ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS— co^^^m^^^^/. 



Prairie Grass. — Lucerne writes stating that he has sown lucerne in drills 9 inches apart* 

 and asks it' it is advisable to plant prairie grass between the rows to provide winter feed. 



An'<wer. — No. In a few places where paddocks arc grazed under irrigation this plan has 

 been attempted, but either the lucerne or prairie usually disappears. All lucerne paddocks should 

 be scarified occasionally, and the more thoroughly this is done the better. On the whole it is 

 better to plant half the area with each crop and keep them separate. 



Milk Testing. — B.D. asks what is the best work on milk and cream testing and working a 

 Babcock ? 



Ajiswer. — " Testing Milk and its Products," bj' Farringdon and WoU. May be obtained 

 from leading booksellers in Melbourne and elsewhere. Ask for latest edition (12th or later). 



Cattle Lick. — A.F. asks for further particulars re cattle lick recommended on page 311 of 

 tlje Year Book of Agricultvre for 1905 



Answer. — Slaked lime should be used. A lick is dry ; it is placed in boxes about the 

 premises for cattle to lick at pleasure. 



Tonic for Horses and Cows. — Jersey inquires — (1) Will sulphur 1 part, and salt 3 parts, 

 given with fodder, act as a tonic for horses, or have any effect on horses with worms ? (2) What is 

 the best tonic to give his cows (10), which are grazing on kangaroo grass country ; after a month 

 or so they usually go " otf" and get cripples, hut since using lime in the water holes and feeding 

 superphosphate in bran to them, they have not been so bad ? 



Answer. — (1) The mixture is a good one, but for worms better results would be obtained 

 from sulphate of iron 3 ozs. , powdered gentian 6 ozs. ; dose 1 tablespoonful night and morning. 



(2) Little further requires to be done to overcome the conditions met with. If loss of 

 appetite is observed improvement may be brought about by giving, in small damped feeds of bran and 

 chatf or other available chopped forage, a tablespoonful of the following mixture night and 

 morning: — calcium phosphate 1 lb., powdered nux vomica 1 lb., powdered ginger 3 lbs. ; molasses 

 would also be found beneficial. 



Seed Potatoes. — Asiateur asks whether the tubers which form on the branches and stem 

 of the potato plant are used as seed. 



Answer. — No. They often occur on plants that are running out. 



Wood Ashes as a Fertilizer. — G. E. inquires — (1) re value of wood ashes as a fertilizer; 

 {2) whether wood siding refuse is good for cereals. 



Answer. — (1) The sole fertilizing value that wood ashes possess lies in the small portions 

 of lime and potash present. Considered purely as a fertilizer, wood ashes are just about worth 

 carting, but from the aspect of soil amendments or improvers, they are well worth using, 

 especially on clay ground which is deficient in vegetable matter. The charcoal usually associated 

 with the ashes assists the soil to hold more ni-^isture and for a longer period by keeping the 

 land loose. 



(2) Wood siding refuse, being a mixture of sawdu.st and decayed bark, leaves, &c. , has a 

 value for any class of crop, provided it is applied to heavy clay or light sandy soils which are 

 deficient in vegetable matter. Its function is to improve the watei'-holding capacity of the 

 soil. Used by itself, it is of little value for cereals, and should always be supjjlemented by a 

 dressing of J to f cwt. of superphosphate. Apply a liberal amount, say 5 to 10 tons per 

 acre, in the early autumn, and plough in some weeks before sowing the crop. 



Hilling Mangolds. — M. McD. asks whether mangolds and sugar-beet should be hilled 

 tip, and, if so, at what stage? 



A7i.^we7\^Theve should be no necessity to " hill up " root crops of any kind. If the land 

 is properly prepared, beet will not grow out of the ground, the natural habit of the plant 

 being to grow downwards Mangolds, on the other hand, will grow out of the ground no 

 matter how deeply it is ploughed. Hilling up only increases the amount of the evajwrating 

 surface, and hilled crops usually sufi^er more during a drought than the same crops grown on 

 flat land. 



Herbs. — Y.O.H. requires information re cultivation of herbs. 



Answer. — See '* Garden Notes" in this issue. 



Rupture, Etc. — R.R.T. writes — "I have a two-year-old heifer which has a rupture about 

 the size of a man's fist between the udder and navel. She is in calf about one month. Is any 

 inconvenience or danger likely to result if left alone ? She also has superfluous teats. Would it be 

 advisable to remove these with a sharp knife ? " 



Answer. — (1) A rupture of the size and in the situation mentioned is not likely to be 

 dangerous. (2) Superfluous teats, if not too large, may be removed at any time when the cow 

 is not milking. 



Service of Sow. — W. S. asks — What is the correct age to take a young sow to the boar? 



Answer. — From six months onwards. 



Melilotus. — H. J. W. writes — " Kindly tell me the best time and method of sowing melilotus 

 and if suitable for dairy cows. My land consists mostly of flats with about a foot of black loam. 

 Would it be necessary to drain ? Will bird's-foot trefoil suit this district (Bayswater) ? " 



Answer, — Melilotus prefers well drained land of loose sandy texture, but seems to be able to 

 establish itself on most soils. Early autumn is the best time for sowing. It has a slightly bitter 

 flavoui- 80 that it is not brought forward as a rival to the ordinary clovers or lucerne, but as a plant 

 capable of flourishing where the former will not grow. Rich black flats will do better for grazing 

 tmder a mixture of clovers and grasses. 



Re bird's-foot clover, see last month's Journal. 



