RURAL NOTES

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 3157, 17 September 1892, Page 2 (Supplement)

RURAL NOTES

A X:.\v Wα', T" Pi-im.:' C ,tti i;.TIl- great i-.ii:l---hr.--l-r- and f.iF-iii..-i-- in Am ii-i !..v: hi! ii i■■ -ii ■■< i-l.iii f.r ;:■■■■ v. tili.i.;- 1-ri. !Y.,r:i ::r:iv.-i'.- '.n <>.-• ), ■,■!-. ,:f .!..■;,■ 1,.-i>i-, aud h U 11, .u.rV il,a. I- C..IV ] ,a- l|..T- Wi'.i '..-• :< • 111..,--- 1...1.1.-.I rattle c'imiuirf.-.m Am , ■!--,. Ti,.- n:.-u..,.: emplnvi'd f'-ir 1.r.-M'ati'iL' th.' trr...-.!!; \v,:;.- ;- l.i.'h r-i IM • I , - and i-ieap. LI!M--'uh- in- iTi-idi' ab.'.nt ihe si/ 'an ..rdii, a:v :- a 1 ;• Ji- ii. "i I lie.-- nr-- 1.-i. d -,iii!, nil, -i-- po-il-h. Kaull-h l.f (hi-- hquii 1., t;.i :.!!-• i.ft >|.— tub,-, e.m b, 1, ~,-1,1 !,.,- a f,.w ;„-,:,--, -ili-l -,iil be ;,:i!llM- :: I f..i up MMlillL' i.II IWell'V r IU.-S. 11l CV !.-r to Pi.idii-.-: tie- li-'-t. r.-siilt-. and to b. , quit.rllir.a.'i'.iH, tii. , uperati-iu ought to 1,.- mad.In> so.Hi as the little horny k-inb-; make their ::ppearanei! on the caff.- head -that i-, ff.«:ii three days to a forlniu'ht from it< birth. Kir>l of all, the hair should he cut with a nail- of sei.-iprs from armmd the iiafeiait horn ; then, with the tip of the finger, the horn should I), , moi,t.-ui-d. Care must be !a!-:,-n not to allow anv drops of water to rua over the head '.if the animal, o,- tin: dissolved p.t.ish will follow in ih.-> same coursp. and cause the ,:-ilf nun , ..' i-s-arv pain. When the horn has been moistened, the tube of potash is taken, the tube liaviiiL' first bec-n carefully wrapped in paper, except just at ono end. because it is advisable not to let the liquid come into font a of. with the hand. Then, holding the tube like a pencil, I lie horny knob is rubbed all over, (tare being t-iken to keep it moist all the time. This should be continued until the skin over the horn gets soft and red and commences to peal, when tho operation must eease. It is said to be rare that a second a|> ,:!.: iti -a of the caustic potash is necessary. After buinif once opened and used tin. , tubes should be kept in a w. 11-stopped bottle to keep them from contact with the air and to prevent damp from getting at and dissolving them.

Ban hacks for Housks.—The use of bandages are very much abused by some per-oiis who have horses under their care. What are their uses? A great many use them because it is customary, and through lack of thought aud c uisidci-a'iuu comes to bo detrimental and hurtful an appliance which is properly handled would be invaluable. Bandaging may be applied for several purposes, viz: to prevent Hie occurence of fever, or rcduoit if present; also they may be applied as a support to the limb, and a preserver of its symmetrical appearance. Apply a bandage tightly around tho leg of tho horse, so tightly that the animal shows sigas of uneasiness and pain, as frequently caused by tho compression on the delicate structure. Allow that to remain there for a length of time, remove it, and apply again through the day for months continuously. The result must bj injury and weakness to tho part, as it cannot receive the natural supply of blood to l-oplace the tissues exhausted by exertion. Tho leg of a horse is looked upmi by a great majority of people in a trifling manner, and treated as something not very sensitive or delicate; but all who understand the structures enclosed withiu the delicate skin of a highly bred horse will agree with tho above view on the subject. The injurious results of excossivo bandaging are not always visible, as each leg receives a proportionate amount of it, aud the subject is unable to describe the weakness aud lack of power ho fools in his limbs ; but careful consideration of the question satisfies intelligent people that excessive baudaging , is detrimental. Cases come under notice where the , symptoms of weakness aro very plain and (lu not require a very careful examiu-ition to reveal the cause of it.

Dairy Catit.k and Milk JMixtnc:.— The pnper read by Mr Henry Simmonds, on the influence of cross-breeding: on the profits of a dairy herd, will do something to remove a notion which prevails somewhat largely as to dairy dreeds of cat Ho. There u very little in t'ic paper which is new to those who have been interested in such cattle, and the author himself quotes Mr Arthur Younsr, secretary to tho Board of Agriculture, who wrote on the subject in 1700. Tho "secret" of keeping Channel Island cow with other breeds wa.s then known and practiced, and Mr. Youi-g liiiyii perhaps the best dairy that could bo found would consist of two-thirds Suffolks Polls aud one-third Aldcrney. These wev" kept srparato as far as breeding was concerned, but tho milk was rrixod in order to get the full yield of cream. The mixing of richer milk with that of poorer quality, in order that the fat globules of the richer might assist in taking up the smaller fat globules of the poorer milk, has of Into been advanced by scientists as a new theory or discovery, but the practice prevailed nearly a century ago, though those who followed it mii'ht have been unable to a xplain why. One Jersey cow to six or seven shorthorns has been found to be a good proportion in which to mix milk in a dairy, in order to Sfoiire the whole of the buiter fats from the milk. Milk mixing seems to be a cognate subject to crossbreeding of milking cattle. It is curious, aud Mr. Simmons has found it out by actual experience, that it is impossible with advantage to to follow uo a cross, however good it may be, and bring out a recognised typo of farmer's butter cow. The oil'sprins; jrenei'.jlly becamos more or less of a mongrel mid therefore a first cross must be gone back to. The only alternative, the use of ,i pnre bred of one of tho breols, m.oh leaves its characteristics, aud tho desired cross disappears. There is hardly any question, aud it ttould be proved if dairymen would compare notes, that Shorthorn Jersey or Shorthorn-Guernsey h'r.-t and second crosses make most valuable and productive milk producers, and those who do not care to do go in for pure breeds, either from want or taste or for reasons of expediency, cannot do better than try one of them.