FACTS FOR FARMERS.

Waikato Times, Volume II, Issue 90, 26 November 1872, Page 3

FACTS FOR FARMERS.

.According to .Schmidt, an excellent remedy against caterpillars consists in ii dilute solution (1 part in 500) of sulphide ol' potassium, the infested tree being sprinkled with this tuihsfuuee l>v menus of a sinii.ll hand syringe. This method liii.s been used oim scale iu France, and.it is said, without jinv injury to vegetation. Knglisli farmers give the preference to turnips for milch rows'over everv oilier kind of root, accounting them conhidcnilily superior for buttcr-mnkjng to carrots or mangeluur/els.' Tlic milk induced by mangels is large in supply hut of poorer quality, and not'nearly so productive of cream as that resulting iVo'm the use of turnips, and the taint given bvllie former roots is more objectionable- iind less easy to ,)i>viatc or overcome to a passable degree. In giving carrots to milch cows, the chid" recommendation they have is the absence of all unpleasant tinte iu the buffer, as the milk is neither so abundant nor so rich as that obtained in turnip feeding. It does not follow that sill hough we have plenty of ram the soil will remain moist. Evaporation is very active beneath our hot summer suns. Heavy showers tend to compact the soil and render it impervious to water which remains on the surface until evaporated. Little benefit then iiccrues, unless the hard crust, caked by the sun is broken up nnd the soil mellowed hy cultivation. It is then rendered poms ami jihsoi'benl, anil is less inclined to give up its moisture :i( the demand of the scorchingbent, while at night cooling more rapidly than the air, it recondenscs and retakes iu abundance the moisture it has been forced to give up during the day. Thus the crop never suiters during a succeeding drought, tor the soil is always in a condition to supply its needs from the atmosphere when denied a supply from I he clouds. Ve:u-s ago experiments made in England showed that burnt cliiv reduced Io line powder was a most valuable fertiliser. The crushing of the burnt clay may be performedin several wins according to the appliances most readily available. It nuiy be ground in a mill, be crushed or beaten, or by a heavy roller moving over the smooth hard surface, or by revolving crushing wheels like those used for grinding clay or crushing ilax-secil. This method of manuring is not designed to do nway willi the use of dung that is produced hy animals kept for 'meat, milk, or labour." It is said, too, that experience has shown that the thoroughly preparing of a small quantity of soil by burning and pulverising it renders it unnecessary to plough and harrow the great bulk of the soil to the extent that is ordinarily done. This certainly/would be in accordance with scientific- theories. Finely pulverised soil is capable of easv solution in comparison with that which is in hard masses. The particles of limestone are convert ?d into quicklime hv lite process of burning, while much of the silica is rendered soluble by the same means. If to theso we add the products of the* combustion of the fuel, we have nearly nil the elements of fertility. The'," wool v taste" in mutton is not derived from the wool. The 'peculiar flavour of ill-dressed mutton has nothing to do with the coat of the sheep, but arises from the absorption bv the meat of gasses from the intestines, which, as the outside of the carcase cools cannot escape, and are therefore absorbed by the llosh. There is a simple remedy. As soon as the animal is dead, let the hide be slit up from I he brisket to l.he tail and the knees by a quick motion of a sharp-pointed knife inserted beneath the skin. Strip the skin from the belly and the ribs and legs, so that it wilt be out of the wav of the intestines.. Then open the sheep immediately nnd disembowel it. All this ought to be the work of about erne minute or two, or, if it occupies to five, there will not. be suilieient time for the carcase to cool sufficiently to cause any unpleasant taste. Then proceed to strip the skin from'the back of the carcase. A sheep should be killed by thrusting a sharp knife through the neck, back of of the'windpipe,"without touching it,however, but cutting the arteries ; and as soon as the knife is inserted, it should be twisted around as if to make a round hole; there will then be no mistake in cutting the arteries, and tlu-death of the imiiual will be comparatively painless and rapid. As mutton is the chief diet of many thousands iu some districts, it is well that everyone sould know how to slaughter and dress sheep in the best manner.