ANSWERS TO INQUIRIES.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1, 20 July 1929, Page 70

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.

DIET OF YOUNG DOGS.

R. J. Diamanti, Canvastown

Please inform me if raw meat included in their diet has any detrimental effects upon young pups (six weeks old), and whether it has a tendency to make them liable to contract distemper more easily.

The Live-stock Division :- The diet of a young dog has no direct bearing on distemper, and raw meat as part of the ration does not render dogs more susceptible to that trouble. The basis of a diet for pups six weeks of age should be porridge and whole milk, if available. The protein of milk is more easily digested than that of meat, and young dogs must be gradually brought on to a meat diet. A little meat and a small bone occasionally can also be given, the meat ration being increased as the dog becomes older. In connection with raw meat for dogs it is essential that such meat should be free from hydatid cysts. Livers and other offal should be carefully examined for the presence of cysts. If cysts are present, either reject the offal or do not use it until after thorough cooking. Dogs are infested with tapeworms through eating raw offal affected with hydatid cysts.

FLOWER-CULTURE FOR MAKING OF PERFUMES. “ Perfumes,” Dunedin : Would it be possible to grow flowers roses, lavender, rosemary, &c.— for making macerated oils and pomade so much used in the making of perfumes, and which must be imported into New Zealand in considerable quantities. We will be shifting to North Auckland during the next few months, and I should think the climate there would be just as suitable as the south of France and Bulgaria for the purpose mentioned.

The Horticulture Division :

The growing of flowers and plants in this country with a view to distilling them for the perfumes. they contain has been considered from time to time from the point of view of a commercial proposition, but although the soil and climate are sufficiently dry and warm in some parts of the country, the labour and marketing conditions here place us at a disadvantage in competition with European countries engaged in this trade in essential oils. ' It is doubtless possible to do. something in this way here, but the commercial possibilities are not sufficiently attractive to recommend the undertaking. However, should you desire to test, the matter it will be essential for you to obtain varieties of plants specially suited for the purpose, and then grow them in a well-drained soil where a warm dry summer season, which is necessary for the maximum production of essential oils,, can be relied upon. In a wet climate the yield will generally be very low. The North Auckland country has rather a generous rainfall for the purpose, and thedriest district there should be selected for the purpose of any experiment decided upon.

BLOOD IN COW’S MILK.

“ Subscriber,” Woodend :

One of my cows has been giving a quantity of blood in her milk for some weeks. She is a second calver and has been in milk six months. It started in one : hind quarter, then it got into a front one. The other two are all right. The udder is in no way hard or painful, and appears quite normal. Would you kindly inform me the cause, also treatment of the condition.

The Live-stock Division :

This condition is most frequently brought about by small blood-vessels in the udder becoming ruptured owing to an intense congestion of the udder with blood after parturition. The act of milking reopens the injury, and until this heals a varying amount of blood will come away, particularly with the strippings. In this case time alone will remedy the matter, though it would no doubt be of benefit if you went about the milking as carefully as possible and did not strip right out. Another cause of the trouble is a bruise or contusion of the quarter, due to some external injury. The same line of treatment will apply, and in either case a drench may be given composed of | lb. Epsom salts, J lb. common salt, and 1 oz. ginger, to 1 quart of warm water. If the case does not improve send a sample of the milk to the Officer in Charge, Veterinary Laboratory, Wallaceville. If you do this, the bottle containing the milk, and also the cork, must be thoroughly cleaned and then boiled for several minutes to ensure that they are sterile.

KIKUYU-GRASS.

A. B. Babbage, Hauturu :

Can you tell me anything about kikuyu-grass ? One of the settlers here is trying it, and it seems to be doing well, and is much relished by the stock.

The Fields Division :

Kikuyu-grass, introduced from South Africa, has been grown for the', past six or seven years at the Puwera Experimental Farm, near Whangarei, North Auckland, and large numbers of parcels of. roots have been forwarded to farmers in various parts of the Auckland Province for trial. The grass is established by planting out roots. When planting on a large scale, the work is lightened by first chaffing the roots, broadcasting the small sections over the cultivated land, and then disking them in. Planting out is best done in the spring. During the first two or three years after establishment the grass throws a large amount of very palatable feed, but as the surface soil becomes filled with the roots the stand becomes sod-bound and production decreases. The grass throws little or no feed in the winter and spring, and is cut back by hard winter frosts. Generally speaking, land areas suited for kikuyu would be better sown in paspalum. .However, kikuyu is well worth planting on broken slips, sandy knolls, and other similar places which are difficult to grass.

“ COW-GRASS ” AND RED CLOVER.

J. T. Bright, Waipukurau

Could you inform me whether there is any difference between cow-grass and red clover ?

The Fields Division :

There is no real difference between cow-grass and red clover. In New Zealand the large-seeded better-looking lines are usually sold as cow-grass, and the smaller-seeded lines as red clover. The term “ cow-grass ”is used to some extent in Britain, the name “ double-cut cow-grass ” being applied to the Broad Red ' and “single-cut cow-grass to the Late Red clover types. There is, however, no legitimate reason for the use of the name “ cow-grass,” and the effort, both here and in Britain, is to get the term “ red clover ” used generally, and to eliminate the term “ cow-grass ” altogether.

LAYING DOWN COCKSFOOT FOR SEED PURPOSES. D. S. Studholme, Hinds : I wish to lay down a paddock of cocksfoot for seed purposes only. Land is free alluvial loam, without clay subsoil, and is infested with fat-hen seed. Should the cocksfoot be sown in spring or autumn ? Should it be sown alone,

or are equally good results obtained by sowing with wheat, turnips, rape, or oats ? If sown with a fodder crop, will the tramping of the sheep affect the young cocksfoot-plants ?- , The Fields Division : The cocksfoot-seed should be sown on well-prepared land, at the rate of from 20 lb. to 25 lb. per acre. We do not favour the idea of sowing with a cover-crop. Spring sowing is preferable, but in cases where fat-hen is very troublesome sowing is at times deferred till autumn. The autumn sowing frequently strikes dry weather, with the result that the plants cannot establish. In our experience we have found it beneficial to sow white clover, at the rate of 2 lb. or 3 lb. per acre with cocksfoot. . Where this is done a better and quicker growth is obtained. Superphosphate should be applied at time of sowing, at the rate of 1 cwt. per acre.