ON THE LAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14133, 7 August 1909, Page 8

ON THE LAND.

DISINFECTING VINEYARDS. Recent German publications contain accounts of good results attained by treating tho soil of old vineyards with carbon bisulphide, aside from the destruction of phylloxera and other subterranean insect posts. It •has especially been noticed that, new vines fief: in old vineyards after treatment of the soil with carbon bisulphide as an insecticide, grow with unexpected luxuriance; also that grain, alfalfa, beets, and garden vegetables showed remarkable growth on soil thus treated. The long-established vines in these orchards braced up to some extent, but required extra fertilisation to ensure permanent results. ...Newlyrplanted vines on treated soil come into bearing in three years if supplied with fertilisers, as against, five ■or six years under usual conditions. The theory most favoured is that tho carbon fumes destroy or alter the vit«tl action of certain harmful fungo or bacterial organisms that tend to increase in soil long cultivated to special crops, but that tl:o useful nitrifying bacterial are more resistant and aro not injured to tho same extent. Growing plants are thus freed from hindering influences, and soon receive fresh supplies of elaborated nitrogen, enabling them to respond in greatly increased development. Many careful tests have been made, nearly nil showing favourable results. The most promising conclusion appears to be that old " vine-tired" toils filled with organisms or excretions harmful to grapo vines or other plants may be restored to usefulness with out the ordinary long and unprofitable resting period, extending in some instances over ten years, by comparatively inexpensive treatment with carbon bisulphide. From three to eight liquid ounces of bisulphide are used for each square yard of area, pouring it into holes punched two or three feet deep in the soil. Four or five holes are used to each square yard, according to the naturo of the soil.

BROOD SOW TREATMENT. This is from a pig-breeder and feeder, who is known to be eminently successful in his business. "I find it best for the brood sows, whether they aro in young or not, to hare their liberty, for the regular exercise which they get in the open air makes them vigorous, and undoubtedly assists in imparting that prolific character which is not found in pig* that are always kept in the sty. Where there is plenty of good grass as well as ample room for exercise the animals thrive much ' better, produce larger broods and cost much • less for foodThere is a difference of opinion as to whether or not sows should be ringed. If kept- in j a separate - paddock ami- supplied with vetches, cabbage, or fresh-cut grass when the pasture has become bare, experience has proved that they do not require to be ringed. If ringing fas to be done, however, have the rings put ' in before the sows are in young. "With! regatd to food, there is nothing better than pollard or bran with some cooked potatoes or pulped or sliced mangel, If meals arc mixed with a quantity of kitchen wash or skim-milk, it will bo found that animals will thrive upon a. very small quantify for at least three months, touring the fourth month the feeding may bo increased, as heavier claims are made on their systems for the support of their young and to prevent them falling away in condition ; and strength, both of which must be maintained after' the sows have farrowed. Inpig sows should not be' fed on dry food, j such a3 grain, as they are apt to get too fat, which is undesirable at the time of farrowing. Highly-fed sows are liable to fever at the time for farrowing, and a little treacle given regularly for a week before pigging will be found useful. For a week or two before farrowing the amount of exercise might be curtailed and a suitable sty provided in which the sows should be allowed to have their young. It is also desirable that the same man should attend to them; they do not like strangers, especially at this time. If a note of the dates is taken, sows will be found to bring forth their young 16 weeks after service. . SPRAYING FOR THE MOTH. M the result of many hundred experiments in spraying for the codlin moth, it seems to be thoroughly established that the best success is obtained by the first two sprayings, and that very little is gained by the subsequent applications. The experiment!! embrace as many as seven sprayings during the season, but only those applied just as the petals fell, and just before the calyx closed, gave any results worth speaking of. The fact, which is now clearly established, that the young larvae of the moth not only secrete themselves within the calyx cup, but for some days are apt to feed on the lobes of the calyx itself, make it essential that as much of the poison as possible shall be deposited in the open calyx. The further fact, which is also well substantiated, that quite 80 per cent, of the eggs are deposited by the moth on the leaves, and not on the fruit at all, renders it necessary that the young foliage should be well covered, for probably a large majority of the grubs feed on the foliage before they succeed in reaching a fruit. AGRICULTURAL SPECIALISATION. The director of the Oregon Experiment Station Says:—"This is an age of Specialisation. Men are educated and animals are selected for Special purposes. The all-pur-poso horse and the dual-purpose cow are largely of the past, and * have but little standing in the expert judgment of modern agriculturists. It is just as easy for a man to servo two masters, as it is for a cow to please both the butdher and the dairyman. The function of meat production and the function of milk production are opposing factors. The cow will either cleave to the One or yield to the other. There is positively no permanently fixed middle ground between these two functions. There may bo a small percentage of individuals, which sufficiently appear to possess this trait, but upon a close analysis, they rarely have any pride of ancestry or hope of posterity, or, in otiher words, they neither inherited nor wore capable of transmitting the milking traits which they simply chanced to possess.".

DAIRYING ITEMS. Separate good, rich cream, then churn it; at a lower temperature. It is quilo possible to buy heifers, but you never get tho best that way. A quart of milk is said to be equal in nutrition of a pound of beefsteak. It is also said to bo equal to 21b of bread. Raising; calves is not always the most interesting feature of dairying to the average dairyman, but it is one of tflic most important. A silo 16ft in diameter and 32ft high is largo enough to supply silage for 20 cows 220 days, allowing an average feed of 35 pounds per cow per day. Milk is used raw, while most other food products arc tooked in some way. Tho very fact that mil- is a raw food should stimulate "those engaged in its production to the greatest possible care. Chemically considered, skim-milk contains almost" all of the elements necessary for tho support of life and the rebuilding of tho tissues. Young animals will uso it to great advantage in connection with other foods. More high-priced dairy cows suffer from overfeeding than from any olllier cause. Liberality is commendable up to a certain poi'it, but overfeeding is not -a kindness; at is a damage, and it will not pay in the r long run. ; ~ Having purchased a good separator, study carefully the directions sent with it and follow them exactly. If tfhe machine is '< - one that requires to be horizontal, see that it really is so by testing with a spirit- : level? this isparticularly; necessary with iJio "Swedish separators* Also have the . machine firmly Screwed Lto the floor, so that it - cannot shift while .working. f * •