SOUTHLAND AGRICULTURAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3017, 10 January 1912, Page 19

SOUTHLAND AGRICULTURAL NOTES.

(From Oub Ow» Correspondent.) Luxuriance of vegetation is a noticeable feature everywhere one turns at the present time. When the weather tcok up about the middle of last month heat forced all vegetable growth ahead at a rapid rate. The dampness in the soil and a hot sun were just tno conditions necessary to rapid growth. Grass is exceptionally plentiful, and the difficulty is to get stock to cope with it. Sheep are very dear, and store cattle are also in good demand, and if the inquiry from the north which has set in continues, store stock of all descriptions are likely to ‘bo scarce. This, after all, may bo a fortunate circumstance. as there is every indication that winter feed is going to be scarce. Turnips sown up to within 10 days ago have brairded well, but it is -feared that those sown since will faro badly, as there is now little moisture on the surface of the ground, and unless rain comes soon the crops in many places will be a failure, and owing to the lateness of the season second sowing is out of the question. Farmers who have sufficient horses have been working ridgors two —and in some cases three -—shifts in order to accelerate the sowing of the crop. Shearing, too. has been advancing well, but the difficulty is to secure sufficient hands. The farmer of to-day does not take kindly to shearing, and he has been in the habit of reiving on the services of itinerant shearers. This class of work has, however, not teen sufficiently attractive to the young man of to-day, and every year sees shearers becoming more scarce. The shouldering of “bl.uey” probably accounts for its non-attractive-ness, and this, combined with the other avenues of labour which are open to the casual labourer, tends to intensify the scarcity of this branch of farm labour.

The Weather and the Farm.

To keep the sheep industry as satisfactory ! as it should bo, the one

The Evil of Overstocking.

fact that every farmer should keep before his mind’s eye is—“ Beware of

overstocking.” That, of course, is an everyday platitude; hut, although the dangers of and the troubles from it are very well understood, there are many that do not act accordingly. Every farmer should have it pasted up in red Ink over his dressing-table, so that ho will see it every morning—“ Beware of overstocking.” Its evils come out in so many ways. Your ewes suffer, vour wool is split, your per contago of lambs is Smaller, and your lambs are never of good quality. Rather see some of your feed going to waste than run the risk of seeing your sheep scraping the surface for something to eat. Even to the very wisest and most cautious there oomes a time when things will “gang agley.” When that time comes I would urge that if there is a stack of hav on the farm, that stack should be reduced before the owes are allowed to suffer. , Rather than pinch _ his flock when they aro ( about to drop their lambs it will pay a ’ man to chaff his hay and feed it to them. One pound of chaff per day will keep them

| in fair condition, and 21b per day wifi be ' fair going for them. If you have no faci- , lities to chaff: tho hay, feed it long. It [ will bo more wasteful than chaffing, but { n long way better than letting the flock ( starve and having a break in tho wool. |

Many young bulls of naturally good disposition are mad© vicious by Don’t Fool over-petting. Soon© men Tilth Hib Kail’s never go near a young bull Head. they are raising without potting him in some way, and it generally takes the form of stroking, or patting him about th© head or muzzle. Th© young bull in a playful or frolicsome mood will respond to these caresses by tossing and shaking his head. Ho comes to invite play by the same u?c of his head, and shortly discovers that if h© makes his gestures sufficiently earnest everybody within reach will scamper to a place of safety, and he becomes dangerous purely through a feeling of mischievous play. It is bettor net to develop this trait in him, and whatever you do don’t fool with th© young bull’s head or allow others to do so. The bull should bo handled enough to destroy his of fear, and to overcome that feeling of wildness which appear® to bo natural, and to familiarise with those who are to have his care and management ; but this is better done by having something definite to do with him or round him. than in any other way. Ourrying and brushing a young bull is a most capital way of gentling him, and if he stands in a stall at any time he oan be mad© to stand from side to side as the bedding is turned or removed, and thus broom© familiar with the presence of his attendants. In passing near him at any time a kindly word and a gentle touch or two of the hand is to bo recommended, as it arrests his attention, and cannot fail to win his confidence and leave a favourable impression. But to stop and pat him as one would a kitten until ho feels ticklish or amused, and called upon to make some 'demonstration in return, is carrying the matter too far. Treat him at all times kindly and firmly, but do not make too much of him. I

This is a contagious disease of cattle, due to a fungus, and affecting Actinomycosis, or the jaws, tongue, lips, and “ linmpy-Jaw.” (rarely) the lungs of cattle. In contradiction to tuberculosis, this is purely a local disease, and makes itself visible at a very early stage. The commonest seat of the disease is probably the lower jaw, to which the organism gains access by means.of a cut or a decayed 'tooth. A swelling forms, which is hard end bony, gradually enlarges, and if left a sufficient length of time, softens at one or more points, breaks, and discharges a thick, yellowish, pus. The resulting wound may heal up for a time, but will break out again at the same or another place, and the whole jawbone and the muscles round - : lt will ha involved. If the animal is killed the bone of the jaw will Ikj found to bo honeycombed, and very much enlarged, and outside there will be thick, white, gristle-like tissue, with patches of yellowish pus. The same lesions occur in the upper jaw, most often just below and in front of the eye. If the tongue or lips are affected the part swells and becomes bard and nodular, the nodules showing centres of pus if cut into. Occasionally the glands of the nock may be affected or the lungs, and sometimes the udder, but those lesions are rare. If the ease is observed in the early stages, it may be treated with two or three drachm doses of notassium iodide, given dailv, but it is a long and expensive treatment, and, except in the case of a valuable beast, the expense may soon exceed the value of the animal treated, while the results are, by no means cm tain. Destruction of the affected boast is the best course to adopt, as it may infect the pasture, and other animals may contract the disease.