ON THE LAND.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3315, 6 September 1911, Page 8

ON THE LAND.

NOTHING WASTED.

INQUIRY FOR APPLE CORES AND

SKINS,

A new field of labour far fruitgrowers appears on the horizon. _ The South Australian Trade Commissioner in London has advised his Government as under:—“l have received an inquiry from a large firm here asking if we can supply ■ the names of firms who export apple cores and skins. Ido not know if any export trade is done in these particular goods, but I understand that there is a good market in Belgium for, them, where they are used for making cheap jam.” MOLASSES FOR STOCK. GOOD IF NOT OVERDONE. Mixing molasses with chaff as a feed for stock has been resorted to in some parts of New Zealand this winter consequent on the shortage of feed. A practical farmer, commenting on the practice, says it is undoubtedly, possible to give sheep a good feed, but at the same time it is too much molasses, and in. the absence of green feed this was liable to bring on acute constipation. In some cases, it is stated tmis complaint lias been so r,renounced in flocks that many deaths have occurred As showing the extent to which molasses was used in the south, it is reported that on© firm in Ashburton has supplied about 60 tons to farmers. The orders received far exceeded this amount, but many had to be refused as a further supply was . not procurable. BAS!C SALT. HOW IT SHOULD BE APPLIED. Replying to a query as to what quantity of basic ring it is most advisable to applv to dairying ground and as to bow long stock should be kept off the grass after the manure has been sown, the Director of the Fields and Experiment Fa<rms Division) of tibo Agricultural De-* partmnt says that basic slag Ims been used Avith most gratifvmg results m quantities varying from tkvwt .to lOcivt per acre. The usual practice is to topdress land Avith from 2civt to 4ewb. In but few instances have geater quantities than ScAvt been allied: not that it is necessarily unprofitable, hut the cost of dealing with an _ large area of land is prohibitive A\ r lien the fertiliser is applied at that rate. Basic slag appears to afford alinost untoersai satisfaction as a top-dressinP" and the quantity recommended as usually within the limits of expense is from _3cyt to 4cwt per acre. This manure in itself contains no poisonous ingredients. It is therefore really Unnecessary to remove the stock after top-dressing the pastures. Such, hoAvever, is usually the practice. The land is rolled or chainharrowed after the .application of a fertiliser. The paddock is often kept empty until after the. first rain, but that is a matter of prejudice* rather than 01 necessity. RABBITS AND THISTLES. A SUCCESSFUL POISONING PLAN. Rabbit poisoning by means of strychnine placed in the roots of thistles has been attended by successful results in Hargraves Ncav South Wales. It is stated that the rabbits Avffll take poison this Ava,y when they refuse to touch baits made by any other method. Mr N Potts A\iho is tracing, has secured a large number of rabbits in the follcAVing manner. He cuts the roots of thistles into thin slices and places these above the trans. taking care that they will not interfere .with the jaw 9 of the trap Aidien closing, as the rabbits would otherwise be able t free themselves. FOALS NURSED BY COW. AN UNCOMMON SIGHT. A very uncommon sight may be seen at the farm of Mr. J. Walton, Asbbocking. Ipswich, says an English stock journal. There two foals are being reared by cows, one because its dam, a Clydesdale mare, absolutely refused to take to it, and the other because its mother died and- it was on the verge of starvation. The mare would not nurse her foal "last year, but Avould rather kaA r e killed it if it had not been taken away, therefore Mr Walton’s foreman patiently set to \A r ork to teach it to suck a Red Poll coav Avhich had recently catoed. More perseverance Anas needed than the average man Avould have given to the task, but in the end. he Avon, and the youngester learned how to bend its neck to reach the teats of a someAvhat loavgroAvn coav. The mare shoAved no sign of parental affection for the second foal, born this spring, so it was fortliAvith put on to the coav which proved such a good foster-mother last year, Avhile the mare herself goes regularly to AA'ork. There appears to be very little difference between this foal and those sucking their dams as to growth and condition, therefore the question may be asked whether it would pay to pur a foal to a coav so that its dam could be worked ; or, in other words, Avhether a mare or a coav is the most economical ■ nursing mother. One thing is made clear, Avhich is that the tedious process of bringing foals up by hand can be dispensed Avith if a good-tempered and freshly-calved cow is available at the time it. is Avanted, hut a Polled one is certainly preferable, as the horns Avould be very likely to cause trouble.