ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XIII, Issue 2, 21 August 1916, Page 164

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.

IN every instance a question to which an answer is desired in these columns must be accompanied by the full name and the postal address of the inquirer, not necessarily for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith. The question should be written on one side of the paper only.

PEAS FOR SHEEP-FATTENING.

W. Forrester, Raraka, Waikari

Please let me know the best method to adopt for fattening sheep on peas. When should the peas be sown, and how long before they would be fit to turn the sheep on ?

The Fields Division :

The peas should be sown so as to come through the ground when all danger of frost has practically passed—in your district probably about the middle of September. You will doubtless know best when this period sets in. When the crop is partially in flower you could put on the sheep. The land should be well worked up before sowing the peas. They should be sown at the rate of 2 J to 3 bushels per acre (60 lb. to the bushel). The Field Partridge and the Egyptian pea are excellent field varieties. You have not described your soil, hence it is difficult to advise definitely ve. manuring, but from general knowledge of the country we would advise your using 2 cwt. basic superphosphate and 4 cwt. blood-and-bone manure per acre.' The peas, of course, are sown broadcast, either by hand, or with a broadcast seed-sower, or with an ordinary drill with coulters removed.

SOWING HEDGE SEEDS.

Alex. Service, Avondale

Could you give any information as to the best time and way to sow hedge seeds, as pines, Pittosporum, boxthorn, and barberry ? Will passion-plants grow from slips, or are they best from seed ?

The Horticulture Division :-

Sow in the spring in the • open ground. With a spade take out very shallow drills. Hold the spade very near the ground : this makes a wide and shallow drill. Scatter the seed evenly in the drill. Cover by lifting soil and spreading it over the seed. Beat the soil slightly, with the back of the spade to firm it over the seed. . Passion-vines are readily raised from cuttings of young wood, but also glow from seed. .

REMEDY FOR WORMS IN HORSE.

George Buckland, Leigh : What is best to give a horse for worms ?

The Live-stock Division :

Give the animal, first thing in the morning, on an empty stomach, the following drench: Turpentine, i ounce; linseed-oil, i pint. If necessary, repeat in four or five days’ time.

BEEKEEPING IN OUTSKIRTS OF WELLINGTON.

W. D. H., Ngaio

Would beekeeping be practicable in windy districts, such as the outskirts of Wellington ? I have a -number of trees the fruit of which does not set well, owing, I think, to non-pollination by bees, which are very rarely seen in my locality. It is said that they get blown away from the hives and perish. Is nectar from gorse detrimental to the flavour of honey ?

The Horticulture Division :

It is quite practicable to keep bees at Ngaio; in fact, several small apiaries are located there, although the honey produced is small in quantity. .To keep a hive or two to pollinate your fruit-blossoms would, in our opinion, be highly successful, notwithstanding the fierce winds. Very little nectar is gathered from gorse, this plant supplying a large amount of pollen. The nectar is good quality.

BLOOD-SCOUR IN CALVES.

Ben Jackson, Te Pahu, Waikato :

What is the best remedy or prevention for blood-scour in calves ?

The Live-stock Division :

The complaint you mention is probably due to a small worm in the fourth stomach, causing parasitic gastritis. It is similar to a complaint found in hoggets and lambs, dealt with in Bulletin No. 3, which has been forwarded to you. The treatment should be exactly the same for calves as lambs, except that the lysol should be 1 to i| tablespoonfuls according to size of calf and in a corresponding increase of milk.

SWAMP FEED.

“ Swamp,” Mangapehi

I have drained a peat swamp, but find the depth of peet makes ploughing and other team operations impossible. Is there anything I could surface-sow in, say, the spring which would entice cattle over the swamp and so crush down the peat and make ploughing, &c., a practicable proposition ?

The Fields Division :

If the swamp is poorly consolidated you could confine your sowing to Yorkshire fog and Lotus major, at the rate of about 14 lb. fog and 1 lb. Lotus major per acre. If, however, the swamp has been somewhat consolidated you could sow on the best portions grasses such as Western Wolths or Italian rye, and cow-grass and alsike by way of clovers. Red-top is a grass that might thrive, as should meadow-foxtail later on when the swamp has settled considerably.

CURRANT-BORER. —MANURE FOR MUSHROOM-BED.

lnquirer,” Otaki: —-

Please state the best treatment to prevent borer in black currants ; also whether cow-manure can be used instead of horse-manure when growing mushrooms in a shed. 1 •

The Horticulture Division :—•

The borer usually enters the currant-bush, as well as other trees, through a dead snag or stub.' Once the grub has gained an entrance it is difficult to remove. To prevent the affection keep the bush free of dead twigs and , snags. In removing wood, cut clean and avoid stubs. In the case of an affected tree, encourage the tree to stool and make new growth ; ' work out the old and affected wood as quickly as possible. ■ Cow-manure is too cold to take the place of horse-manure in the preparation of a mushroom-bed, but a proportion of cow-manure is considered an improvement, particularly when well-rotted stable manure or other material calculated to correct the temperature is added.

PIG BREEDS FOR LONG FLITCHES.

“ Solanum,” Wairau Valley :

The May number of the Journal gave a recipe for curing bacon, which I have just followed with splendid results, and I will now be much obliged if you will kindly inform me which is the best breed of pig to give long flitches ?

The' Live-stock Division:—

Either the large Yorkshire, the Tamworth, or a first cross from these is recommended to best meet your requirements for long flitches.

PHOSPHATIC “ GUANOS.”

John A. Lawson, Otorohanga :

Could you inform me if any of the various guanos sold in New Zealand are phosphatic guanos, and, if so, which ones ? Also, what is about the length of time required for the phosphoric acid in rock guano to become available for plant-food with our average rainfall ?

The Fields Division :-

All the so-called “ guanos ” sold in New Zealand are phosphatic. . The length of time for the phosphoric acid of a Pacific island (rock) “ guano ” to become available in your locality will depend upon the soil. In a drained-swamp soil the phosphoric acid will become available moderately readily— about six weeks to two months ; while on average soils the. time would be in the neighbourhood of two to three months.

PINUS RADIATA TIMBER.

“ Montroy,” . Fairlie

I would be glad of your opinion as to whether Pinus radiata timber would be suitable for use in a concrete house for floor and ceiling joists, studs, &c., and what would be the probable life of such timber so employed ?

The Horticulture Division :

Pinus radiata, under special conditions, is a very durable timber. The main condition is perfect protection against moisture. For all the purposes you mention, with the exception perhaps of floor-joists, it should last quite as long as rimu or many other building-timbers. It would be more risky to use it for floor-j dists unless the floor is well raised from the ground, and is otherwise likely to be dry.

TEETH TROUBLE IN HORSE.

George Roberts, Ida Valley :-

I have a draught gelding, five years old, and he always throws his chaff out of his mouth. I had his teeth filed down last year, but it made no difference whatever. Could you give me any advice as to what to do ?

The Live-stock Division :-

. We should advise you to leave the horse alone for a time, or else to get a qualified veterinary surgeon to examine the back teeth. A horse at the age stated does not require to have his teeth rasped. Probably the .trouble.is due to a . milk-tooth which has not been shed.

BEACH SHELLS FOR LIMING.

P. S., Whangaparaoa :

My section is for the most part clay gum land, and I suppose it would greatly benefit with a liberal dressing of lime. I had contemplated making a kiln and burning shell from our beach, but later I have been advised to apply the fine shell as it is. As lime comes rather expensive delivered here, I would like to know if I

applied a heavy dressing of fine shell how it would compare with a dressing of ground carbonate of lime. How much shell would I need to apply to equal a 2-ton dressing of carbonate of lime ? Is burnt shell as strong as ordinary burnt rock lime ?

The Fields Division :

As shells contain a very high percentage of carbonate of lime, when burnt they produce as high a percentage of calcium oxide (burnt lime) as the burnt rock of high grade. So, also, when ground to a powder there is equally as much powdered carbonate of lime as when rock of high grade is crushed. Thus 2 tons of carbonate of lime produced from high-grade rock is equivalent to 2 tons of ground shells. As to whether or not the fine shell you intend to use from the beach is serviceable for liming land depends upon its fineness. If the shell is as fine as the coarse sand itself it would be serviceable ; otherwise it would become soluble very slowly, and hence would not be suitable, except perhaps under very sour soil conditions.

RAISING CUPRESSUS MACROCARPA, ETC., FROM SEED. “ Subscriber/’ Dannevirke :

Will you kindly inform me as to the correct method of starting macrocarpa seed, also regarding care of young seedlings, as I find that a large proportion of them disappear after starting ?

The Horticulture Division :

The seed-cones of Cupressus macrocarpa, Pinus insignis, &c., may be gathered at any season, and, if spread out on a sheet during bright sunshine and kept free from damp, most of the cones will open sufficiently to release the seeds in the space of a few weeks. The ground intended for seed-beds should be deeply dug and worked to a fine tilth. Fine netting is needed to prevent birds picking off the seedlings as they germinate, and the beds should be covered with scrim where there is a strong sun. The seed should be sown in the early spring, and does not require soaking in hot water to hasten germination. As to the depth the seed should be planted, a safe guide is to cover seed to a depth of about double its diameter.

CASTRATING COLTS.

“ Inquirer," Waimate :

Is it necessary in castrating colts to open the inner skin or covering of the testicle before severing with the emasculator ?

The Live-stock Division :

The usual way, in ordinary operations, is simply to expose the testicle, place the emasculator on, and then remove. There is no need to cut the inner skin, though there would be no harm at all in doing this.

MOVING A HEDGE.

“ Interested/' Oturoa :

I have some Cupressus Lawsoniana trees and elaeagnus and barberry hedging which have been planted three years and are growing strong. I now find it necessary to remove them and plant elsewhere. Would you advise me to “ wrench ” the trees, and if so, how, and at what period of the year ?

The Horticulture Division :

Plants comprising a three-year-old hedge of Cupressus Lawsoniana should be wrenched ” before shifting, otherwise they would probably die.. Wrenching is done in the early autumn, and is most successful when followed shortly by the autumn rains. The work consists of cutting the roots on all sides of the plant with a sharp spade and partially lifting. Although not so necessary, the same process had better be carried out in respect to. your elaeagnus and barberry. If time will not allow of this, cut the plants hard back when shifting. \‘ ; ,