ANSWERS TO INQUIRIES.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XXVI, Issue 6, 20 June 1923, Page 390

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.

DRENCHES FOR YOUNG SHEEP. T. Davey, Mahanga, Wairoa : —

In the Journal for April (page 215) is given a stock solution for drenching hoggets. As I have been using bluestone and carbonate of soda for some years now I would like to know if I am doing the right thing. I mix 9 oz. of bluestone and 9 oz. of soda in 4 gallons of water, and give each hogget 2 oz., commencing to dose them at weaning-time. The chief trouble in this district is stomach-worms-small white worms and tapeworms. ,

The Live-stock Division :—

Your solution works out at 13J grains to the dose. For weaners we would say that this dose is excessive, though about right for hoggets (twelve months old). The United States Bureau of Animal Industry recommends a dose of 6 grains for lambs (three to twelve months). Without a change on to clean pasture and nourishing food, however, treatment is wasted.

EFFECT OF FEEDING ON BUTTERFAT TEST.

“ Curious,” Te Hana :—

: With regard to test of cows for butterfat, could you kindly tell me if feed makes any impression on the test, and does extra-good feed only affect the quantity ? In other words, would, say, a four-test cow increase her test by special feeding ?

The Dairy Division :—

If a cow is well fed for some time prior to calving, this feeding may influence the test for a limited period, and until the cow reduces her flesh to normal working-condition; Outside this our experience points in the direction of extra feeding having little if any influence on the test of the milk. The effect of liberal feeding on the ' quantity of milk given is, of course, widely recognized.

SCALDING OF PIG CARCASES

“ Question,” Kawhia :—

Could you advise me as to the best method, temperature, &c., for scalding pigs after slaughtering ? '

The Instructor in Swine Husbandry :—

. First see that the carcase is well bled. In preparing the scald arrange for a temperature of 150° to 160 0 F. For a small pig use the former, and a large pig the latter. Above this temperature there is a danger of setting the hair. It is advisable to use a thermometer. Keep the carcase moving in the trough for one minute, and then try the hair on the feet and ears. If easily, removed the scald is about right, but to be on the safe side try the hair on the. flank, as this is the hardest to remove. If it comes away freely commence scudding at once. It is advisable when the process of scalding is done in the open air to raise the temperature two or three degrees higher than stated, so as to allow for the cold air, also for lowering of the temperature of the water when the carcase is submerged. 1

GROWING LUPINS FOR SEED.

C. Jesson, Rotorua

I intend growing about 2 acres of white lupins for seed purposes, and shall be glad of a little information. as to sowing, manuring, and harvesting.

The Fields Division

Lupins for seed should be sown in the spring as soon as danger from frosts is over. Sow in 14 in.' drills at the rate of ij bushels per acre. Superphosphate, 1 cwt. per acre, drilled with the seed would be beneficial. The crop should be harvested with a mower fitted with a short knife, and the cut material should be forked back as it is cut to prevent the horses treading on it and knocking the seed out. When dry it should be stacked and then left in the stack about six or eight weeks before threshing. The average yield of seed is about 25 bushels per acre. ' . " '

NON-BEARING PEAR-TREES.

H. Wigmore, Mercury Bay : —■

I have two pear-trees, a William Bon Chretien and a Packham's Triumph, and neither bears any fruit, although they have blossomed for several years. Would you tell me if those varieties are self-sterile, and, if so, what kinds would be required to fertilize them ? I have twenty-seven hives of bees, so do . not think there can be any fault in that way. The trees are six or seven years of age.

The Horticulture Division :—

Special pruning methods are necessary to bring pear-trees into bearing at an early age; they do not, as a rule, fruit so early as do apples. You give no indication as to what growth the trees have made, nor of the pruning done. . It frequently happens that trees that make heavy growth may blossom but fail to set fruit, because the. strong growth made diverts sap from the flowering portions of the tree and the blossoms are weakened. If the trees are making strong growth, do no pruning for a year or two. This will cause the cessation of strong growth and promote the development of fruit-buds. The Bon Chretien pear is self-fertile, therefore the want of cross-fertilization would not account for it not bearing. It is not known whether Packham's Triumph is self-fertile or not. Authorities who have investigated the matter state that any two varieties will pollinate each other if their flowering-period is practically the same, and that is the case with Bon Chretien and Packham’s Triumph. '•

CONTROL OF RAGWORT.

J. B. T., Dunedin :• —

W ruld you kindly inform me if it is worth while cutting down ragwort if it is in its yellow flower ? I commenced to cut some on my place and was told by a neighbour that I was simply wasting my time, as the cut plants would ripen and seed.

The Live-stock Division (Noxious Weeds Inspection) : —

For effectively controlling ragwort, where it is not possible to well stock with sheep, when the plant is young frequent cutting must be resorted to before it flowers, thus preventing the growth of leaves. If flowering of the weed is permitted, and it is afterwards cut down, there is no doubt sufficient sap in the stem to mature a proportion of the seed. In such cases and where the weed is only on, small areas much good might be done by either pulling up the roots or by cutting the plant beneath the surface, or by cutting down, gathering, and burning it. This, however, should be done at least in the early flowering stage, and not when the seed has matured and shed.

TUTU IN RELATION TO CATTLE.

H. A. Alderson, Christchurch :—

Is there any ' known treatment for poisoning by tutu, and what is the best way to eradicate the plant ? Do cattle usually eat it when not particularly hungry ?

The Live-stock Division :—

A comprehensive reply in regard to the treatment of animals poisoned by tutu was given on page 492 of the Journal for June, 1917. The eradication of tutu is often a very difficult matter. If the plants are cut the underground stems shoot up again rapidly. If there is only a small quantity to be dealt with the plants may be grubbed out, but if present in large quantities cutting and burning is the only method. After burning, grass-seed should be sown. It is very difficult to state definitely whether or not cattle generally will eat tutu when not particularly hungry. It is usually held that if there is an abundance of young grass available cattle generally will not eat tutu in large quantities, but some appear to be very partial to small quantities even when there is plenty of other feed, and these animals seem to gain some tolerance to the poison. The poison in tutuplants is particularly dangerous when there are young shoots, and also when the plant is wet from rain or dew.

BLOOD-AND-BONE MANURE AFTER LIME.

L. McInnes, Marua :—

Will you please inform me if it is advisable to use blood-and-bone manure when sowing grass in a paddock that has recently been limed. -

The Fields Division : —

Blood-and-bone may be used without being harmfully affected by the previous application of limeespecially raw ground limestone. If, however, quicklime is used, it is advisable to give the soil a good disking after the lime is applied ; then, if the soil is moist, blood-and-bone may be applied with safety after a period of three to four days. You would be well advised to use 2 cwt. of superphosphate with 1 cwt. of blood-and-bone per acre when sowing grass in your district.

TARWEED IN HAY.

E. Mulcare, Ngatere :• —-

■Is tarweed injurious to cows if chaffed with meadow hay and fed with molasses and concentrates ? The hay contains a good deal of tarweed. Would it be advisable to feed out as hay, or would it be safe to chaff for winter feed ?

The Live-stock Division :—

In the plant form stock will not eat tarweed (Bartsia viscosa), and there is therefore no danger in feeding stock with hay containing this weed. In the chaffed form, however, stock might eat it unnoticed; and while it is not definitely known that the plant is injurious to stock, there is a possibility of its being so, and we should not, on that account, recommend chaffing the hay containing it.

British Market for Peas and Beans.— The following information was cabled by the High Commissioner, London, on 2nd June :—

Peas. Market firm for spot. Small sales reported of Maple at about 102s. 6d. per quarter. Limited demand for forward shipments. May-June shipments offered 81s., with buyers about 80s. For May shipments prices hardened recently to 77s. 6d. Tasmanian Maple scarce ; ■ May shipments offered 91s. 6d., buyers about 89s. Japanese Blue have declined further, spot selling at 21s. 6d. per cwt. ; new crops August-September and September-October shipments 22s. to 23s. Limited demand for Tasmanian Blue at 19s. and New Zealand at 18s. Beans.— English supplies sufficient for requirements, and market quiet. New Zealand quoted spot, 50s. to 52s. per quarter.