FARM NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1796, 24 April 1886, Page 7

FARM NOTES.

Fodder Tables. — In North Germany a feeding table is generally used instead of a crib in cow stalls. This feeding table usually runs down the centre of the cow-house, and is built of brick and covered with a coating of cement. Mangers and racks are entirely dispensed with, and the fodder can be given to a double row of animals at the same time. They stand on either side of the table, which is of such breadth that each beast can only reach as far. as its middle. The edge of the table is slightly raised, and in front of each cow is a 2ft high boa-ding pierced with a triangular aperture, which permits the animal to feed. In order to let tho animals drink, water is allowed to flow in the channels along each side of the table from a dement covered reservoir at one cud, while the superfluous water drains off at the other end. Mr Mullor thus summarises some of the advantages of this system in a communication to Fahling's Gazette: — . " First of all, it renders great cleanliness possible, as nothing is 'easier to clean than n cement-surfneed fodder table, which cannot be Raid of a manger. Moreover, this plan avoidsthe scattering and waste of fodder which happens, more or less, with the ordinary crib, and , especially with the race. In feeding the animals, . too, an economy is effected, as, instead of giving the fodder to each animal separately, two rows can lie fed at once, while the cows are prevented by the barrier above mentioned from interfering with each other. Again the fodder table is much lower than the crib, and breeders will recognise the advantage of this. Above all, however, racks should be abandoned ; it not unfrequently happens that from the use of these the horns of young animals grow back, an uiisightliness which is wholly avoided by employing the ' fodder table.' To conclude, the prime cost of such table is not higher than that of the ordi- . nary crib, and the matter well deserves the consideration of those who are building or altering cow-sheds."

Wheat Growinff.— In an article on the Argbiitino Republic,' a correspondent signing himself « Quo" writes to iho Hereford Times:— 1 believe it iuipohbible for an English gentleman to enter into competition with the wheatgrowers of to-dny— the Hindoo, the Russia* peasant, the hard-headed, close-fisted Yankee '. farmer, and the hard-working, wily Italian. The ' latter ie the wheats-grower I am best acquainted

with. There are thousands of them here in the Argentine Republic growing wheat and linseed for the Home markets, with advantages m their favour that put them in a position to defy competition. In seed time and harvest they work, women, children, and all, very often eighteen hours a day, even ploughing and sowing by moonlight. They have the best machinery known to medern science for reaping and threshing, a cheap and productive soil, and the grain seldom has to go more than sixty or seventy miles to be put on board the ocean steamer for Europe. The result is that they are generally able to buy their land out and out with about four crops, live in their own way, and increase their worldly goods bensides. So the sooner English gentlemen (who, as a rule, do not appreciate the difference between 99 cents and a dollar) give up the idea of making their fortunes in wheat the better.

Applying Lime to Land.— Lime acts both mechanically and chemically when applied to land. It makes heavy clay soils mellow, and corrects the acidity of low, wet soils ; but the principal benefit to be derived from the application of this material is in the decomposition of vegetable matter in the soil. Lime in itself is of little value as a f ertiliser, and no amount will make a poor soil fertile. On low, bottom lands the lime should be applied broadcast and in a caustic state ; but on uplands that which has been exposed after burning until it is air-slaked — as it is termed — will answer equally well, if not better, than when slaked by water. If applied to clover or wheat it should be sown broadcast at the rate .of ten bushels per acre and evenly distributed over the surface early in spring. When applied to clay soils or low bottom lands twenty to fifty bushels per acre may be used with safety. If the soil is not naturally well supplied with vegetable matter, the lime may be composted with peat from the swamps, old sods, or even leaves and weeds ; but it should never be mixed with fresh stable manure, because its chemical action on manures containing ammonia is injurious. If you have any doubts on this point, mix a little lime with guano or with a shovelful of hen manure and see how quickly the ammonical gases will be evolved and dissipated. — N. Y. Sun.

" Horse Shoeing.—" No shoe, no horse," B&id veterinary Lafosse, in the eighteenth century. Garsault drew attention to the neces sity of studying the first shoeing, as on its correct execution depended in a large measure the formation of the animal's foot, and the development or at least good working of the joints, and the securing of strong tendons. At what age ought a colt be shod? As late as possible Bay some— say four or five years ; others would execute it at two or three years. But when is the hoof fully developed, so as to resist a Chinese swathing in iron ? While the wearing of the hoof does not exceed its development or expose any vital part, there is no great utility in calling in the farrier. But if the foal be taken early into training, and exercised over hard surfaces, a slipper may be necessary. Perhaps between three and four years of age, will appear to many as the proper period to commence .shoeing, and when the development of the foot cannot be affected. Few foals are born with defective hoofs, and if in riper years such appear, the cause must be attributed to the farrier's vicious handiwork. It may arise from his ignorance of the structure of the foot, and hence the excellent decision of the French Government, to exact that apprentice farriers shall henceforth attend technical lectures on the pathology of the horse's foot. As a safe rule, the shoes of colts should be light, and relatively narrow, to allow of the elastic play of the foot, while offering no impediment to its development. The nails, limited to six, ought to have small heads, and be sunk in the groove of the shoe itself. The fore feet are first shod, and two months later the hind feet. It is usual to varnish the hoof to protect it from dryness. Change the shoes once a month. Where colts are left unshod their feet ought to be periodically examined and pared: this may guard against blemishes. Besides, it accustoms the colts to have their feet handled ; the latter ought to be from time to time lifted up in the stable or field and given a few slaps on the sole, as a rehearsal of the farrier's services. The first shoeing ought to be effected by an old farrier, or one not likely to coerce or torture the colt, and so hava an unhappy influence on its temperament for ever.

Cause of Giddiness or Sturdy.—Everyone has heard of the gid in sheep, known in in different parts of the country as the "sturdy," 41 vertigo," " staggers," " turnside," or the " whirls." WelL if the brain of an animal that has died of this disease be opened there will be found therein what are called hydatids or cysts — little bladder-shaped objects. These are nothing more nor less than small colonies of the larvae of the very large tapeworm, called the Taenia ccenurus. We have seen this parasite nearly two yards long, and repeatedly over one yard. Bach gid hydatid is loaded, so to speak, with hundreds of tapeworm heads growing from a common centre, and every head, if introduced into the dog's body, is capable of being developed into a tapeworm. The dog often becomes infested with this parasite from eathig sheep's brains, and dogs thus afflicted and allowed to roam at pleasure over fields and hills where cheep are fed sow the seeds of gid in our flocks to any extent. We know too well the great use of collie dogs to the shepherd or grazier to advise that dogs should not be employed as assistants ; but surely it would be to their owner's advantage to see that they ■were kept in a state of health and cleanliness. Says Cobbold : *' The propagation of entozoa in general, and of tapeworms in particular, is intimately connected with, and absolutely dependant upon, the promiscuous association of different kinds of animals, and as regards the production of parasitism amongst domesticated animals used as food it is perfectly certain that the tapeworms of the dog play a most conspicuous part." Striking language this from so great an authority, and affording much food for thought. One of the commonest tapeworms of the dog is the Taenia marginata. It grows to au immense length. The dog becomes infested from the sheep. The Tania echinococcus is another — very destructive to animal life in the larval state. The Taenia serria is the tapeworm most commonly found in our sporting dogs. The larva of this entozoon is found in the intestines of the rabbit and hare.— The Book of the Dog.

" How lo Form a Herd."— This is the title (says the Queenslander of a recent date) of a valuable article communicated to the Live Stock Journal of sth February. The writer treats his subject from a purely practical point of view, and of course counsels the breeding of stock that will give the best and quickest return. In forming a herd, the writer says, the principal thing is to settle the object which «! ee( * er h as in view. Apart from Jerseys or other breeds kept for purely milking purposes, « is most undesirable to lose sight of substance. saW 7 lm P° rtan t point to keep in -view is to «ad» f»T 8 ?o,?binsng? o ,? binsn g a good covering of flesh, 2»t£ fa! '*"**?* milk - A g°°d coat of hair, he «***,«> one of the best indice. of quality and

thickness of natural flesh ; and, no doubt, in a climate like England the hair is one of the best guides to the eye; but in our Qiieonhli.ml climate, where cattle do not develop rhe beautiful mossy coats of hair peculiar lo the shorlhorns in cold climates, breeders have to deposit I more oil the hand than the uyu fur both quality and thickness of flesh. Again, in m.tking a first selection the writer advices that a. nret'oience be given to cows, even if wearing up in jpiu's, over heifers — as, being fully developed, the buyer has better opporouaities of judging ah to the suitability for his purpose. On the pom Is to be aimed at in making the first selections the following are set forth for t>peoi.il .study in breeding cows :—": — " Plenty ot growth, well covered backs, and large well-fleshed hooks (bus not too broad), with a deep and thick boily, broad chest, aud short legs ; and in the &amu way we .-.lion 11 avoid weak and bare lohit>, shorp and small Lookbones, hard backs, and iall lightly fleshed animals. On the selection of a bull he gives >orae very sound and wholesome advice. As a general rule, a good-looking animal should be chosen, although there are exceptions to thio rule, »ome notably good sires having been far from goodlooking; but in the event of the latter the buyer ought to be satisfied thai the bull has proved himself an exceptional stock getter. It is not necessary to go to a showyai-rt lor a good sire. Indeed, au opposite course is favoured, because show animals are in many instances partially ruined in their preparation ; and when a bull proves to be satisfactory do not part with him until compelled to do so, for good sires are difficult to find. The following piece of sound advice all breeders would do well to bear constantly in mind: — "Avoid glaring faults in the sire, even if theanimal io generally good. Merit does not by any means necessarily follow, but faults, unfortunately, have a strong tendency to do so." How frequently do we hear many of our Colonial breeders passing lightly over a serious fault in one of their bulls with the remark : " Oh, that fault will be corrected in my cows, which are particularly good on that particular point ;" and how frequently have we seen it to be the case that a serious flaw in an otherwise good bull, such as slackness of back, or scantiness in flanks or thigh, has introduced into a herd faults that it has been found most 1 difficult to breed out ! For general utility, the writer says, the buyer should not look for too great compactness or neatness in cither cow or bull, as it is usually combined with want of size and growth, but carefully avoid the opposite extreme of looking to size to the exclusion of quality. " Above all do not use an indifferent bull merely because he is of this or that line of blooH." The following bit of practical advice will also commend itself to most breeders :: — '• Instead of limiting the selection to any one. type ot blood, would it not be advisable to keep one line of animal in view and breed to it ? It is assumed that the breeder will follow his individual taste in the style of animals he wishes to produce ; but to a beginner about to form a pure herd for the first time, the following advice is oft'ereil : — " Endeavour to produce cattle having a ' wellbred' look; nice heads, well-set-on neck, and good carriage; avoiding black-tipped, common or badly-shapedj horns, so that the eat.fcle could at a glance be recognised as having a claim to being ' well-bred.' " Although the advice tendered by the writer is intended for those about to form a herd, there is much in it that owners of existing herds will do well to seriously ponder over.

Curing Hams.— The French system of preparing hams is as follows : — The leg of pork is well pared with a knife, to give it a neatness and roundness of form and to remove excrescences, after which the hkin is pricked with care, so as not to damage it, but to assist the brine in penetrating to the centre. The brine used consists of 111b of salt, about 10 ounces of pepper, and 2 ounces of saltpetre; with this the entire surface of the ham is rubbed. It is then placed in the salting pan, and covered with the dry mixture, the outside of the ham beiny at the top. At the end of eight or ten honro it is bound with a thread in order to.oomprehs it, and boiled in lightly made biii>e, to v.Lich thyme, cloves, bay leaves, ami basil are added. It is afterwards again soaked in hripe, and, when it has remained from fifteen to twenty days, it is removed from the salting vessel and placed under a press for from ten to twelve hours to more perfectly drain. Ife is then suspended in a smoking-room until fit to eat. Sometimes, after the smoking, it is rubbed with wine leas and preserved in a dry place. — Book of the Pig.

When a Hog Coughs.— -In swine, as in man, many fatal diseases are preceded by a cough or a difficulty in breathing-, which may not necessarily imply a cold. This may prove to be a simple disorder that will remedy itself without serious consequences, or it may prove a symptom of some disease difficult to combat. Whether accompanied or not by other symptoms, let the removal of this difficulty in breathing or coughing be your first, consideration, and you may prevent the development of borne perhaps fatal disease. If the patient has been confined in a damp, unhealthy pen or yard, removal to more wholesome quarters miy rfi\jcta reaily cure. If the food has been les* evr-jfully prepared, a little attention in this matter mny also remedy the trouble. Ii" the conditions have all been favourable, and you find an apparently healthy and thrifty pig suffering in the manner described, administer a powder consisting of two drachms each of Epsom salts and sulphur. Give it in a pint of fre'ah v.,Uk, and follow the dose with a meal or two of soaked oats, which will alleviate the cough. — Breeders' Journal.

Treatment for Worms. — Worms in horses are usually an indication of bad condition from indigestion of the food. The usual treatment is to give a pint of raw linseed oil, with four ounces of turpentine in it, one hour before feeding in the morning and repeat the oil alone next morning. Tha medicine not only destroys the worms, but it relaxes the bowels freely' and relieves the liver, strengthening the digestive organs. After the second dose of oil begin giving one drachm each of powdered gentian root and sulphate of iron twice a day in cut feed or mash. Salt should be given every day without fail, and is a great preservative of health ; a teaspoonf ul is sufficient.