Notes and Queries

Otago Witness, Issue 4042, 1 September 1931, Page 44

Notes and Queries

Questions for reply In the coming Issue of the Otago Witness must be received not later than SATURDAY NIGHT. Questions will NOT be replied to through the post. Questions must be accompanied by the name and address of the writer, but a nom de plume may be adopted for publication.

* Hats,” Otago, wants to know the Customs duty on hats imported from Eng- ■ land under the new tariff rates. Twenty-five per cent, of their value plus nine-fortieths of the duty so payable. “ Wondering,” Catlins, writes : “ I have often thought that building a polygonal frame and lining it perpendicularly with corrugated galvanised iron would be a cheap and easy way to build a silo. As it is my intention to erect one this season. I would like to know if there is any reason against using galvanised iron for this purpose.” —; — ■‘Agricola ” replies; “It is not advisable to use galvanised iron as suggested, owing to the action of acids of the silage destroying same within a very short period, more particularly sour silage.” “ Swagger.” Central Otago, wishes to know of a method of polishing horns. The following from an exchange may be useful:—lf the horns are fresh,, boil to remove the pith; if old and sundried, examine and scrape the interiors until clean. Then wash in hot soapy water and scrub with a nailbrush. - When dry rub well with emery powder mixed with linseed oil. applied with a flannel. Several applications may be necessary to secure a good finish, and any very rough parts may be sandpapered. Finish off with a rubbing of furniture cream and polish. “Cow Spanker,” Taranaki. —In the event of the cow dying and no colostrum being available for the calf, a useful substitute for the first three days is made by whipping up an egg with half a pint of warm water, adding half, a teaspoonful of castor oil and stirring in one pint of milk for each meal. After the-preliminary difficulties have been overcome, the calf should be fed at regular intervals three times daily on whole milk until it is at least a fortnight old, by which time, it can profitably consume four to six quarts per day. The subsequent feeding will vary according to the condition. •Beginner,’’ Southland, asks: (1) What is the method of ascertaining the quantity of milk which at certain tests is required to make lib of butter-fat ? (2) How many pounds of butter-fat would 31271 b of 4.2 test milk yield ? ” (1) The method of ascertaining the quantity of butter-fat in milk is to multiply the weight of the milk by the ascertained test and divide by 100. Thus in 2101 b of milk which tests at 6 per cent, there are 12.61 b of butterfat. The figures are : 210 multiplied by 6 equals 1260, and that sum divided by 100 gives the butter-fat content of 12.61 b. The test figure means that there is that quantity of butter-fat in 1001 b of milk. (2) The 31271 b of milk testing 4.2 contains 131.31 b of butter-fat. E. K-. Waikaka, asks : “(1) Is Johnson's Radio School in Wellington a boarding school or not ? (2) If so, what are the terms of boarding ? (3) What age must one be before one can sit for one’s pilot A license in New Zealand ? (4) Ditto in England ? (5) What is the cost of same in England? (6) Where would one apply to join a submarine ? (7) What are the wages of a steward" on board ship ? (8) 'What are the duties of a steward ? ” (1) and (2) No, a correspondence school. (3) The question of age is not so material as other attributes, and would not probably be raised if other qualifications were satisfactory, but over 16 years is desirable. (4). (5). and (6) This information is not available here. (7) Chief steward £l7 5s 7d monthly, and assistants £ll. 17s 7d. (8) Various duties' pertaining to shipboard of a domestic nature. “ Radio.’’ Invercargill says he intends to install a~new “earth” for his wireless set and wishes to know which is the better “earth” for the purpose—clay or ordinary earth without any clay’ in it. His local radio dealer insists that an earth pipe should rest in clay to obtain good results. Other local radiomen tell him that clay is very poor as an- earth. He dug a hole sft deep the other day, and struck clay Ift from the surface, the clay continuing right downwards from there. What he wants to know is, when he puts in his earth plate, which .will be of copper, 18in by 12in by Hn thick, should he fill up the hole with clay or with pure soil only. . “The position is, which is the better conductor, earth or clay ? ” An expert says that clay’ is a poor conductor compared with moist earth. If in a clay area it is advisable to use a counter-poise.. See Drake’s Radio Cyclopaedia for information. v Shepherd.” Central Otago, wishes to . know a simple method of treating footrot. “Agricola ” replies : “ The hoofs of the sheep should be pared from the back towards the front, and the horn cut level with the sole of the foot without cutting the pad, unless a ragged piece appears at the back, which alone ghould be cut away. Thg inner edge of the hoof should be attended to, and the sharpest part of the point taken off, cutting upwards. Then the sheep may be run through a shallow trough containing a solution of bluestone (11b to two gallons of water), py this solu- " tion could be dabbed with a brush on the dressed foot. Treatment depends upon the degree of footrot. The diseased portions of the hoof must be cut away and the diseased substance scraped out without goin» deep enough to draw blood. It is well to burn diseased portions, Then apply a dressing. One

pound of powdered bluestone to a gallon of hot water is a useful dressing. Another remedy is 101 b of bluestone dissolved in 25 gallons of water, and 51b of lime dissolved in the same quantity of water, and mixed together. Other mixtures# recommended are : (a) 11b arsenic, 21b washing soda, five gallons of water; (b) one part bluestone, one part lard, two parts tar, mixed over a slow fire. It has been suggested to the writer that some persistent cases of footrot have proved amenable to treatment with formalin ”

“Alma” wishes to know recipes for (1) ciderberry’ wine and (2) elderflower wine. (1) Here are two recipes for elderberry’ wine : (a) To each gallon of water allow two quarts of elderberries, 31b of sugar, and lib of muscatel raisins. Bruise and scald the berries in the water, and then strain the water off and boil it with the sugar for 20 minutes. When nearly cold add the raisins and a little yeast, and let it stand for two days. Skim and pour into a cask, and elose up when the working has quite ceased. Let it stand for 12 months, bottle, and after thr.e months it will be ready for use. (b) Having stripped the berries, place them in a large pan or tub of water. Let them remain for four or five days just about covered with water, occasionally’ squeezing out the juice with a pres er made of wood. Then press out the mixture through a fine sieve or strain ng canvas. Tbe juice being quite clear, add 31b or 41b of sugar to each gallon of juice, 11b ginger. 2oz cloves, and loz or 2oz of allspice (according to palate) to every four gallons. Let the who'e boil for a full half-hour after it commences to boil, pour it into an open cask or tub, and when lukewarm add yeast placed on toast, keeping it well covered, and let if work for a little less than a week, at the end of which time skim off the yeast, put it into a ca k, and leave it to ferment with the vent peg loose. When the fennentat on ceases bung the cask tightly, and let it remain for two months at the least, when it will be fit for use, although a longer time than two months is preferable if the wine be not specially required. The addition of a bottle of brandy put into the eask before bunging Un greatly improves the wine, although it is not absolutely essential. (2) Two recipes for elderflower wine : (a) Pick the elderflower when it is at its best, put into a copper, cover with water, and boil 20 minutes. Strain and to each gallon of liquid add 31b of sugar. Bring to the boil or until all the sugar is dissolved. When lukewarm add a cupful of brewer’s yeast or 2oz to 3oz (according to quantity) of compressed yeast. Put into a barrel to ferment, which usually’ takes from five to six months. Then bottle ready for use. This wine is much less trouble to make than that from elderberries, (b) Put 41b of elderberry’ flowers in five gallons of water, boil for two hours, and strain. Then add 31b of sugar to every’ gallon of liquor. Boil again, stirring all the time, till the sugar is melted, then sot to cool and add about loz of yeast when at blood heat. Put eggshells in to clear. Skim and bottle in about 24 hours. Tie corks down securely. This makes a nice effervescent drink in about two weeks, but is not wine till a year old.