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Otago Witness, Issue 2860, 6 January 1909, Page 7

Coode Island. The Agricultural Department has taken steps to have it immediately eradicated before it has time to spread. It is a slender, very prickly plant, the very spiny leaves with a white, woolly surface, especially on the under side; the flowers *re bright yellow. In all Danish creameries barrels containin lime water occupy a prominent position. The creameries, which yeara ego practised the steaming of all churns and other dairy utensils regularly in order to keep them sweet and pure, now simply scrub them in hot water, and while the surface ia still warm, apply with a brush a generous coating of thick limewash. This is partly absorbed by the pores of the wood, which it purifies and makes bright and firm. The surplus lime is afterwards washed off. It appears that lime takes the place of washing soda, being much superior for^creamery purposes, and a great deal cheaper a3 well. Lime removes grease and sour smells from floors and /utensils, makes tinware brighter, and the grain of wood firm,^bright, and loose. Some creamery associations strongly recommend suppliers to use lime for cleaning "their milk vessels, as well as for whitewashing stables, milk houses, etc. Tho formula for preparing lime water/ in which utensils may be immersed is thus given: — " The solubility of lime at ordinary temperature is one part in 700 parts of water. Such a solution.. would be termed saturated lime water. Translated into pounds and gallons, this means that one pound of lime is sufficient to saturate seven gallons of water. However, owing to impurities in commercial lime, it is well to use more than is called for in this statement. If good, freshly^burnt quicklime can be obtained, two or three pounds to five gallons would be thoroughly saturating. The method of preparation is simply to slake the lime with a small quantity of water, and then stir the milk of lime so formed into five gallons of water." With regard to' the soundness of stallions competing at shows, the committee of the Royal Agricultural 3ociety of New South Wales has resolved that a certificate be demanded for every competing stallion in 1910. It is considered that some time must be allowed before the condition could be fairly insisted upon. The committee has ,' decided also that in the event of the Government an official examination of stallions prior to the 1910 show, the society could accept the Government certificate. It is estimated in some quarters that New Zealand will have 2,000.000 bushels of wheat available for export this season provided the grain is garnered without mishap. Binder twine is reported to bo rather scarce in the Wairarapa district. The Dominion says: — '"A Gladstone contractor, who was offered 8s per acre and find twine, refused, and decided to accept 6s per acre, the owner to find ihe twine. A.t present the twine is costing from 6s to' 7s 6d per acre, and the contractor is congratulating himself on the bargain. In the Scottish Farmer of November 14 appears a special report and critique of the Otago A. and P. Society's annual horse parade. There are some sensible suggestions aa to the ring management which might receive careful consideration from the society. Harvesting is in full swing in the Lower Valley district (write3_the Wairarapa correspondent of the Dominion), and reaping has been going on right through the holidays. Some of the crops are rather light, compared with those in the Carterton and Masterton localities, but, all round, the Wairarapa yields are described as superior to those of Hawke'n Bay, Manawatu, or Taranaki. In many portions of the district rape crops aTe well advanced, and are being fed off by lambs for tho freezing works. The potato crops look exoeptionallv well, and so far hav<s not b"f>n trcibled much with blight. Threshing from the stook is already in operation in the Wairarapa. Mr Alfred Booth's oat crop on the Middle Run, between Carterton and Gladstone, is said to be realising from 60 to 70 bushels to the acre. This is an exceptionally good yield for the class of land on which the oats were