly good keeper, this variety is not popular with orchardists on account of its tardiness in boaring payable crops, coupled with a tenderness of the skin which bruises readily and prevents the fruit being displayed for sale in good condition, oxcept under the most careful conditions of handling and transport. In districts of heavy rainfall and generally cool climatic conditions, woolly aphis is the worst pest of the apple grower. In commercial orchards the employment of special knowledge and special equipment keeps this pest in chock, but in the gardens devoted to the cultivation of fruits for domestic use the skill and material necessary arc usually absent under conditions suited to woolly aphis. Northern Spy is an apple that should find a place in the garden of every amateur.

A USEFUL HEN. Mr P. Brady, Dannevirke, writes to the Auckland Herald:—l have a Silver Wyandotto hen among my flock that 1 I consider has put up 'a rather unique performance. After laying for about two months she wont broody, and a neighbour of mine got her to set on a sitting of eggs, which she did willingly, and brought out chicks, and at the same time she laid 21 eggs, and she has now got the. chicks with her and is still laying. What I would liko to know is if any of your readers have seen anything of the kind in their flocks, for I have not oomo across any one down here who has.

AN APPLE COMBINE.

It is stated that the most influential farmers in the West of England havo banded themselves together to control the Home markets in apples. The movement has tho support of fruit-farmers in Dovon, Somerset, Gloucester, Hereford, and Worcester, who own 10,000 acres of apple lands alone. It is estimated that the Homo markets can be supplied from October till April, and that tho apple harvest of these five counties will this year exceed 250,000 tons. FRENCH GARDENING. The growing of vegetables Iβ aTmost a fine art in many parts of France. Tho French gardeners, says the National Nurseryman, are among tho most expert in the world. Tho French system aims to produco early crops by using warm soil, an artificially-moistened atmosphere, and an abundance of plant food. In tho vicinity of Paris a system somewhat peculiar to that region prevails. In that section tho chief crops arc lettuces, radishes, turnips, endive, carrots, and spring onions. Crops which bring the largest returns arc those which come in from one to three months in advance of their natural season. No greenhouses are used, only bell-glasses and lights. The 6oods are sown in the ground, and thoro is no transplanting. _ Three, four, and under tho best conditions as may as six or eovon crops, are taken from the same ground in one year. It is stated that the expense of developing and carrying on tho work on an acre for tho first year amounts to £1600. but on the other hand returns from £600 to £700 arc looked for tho first year, and thereafter, while tho working expenses drop to about £200 per acre.

FEATHER-EATING. This baneful habit is invariably due to overheat of the blood, which causes irritation of the skin, and the birds, in order to relieve the sensation, pluck their feathers, and, finding that the quill contains animal juico, contract the objectionable practice, which is generally associated .with over-crowded, confined runs, and often unhealthy conditions. In order to force egg-production heating foods have been given. However, fea-ther-plucking can bo cured by cooling the blood, and hero a liberal eupply of green food is advised and Epsom salts given in the drinking water, whilst oxoollont results have been obtained from adding a teaspoonful of eulphato of soda and half a teaspoonful of carb. potass, to each pint of drinking water. A little meat (scrape) or green bone will prove beneficial, and it ia further advised that all grain is buried in loose soil or litter, so as to provide exercise, for idle fowls are often feather-eaters. If tho bare places arc anointed with sulphur ointment or carbolised vaseline each night just before the birds roost, and a little tincturo of quassia smeared around the roote of the remaining feathers, further troublo will cease. It should be added that the want of a dust-bath will contribute to tho loss of feathers, for, unfortunately, so many overlook that fowls cleanse and rid themselves of insects by means of the dusting process, and, whether kept in confinement or allowed their liberty, this is absolutely necessary. In tho former case a deep box filled with dry ashee or road dust is all that is necessary.

A RUSSIAN RURAL PAPER. One of the most remarkable rural enterprisee in Russia is the publication by tho Government of a daily newspaper called tho "Village Messenger. As its name implies, it is intended primarily for the peasantry. The annual subscription is only four shillings, and tho subscribers received over and above the paper half-a-dozen supplements —weekly, monthly, illustrated, and special publications —which, at the end of the_ year, forms seven volumes. One detail in this connection, which is specially mentioned by the Daily Telegraph, is worth noting. Every subscriber to the Village Messenger has the right of asking advice on any subject, legal or other, that may interest, himself or his neighbours. The replies, which are printed in a special periodical, are authoritative. They have the force of law. The peasant can take them into court and ask the tribunal to iudge his concrete case in harmony with the interpretation of the law there given. And he may be certain that his request will bo complied with. This is as ingenious a system as could well be devised, and our admiration for jhe Ruseian Government has much increased since wo heard of it.

STRANGE STOCK FOOD. A curious Italian system of preparing food for cattle and sheep was recorded by Professor Symonds, of Cambridge, over 120 yeare ago. Leaves of various kinds, green and dried, are much used for fodder, and tho husbandmen sink a very broad, deep pit, and fill half of it with leaves. They then throw over them bunches of unripe grapes, about two feet thick, after which they_ put a layer of leaves of the same thickness, and then another layer of grapes alternately, till tho pit is quite full, when they carefully protect it from the air. This not only prevents the leaves from heating, but impregnates them with a kind of epirit, which produces extraordinary effects, for the cattle, eat them with a greediness that can hardly be conceived, and tho sheep are as eager to devour them as when in England they are first turned into clover.

A "CORNER" IN WOOL. In the 'fifties there was a sensational boom in wool values in London, due to

an organised attempt to "corner" the wool market. In 1856-1857 Messrs John Yewdall and William Cheeseborough attempted to buy all the wool that was offered in London for the purpose of creating a "corner." Mr Yewdall came from Rawdon, and was a principal of Messrs William Yewdall and Son, while Mr Cheoseboroughr was a well-known Bradford wool merchant. They "put their heads together," and agreed to buy all the wool tha.t was offered in London, and for a whilo they were able to force prices up to a very high level. Australian grea6y wool was 6elling at that time from 14d to 20d per lb, and washed fleece up to 2s 3d. One authority recollects buying two bales of Australian wool for a Bradford stapler which came to 'exactly £90 2s 6d. Another small manufacturer got two more ■ bales out of the same lot which came to £95 odd; while a Mr John Mawson, of Idle, had delivered him the day before Christmas two bales of Port Philip wool which camo to over £103. This was "goldc/i fleece" with a vengeance; but the "corner" seriously affected trade for_ a while until suddenly the whole fabric collapsed. Messrs Yewdall and Cheeseborough, unablo to meet the money bills which were falling due, filed their _ petition and had reason to very seriously regret having attempted to "corner" wool, and 6inco that time no one has ventured to engineer a, second "corner" in wool.

BREVITIES. Study your soil, and find out what it needs. Tho disposal of even one unprofitable cow may save in a single year the entire cost of testing apparatus. Much impracticable experimental work mu6t often bo done before tho practicable can bo dissociated from the impracticable. . The highest profit to be realised in the production of mutton and wool for tho market comes from inducing rapid development. Every farmer who is anxious to know what cows in his herd are paying their board-bill each year keeps records of their production. . In all tho experimental butter made in the last three years there has been no traco of fishy flavour in that made from pasteurised sweet cream churned without tho addition of a starter. No manure heap should be in proximity to the cow barns or dairy. Apart from other reasons, manure heaps attract flies, which contaminate milk, and which also annoy the cows, thereby causing them to give less milk than they otherwise would. The future of agriculture, so tar as concerns the nourishing material for the soil, is a happy one. and tho prospects of tho men who devote their time and energy to the production of crops would appear to be emerging from a period of depression to a brighter era. Eat, sleek, strong horses require feed, and to get feed one must have fat, sleek, strong horses to till, to cultivate, and to work tho land. The objection to good stock that they cost too much, and hence the average farmer cannot buy and keep thorn, does not hold at all. It is fallacious reasoning. When we sec, as on many farms, manure thrown out against the side of tho stable where the water from the roof washes out much of its fertility, the effects of heating and fermentation, another cause of great loss, wo must conclude that the farmer ie either wholly indifferent or unconscious of an extravagant waste of fertility. The number of Canadian farmers who now co-operate in carrying out experiments designed on a uniform basis by the Agricultural Department is 45.565, and it is said that the value of such combined investigations has been thoroughly demonstrated. Special samples of different, kinds of seed were distributed for trial to 42,074 applicants. There are still places in Asia Minor where the genuine Arabian horse is bred. That is the case, for example, in tho vilayet (province) of Diarbckir. Such an animal of the highest type occasionally sells in that region for as much as £500 or £6CO; but. ordinarily, tho averago horse can be bought throughout the country for about £10 or a little more. Do you want to create the best impression possible on those who oomo to examine your stock ? Then don't select the best and specially fit them, with a few poor ones to be kept out of sight, but have all your stock at their best at all times, and have not only your stock, but all of your premises in such a condition that they are open to public inspection at any time.

Early maturity is an exceedingly desirable quality in most animals, but is particularly true in pigs. If the spring pigs can be made to grow rapidly, lay on the right kind of flesh and fat and be marketed in the fall, the profit is sure to be considerable. Most of the growth and weight is put on while plenty of pnsture is available. This makes it possible to eecuro gain at a very low figure. All grains of wheat look alike to tho man who doesn't know the difference, but one grain contains sufficient vitality to start the new plant in life with good prospects, while another grain germinates feebly, and begets a weakly offspring, which may not stool out at all, and, if it blossoms into heads, tho heads aro either barren or contain a few shrivelled kernels that are of. little value.

The youngest poultry breeder in. Palmerston is Master E. Wateon, who won first prizes at the Manawatu Show in the Indian Runner duck classes, exhibiting two fine specimens of the breed. Mastor Watson also has a nice collection of purebred white Orpingtons, which ho purchased recently from the well-known fancier. Mr C. Pickering, senr. Some of theee birds were also exhibited at the Show, Master Watson gaining two firsts and a second prize, which will encourage him to persevere in the induetrs , .