NOTES ON CURRENT TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1834, 14 January 1887, Page 6

NOTES ON CURRENT TOPICS.

Between shearing and harvest WASHING there are generally a few weeks wool of comparatively leisure time, and

I think a portion of this slack time, may be turned to a profitable account by washing or scouring the locks and pieces of the wool. In small lots the farmer and his boys can do a good deal in this way without any hired- labour being uecessary. In the case of large lots it can be done by oue or two of the ordinary farm hands at much less expense than is incurred by sending the locks and pieces to a.fellmongery.; The chier''requisite is a running stream of good water, a rack for draining the wool, and a few large sheets on which to dry the wool. With regard to apparatus for heating water, I am of opinion that it does not pay to go to the expense of hot water washiug, for it is impossible by any ordinary means to make the wool white enough for the use of the manufacturers without any further scouring. lam told on the very best authority that no matter how well the wool may be scoured here it is invariably put through a further cleansing process before being worked up into fabrics. My theory, then, is this :— That if the -grease, .dirt, sand, &c. is taken out, so • that the buyer knows that he is getting nothing but wool, he will give a price equal to that of the best water-washed wool because be has to scour it again in either case, and tho cold, washed wool will lose no move weight then than the other. For several years past I have washed all my locks and pieces in the sheep dip, out of which it is forked on to a frame in the draining pens to drip for a few hours, and then spread lightly on the scrim sheets to dry. After being exposed to the sun and wind of a fine summer's day it is fit for packing in the bales." It requires to be occasionally turned while on the sheets, as this hastens the drying. The washing process is very simple, if the water supply is good and plentiful, the wool being merely stirred about uutil the water is foul, when the'latter is let'oub of the dip and a fresh supply admitted. This is done three times, or oftener if- required, until it is seen that no more dirt comes from the wool, which is then thrown out, as stated, to drip before beiug spread on the sheets. Of course the urine stains in the belly pieces and the dung stains in the breech locks cannot be removed by cold water washing, nor yet can they be quite taken out by any process.

A professional scourer would results, doubtless laugh consumedly at my method, but the old proverb says "The proof of the pudding is in the eating," and I find by results that this method pays me far better than sending the wool to a regular wool scourer at a cost of from Id to 2d per lb for the scouring. Last year's washed pieces brought ll£d in London, and washed locks 8d ; and I may say that these prices are more than double what I got when I shipped in the grease and dirt. A man and a boy can, in fine, drying weather, wash, dry, and pack a bale per day, at a cost of about one-third of a penny per lb in wages. lam well aware that in comparing prices of dirty and washed wool allowance must be made for considerable loss in weight in the latter case, but there is a saving in freight ; and, taking all things into consideration, I find it pays me well to wash the wool in the manner above stated.

It has never yet been satisfacterily the recent explained why the price of wool visE in the commenced to rise bo unexpect-, price of edly in the last June sales. The wool, other day I accidentally met a member of one of the largest firms of London wool auctioneers, who is taking a tour through Australia and New Zealand. This gentleman informed me that he had not the least idea as to the cause of the rise in wool values, nor did he think anybody knew the actual cause, the rise being probably the effect of a combination of circumstances, such as improved confidence in political affairs. A new Ministry taking office about that time created, perhaps, a slight revival in trade which, combined with the fact that many large manufacturers had been for some time only working from hand to mouth as it were— buying from time to time just what they required for orders ; in hand, and' perhaps found themselves pretty'; well cleared of material when the' sales in question opened. Whatever the' cause, the result

prdved'very satisfactory to us, and I ferventU I hope that- the^ccouut sales, of the outgoing clip I will not buu^oMe.taa9.UuM»4»f the latter 8 partyoHaslt 'season;^ gal#.«A^ present sheep, k ' farmers have little but the^WboHo depend upou I l.T^e sale, of. surplus stock .will bring in next to nothing.' 'Fat sheep, too, cannot rise above * their, value jfor esp ort^and^ that.,at' present is I ■not much more than what will ''cover expenses - and charges. Our chief reliance must, for a'; few years at any rate, be placed upon wool aud - wheat, and it is a fortunate thing that we ,are *" second to'norie'infh^qu^lijiy ,o? " iff we choose' to exert, onrseWes''ui thatdiree' f ,tion. =• '- ■ ■ [■■> ;••** ,'•"•**-. • " % Cows that atie * "ordinarily very I . xilkino quiet , are troublesome to milk I kicking^ 'when th>ir udders are inflamed or I cows. then? teats tore'; and when such is X a 4 ' i.' J^'WV*' iXtPVWfx. greaf, patience *■ and tact onihe part of th^ milker in order to i draw ,the- niilk- f w;th < ,»the-';lea8 : t? paia toe the cow, or damage to the' milk paU.' There are ! cowg, too, ,that» kick from the love of' kicking or t from a chronic state of illtemper, and require I to 'be very securely tied,-or they will free them- f selves and do some bodily jnjury to the mUker i besides knocking the bucket over. "The usual i plan in tying the leg is to place a loop around it ' and haul it up to a post or ring in the'wall, but r I think the better plan is to strap the two biurt ' legs together with, a ' Rtroug strap and buckle \ as then the cow candot possibly lift one leg without the cither, whereas, when one leg only is tied '• she can kick away with' fthe other, and though 1 not able to reach the pail, she 'civ cause a good ' deal , of trouble and'annoyance'by lifting dirt' into, the milk and hindering, the" o'peratar. But ' I find that strapping the -two 1 legs tightly together is a sure safeguard against such behaviour ! ' ' ' Many farmers think that anjbodv the can be trusted to milk I ,' and that milker.- it does -not' matter' how many different hands are set to the job at different times, while' others are so particular about the matter that they prefer to do it themselves. A neighbour of mine, wh6 can afford to employ as many hands as he pleases, and has a large family of boys, says that" he 'can trust them to do almost anything- but milk the cows and that he will not allow' anyone to do but himself if he, can possibly. avoid it. I confess to somewhat of the same feeling myself, that the cows are not properly milked unless I do it myself. Of course where there are a large number of cows to milk they cannot be all milked by the same person, but the farmer should be careful to allow no rough-tempered, bullying men or boys to go near them.

At this season of the year, when potting feed is plentiful, it is very difficult down to get a regular market for fresh BUTTE&. . butter at a rumuuerative price. The only thing that can be done with it is to salt it down for- the winter, when good salt butter will probably bring a better price than can be got ,for. fresh now. A great deal of care is required' to salt down butter so that it will come out sweet andjSqund, for badly salted butter is not fit for human food. A certain housewife of my acquaintence prefers to pickle her butter in brine to dry salting iv the usual method., Sheputy the.,brine,inan open tub, as for pork, and 'places the'pafs in itafter wrapping in cloth. As long as- the butter is covered by the brine it is all right, and the tub need not be filled at once., but the .pats- can be put urfrom time to time as churned. The butter seems to keep well for a considerable time, but I do not suppose this plan would answer in potting large quantities, for, market. . lathe case I refer to it is only preserved forHhe'use'of the house. AgbTcoLa.