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AGRICULTURAL.
THE FARM.
BY PLOUGHSHARE.
The weather is still variable, and not
at all such as one expects about tUis
time of year. Some more rain fell yes
terday.
in the earlier districts the harvest is
all but garnered. In others the crops
are still green and prcmssiug well.
The potatoes are now experiencing the
benefit of the recgal rains, and especi
ally those that were sown late, of which
on the N.W. Coast there is a large acre
age. Good yields are confidently au
tIcipated, and all through the state
farmers are in great heart.
The Council of Agriculture is to meet
at Hobart on Wednesday, when the
most Important business will be the
commencement of its powers and duties
now deuined under the legislation of
last session.
The general elections will soon be
on us, and it behoves agriculturists to
be on the loot: out for public men who
will serve the best interest of the state,
and at the same time pay a fair share of
attention to the requirements of our
staple industry.
Mr. E. P. Dawbarn, of Kilbilla Park,
Lawson, writes to the "Sydney Mail":—
"An instance of rapid growth was fur-
nished here this week. Some peas
were planted at Kibilla Park on [M]onday
afternoon. Rain set in and continued
until Wednesday night. On Thursday
—2½ days after sowing—numbers of
the pea plants were showing through
the surface. Is this a record?"
Q9 Colonel Waddell's land, near
Wentworth Falls, New South Wales,
two grains of oats produced 136 stalks
and 116 stalks respectively.
A good dairy cow is invari'aily a
hearty cater, and yet there are farmers.
who prefer a cow that can subsist Ott a
small amount of food. It costs less to
keep them, you know.
Here is some good advice from the
"Farm Journal," which is worth attan
tion:-Keep your hardwood ashes lfy,.
and sift them clean and free from old
nails and bits of iron. Then next spring
sow them with oats or scatter them on
the meadow. They are worth more
than any form of commercial fentiliser
for this purpose. Never mix ashes
with hen manure. They set free the
ammonia in the latter and waste it.
It has been asserted that pure".bred
nigs are slow breeders. This idea is,
however, exploded by the record of the
farrowings of large white sows kept by
an English breeder. In the month of
January he obtained a total of 177 p a5
from 13 sows by eight different boars,
or as average of 12'% pigs per litter.
It ought to be pretty well known that
the pig utilises, the greatest percentage
of the food consumed of any of our farm
stock. It costs less to produce a pound
of pork than to produce a pound of beef.
The pig utilises 20 per cent. of the food
consumed, while the ox utilises but S
per cent. The pig is one of our best
sources of ready revenue on the farm.
The "expectation of life"-to use as.
insurance phrase-of the horse, as well
as that of maan, Is said to be growing
greater, as better and especially more
humane treatment of horses is giving
the noble beast a longer lease of life,
and a smoother road during the jour
ney. But there are two-legged brutes
who are not merciful to their beasts.
and they can be seen on the streets and
roads every'day.
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