ON THE LAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13782, 22 June 1908, Page 8

ON THE LAND.

THE TRUTH ABOUT QUEENSLAND. Mb. R. Weaver, writing from Toowoomba, Queensland, says:—"l have only just noticed Mr. Gilbert. Kirkbride's letter in your paper, and w«re it not for the heading, as above quoted, which indicates that the writer believes he is recording the truth, I should have thought that he was a clever writer of fiction. The main point of his letter appears to be an endeavour to prove that my statement as of the 1902 drought being of seven months' duration was incorrect, and 1 should have quoted 12 months' drought. In reply, I will avoid giving any opinion of my own. or even admitting that Mr. Kirkbride's opinion i? to he taken seriously, and shall quote statistical rainfall records, which show that in January, 1902. the rainfall was 518 points. February 156, and March. April, May. June, July. August, and September, showed diminishing falls, the- highest being 91 points in one month. It will thus be seen that the drought started in February and ended in September. October had 340 points, November 568, December 699. and the following January, February, and March, and right through the year, splendid rains were recorded. Facts are stubborn things, and, therefore, these should be sufficient answer to Mr. Kirkbride's assertions. In my previous letter I pointed out that the 1902 drought was a severe one, and nothing half so intense had been experienced for 28 years. The nearest approach to it. as far as short duration and severity, that I have known, was the five, six. or, perhaps, seven months' drought just experienced in New Zealand, when dairy heifers were selling at 55s a head. Yet it would bo absurd to state that New Zealand is a drought-stricken country, simply because they had an acute time for a few months. With regard to the heat, I certainly do assert most emphatically that the temperature here in Toowoomba this last summer did not reach as high as tlio record in Timaru and Oamaru during the hottest, part of last summer. The average maximum at Yandilla' Station, which is in the heart, of the Downs, for the last thirty years is 85 degrees. These facts are also irrefutable, and, therefore, need no argument. The action of a large number of New Zealandors, who have lately visited the Downs, of purchasing here, is sufficient answer to the cry raised in your Dominion that Queensland is not the country it is painted. These keen, good judges, and long experienced New Zealanders who have lately settled here certainly appear to consider that all they have heard about, the celebrated Darling Downs has been confirmed by their own eye-sight, and from the personal knowledge they have ascertained regarding past years."

WINTER LAYING. Those who have encouraged winter laying by giving their birds a hot breakfast of nourishing food have usually been well rewarded, as this diet is more quickly assimilated than hard corn, which digests slowly and has to be ground up in the fowl's gizzard before it is passed into the system. Fortunately, the expense is reduced by the increasing competition amongst poultry food manufacturers, and may be considerably further lessened by allowing the hot meals to stand for' an hour, or so and mixing up (just 'before being given to the hens) with sharps and bran. The latter is a capital addition to keep tho bowels healthy. In one noted yard where utility and exhibition properties excel, brewers' grains are used to great advantage—obtainable at 4d per bushed— mixed up with the sharps, bran, and Spratt's biscuit meal, it is possible to feed a flock of 50 laying hens for 6d a meal. It is such attention to detail and economy that proves most conclusively that poultry can be made to pay. POULTRY BREVITIES. Ordinary sharp gravel makes a very fair grit, and can generally be procured at a •very small expenditure. In fattening fowls it will pay to add linseed meal or oil cake to the soft food, as both are very fattening. Where fowls are moulting promote the moult by giving occasional feeds of boiled linseed or other oily foods. Lime and charcoal prevent serious bowel trouble, and are useful in imparting strong bone and tissue to the growing stock. There is a specially fine look about a basket of Minorca cgjrs. They are so pure white in the colour of shell, and they are fio large that one feels when handling "them that they have something really substantial.

After the turkey chicks are two days old they should have fine grit sprinkled on the board on which they are fed—twice a day— the time of giving soft food, so that it adheres to this, and is eaten with. the food. The breeder of fowls who desires to pro. duce strong, healthy, vigorous stock should exercise the greatest possible care in excluding from his breeding pen every bird that has at any time shown the slightest sign of disease. One of the best ducks to breed for table use is a cross of Aylesbury with the Rouen. Breeding ducks should bo given a warm feed the first thing in the morning during cold weather, which should consist of meal with some meat. Fowls prefer maize to most other grain, but in time they get out of health with eating it. The deaths that take place when this grain is continuously given are_ found on investigation to result from diseased liver, brought about by the use of maize. The best time to introduce the strange bird into the pen is at night, when he should be placed upon the perch near the hens: the- awakening in company in the morning tends to peace, whereas careless introduction into the run during the day produces immediate strife. Egg and feather-eating are two very annoying vices to which flocks of fowls sometimes become subject. If the feather-eater is only an average bird the best thing to do is to kill her, for the habit is one that spreads in the. flock, and any appearance of it cannot bo suppressed too soon. The rule when operating incubators is to run the heat to 105 in the empty machine, set the regulator, and go ahead. The cool eggs run the. temperature down; it also holds tho damper down, and the heat of tank gets greater and greater. It would be foolish to surmise that the hen gets hotter and hotter; 102 degrees for the first week, 103 for the second week, and 104 for tho third week is the correct temperature for an incubator, and if occasionally iha heat gets a little too high, that is the proper time to.turn and air the eggs. A little too high would mean 105 degrees.