NOTES AND QUERIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2010, 1 September 1892, Page 24

NOTES AND QUERIES.

An Obliged One.— (l) Freezing works are established at the following centres in the South Island :— Otago and Southland — Burnside (Dimedin), Oamaru, Mataura, Bluff (2) ; Canterbury—Belfast and Islington. There are works also at Wellington and Hawke's Bay, in the North Island. (2) San Francisco steamers call at Auckland only; tho direct steamers call at Port Chalmers, Lyttelton, Wellington, and Auckland, and the final ports of departure are Lyttelton and Wellington ; the Shire lino depart from whichever port the steamer may finish loading at. Novice.— (l) If tho skins are green, lay the skin flesh up, and spread equal parts of saltpetre, and alum, pulverised finely ; roll the skins closely, and let them lie for a few days. Then wash thoroughly and scrape off any flesh that way remain on tho skin. Tlieu soak the skins for 24 hours in a weak solution of sal. soda, borax, and soap. Then wash in* soapsuds, and soak again in a weak solution of alum and salt. , equal parts. Then wash in warm water and dry. Then work fhe skin to soften by rolling and rubbing. The raw skins of sheep and cattle need only salting and drying for the, market. (2) To be successful in the growth of laurel cuttings, the cut shnild bo made just at the point where the previous year's growth terminates and that" of tho current year begins. It -should bo removed with a clean, sharp sloping cut, just below a bud, for there lies the latent root. Plant in lines 4in or sin apart in a dampish situation. ' Reader.— lt is very difficult for one who is round shouldered to break off .the habit of stooping, btraps for the purpose of assisting in the effort are- sold at the drapers!. •• A eood plun is to niakc a habit of throwing back your head. If the head is kept well back it is almost impossible to become round shouldered. Children should bo taught to keep their chins up in order to keep them from getting into this pernicious habit. Eastern women who carry their burdens on their heads, which necessitates keeping tlie chin up, and strengthens the muscles in "the back of the neck, are noted for their straight shoulders. , > , , ■ F.H.A.— The white grub is a very difficult subject to deal with, and many different remedies have been suggested. Among those is flooding the paddock and drowning the grub, a proceed- , ing strongly recommended by a correspondent when the subject cropped up in these columns some years ago. The application of limb at the rate of one and a-qurter ton to the aero would . prove effectual, but this material iuvolves considerations of cost and carriage to tho farm. Soot applied at the rate of 12cwt per acre would destroy the peats if numerous ; if not so, a lesser quantity would suffice.' Coarse, lowquality salt, scwt to 7cwt per acre, is a wellknown remedy as kainit has also -been proved to be by numerous experimental tests in America. Whichever of the prescribed remedies you elect to use, you are recommended to apply the dressing to the whole field, as if applied only to the patches presently, affected there would be a danger of a shifting of the grubs or worms to the undressed portions around. Much depends also on the mode of application, which should be as follows:— One turn of mediumweight harrows up and down, and then another diagonal. Sow or spread- the dressing if possible immediately before ram. and follow the application promptly with a heavy roller. Of the materials recommended probably you will find a mixture of salt and kainit— half the prescribed quantity of each— effectual and the least costly. Of this be assured, the cost of tho material for dressing, with that of the harrowing and rolling added, will be well repaid by a marked improvement in the grasses and tho fertilisation of the soil. , J. P., Gore.— The chief value of butter is that it accelerates the digestion of nitrogenous matter taken as food ; hence its universal use in connection with bread, scones', <fee. In its oxidation in the organism a large amount of heat is liberated. It is also thought that butter assists in the process of cell formation. Bookworm.— The works are obtainable at Hors- " burgh's, George street, as below .'—"Thompson's Gardener's Assistant, 35s ; " Johnston's Cottago Gardenei's Dictionary," 7s 6(1 ; " Aboriculture — : Practical Treatise on Raising and Management y, of Forest Trees; byGrigor, 10s, 6d. Constant Reader.— The great fire at - Chicago occurred on October 8, °v 10, and 11, 1871. StiuigutGoer.— Your lines arentftuptothe standard. ' R. D., Gore.— We should say that it is quite competent for the president of •« farmers' club to introduce political matters having any direct bearing on the objects for' which the club was started. We cannot s.ee why the fact that the „ adoption or rejection of the motion would entail traversing the policy of the Government of the day on the point under discussion should prevent a matter in which the farming community are vitally interested being brought up for an expression of opinion at a meeting of representatives of farmers. ' Beehive writes :— I had a hive of bees— last year's swarm. One hot day last week, not seeing the bees at work like the 1 rest of the hives. I lifted the box and found it quite full of honey but no bees, dead or alive. No appearance of mice or anything else having disturbed them. Can you state the reason of their- leaving the hive.—— "Novice" replies :-r-Their queen had died during last autumn, and. so they have gradually dwindled away. " - Constant Reader, Otiake.— Boil linseed oil in an earthen vessel ; when it has come to a boil keep it on a slow fire,- j ust simmering. This is a wqrk of some hours. Have ready a claim piece of pipe stem, dip it in now and then; ana let it drop on a cold flagstone. As it cools put it, between your finger and thumb, and go on till you find it sticky enough. When cold, add about one-eighth of Stockholm tar, 'and "you will have a birdlime that will draw the hair off your head. Caught.— (l, 2, 3) No. (4) We do not understand this question. 9 Vanity, Miller's ■ Flat.— (l) No/ (2) No water right authorises the taking of all the water of a creek if it is required by any person for domestic Ui-e. And oue slujce. head must be left if required by the person through whose land tho creek runs, or if the warden gives notice to that effect. Gardener,— (l) We are surprised at such a question being asked after the act has been so long in operation. " To allow such a defence would render the act useless. If the inspector is of opinion that there are rfibbits on the land a fine follows. (2) The bed is either in too dry a situation or else if requires trenching and well manuring. (3) By keeping one single plant among a number of double and saving the seed. Subscriber, Gore.— Section 71 expressly enacts that meetings of a road board" are to be open to the public. The section you' refer to (79) certainly does not authorise the .board to go into committee for the purpose "of excluding the public, but merely provides • for the appointment of committees in the proper and ordinary sense. A road board that systematically goes into committee in order to exclude the public acts illegally.