FARM TOPICS.

Colonist, Volume LII, Issue 12772, 19 April 1910, Page 4

FARM TOPICS.

In California, where irrigation has induced very much closer settlement, by making it possible for a man to farm with profit a smaller area, there are 28,000 farms of less than 100 acres. Every farm should have a good hayshed, and where hay is regularly raised for market it is economical to provide sufficient shed room. Where sheds are available less care is needed in stacking and the hay is thoroughly protected against all kinds of weathor. Some of the leading orchardists at Hareourt, Victoria, have adopted a 1 plan of placing a card in each case of fruit, on which a request is -writsen, asking the buyer in London t> wtHo stating whether the apples arri/od in good condition, and to comment on the quality and character of the fruit. Several letters have been received in reply, and in each instance the comments were highly oompliinenfc*iry to the growers. You will find it profitable io givo back to the land some of the lest of what it has given you — tbe ber.t of grain when seeding for -'nsta.ice. Throw out the shrivelled grains wilh the weed seeda. It is well known ihat the quality, of bacon for human consumption depends very much oh the nature of ehe food fed to the pigs beforehand. Th* authorities of New South "Wales have been investigating this matter, and the conclusions published are very interesting and useM. It was lound, for instance, that during the wuler when the woather was colder the animals yielded an "oily" class of flesh, but that when the animals were kept warm and comfortable the bacon was much firmer and of better quality. Again, where maize was the principal or only food used the resultant bacon was also "soft." Soft bacons, again resulted from the use of all oil seeds, such a linseed, rape, cotton-seed, etc, or the products of these, and from rice meal, brewers' grains, distillery waste etc. Where such foods as these are common, and must be used somehow, not more than one-third of the total rations should bo made up with them, especially in the last stages of fattening. Again, foods, with a high precentage of water, such as mangolds, turnips, potatoes, green vegetables, etc., produce flesh that is unsuitable for curing, and should therefore be used in moderation. It may be noted, however, that the evil results may be largely prevented if a proper range cf food lie used during the last month or so of the fattening period ; that is, the animals may he grown and fatted with the food most conveniently at hand if they aro "finished off" with rations calculated to conteract the softness of the flesh and make it more suitable for curing purposes. In this country pea meal is the favourite for this purpose, while skim-milk is the best liquid to mix with it. "Barley-meal and milk" is a favourite formula with some feeders, but as cereal grains generally tend to forming soft flesh according to the authorities quoted, something e'se must be added to help matters, and pea meal seems to suit best.