JOTTINGS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1260, 23 April 1896, Page 6

JOTTINGS.

A new disease has appeared amongst tomatoes in Victoria. During the last few weeks Mr McAlpine, vegetable pathologist to the Agricultural .Department, has received specimens from various parts of tho colony, especially from Dr Reid, of Sale, who states that a microscopic examination of the tomatoes revealed the fact that the top, or flower end, was covered with a greenish-black looking mass of spores. Only the best varieties are attacked by the fungus. Mr McAlpine states that a black rot in tomatoes is already recognised in England, the United States and Queensland, but, strangely enough, the fungus causing a similar disease in Victoria is not the same, but a closely-allied and now species. Indeed, it is so nearly allied to the black rot disease that Mr McAlpine thinks the remedial measures adopted in tho one case are likely to be effectual in the other. Hence he quotes the treatment recommended by Professor Bailey, of America, as follows : —“ It can bo kept in check by spraying with Bordeaux mixture, or ammoniacal carbonate of copper, but it is difficult to apply the material to untrained plants,

especially upon rich soil where they make a thick growth. In single stem training out of doors rot was greatly reduced. Straw placed unler the plants appears to increase the tendency to rot, and the same appears to be true of heavy dressings of stable manure. The less improved varieties, as well as tho cherry and plum tomato, are almost exempt from attack." In a season like the present farmers have great difficulty in providing feed for their stock. An experiment has (says the Mull Mail ) lately been tried at Mysia, Victoria, by a selector for utilising tho Scotch thistles growing on bis property. The thistles were cut in the paddocks with a scythe, just enough to fill the body of a large dray as much as it would carry. The same amount of straw, wcdl damped, was also used, and then both tho thistlc-s and straw were put through the chaffcutter, one box full of straw one full of thistles alternately. The straw was well watered, but no water was put on the thistles, and only enough was cut to feed the stock all round twice a day for two days, on account of the amount of water put on tho straw. Horses and cattle eat the chaff readily, far better than straw chaff alone. Apart from the utility of tho thistles as fodder, they also act beneficially to milch cows in keeping up tho supply of milk.

Tho Amelia in Ayvicullurist gives tho following as the results of thirty-six series of trials, during live years, with 893 pigs in all, separated into 175 lots, conducted at tho Danish Agricultural Experiment station: —"Whey for pigs has a higher feeding value, pound for pound, than turnips. Corn and skiin milk is great stuff to make pigs grow fast and fat, but the pork is rather soft; lienco substitute barley for the corn when the pigs weigh 125 pounds, and the quality of the flesh, if killed at 185 pounds weight, will bo improved, and tho shrinkage is no larger. Barley alone gave better results than when sunflower seed oil cake was submitted for part of it. One pound of barley equalled in pork producing power six pounds of skim milk or twelve pounds of whey. Young pigs weighing thirty-three to seventy-five pounds required three and three-quarter pounds of grain or its equivalent in milk or whey to make one pound increase; at 150 to 200 pounds about five pounds were needed, ami old bogs weighing over 200 pounds consumed six to six ami a half pounds of grain for each pound of increase in weight. Tho animals ato but slightly more in winter than in summer, but it required nearly half-a-ponnd more grain feed for one pound of grain in winter than in summer. There was no marked difference between the food required per pound of rate or cost of grain in barrows, nor was there any difference between tho rate or cost of grain in barrows or sows.

Tn a late issue of the Jhnhnihton Mayaziii.; there are some reproductions of old sporting prints—one of which is a pig taught to retrieve game. It reminds an Australian writer of an incident which happened not long ago in the North-west, when a priest took one of the parishioners to task for his improvident ways. “Tho other day," said his reveronco to tho impenitent one, “ you bought two fox terriers, when for tho same money you might have got two pigs—that’s what I call improvidence, and that’s where you failed in your duty to your family." “ Maybe, your riveronce," retorted tho wasteful farmer, “ but I’m thinkin! tho Vermin Boon! ’ud bo laughin’ at me whin they saw me goin’ round me selection thryin’ to kill rabbits wid two pigs."

Mr James Gebbie, jun., curator of tho Oamaru Public Gardens, has forwarded to tho Otayo JJaih News a sample of tho much spoken of green dahlia. The flower is much smaller than the ordinary dahlia, and the petals, though in form resembling those of a diminutive cactus dahlia, says that journal, are in colour and texturo like miniature leaves. The sport is more likely to be cultivated as a curiosity than for any inherent beauty it may possess.

All who milk, soon learn that the last milk from the udder is the richest in cream. But, though so well-known, actual tests to prove the quality of milk at various stages of milking are not numerous. An American agricultural experimentalist, Dr Collier, of tho New York station, caused five COW 3 to bo milked, allowing three minutes between in such a way as to secure the milk in successive volumes of a pint each. On analysis it was found that the average percentage of fat in the successive pints from tho five cows was as follows :—“ Tho first pint contained but ’BS of 1 per cent, of butter, D4O for the second, DGB for tho third, 2'05 for tho fourth, 2‘05 for the fifth, 3.27 for the sixth, 3.74 for tho seventh, 405 for the eighth, 4 - 8 G for tho ninth, 4'BB for the tenth, 4'50 for tho eleventh, and 5.23 for the twelfth. The average of tho whole milk was 3.21 of butter fat, which, it will Le observed, is very close to the fat contents of tho sixth pint.

Tho problem as to the influence of tho food upon the percentage of butter-fat in the milk of cows is obviously of practical interest. It may be expressed by the question— 11 Is it possible by varying the quality of the food given to cows to produce a corresponding variation in the amount of butter-fat in the dry matter of the milk ?" Conflicting opinions long prevailed upon this subject. German

experiments, however, indicated bv their results that the feeding of cows lias no effect upon the proportion of butter in the dry matter of milk —in other that the richness of the dry matter in iftu u dependent upon, and determined oy. the inherent aptitude of the cow heiselr. At the French experimental station at Chignon trials have been made for the purpose of testing the accuracy of the German conclusions, and have resulted in the unqualified confirmation of the 1 a 11i ■

The Ministers of Agriculture from New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria will confer at the end of this month on the question of adopting a scheme of Government inspection of perishable articles for export, particularly food products, with the view of establishing what will practically be an Austral inn trade marl:.

Our Mastcrton correspondent writes : Messrs 'Williams and JJeetham have bad an excellent yield of grapes on their Lansdowno property his year. No less than six tons of grapes have already been pulled and converted into ten hogsheads of wine, it is reported that several settlers in tins neighbourhood intend following the example of Messrs Williams and JJeetham and going ill for grape-growing.

The contract has been signed for the new Agricultural Hall, Dunedin. ThecosL will lie something like and the total floor space will bo about 2l!,000 square feet. As the Hall cannot bo ready for the winter show, it will probably bo opened in March next, with an industrial exhibition, to celebrate the jubilee of the arrival of the pioneer settlers of Otago.

The quantity of grain carried during the past six weeks on the Southland section of railway was Hi),721 sacks, being 43,804 sacks loss than for the same period last year. The falling oil is accounted for by the late harvest and the farmers storing largely for a vise.

There is nothing more annoying, or likely to lead to more confusion, than indistinct addresses. Farmers should note that it is more business-like, and that it saves time to have their names and addresses printed on their memo forms and envelopes. 1 liey can get live hundred forms printed with envelopes to match at tire Mail office for 12s (id.

Since the opening of the present dairy produce season, in September, 211,1 I2owt butter and 15,115cwts choose have been exported from New Zealand to Loudon. \ ictoria exported, in tho same period, 120,017 cwt butter and lGcwt cheese, and New Jdouth \i ales (owing to the drought) only lou7cwt butter.

A Loudon paper suggests th it there are abundant opportunities in Khodosia lor English farmers who arc unable to make both ends moet. Land in Matabeleland can bo purchased at the rate ot ,1s per morgen, and in Ma.shonaland at half the price, and cows at from £3 to .£•> each. 1 lie English farmers are not taking any land in Matabele country just now, however, with another war ou hand there,

An information against John Myuott, ol Now Plymouth, for having exported a quantity of butter without having the boxes marked iu accordance with the regulations for the exportation of dairy produce, was withdrawn at tlio Magistrate’s Court last week. It was explained that the butter had been shipped by mistake and contrary to the defendant's instructions, and the department were satisfied that the facts were as stated. Leave to withdraw the case was accordingly granted.

Wliakatane is already reaping the advantage of the opening of the Opouriao estate. Settlors are arriving and numbers of now housc-s are going up. —Auckland Star.

“Any New Zealander with a little enterprise and pluck could make a good thing by sending produce down here,” writes Mr J. I’. Mowat from Falkland Islands. “ Every blessed thing is imported Hour, potatoes, pressed hay, timber, pollard, bran, bacon, butter, cheese, and fruit of every description. Captain Kompson, ol the lonic, wrote t i me from London, silting tint Sliaw-Savill’s people were quite willing to allow their boats to call, providing siiilicieiit in lueement was olfered.”

A mooting of milk suppliers was held on Saturday afternoon in the Occidental Hotel, Palmerston, says the M mawatii Times, to consider the advisablcness of seceding from the Now Zealand Dairy Union and forming a now company. After an explanation had been given by Messrs Groves and M itlioson, directors of the Union, during which they stated there was a surplus of iS2W) on the year’s transactions ; that the reelam itiou would not be ent'ore ;1 against those now in the Union if it could not he collected Irom those who hal left, and th it the working expenses amounted to less than 2 1 per lb, a motion by Mr .1. Stubbs, seconded by Mr L. R. Hryant, to the effect that it is at present undesirable to secede from the Union, was carried.