NOTES ON RURAL TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2181, 19 December 1895, Page 50

NOTES ON RURAL TOPICS.

At one time and another inquiries have been made with regard to native Natire material for paper-making, and Wntnrini experiments have been made f with the view to testing the matter experimentally. The Paper-niiifcing. different tussock gra h se3 have been tried, and although they give fairly gocd results they prove too refractory

in the process of manufacture. Wood pulp has been thought of, but not tried beyond the scientific experimental stage. Experiment has shown that our white pine is about the beet timber for paper pulp, but in face of the magnitude of the indusii-y in other countries there is no prospect of paper-making from wood pulp or cellulose being established as a profitable industry in New Zealand. A very interesting paper, conveying a lot of most useful information on the subject;, was laid before Parliament la,3t session. From this paper it appears that there are three classes of wood pulp in use in the manufacture of paper. Mechanical pulp is prepared by grinding the wood down to pulp, after which ie is compressed into thick sheeti. Pulp prepared in this way hag little or no fibrous quality and i 3 therefore generally used for making the commoner papers, or for filling to give weight and body to other paper. Sulphite pulp is made by boiling the wood with bisulphide of lime. This pulp, if made from a white-coloured timber, is turned out so white that it is fit for the manufacture of the paper on which newspapers are generally printed. When bleached tLis pulp can be used for the manufacture of the finest kinds of writing and book papers. Soda pulp is obtained by boiling the raw wood with caustic soda, and is generally prepared in the unbleached state. It is therefore used for making other papers than white. By a combination of the soda and sulphite processes, another pulp called sulphate pulp is prepared. Of course ths quality of the pulp depends upon the kind of wood used. A Jarfje quantity is prepared in Norway an»l Swi'.f'cn, mndo from tho wood of th'} crmmi/Ji pirn*. This pulp makes a paper thai is tioft and fluffy,. and not to be compared with tho pulp made in Germany from tho young wood of the Scotch fir. Both chomicil and mechanical pulps -are largely produced in Scandinavia, Austria, Germany, and America. Canada has recently gone into the industry oa an extensive ecale, and as all of the countries named manufacture far more than suits their own requirements, they are able to export a

large surplus at a price against which wa could not hope to compete. Besides, the cjst of the requisite plant for the prepar»tioa of wood pulp is too great for the limited market we should find for our piper if we went in foe the industry. We have a far better prospect in using up the tussock grass and the New Zealand flax, which will make excellent pulp for paper if it could only be prepared on a cheaper scale than the fibre is for cordage. The Paris/jorrespondent of the London Times reoalls bis first meeting with the "' M. Pasteur illustrious man whose fame as a and bacteriologist is coextensive with Anthrax. the civilised world. The correspondent states that at the time referred to he was invited to witness some interesting experiments to be made by M Pasteur at a tarm near Melun. A fortnight previous, in a bit of waste ground forming an enclosed corner of the field, an animal which had died from anthrax had besn buried just below the surface, and over the spot grass had been sown. When the graFS had begun to cjms up 50 sheep were selected, and 25 of them were vacciuated with the anti-anthrax virui. The whole 50 were then turned into the enclosed corner to graze. Four days later M. Pasteur, and Eevera.l experts visited the field to r.ote progress. On the way to the field the veterinary surgeons openly expressed their scepticism, and were convinced that the expeiitrtent would not succeed. But when they arrived at the field they be-held a moit extraordinary spectacle. All of the 25 saeep that had not been vaccinated were dead. Oat of the other 25 which bad been vaccinated, and specially marked, 24- were in admirable condition. The single sheep which appeared to ba ailing soon recovered ; and it was afterwards discovered that it h%d been given an overdose of vdeciue. And thus the triumph of the experimental scientist was declared, and the discomfiture of the rule-of-thumb men complete. But to their credit, be it said, the veterinary surgeons were moro enthusiastic than anyone else, and rushed

to M. Pa'teur as though to ctrry him on their shoulders. Pasteur alone amid the assembly appeared calm aud abashed at the honour paid him that day. Thus always does true genius deport itself, self-contained with the knowledge of power. And fiom that day, it may be said, the whole wonder-world of bacteriology has been unfolded to science. It has long been a tenet of the disciples of the healing art that Nature provides an antidots for every disease, and that antidote has been saught for amongst herbs aud mineral poisons. But the new science of bacteriology shows that the antidote is more likely to be discovered in the disease itself. Tnus, autbiv.x, which is terribly fatal to domestic animal's, can be made to provide its own autidote, and the same is the case along the whole line of febiile diseases. I notice that the Ofcago Acclimatisation Societyhas raised an objection to the The Farmers Laud Board disposing of the mid islands in the vicinity of the Jthe Pukukl. Waihola Lake, oa the grounds that the islands form an important breeding grpund for the pukaki, or »wamp tuikey as it is more generally called, and also for the wild geese the society is endeavouring to establish. The farmers abutting these swamp lands ' will view the kindly consideration for the pukaki displayed by the acclimatisation society with mingled feelings. At certain seasonß of the year these birds are both fivuM-'oiic and destructive, and farmers aie 0' m t'm •-, wont to lay down poisoned grain to grtt rid ut th°tn. The lessee of thesa islands, therefore, if he cleared them of native growth, and so cleared out the swamp turkeys, would earn the gratitude of the waterside farmers. But apart from the islands that could be utilised for grazing stock, there are numerous islets that, ueveiiwill be so used, and on these the pukaki will find a congenial home. With regard to the wild geese, it will only be possible to make a cjmparjson between their utility and their deatructivenesa whan they be-

come numerous. Iv tioio to come they mty be viewed by the farmers wilh as little favour as the swamp turkeys. While on this subject I may make a passing reference to the close eea-. son tbxt has been declared for the native pigeon dutiDg 1896, and which it is intended to declare every half-dizsn years. I djubt vary much whether an occasional clo3e season will do very much towards conserving this rapidly dis appearing bird. A imrii bettor means of protection would bo affui-J-d by making' it illegal to shoot thsse b rds during tb.9 scooting season without a license. Settlers in bush districts should only pay a nominal lice.sa fee, but visitors who come on slaughter bent ought to be made to pay as great a fee as they do for trout -fiihing, for iustance. I am fully (satisfied that nothing sbort of this will save the woad pigeon from speedy extinction. In addition to the Jiceme for shooting th<ra should ba an additional license for selling them. Unless the wanton slaughter of tkd birds by the hundred in the name ot eport is stayed, close seasons will do but little to save them from extinction. *" The remarks of the London correspondent of if 10 Witness on the subject o? Chilled the recently inaugurated trade Heat. in chilled meat will be read with interest. It really seems as if there was nothing to prevent this new branch of trade beiDg completely successful. If that should prove to be the case the trade should add very greatly to the production of the colony. The South Island w not so greatly affeated, bub many districts of the Noith Island are e^pesially suitable for cattle-raising and the colony should be' as- well able to hold its own in the chilled beef trado as it doe 3in that of frozen mutton. It is quite true that the shipments to which our correipondent allude 3 were landed while the markets were very depressed. That, however, is a condition incidental to every trade. The satisfactory thing is, the meat arrived in a3 perfect a condition as its quality would admit, and the fact that there

I is large scope for improvement in quality in I fature shipments gives reasonable ground for hope that the trade may ultimately be a profitable one. For tha live cattle trade there was no such hope. Tiie difficulties of transpott, the length and consequently the expense of the voyage, and the effect of the pas3*ge ou the health and e^ndition of the stpsk, fivm the first made it clear that the trade would be always coiifiued withiu comparative limits, in whica respect America, Canada, aud River Plats would of course always have a considerable advantage over the Australasian colonies. These advantages are at least very greatly reduced when it comes to be a dead meat competition, and the only thing, or at least tho main thing, is to take care that the quali'y, of the New Zealand meat does not suffer in comparison with those countries. Canada has been particularly quick to recognise the value of the trade. A cablegram the other day announced that the Dominion Government was assuming the " management," whatever that may meaD, of the export trade, and was about to establish a storage depot and retail shop) in London. It would not perhaps be advisable for New Zealand to proceed at such a pace, bub we can at least .profit by the experiment — not forgetting in the meantime to bestow every care and attention upon the requirements of the London market. Colonial farmers, as a rule, are fully alive to the expediency of providing The Care of themselves with all the imp'eFarm ment* arid .machines necessary Implements, for the efficient working of their land. In fast many farmers are too lavish in their expenditure in that way, and oftentimes discard a good and serviceable article for a more improved pattern of the same thing which takes their fancy. Makers are constantly vying with eich other in adding 'trifling improvements to the implements and machinery, and their agents are always on the watch j fcr a chacce of making a commission. Conse- ' auentl? farmers are frequently made disoon*

tented with an article with which they were very well satisfied previous to seeing the newer pattern, and are temptad to lay out money in this way and have a lot of machinery on their hands for which they ' have no' use. This ia dead stock and money lying idle, and it is a mistake to bo persuaded to buy againet one's better judgment: jusfc to be in the fashion. However, this is a digres>ion, and the object of this note ia to draw ationlijn to the necessity of taking good cireof the working plant of the farm, be it quite up to date or a little behind the height of fashion. Now, take the .useful bub commonplace farm dray. Huw seldom it is housed when not in use, and yefc it is more liable to damage and decay through exposure than many more exp?nsive articles of the farm equipment. The wheels are a very important part of a dray or cart, and we know how their st ength is due to tho effect of heat in expanding tho tyres and then the effect of cold causing a contraction, which, making the iron tyro grip the rims and press home the spokes into the felloo3 and nave, results in a firm and strong whed, which with fair treatment will do all the work required of it for years. But while ezpowd to a hot summer heat (I hope we shall get « good deal more th*n we have yet had) the wcod of the wheel dries and shriuk«, and at tha sirne -time the iron of the tyre expands, and the wheelwright's work is undone, and we can see daylight between the rim and the tyre. The careless farmer then abased the maker for bad work, and Fays he must hava tho tyres cut and tightened, whsrons a. rough shed or any protection from th« hot gun would hive obviated this expense. English farmers invariably have a cartshed, but it is Seldom soen on colonial farms. Drills, reapers, sowers, rollers, and all implements compoaed of wood and iron • suffer more from exposure to the weather than anything that ib composed wholly or chiefly of meial. It is more important to dhelttr these things in summer than in winter, for tbough iv the latter season tho woodwork gets weather-worn the ironwork is not constantly expanding and contracting as in th£ summer with alternate heat and moisture. AVhon the turnip-sowing is done it is surely a simple matter to draw the tillage implements into the shade of a plantation if there is no such thing as a shed for them to stand unifor until they are rgaia required, instead of leaving them for aevr r»l months in the corner of the field where last employed. It may be safely said that ia many instances the implements suffer more from exposure during the year than from ordinary wear and tear of their work'ng days. While employed they must necessarily be exposed a good deal to the destiuotivo agencies of the elements, and many people think that as they can't preveDt weathe ring while ia the field, it is not worth while to be particular about them daring the off seasons, therefore they stand out to be soaked, scorched, frozen, and thawed by turns year and in year out, until finally thrown atideand replaced. It it 6carcely necessary to add that an animal rJainting and overhauling of an article will prolong its days of usefulness ye y comiderably, and if shed room is too expensive, a pot of paint is within everybody's means. During the early p»rt of this summer we had about six wet days for each fine" Hay or one, but at the time of writing Ensilago ? there is a decided change foiTthe better, this week having. been bright and fu:ny. Should we revert to tho rcoi't wi ather during the jest of the summer, haj-nnkiug weuld be a difficult and vexations operation. The moist season has caused a good growth of grass and clover, but the question is, How are we going toesave it ? The delay to the shearing has been bad enough, but a wet week in haytime causes not only loss of time, but also the d'strmtion of the- c op s-> far as its nutritious qualities are co .caned Th.3 weather may remain more settled, and I devoutly hope it will ; but we rausi consider tho position in case this .desirable state of affairs should not continue. Under the circumstances it may be useful to refer to ensilage as an alternative to hay. By this mods of saving the surplus summer feed for winter wants the grower is practically independent cf the weather, and, moreover, can BHve the gt ass with all its succulence instead of making it into weaf bet-beaten and inferior hay. Ensilage put together very wet is said to be quite a 9 succulent and nutritious as that made in fine weather, or with a light rain or heavy dew upon it, but has n&t 6uch a swesb and seductive a-oma, bting more inclined to have a sour smell, and therefore net so inviting to stock. It cannot be worse in that respect than mouldy, badlj -saved hay, with no more nourishment in it than so much old thatch. It is heavy and laborious work handling green fodder freshly cut, and much more bo when wet with rain, but there is also an immense deal of labour involved in turning, returning, and I shaking out hayrocka in a catchy season, and the latter is also amost disheartening labourinto the bargain, being somewhat- similar to harvesting grain that has been sprouted or badly shaken by wind. It iB probably the necessity of mechanical pressure that deters many from making ensilage instead of hay. While the stack is being built its own weight gives pre-sure enough, and after it has been pub up 10 or 12 feet high it should be left to settle for a day or two, when it should again bs made up to the desired height and weighted down for good. There are various wajn o£ appljiug pressure, the object being to so compie s the stack that the air ia excluded and the fermentation uninterrupted by external influ-

ences. A dead weight of earth, stones, or an; handy available material in just as good and perhaps more economical than any patent process of levers and winding drums. Any plan that commends itself to the farmsr as combining economy and efficiency is the one to adopt, bub efficiency must not be neglected »ud the pressure must be thorough or the labour of getting the stuff together will be thrown away. If a stack is neatly finished off and properly compressed the waste dees not amount to mucb, as at the mo9t 6in in depth all round the stack will be the total quautity ppiiled by exposaro to the air. In a pit or walled-in silo (here is no waste, as the air is entirely excluded, bub the quality of the r-ilage thus made is not to be compared to that made in a stack. Each ton of green grans put into a stack ehould turn out ab^oufc 12cwt of good silage in the spring if the pressure has bean right. This meansA shrinkage of 40 per oeDt., whereas in hay the lofs is about double that. I have nothing to say against haymaking, find a stack of good hay is bad to beat. I merely wish to remind those who have surplus grass that there is more tban one way of dealing with it, and as the prospect of saving hay in good order is not very encouraging, the question arises whether it is worth while to try another plan for preserving the. precious juice of th.B'grass and clover. A horse, from a practical point of view, is simply an animated machine. Buying Uuliko a machine, however, its a weak patts cannot be renewed Horse. when worn out, and it is very necessary to look more to a horse's weak points than to its good ones. It should cot avail for the seller to draw attention to a horse's good shoulders and wellrounded rits if the bujer can plainly see that his legs are not -what they should ba. A horse without legs is ou a par with a dray without •wheels ; but if the body of the dray ii good it can be provided with new wheels, wh'le a korie gone .in the legs is of no use except for stud purposes. In buy- j ing a horse it is the best policy to reject an animal for one serious defect-, though it may possess several excellent points. The greatest j strength of a horse is limited to its worst point, and if the buyer is smart; enough to discover the weakest point ere it is too late he should either decline to trade or appraise the animal on the basis of its chief defect. Then, again, a horse may be sound and good in all outward appearance, and yet ba a bad doer or possess an eye that betokens a vile temper ; so that, all things considered, there is ample scope for the exercise of judgment, knowledge, and experience in going into tbe market as a horse-buyer. * '