ANSWERS TO INQUIRIES.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XXIII, Issue 4, 20 October 1921, Page 248

ANSWERS TO INQUIRIES.

IN order to ensure reply to questions, correspondents must give their name and address, not necessarily for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith. Letters should be addressed to the Editor. - . BLOOD IN THE MILK. B. and 8., Haumoana : ... ' Several newly calved cows are giving a reddish fluid from certain quarters, evidently owing to blood colouring the milk. There is no sign of inflammation or hardness, and the cows do not appear to suffer discomfort. Should this trouble be treated ? The Live-stock Division : The condition you mention is not an uncommon one in newly calved and young cows. They should be stripped as carefully as possible so that the blood-vessels are not further injured.. It is not a bad plan to give a moderately large dose of Epsom salts, and to give for a few days afterwards J oz. doses of saltpetre. SEA-SHELL LIME AND CRUSHED LIMESTONE. ' - • A. L. Smith, Tauranga : Would you recommend the use of crushed sea-shell lime in place of crushed limestone ? The former is prepared here, and is somewhat cheaper than crushed limestone. Would the sea-shell lime have such a high test as limestone ? 'The Agricultural Instruction Branch - In regard to the use of crushed sea-shell lime, we presume that you refer to the lime prepared by the Farmers’ Lime Company, Tauranga, the sample of which submitted to the Department showed on analysis 89 per cent, of carbonate of lime. The sample was finely ground, and would be suitable for such a climate as that of the Bay of Plenty and Tauranga, .which have a well-distributed and adequate rainfall! Comparing crushed sea-shell lime with crushed limestone, the percentage of carbonate in each should be determined, and if . this figure is divided into the price quoted you will have the unit price in each case. This will indicate which is the cheaper material. Of course,, the finer the grinding the greater the surface exposed, and when the material is put into the soil the more finely it is ground the quicker it will become available. . ■ FIG-TREE WITH NON-MATURING FRUIT. “ Suburban,” Devonport, Auckland : I have a five-year-old fig-tree (Turkey Red) which grows healthily, but fruits so late that the fruits do not mature. Could this be remedied ? ! The Horticulture Division :■ —- . ' ' ; . ■ There is no apparent reason why figs should not ripen at your place, . as they do very well in the same neighbourhood. The presumption is that you have not got the right variety. There are several races or families of figs with numerous varieties in each family. Some of them will not ripen fruit unless they are fertilized, which must be effected by a certain wasp which is not present in New Zealand. ' The following are some of the varieties that will ripen fruit without being fertilized: Brown Turkey, Black Ischia, Malta, Black Genoa, and White Adriatic. You should succeed with any of these varieties. The Turkey Red you are. growing probably purports. to be Brown Turkey, but may not be true to name. ' ' : \

GREEN CEREALS AND RAPE FOR LAMB-FATTENING. “ Inquirer,” Eketahuna : ........ Kindly let me know if Cape barley or rye-corn would- be suitable for growing with rape, or recommend a suitable quick-growing crop to combine with rape for lamb-fattening. v. ; > ,- ■■ ■ ■ ... The Agricultural Instruction Branch : Rye-corn has a fairly low feeding-value, and we do not therefore advise its sowing with rape for the purpose of fattening lambs. Either Algerian oats or Cape barley might be so used, however, the seeding per acre being i bushel with i| lb. of rape in either case. Rape may be sown in October when used alone, but a little earlier when a nurse crop such as oats or barley is sown with it. GAS-LIME FOR BLACKBERRY-CONTROL. 1 “ Subscriber,” Tangowahine < — Please tell me whether gas-lime is effective for killing small patches of blackberry, and, if so, advise particulars. The Live-stock'Division : The effect of gas-lime on blackberry is only temporary—it only destroys the young surface shoots, and not the roots. When used for this purpose it should be applied during the months of October and November by dusting it- on to the shoots. Stock should not be allowed access for at least fourteen days after the gas-lime has. been applied. .... , „ PEAS FOR COW-FEED. Inquirer, Okete : —■ ‘ Will you please advise me as to the best peas to grow, for cow-feed, and also state the method of cultivation, the quantity sown per acre, whether drilled or sown broadcast every few weeks, and the best time to cut them. . The Agricultural Instruction Branch : It is not advisable to feed peas to cows in the green state, nor in the dry state until the crop is threshed, when the stock can be fed on pea-straw, together with mangolds or any other root crop. The land should be .cultivated in a manner similar to that employed when preparing for potatoes or mangolds. During the month of October, drill through every coulter, in 7 in. drills, 2 J bushels of Blue Imperial or Prussian Blue peas to the acre. The best time to cut the crop is during the process of ripening, which must be watched very closely or the results will not be satisfactory. ..." W J. R. S., Gisborne woodlice in hives. I should be glad if you could inform me as to how slaters (woodlice) may be kept out of hives and from destroying foundations. Every winter my hives' are badly infested, generally the bottom box. - , ■ The Horticulture Division : Keep the ground surrounding the hives free from boards, rubbish, long grass, &c., or any other thing likely to harbour the woodlice, and disturb them in the hives as often as possible. At night-time they may be killed with boiling water with a little permanganate of potash added. Generally speaking, by keeping the hives and surrounding ground ' clean, these insects ; are prevented - from becoming troublesome. ' -. .

GROWING CHOU MOELLIER. ' ' . James Pearce, Washdyke, Canterbury : ■ ■-■ I am desirous of trying chon moellier as a feed for cows, and would be glad to be informed if the seed could be sown through the seed-drill with a fertilizer as in the case of turnips, and, if so, the seeding and fertilizer required.

The Agricultural Instruction Branch : Chou moellier responds well when grown on land that has received a good application of farmyard manure. At time of sowing the addition of i| cwt. per acre of superphosphate, drilled in with the seed,.gives good results. The quantity of seed required is about i|lb. per acre. Sow in rows 21 in. apart, and intercultivate during the early period of plant-growth. The seed can be sown through the turnip-attachment of any drill. Chou moellier stands transplanting well, and in this way any blanks in the rows can be filled up. The plants should not be overcrowded in the rows: a space of 18 in. between the plants will generally Te found to be suitable. LAMPAS IN HORSE. “ Farmer.” Tataraimaka : Could you inform me if there is any remedy.for lampas in a horse mouth As it is illegal to have them burnt out, I should be glad to know how they may be removed. The Live-stock Division: — (1.) Lampas, as a diseased condition of the horse's mouth, is largely an imaginary. trouble, existing more frequently in the head of the horse-owner. Where there is some inflammatory condition of the mouth, as in stomatitis or as the result of teething, the -hard palate may become swollen and the condition persist till the cause is removed. The only surgical means that should be adopted is the scarification of the swelling with a perfectly clean knife. Afterwards the horse should be supplied with plenty of clean water and be kept on a. soft diet for a few days. Teaspoonful doses of nitrate of potash may be givenin the drinking-water with advantage. REMOVING OBSTRUCTION IN THROAT OF COW. C. M. Birkett, Stratford : ‘ Could you give me any information as -to how to treat and handle a . cow having a turnip or other root stuck in her throat- ? Recently a neighbour lost a valuable cow by using a rubber tube to push the turnip down, the throat being so injured that the animal soon died. The Live-stock Division If the obstruction is still in the throat a gag should be put in the mouth,, and: while the head is held the hand should be inserted into the back of the mouth and the object withdrawn.;,. If the turnip has got beyond this and is in the upperpart of the gullet, an assistant should try and work it up into the back of the; throat so that it can be reached and withdrawn. In' all other cases attemptsshould be made by - outside manipulation to get the obstruction to move either upwards or downwards, and to help this movement a little oil should be given to lubricate the tube. Where the object cannot-be reached the proper instrument,a probang, should be passed slowly over the back of the throat and down theoesophagus till the offending body is reached, when gentle pressure should be applied. The probang should be oiled before being inserted and used gently and with a continuous pressure, and not like a pile-driver. The parts here are very delicate, and permanent injury or death often follows the improper use of thisinstrument. " ' v „ . ' ' TWIN CALVES AND BREEDING. J. N. 8., Otane :— ■ One of my heifers calved twins, a heifer and a bull, and I have been informed that in such a case the heifer calf subsequently proves useless for breeding purposes.- Is this correct? ; . • * .. j - i ' The Live-stock Division : When a bull -and a heifer are born as twins it is generally accepted that the heifer will not ‘breed. This, however, is not an absolute rule, as a few exceptions have been known.' Twin heifers are not less likely to breed than any other heifers. - .