PASTURE AND PADDOCK.

Thames Star, Volume LXII, Issue 17371, 22 May 1928, Page 5

PASTURE AND PADDOCK.

INFORMATION FOR FARMERS. COMMENTS ON LAND. NOTES AND “SKIMMINGS.” * Thistles make good green feed for chickens and young poultry during the colder months, if gathered fresh everyday and the stalks are cleaned away at nightfall they keep the birds in excellent condition.

Young pigs fed wholly on corn should be given a weekly ration of charcoal, which, besides acting as an aperient, will harden the teeth and prevent dental trouble arising from the constant mastication of tough grain.

Bordeaux mixture is easily the best fungicide, but it rapidly lose? its efficiency. To get good Bordeaux, unslaked lime, free from stone, should be used, and the mixture must be applied fresh. If the lime must be held don’t leave it in bags on the shed floor but keep it in air-tight boxes, or, better still, store it under water, where it can, be kept for years.

Rope traces, where only one horse is used, are preferable to leather. They will not flog a big-barrelled horse’s ribs, or give him a sore neck. A pair of traces of good Manilla, 2.jin. in circumference, can be made for about 3/(cost of the rope). Old links can generally be picked up about the harness shed. With care, if kept out of the sun and wet whert not in use, a set will last a year.

REARING THE CALF. Here are eight sound rules on calfrearing:— 1. Always handle calves quietly and patiently, and so develop in the animals a sense of confidence in the human foster-parent, which will remain till the animals reach maturity. 2 Feed at regular times each day. 3. Always give a regular quantity of milk. . *•: 4 Feed only perfectly clean, sweet milk. 5 Feed the milk at body tu're (about lOOdeg. Fall.). • ‘ G Always cleanse feeding buckets as - ; rigidly as you would all other dairys utensils. AH the above points have a big bearing on the calf’s digsetive system, and will eliminate the common causes of calf scours. . ' . (7? 7. Provide shade in summer and) shelter from winter wind and rain, because it is cheaper to conserve animal heat, and energy by these means than by the use of larger amounts of,; food. 8 Always made a point of picking up pieces of rag, paper, twine, etc., if found about the calf paddock. Young' calves exhibit a mischievous delight in picking up foreign substances of this description and ultimately swallowing them. Indigestible material of this nature, when eaten by young calves, is almost certain to set up a serious form? of gastro-enteritis.

ON HORSE BREEDING. , The Indian market that for a aum- , her -of years took Australia’s best “walers” now only takes a small number, but the prices paid for that few-, are good and average between £4O and £SO per head. The horses must reach a 3 certain standard and must be without blemish. It is just as easy to breed horses that will suit the Indian market as to breed nondescript sorts that are valueless except as pig feed. For:; the foundation of the stud, mares from 15 to 16 hands high that show, quality and breeding approaching the thoroughbred type must be used, and these should he mated to a thoroughbred en-' tire. No mare or sire showing any signs of the draught cross should be used. The demand for draughts nowadays is limited, as it is also for polo ponies and delivery sorts. The demand for stock horses is very slack, and many stations do not breed at all, finding it cheaper to buy broken colts. For all horse-breeding purposes the mare is 75 per cent, of the foundation, and. it is futile to put a good horse to.any sort of a mare and expect good results. The effect of the introduction of the)) draught strain into light horses has been to greatly reduce the number of fine flat-boned horses that once were common on out-back stations.

THE FRUIT-TREE PLANTERS’ COMMANDMENTS. With fruit-tree planting just ahead, here are the growers’ commandments: 1. Do not allow trees to remain long in the sun when shifting from the nursery to the orchard. 2 In heavy soils throw a few stones in the hole before planting to assist drainage.

3. Do not put manure in the holes at planting-time. 4. Remove with sharp seccateurs broken roots and trim back any thick-, roots which are over a foot long. - 5. Spread the roots out carefully before filling in the holes with earth, av

6. Place the tree upright in position while firming the soil—to attempt to straighten it afterwards often injures the bark and retards the tree.

7. In light soils plant deep; in heavy or wet soils, shallow. 8. Shorten back limbs at plantingtime to about four buds; less if the trees are not very robust. 9. Tie the trees firmly to stakes. 10. When the trees are planted spray with a weak solution of lime and sulphur to get rid of pests.

A NEW FRUIT. A variety of fruit that has not been grown previously in Queensland . is topeppi—a cross between the tomato and the chili. The plant grows from: seed into a miniature tree, and a prolific crop matures in about four months. The fruit is bigger than a large tomato, though not so weighty, and when ripe is of a yellowy-red colour. Topeppi is ideal for chutneys, etc., can be eaten as a fruit if properly ripe, and proves a welcome addition to any vegetable salad. It is a native of Honolulu, and was imported by Chas. Hargreaves.