Farm and Garden.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 39, 21 October 1871, Page 8

Farm and Garden.

SULPHATE OF IRON, AND ITS EFFECTS ON LAMBS and the MILK OF EWES. Mr J. Pottie, Veterinary Surgeon, New South Wales, being deeply impressed with the importance of sulphate of iron to sheepowners, writes as follows to the “ Town and Country Unfortunately the universal application of iron lias never been publicly questioned in New South Wales until I published an article against it, and in that article I asserted that the use of sulphate of iron was positvely injurious even to healthy sheep. I find out now that many men of great experience, adepts in their prrticular line of life, had long ago discarded the use of this drug for sheep, even as a remedy for fluke. Of course my deductions were not based on the experience of its practical use, but on medicinal principles. Now, I shall explain why it must prove injurious not only to milking ewes but to the the lambs. Sulphate of iron contains sulphuric acid and iron. All acids have certain properties in common, and when constantly used, or are in excess in the system become the active agents in the production of gout, a joint ill in cattle and sheep, rhumatism in all animals, scrofulous diathesis, and tuberculosis, and other ills of a kindred malignant type. It might have*been expected that agents capable of producing such a ruinous habit of body would at least have been carefully used, and not regarded as the standard agents for the cure of all diseases, and the only life-preserver worthy of recommendation. Sulphate of iron has always been regarded as a tonic ; some scientific men said that it increased the quantum of iron in the red corpuscles of the blood. Unfortunately, this theory did not stand the test, for other agents such as quinine and oils, produce an analogous state. Besides the iron found in the system does not exist as a sulphate. If iron is to be used, then use it as it exists in the system, in kind and quantity, but do not destroy the vigour and. tone of life by the absurd forms in which it is now used. You have only to look at the latest veterinary publications to find all this more powerfully put by the greatest authorities of Briton. Now let us turn to the question, viz, its effects on milking ewes. Whatever medicine or food is used has a primary action on the mammary glands, and if, I wanted to dry off the milk, I should use acids-sulphate of iron. Common salt is a chloride of sodium, and I should give them as they are used in this colony, for sulphate of iron is an irritant and astringent. The modus operandi of acids in this respect is so well known, at least by medical men, that I shall not stay to quote authorities, for I find more on investigation that many men ignorant of medicine have noted such results. Those, however, who still doubt the fact, can take the 100th part generally given to sheep and note its effect in a little hot milk. The fluid caseine is turned to curd, and the butter is converted into a form of carbon. Now it is a remarkable fact that all lambs which die from the excessive use of sulphate of iron or salt, have the milk curdled in their stomachs, and nothing but the whey passes into the system. There are then three ways in which the truth of those statements can be demonstrated : Ist. By administering sulphate of iron or salt in the usual quantity to a ewe, and milking her daily. After the first few days there will be an increase, and then the milk will dry off. snd. By testing the effects on milk itself. 3rd. By examining the inside of lambs suckled by ewes, which receive iron or salt. Now, the ewes this year would be less able to rear their lambs. This is not only true with regard to those which have been sick, but with regard to those which are as yet forced to feed on the nitrogenous food of last year’s growth. We have then three agents operating against a good percentage of lambs. Ist. The nitric acid in the feed.. 2nd. The sulphuric acid of the iron. 3rd. The hydrochloric acid of the salt. Can those agencies be counteracted ? That is the question to be answered. I think they can. But you will see that this paper proves that sulphate of iron is of use and great use, judiciously used, at weaning time, but I know of no agent calculated to do more harm at this present juncture. Jf any one is anxious to know how milk is to be judiciousiy increased, Liebeg’a treatise on the subject contains the information. There you will see the balanced constituents of th© milk, and also the best medicinal agents for converting particular kinds of food into the desired element. The feed of last year was chemically rich in fattening compounds, but the digestive apparatus was unable to act upon them by reason of the excess of nitrogenous elements present* But the quantum was not pereeptble to the taste, and it might have been neutralized by a small quantum of a contrary agency, but nearly the whole time of our scientific men was absorbed with the sequel, and the primary condition of things was left untouched. THE THEORY OF IRRIGATION. Great similarity exists in the consequences arising from the destruction of forests and from land drainage, both as they affect the temperature and humidity of the atmosphere and soil, which in their turn are, with a good show of reason, supposed to have a considerable effect upon the distribution of rainfall, though not perhaps upon the actual amount of it. It is impossible to restore the harmony of nature thus once disturbed, without allowing the lands, cleared and improved, to revert their original state ; but as this would be detrimental rather than conducive to man’s interests, it is more desirable that the balance

should be restored in other ways and by other means, which, whilst counteracting the evil effects above referred to, admit of the retention of. the land, in its improved state of productiveness. Thus, by the artificial production of ‘ moisture in the soil by means of irrigation, the equilibrium may be restored ; whilst the subsoil drainage, which has in many cases rendered a resort to irrigation necessary, is in itself essential to the proper development of cultivation by irrigation ; otherwise the land, especially in heavy soils is liable to become waterlogged, t® the injury alike of the crops and the health of the neighborhood. This latter is clearly proved in the case of rice crops, which are so notoriously injurious to health that no European can with safety sleep in their vicinity. “ Not only does the population decrease where rice is grown,” says Escourron Milliago, “ but even the flocks are attacked by typhus.” This is happily notthe case where simple irrigation is adopted for the growth of grass cereals, vegetables and other crops required in European countries generally, where proper attention is paid to the subsoil drainage. The reason why land will not produce good crops in the absence of a sufficient amount of water, even though it be highly manured and otherwise well cultivated, is that moisture is essentially necessary for tho admixture with the soil of those invigorating properies existing in manures, which, in the absence of that agency, would, though meeha--nieally mixed with the earth, remain chemically separate and distinct from it, and therefore not in such a state as to be in any way beneficial for the development of growth in herbage or plants. With the assistance of water, however, the salts contained -in manure are set . free and eagerly unite with the soil, by which they may be said to be digested and prepared to become fit food for the nourishment of vegetation ; but, even when so taken up, these salts are, during seasons of drought, held from vegetation with an iron grasp by the soil, from . which moisture alone can again loosen them. Thus we see that, whilst moisture is required in order to cause a chemical combination between the constituents of the manure and the soil, it is also further required before that soil will yield up the properties thus obtained for the purposes of vegetatian. Having now consi- . dered in what manner irrigation has been rendered a neoessary adjunct to cultivation, it .remains but to state briefly what steps are required for the conservancy of rainfall, in order to render it conducive towards a restoration of that balance in nature which previous operations of man have tended so seriously to disturb. These are two —namely, the prevention of waste by storage, and the construction of channels for the proper distribution of water so collected, properly fitted with mechanical appliances for the regulation of the supply to different fields or districts as it may be required. It is not tho object of the present paper to enter into any account of the works or contrivances necessary for the collection and distribution of the rainfall and drainage water; but, in conclusion, it may bo remarked that the question of . sewage irrigation is one entirely distinct from that of simple irrigation by means of water alone; tho purposes of the one being but tho application of moisture to the soil it in no way supersedes the necessity for manuring ; whilst the former combines the application of manure together with irrigation. It does not seem at all probable that the two systems will ever be carried out in conjunction with each other, neither is it necessary that they should be combined. It is also clear that, whereas sewage irrigation is only practicable to a certain limited extent, and in localities bordering upon towns or places where a number of human habitations are congregated together, irrigation in its simple form may be adoped, to a greater, or less extent, wherever land is brought under cultivation.—“ Quarterly Journal of Science.” MISCELLANEOUS. Most men are born poor, but no man, who has average capacities and tolerable luck, need remain so. And the farmer’s calling, though proffering no sudden leaps, no ready shortcuts to opulence, is the surest of all ways from poverty and want, if not to absolute wealth, yet to comfort and independence. Other men must climb; the temperate, frugal, dilligent, provident farmers may grow into competence and every external accessory to happiness. Each year of his devotion to his homestead may find it more valuable, more attractive than the last, and leave it better still. The good farmer sells from his land mainly such products as are least exhaustive to the soil. Necessity may constrain him, for the first year or two, to sell grain, or even hay; but he will Boon send off his. surplus mainly in the form of meat, or butter and cheese, or something else that returns to the soil nearly all that is taken from it. A bank account daily drawn upon, while nothing is deposited to its credit, must soon respond “No funds j” so with a farm similarly treated. Many farmers keep no accounts at all—not even a memorandum book in which they note down current expenses, &c. The idea of “keeping books” has a terror about it, which deters most people whose success in life does not absolutely hang upon their keeping accurate accounts to have much to do with them. The amount of money which passes through .the hands of a farmer is generally small, and .granting his recollection about many transactions is usually pretty accurate, still if disputes arise between him and the storekeeper or any person with whom he has dealings, he is almost always unable to produce an account to prove ,the correctness of his assertions, and the consequence is that he usually gets the worst of the dispute. This might be prevented by spending a few minutes a day in keeping accurate accounts.

An old farmer in speaking of the most profitable way of disposing of his corn crop, says : “ I doubt if there is any better way of selling

corn than in tho form of winter butter—fattening the cows, if need be, at tho same time. But nearly everything turns on the skill and judgment of the feeder, and on the breed and qualities of the animals. There is no profit in keeping an animal that is not either gaining in flesh or giving milk all the time. A good cow that is well fed, will not only give milk in winter, but next summer all the fat she has stored up we get back in the form of butter. If our dairy cows are not receiving as much food in winter as they can digest, better far to give them cornmeal than to sell it.

Cure eor Blight oh Fruit Trees.—The following cure for the apple blight, by Mr E. D. Wetton, appeared in the “Bendigo Advertiser.” —“ Having been solicited by numerous friends to make known to the public my treatment of the blight on apple trees, &c., which in every case has proved most effectual, I have pleasure in doing so. The following mixture, I may state, I have used for the last six years, both in New Zealand and this colony, as also in England : —To two gallons of water add two gallons of skimmed milk, one pound of soft soap, half-pound red lead, two pounds of hot lime, half-pound of tobacco—mix all up in a pot ; heat till nearly boiling, and apply to the trees warm, with a clean paint brush ; add one pound of sulphur and cow-dung till it is the thickness of common houso-paint. Be sure to paint every part of the tree. If some fall it will not injure the roots. With regard to the time of doing this—on no account must it be put on after the tree shows its leaves. If the tree is shortened back a little, it will considerably help it. Growing Cucumbers. —The following excellent plan of how to have plenty of cucumbers is given by a correspondent of the “ Horticulturist:” —I had, lie says, a narrow border, not more than 2% feet wide on the edge of a high fence. I planted three cucumber hills in the border, and laid some brush—such as is used for pea vines—between them and the fence; As soon as they crept up to the bush, I pinched off the ends which thickened rapidly around the roots, and in every direction, throwing out the most violent foliage and profusion of flowers. I did not allow all the cucumbers to grow, but watched them, and such as I wished to reserve for the table I picked as soon as they became a proper size, the rest were gathered every day for pickles ; every day pinching off the buds of each shoot. In this way the hill continued fresh and productive until they were touched by the frost. Some judgment can be formed of the value of this practice when I add that more than a barrel of pickles were made from three hills, besides allowing a supply for the table. Whenever a leaf began to look rusty or yellowish, it was removed, and the cucumbers and leaves were cut off with large scissors, so as not to disturb or wound the vine. There is an advantage in having them run upon brush instead of trailing over the ground ; because they are much injured by being trodden on, and by being kept low on the brushes they can be easily and thoroughly examined over every day, which is essential, because if cucumbers are over looked, and grow very large, it stops the yield of that vine. Eood for Dairy Cows.—The great study of a dairy-keeper should be to mingle all the elements of food in proportion, as any excess of a particular element passes unutilised by the animal. A very intelligent and successful dairyman, speaking of the results of mixing a portion of dry food with grass or clover, says : —“ln our experiments we were first led to mix 25 per cent of straw with succulent clover in spring for the purpose of absorbing the superabundant water, and preventing bloating, while the cows were becoming accustomed to this juicy food. The straw accomplished the purpose admirably, and finding the quantity of milk quite satisfactory, we were led to note the result on quantity of milk when the straw was omitted and the cows full fed on clover alone. We were surprised at first to find little or no increase of milk, and this led us to an examination of the proportion of nitrogenous and non-nitrogenous constituents of clover and straw. We fed 801 bof green clover and 81b of oat straw, cut and mixed together. This would give of nitrogenous, or muscle and cheese-forming food, 3771 b, and of carbonaceous, or heat and fat-forming food, 12.601 b, all digestible. The nitrogenous matter in 301 b of milk does not exceed 11b, and the carbonaceous 2.601 b ; therefore there would be abundant surplus in this ration to sustain respiration and supply waste of system. We have thus used a portion of cut straw with green clover in soiling cows for many years, and believe this is an excellent way of turning surplus straw to good account. Experiments made on the comparitive cost of producing beef, cheese and butter, show that the food that will make one pound of beef will make seventeen quartsof milk, three pounds of cheese, or a fraction over one pound of butter.