THE FARMERS' COLUMN.

Tuapeka Times, Volume 27, Issue 950, 27 June 1883, Page 6

THE FARMERS' COLUMN.

Bone dust, it is stated, does not constitute good manure for oats, but superphosphate produces a good result. It may be " sown " broadcast and harrowed in, before the seed is sown, at the rate of 2 to 3 cwt. per acre, and a topdressing of nitrate of soda at the rate of 1 cwt per acre, applied in spring. Peruvian guano is one of the best artificial manures for grain, and may be applied as directed for superphosphates, and in the same proportion. J. H. E., Pike County, Perm. says : A hard milking cow may be managed as follows : Make of some whalebone or ivory a long thin plug for each teat, larger in the middle to prevent it from slipping out, and with a head of sufficient size to prevent it from slipping in. Make the plugs very smooth, and, after greasing them with glycerine and sweet-oil mixed, insert them in the teats and keep them in the ducts except when milking. In a short time the passage will be permanently enlarged.—"New York Tribune."

A Ballarat contemporary states that the intercolonial Ploughing Match, to be held at Burrumbeet on the 19th July, promises to be a very extensive affair. Over 100 ploughmen are expected to compete, and the judges will include representatives of New South "Wales, New Zealand and Tasmania, South Australia, and almost all the, agricultural districts of Victoria. The .president of the society, Mr P. Eussel, gave £50 to be spent in the proper accommodation of the men and horses taking part in the match, and Mr E. Simpson gave £20 for the same purpose. A correspondent, writing to the Melbourne " Leader " on the subject of smut-wheat, says : — As there is a great deal of discussion about smut and its origin, and whether smutty wheat will reproduce smutty wheat, pickled with bluestone or not, will you allow me through yourcolumns to make a suggestion by following which, I think, this could be tested, and perhaps some information on the matter be gained. My idea is that some of our readers should count out, say 400 grains of good wheat, which number of grains should be again divided into four equal parts of 100 grains ; let some smut balls be then obtained, and two of these lots mixed, and rubbed together until the smut is bruised and the wheat is blackened with it; let one half of these smutted grains be pickled and the other half not pickled ; then, with the other two lots, let' one be pickled and the other not, and let the four samples be sown side by side,, but in separate rows, in some spare ipiece of ground and the results noted. I think that if a few of your readers would do this, keeping an account of the date of sowing, sort of soil sown on, and any other matter concerning the yield, 1 &c, for . one or two seasons, something might be found out on the subject-that would be, useful in future years. I am trying these experiments myself, and having seen it* stated by some writer in your columns that bluestone pickle made too strong will destroy the germ of the wheat, I have sown a cdunted number of grains of wheat, which I soaked in bluestone water of the strength of 3 lb. of bluestone to two gallons of water. I soaked them for over an hour, and, will let you know the result if you like. Prom past experience I have good reason to believe that the bluestone water even at that strengthen not injure sound wheat ; hence this experiment. . Breeding, sows are the kind of porcine stock . upon which a farmer should calculate profits. They should bear young, twice a year, and should i be kept for a number of years. An old mother is more profitable every 'way than a young one, as she will bear more young, of better size, and take ,better care of them, not onjy.at the tyne pf birth, but during the. period of .suckling. "When properly trained an old' dam is not half the trouble to- take caie of that a young one is. A pig designed for this purpose should be educated, and if there have been pains taken to fit her for her maternal life, the care of herself and young will be materially lessened* and the risks of i losses .will amount to little or nothing. She should be made tame, and used to handling, as a wild and refractory mother will constantly do damage to herself or her offspring. She should be made to follow her

owner anywhere. She should always be kept orderly to avoid the risks of jumping fences or other unruly acts. The most important thing is not to allow the breeding sow to get her full growth ; that condition should only be had when fitted for slaughter. What is meant is, that a breeding sow is not a porker to be made fat and heavy, but rather to be kept lean, and [simply in a thrifty or strong condition. When fat and heavy she will not take sufficient exercise to be a healthy breeder, and moreover, when she has young she will be clumsy, and liable to tread on the little pigs, or lie on them.