ON THE LAND

New Zealand Tablet, 23 October 1919, Page 43

ON THE LAND

„ MARKET REPORTS. At Burnside - last week there was a /medium yarding of 166 head of- fat cattle. The quality, -oh the whole, was only fair, and prices were about equal to the previous week's rates. Prime bullocks £32 to £4O, medium £24 to £3O, lighter sorts £l7 to £22, prime heifers £2O to £24 10s, medium £l6 to £l9, light and aged to £l4. Fat sheep: 1751 yarded. The quality was; of ordinary description, and light and unfinished sorts were easier, by from 2s to 3s per head, while prime.heavy sheep, of which there were few forward, brought about equal to last sale's rates. Prime wethers 65s to 75s 9d, medium 52s 6d to-635, light and unfinished 37s upwards, prime ewes 55s to 60s 6d, medium 44s to 525, light and unfinished 33s upwards. Spring lambs: Only 17 were offered. These were of medium quality, and sold at prices ranging from 27s 9d to 30s 6d per head. Pigs: A small yarding, the supply being insufficient for requirements, and consequently prices showed an advance on the previous week's rates. Best baconers made from 10Jd to lid per lb, and best porkers from lid to llfd per lb. At Addington there was a slightly smaller yarding of fat sheep and about the same as the previous week of cattle. Prime quality in both maintained values, but the second grade showed a weakening tendency. Fat sheep : The quality was better than previously, several very prime pens being forward. The market for these was up to recent values, but there was a decided lack of keenness for the indifferent quality. Extra prime wethers brought to 725, prime wethers 51s to 665, medium 43s 3d to 495, lighter 37s 7d to 40s 9d, extra prime ewes to 62s 3d, prime ewes 48s 6d to 565, medium ewes 41s to 475, lighter 31s 9d to 395, prime hoggets 45s to 555, lighter 36s 6d. Fat cattle: 334 were entered, and these included some pens of good quality beef, for which there was a demand practically on a par with the previous week. One pen of four-year-old steers was sold at £34 10s. Inferior sorts showed a decline. Extra prime brought £4O 2s 6d, prime £2l 10s to £34 10s, ordinary £lO to £l9, prime heifers £ls 10s to £2l 7s 6d, ordinary £8 10s to £l4 10s, extra prime cows to £2l 10s, prime £lB 10s, ordinary £7 5s to £l2 10s. Vealers: There was a fair yarding of poor quality. Runners brought £5 to £6, good vealers £3 to £4 10s, fair £2 to £2 15s, small and inferior 5s to £1 18s. Pigs : There was a medium entry. The demand was keen, and the sale was good. Extra heavy baconers £lO, heavy £7 10s to £8 10s, medium £5 10s to £7 (equal to lid to Hid per lb), heavy porkers £4 10s to £5, medium £3 15s to £4 5s (equal to Is per lb), choppers £6 to £9. THE VALUE OF SALT IN FEEDING COWS. : The value of salt in feeding cows is a factor likely to be overlooked. Experts have declared that a cow weighing 10001 b requires about three-fourths of an ounce of salt daily per 10001 b live weight, with 0.60 z for each 201 b milk produced. A few years ago the Wisconsin Experiment Station proved that salt is necessary if an animal is to remain in good health and to perform her normal functions. A bulletin published giving results of the experiment made this statement: —"ln every case the cows exhibit an abnormal appetite for salt after having been deprived for two or three weeks, but in no case did_ the health, as shown by the general appearance, the live weight, or the yield of milk, appear to be affected until a much longer time had elapsed. The period of immunity varies with individual cows from less than a month to more than a year. There was finally reached a condition of low vitality in which a sudden and complete breakdown occurred This stage was marked by a loss of appetite, a general haggard appearance, lustreless eyes, a rough coat and a very rapid decline in both live weight and yield of milk." PROSPECTS OF A LIVING FROM BEES. To those who are unacquainted with the honey-raising industry, there seems to be a continual impression that beekeeping is a business that must be looked upon merely as a side line, which may be a more or less pleasant hobby for such as are not afraid of bees, but that it could never be relied upon for a total means of livelihood. As a matter of fact, the very reverse is the case (says a contemporary). To tack anything nowadays on to beekeeping is to lose money at the bees, and the best of all things to go with beekeeping is some more bees In fact, the term beekeeping is rapidly becoming obsolete _ The idea to-day is not that a person keeps bees but that the bees keep the person, and the term honey-producer is superseding rapidly the old term of beekeeper, for it is honey-produc-tion in the commercial sense of the term That one has in mind when using either the newer or the older of the two

appellations. The day of the small beekeeper of 20 or so colonies is being made so rugged, by the strict enforcement of the Apiaries Act, that he (or she) either has to grapple with the industry, with up-to-date methods that take quite a deal of application, or -go. out of : the hobby entirely. Usually such persons have the good sense to realise how much there is in: the occupation, and rather than obliterate their fancied .possession, v they reconstruct it ; and launch out as at least a commercial producer, however/ small. Again, there are far too many of the gentler sex, both?in our own Dominion and throughout the world, who are making a handsome return as a sole means of subsistence out of honey-production to need any further assurance ; as ito the reliability of the industry as a means of v making a living— a very handsome living at that. ; > : -n-Si- } ■-•-•/•/-'•'::/'■' /;-; - ■-*--•"•-" -■ -' •■ ■ ; . -;-■■■■■. & . V.^Mj *" SANITARY WHITEWASHES. U One of the best, whitewashes known (writes/ a correspondent to the N.Z. Dairyman) is a mixture of Portland cement and milk—skim-milk, butter-milk, or sweet whblemilk. It is as follows:Stir into one gallon of milk about 31b of Portland cement, and add sufficient Venetian red paint (in powder) to : impart a good color. Any other dry color may be used, according to the tint desired. The milk will hold the color in suspension, but the cement, > being very heavy, will sink to the bottom, so that it becomes necessary to keep the mixture well stirred with a paddle. This necessity to stir is the only drawback to the paint, but as its efficiency depends upon the thorough admixture of the cement so that the walls may have a good coat of it, you will recognise that it is not safe to leave its application to untrustworthy and careless help. Six hours after applying, this paint will be as immovable as a month-old paint, and as unaffected by water. I have heard of buildings 20 years old painted in this manner, in which the wood was still in good condition, so well had . the paint preserved it. The effect of such a coating seems to be to petrify the surface of the wood. Whole milk is better than butter-milk or skim-milk, as it contains more oil, and this is the constituent that sets the cement. If mixed with water instead of milk, the wash rubs off, and soaks off readily. A first-class whitewash, which will not rub off, is made by dissolving 21b of ordinary glue in 7 pints of water, and when all is dissolved adding 6oz of bichromate of potassium, dissolved in a. pint of hot water. The maker should stir the mixture well, and then add sufficient whiting to make it up to the consistency of thick cream. The wash should be applied with a brush in the ordinary manner, as quickly as possible. It dries in a very short time, and, by the action of light, becomes converted into a perfectly insoluble waterproof substance, which does not wash off, even with hot water, and at the same time does not give rise to mould growth, as whitewash made with size often does. It may bo colored to any desired tint by the* use of a trace of any anilino dye. f Another good whitewash may be made thus: —Slake 1 peck of lime in boiling water, keeping it just covered by the water while slaking. Strain through a coarse cloth.Add 2 quarts of fine salt dissolved in warm water, lib of rice meal boiled in water to a thin paste, Jib of whiting, and £lb of glue dissolved in warm water. Mix all thoroughly, and allow to stand covered for two or three days stir occasionally. Heat the mixture before using. The Department of Agriculture, replying to a corre- ; spondent whose attempt to use lime as a spray wash had i been defeated by the blocking up of the spray nozzle, said that the mixture ought first to have been strained" twice or -more often through a piece of scrim. The following wash was recommended : —Thoroughly dissolve some bluestone in boiling water—say, a teacupful to a bucketful of water— and mix the lime with this while hot. The Milestone will have the effect of making the mixture stick, and if well strained it will easily pass through an ordinary spray pump. If the object of the spraying is to keep insect vermin in check, it would be advisable first to give the. houses a good coating with tar. When this is thoroughly dry it may be followed by a good spraying of the limo wash. ■ i—~i