FARMERS' COLUMN

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2119, 29 June 1907, Page 1

FARMERS ' COLUMN

Potatoes (says a writer in tlio Alatuura Ensign) seem to bo a veritable glut in the market, and 1 know of sales here of medium potatoes'ut 2s (id per bag; and as tlic Southland area under potatoes this year was abnormally largo they will go still lower.

Tlio bulk of the fat lambs and fat sheep raised in the Touuika district are now (says tho ‘Timaiu Herald) passed through'the public sale yards, instead of being, as many formerly were, disposed of privately on the farm.

Tho proprietor of tho North Otago Dairy (writes tho Oamaru Times) intimates that the price of milk is now *od por.quart and of cream 2s per pint. All dairy cattle are now being fed largely on bouglit fccd,- there beAgg insufficient on farms to supply tlio necessities of the cows.

Except in lea land, farmers are making rapid-progress with their ploughing (says the Oamaru Mail), hut the former is still too hard and dry to bo easily turned over, Scarcity of rain is suiting tho health of cattle, ' which, with the prosont scarcity of feed, would be in a sad plight wore tho woathor wet and miserable. Many people (writes tho Farmers’ Advocate) forgot that there is no analog)' between farming and any other pursuit; and it is not in any way tlio same as manufacturing. It a manufacturer’s expenses are raised by an award ho simply raises tlic price of his article to!the consumer, and .tlion clamors for more protection to enable him to compete at the higher price against tlio imported, article. ... > A farmer residing near I> eikwivt*. after listening, patiently to the various speakers at the e eliding Debating Society's debate on the land question, remarked: “There is only one tiling you have forgotten, anu that is till!' man on the land 1 . . Oats are still booming (says a writer in the Aiataura Ensign), and for prime prices up to 3s are bomb paid. I think, however, oats are at choir best and are unlikely to go any higher I- noticed in a press iepoit lately that all the oats , were now practically out of the country districts and into stores, in town. .AT hat utter nonsense is this! lherc ' housiuids of bags of oats to be i.nd vet' In fact, so soon as tlic seen r'cquiHuiients fire filled, I anticipate *’ designed to enable i-onorter by Air. D. Larnfich recently, it E a . cV. typo of manger, cal ed “the gradual feed-box,’ a name which explains itself. The fodder is placed in a reservoir, and runs tlnogh an aperture at the bottom mu. a box. The supply can be regul a ted by a thumb-screw, and just sufficient comes down to keep a horse going. Thus the food is always, fresh. A perforated plate of zinc at the bottom of the box, with the assistance of a current of air which circulatesunderneath, takes away injurious dust from the chaff. An arrangement of rods on the walls of the box is untended to prevent the animal from wastin'* its food when seeking among it for titbits such as oats. It is stated that, persons who have liad this simple apparatus in use say they hjavo saved one bag of chaff in five by the prevention of tho waste inseparable from tho old system of manger. Another advantage claimed is that tho reservoir may be filled overnight, thus avoiding any necessity for an attendant to get up and prepare the horse’s breakfast an hour beforeit is due to go out to work. The largest amount drawn in New Zealand’ by any one "individual milk supplier per "mouth for milk supplied to a factory is £040: This record is held bv. a settler .on \Va ini ate Plains; Oats.for dairy cows are exceedingly, satisfactory. At tho Wisconsin (United States)" Experiment Station Profesor TVoll compared ground oats and: wheat brail. He found that oats', produced 10 per celle more milk "and butter-fat.than bran. > . i The manager of tho Narrabri Butter -Factory, New South Wales, certifies the following milk yield from a! cow owned by Air. Lloyd Byrne, of: Narrabri. It is.the highest indivi-' dual tost coming under liis notice in' many experience, and lie considers it worthy of record. It is as follows: Milk yield in 24 hours, 321 b; test, 5.2 per cent of butter-fat, making 2.921 b of commercial butter for the day, and 20.441 b for the week.

WATTLE-GROWING IN AFRICA. In Africa tlio wattle plantations are made to yield ver<. profitable returns from land devoted exclusively to tho industry. The trees mature early, and yield three tons of baric to the acre, worth about £5 per ton. In later years the plantation becomes more productive, for. in the first“liarvest” every alternate tree is stripped, a lid this allows more nutriment area for the remaining trees, wljicli a year later give as much as four or fivo tons of bark to tlie acre. The work is done very systematically ' in the country named, and tlie industry, where not made to fit in with ordinary farming, employs a good many men in successively preparing the ground, sowing seed, cultivating, thinning out the -ouug .trees,- stripping, and subsequent work associated with the trees that have been treated. Wattle-growing should bp a successful industry in Afew, Zealand, especially if carried on where a sale for fencing-posts and firewood can he found, ft is claimed that in the Auckland province wattle plantations yield 10Q0 posts to tho acre, besides bark, and a considerable, quantity of firewood.

BACTERIA IN SOILS.

Keeping tlie soil in permanent heart is dependent upon the presence and activity of bacterial life, and no matter how lavishly manure is applied the absonse of suspended action of the nitrifying organisms can■not he atoned f0r.... The soil which is not occupied by soil "'bacteria is held to he necessarily infertile. Lime -plays a most vhnnartant part in all soils deficient in this substance; as it preserves the soil in a healthy and productive state by neutralising the accumulation of acids and otherwise promoting and facilitating the activity of the nitrifying organisms. Tiie quantity to he used differs according to the nature of the soil to be treated, but, as far as an intelligent interpretation of well-defined, practical results are concerned,; large applications have always been shown to be harmful, as well as wasteful, in that the excessive quantities defeat the primary objects of the application. The dressing found to be most effective is from 4cwt to Gcwt per acre of crushed lime.

| INDIGESTION IN HORSES. ! Indigestion is a trouble which many horses suffer from, but tlio cause is not invariably attributable to tlie condition of their teeth, as bait feeding or even a constitutional predisposition are both very often responsible for attack. Loss of appetite, and sometimes a desire to eat Objectionable substances, are common symptoms of indigestion, which, if not properly treated, may become chronic. Very frequently diarrhoea a'ifects the’ horse, and lie soon loses condition, and appears to be generally out of sorts. A dose of opening medicine —castor oil in the case of yoting animal ‘and aloes in that of an adult are serviceable in this direction—may be given as a preliminary measure, and some care 'should, be taken to avoid foods that are likely t’o create flatulency or to upset the stoniacli r>f the affected horse. Unless tlie teetfi ave tlie primary cause of tlje trouble soft foods and mashes should be avoided, as not onlv do they increase tlie attack of diarrhoea, but, being hastily swallowed, they aa-e calculated to increase the indigestion. Oil the other hand, a food (which requires io be masticated is swallowed slowly, and is not, therefore, so likely to bring ip convenience to the horse. It is better to limit the supply. of water,'. especially in cold weather, not, of course, to the extent of keeping the horse in a thirsty, condition, but in order to prevent imv over-gorging. Small uuautities of water, given frequently, should, therefore, be the rule, and if -t-he fluid oan be chilled.it will be all the better for the patient.

HeiiduClie, Lntligeslioii*ibid Const.-uii-ion.

an jm:,’ok;i\v;£t discovery

It .w.lll interest sufferers to l;u-" that ii'Vnlr.ablcTiKv'.h'. u - . ‘called v. toiils, has been ('iseoi ered. v. inch j lldw*' cifctiplf'.tdy* er.rn.i-' each ‘of I'.*' abovtMiasned coi;i;il:il:;ls. ; I’Tqoio. are eleg.inv in appearance.' and p.c.. sant to lake, wluu is -o.'. She' i: uio-t, iiuji.r'! nice, are thoroughly re! able in iif.’or.dhg quick' redo". Yir do not require g.i on taking tin": for a prolonged period, as is 'mvosseir with some medicine:-, which even tlic are mostly disappointing; you simp take a dose of Frootoids when ill :r. rejieat the dose if necessary, but ge:. rally one dose is quite effective.

Frootoids are immensely more v'a able than an ordinary aperient, in far that they not only act as an i: rient, but do remove from tlie lilt;, tissues, and infernal organs ail I waste poisonous mat ter that Is e!< ging them find choking the clianp tliat lead to ami from them. Tlie b.; ficiill effects of Frootoids are evldi at once by the clisnppeuranee of lie." aclie, tlie head becoming dear, am' bright, cheery sense of perfect lie:: taking tlie place of sluggish, depre ■ feelings, by the liver acting prope and l>3' tlie food being proper!;,' •

gested: Frootoids are tlie proper aped.-' medicine to take when any Coiigcstiu or Blood Poison is present, or \\T.r. Congestion of (lie Brain or Apoplex. is present or threatening. They hav. been tested, and have been proved Ic afford quick relief in such cases 'when other aperients have not done. an;, good at all. It is of,the utmost itupor tnnee that tills should be bornq. ic mind, for in such eases to take a if" or dinary aperieut is to waste time an' permit of a serious illness beeoniin' fatal. Frootoids act splendidly on the live" and quickly cure bilious attacks 11:.. antibslious pills make worse. Man people have been made sick and 11! by nntibilious pills that could hav been cured at once by Frootoids People should not allow themselves', t; be clnpeci into coiitractiiig' a medicine taking habit by being persuaded .t. take daily, doses,with each meal of so called indigestion cures'that do NO'.' cure. Frootoids have been subjcctc--to extensive tests, and have in ever, case proved successful in complete], curing tlie complaints named. A constipated habit of body will It • completely cured if the patient will o:' each occasion, when suffering, take ; dose of Frootoids, instead of an or dinary aperient; by so doing, the pr tient will require doses only at longer, intervals, and will so become quit independent of the necessity of takin ' any. •■aperient medicine. Frootoids are only now being placed on tlie Australian market, consequent!; you limy at present have a -.difficulty in getting them front your local chemist or storekeeper; but; ask for them, and if you cannot get them at once, send stamps or postal note for price. ]/<>, to TV. G. I-Tearne, Chemist, Geelong, and a bottle of them will bo immediately forwarded to 'you post free Chemists, storekeepers; and wholesalers can now obtain wholesale supplies from TV. G. Hcarue, Chemist. Geelong, Victoria.

N.Z. Depot, Nos. 9 and 11, Hume’s Buildings, 65 Willis-street, Wellington.