SOUTHLAND AGRICULTURAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2467, 26 June 1901, Page 16

SOUTHLAND AGRICULTURAL NOTES.

(Fhom Our Own Coeeespondent. ) The .weather has been \ery fine dur.ng the

month, and the . lainfall up TJid Weather to the 2fcnd in=t. was only and .55in. As might be expecTlie Farm. ted, therefore, a large area

has been ploughed, and other seasonable operations have been carried on satisfactorily and expeditiously. There was a demand for oats last weak, and if it continues carting to the sidings will take the place of ploughing. Pome farmers, %vhose crop is still in the stack, intend to thresh now if they can get hand's for the threshing machines. The few who are idle do not care to work until they have seen the Duke. After that they will no doubt wait until the arrival of the members of the fourth and fifth contingents at the Bluff. Tn the meantime probably it is only the farmer^ who have their crop threshed (but the majolity have the threshing over) that will be able to take advantage of the enhanced piioep. A week ago buyers were unsuccessfully offeiing Is 3d, and a few days later Is 5d could easily be obtained for good feed. Buyers seem now to be unsuccessful in combining to keep pric:9 from being profitable to the grower, as the tarmen, are ahiady making their influence felt through the newlyo&lablished Co-operatne Association. The sheep market has been in a very unsatisfactory condition for some time, but there are signs of an improvement. The absence q£_ the u«ual demand from Canterbury and tlieT irediuro turnip cicp have no doubt a good deal to ~o w i t *i the serious fall in price?, but there are probably obi-cure causes opeia<in»; as ivei'. There is too much sheepdealing carried on — perhaps it snould be> called gambling — ')oth by farmers and dealers, and we may expect every now and then unpleasant experiences. 1\ c favourable weather i* saving the turnips from being wasted, and much lew than the usual quantity will suffice should we enjoy a few more week* of such weather.

Of the four species of domestic animals — • horse, ox. sheep, and p r, — Animal it is only the horse that Ailments. gives the farmer much con-

cern when medical treatment is nocf >c saiy, and this is owing to liia being more liable to illness, through living under different conditions to the other animals named, and also on account of his' gi eater \alue. A considerable number o£ horses are lost annually through the condition's not being conducive to health. With skilful management, aud by learning the best way to treat an animal when affected, the number of deaths could, I believe, be reduced one-half. The majority of the deaths are no doubt due to standing too long after being heated, to errors in dieting, and to keeping the animal at work ofter it; shows signs of illness. A horse is not ready to give in, but an observant workman wilf^ soon notice unusual behaviour, and a horse" should be removed from a team immediately it is known to be unwell. If put into a/ comfortable loose-box and left idle the following day, recovery usually takes place without medicinal treatment, unless the bowels are bound. If there is any certainty on this point, a pint of raw linseed oil should be ghen. This oil should be obtained from a chemist, as there is a risk of getting boiled or inferior oil at a general "store. Mud fever attacks some horses which aie often on clayey soil. The symp*

terns are a stiffness of gait, heat, and swelling of the legs, and sometimes loss of hair on these parts. The mud should be allowed to dry on! It should then be brushed off, and the legs dre3se<s 'with a mixture of 1 of carbolic acid to (A of glycerine and 8 of liquid acetate of lead. Some horscowners assort that a horse is hardier after having liad an attack of mud fever, the effect being similar to a blister. When colte are allowed to get mto low condition they are liable to be pestered with lice. The best and simplest remedy is red precipitate (the re 1 oxide or protoxide of mercury). Half an ounes is required for one animal, and the powdei should be sprinkled from between the ears along the backbone to the root of the tail. This will, in a short time, destroy all the parasites, and good feeding ■will save the animal from further trouble. The precipitate, which is a poison, should not be put inside the horse's ears. I may remark that in addition, to the parasites, which are the consequences natural to the states of filth and debility, horses are eometimes almost driven frantic with itching prqvcked by lice from a hen roost adjoining the stable, and that applications intended ta destroy lice are useless until the building which is the source of the mischief is removed. Cattle, which have the advantage of living under more natural conditions than horses, give little trouble on the farm. In the winter time a beast occasionally becomes hoven through a turnip sticking in. some part of the gullet. A piece of rounded wood about 7in long and 6iri in circumference, having a number of -iin 01 lin ho^cs boied through it, should be placed in the mouth crossways, and kept in position by cords attached to the ends and tied behind the horns. This causes incessant action of the jaws, a'ld :i flow of saliva, which tpnrls to dissolve the outer parts of the obstruction, nnd so brings about its removal. But when there is gre-»t swelling, it will be necessary to pierce the left or near side with a knife or trocar and caiiula at a point midway between the last rib, the prominence of the hip, and the transverse process of the- lumbar vertebrse. A trocar for cattle costs about 6s, and one for sheep abo it ss. Any chemist will procure one of these useful instruments for a customer from the wholesale firms. Sheep ars nearly as liable as cattle to die from the cp use mentioned, and it is one of the causes of death from feeding on turnips. The animal coughs and swells gradually. "When death results the carcase is much swollen, and a white froth appears at the mouth. When the skin is hung on a fence it quickly assumes a bright vermi'.ion, and after a while becomes very dark.

The price °f timber is steadily rising. Red pine is now 11s 6d in the Miscellaneous, timber j'ards — nearly double the price it was a number of years ago. The building trade is very active notwithstanding. Lime is being used to a limited extent for improving the soil in a number of places every year, but the cost of labour is preventing its use to a greater extent. Draining is also- carried on. but the same cause operates in preventing extensive operations generally. Many farmers are content to tile-drain wet hollows only. I noticed in a recent issue of the Witness that "Agricola" recommended Spon's work on draining to a correspondent. On looking through Spon's catalogue of scientific books I notice that there are four works on draining by as many authors, and I think the one which would be mbst useful to a farmer would be "Farm Drainage." by H. F. French, published by E. and F. Spon, 125 Strand, London. It treats of "the principles, processes, and effects of draining land with stones, wood-ploughs, and open ditches, and esnecially with tiles.' There are upwards of 100 wood engravings in the work. . , Two or three years a?o t\e merits and aemerits of the Tamworth breed of pigs were being discussed here, and some specimens of the, breed were introduced. They have not come into general favour, however, and I hear that baconcurers do not speak favoxirably of the crosses from this breed, and that they prefer the Berkshire-Yorkshire cross to any other.