ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



The Staff of the Department has been organized to a large extent for the 

 purpose of giving information to farmers. Questions in every branch of agriculture 

 are gladly answered. Write a short letter, giving as full particulars as possible, of 

 your local conditions, and state precisely what it is that you want to know. All 

 inquiries must be accompanied by the name and address of the writer. 



Cow "Blown" with Li'CERne. — T. Bros, write: — "Is there any way to make a cow 

 break the gas instantaneously when blown with lucerne? We have tried baking soda, tar, and 

 other so-called remedies. Sometimes a cow has been blown for fully three-quarters of aa 

 hour before we could get her down." 



Answer. — Sometimes the injection into the rectum of a couple of ounces of pure glycerine 

 by means of a syringe is effective, causing " breaking of wind," but by far the quickest pro- 

 cedure is to puncture the paunch at its most prominently extended part, as described in the 

 Journal for February, 1907, page 70. 



Boiler Testing. — Smeaton is about to start a steam chaff-cutting plant, and inquires if 

 it is necessary to have the boiler tested, and to have an engine-driver's certificate. The plant 

 will work in a shire only. 



Answer. — Under the circumstances no testing or examination of the boiler is required by 

 law, nor is a certificate necessary. 



Magpies. — W. F. writes : — " The magpies in this district (Fern Tree Gully) have proved 

 terribly destructive to many kinds of crops — young maize, onions, peas, &c. ; a specimen of the 

 damage done to the pea crop is forwarded herewith. Is there any method of poisoning these 

 birds? They are too cunning to allow one to shoot them." 



Answer. — Although the so-called "magpie" does some harm to crops, it is probably the 

 most useful insect-destroying bird in the State, and should neither be shot, poisoned, or other- 

 wise destroyed. Firing with blank cartridges will keep them away. 



Land Crabs. — F.G.C. requests information re the best method of killing land crabs on 

 drained swamp land, which in winter is covered with mounds of earth thrown up by them. The 

 holes are about 25 feet deep. 



Answer. — Sulphuric acid might be tried, and as it will boil when in contact with water, 

 the hole into which it is poured should be immediately covered. If the holes are fairly dry, or 

 could be temporarily dried, bisulphide of carbon is recommended. 



Potato Growing. — ^Gembrook writes : — "What is the best depth to break up the land for 

 a first crop of potatoes. It is red soil, and two years ago was covered with heavy green timber 

 and undergrowth." 



Afiswer. — If the field is a tough giass sod, pare to 35 inches; work up thoroughly, and 

 plant crop 42 to 5 inches. If loose and friable or bracken land, plough 4^ to 5 inches, work to 

 a good tilth, and plant crop 55 to 6 inches. 



Cabbage Aphis. — Constant Subscriber states that a small grey insect infests the cabbages- 

 in his garden. The insects get in groups, and the young leaves curl. Some call it " aphis." 

 A neighbouring farmer's crops of rape and turnips have been similarly affected. 



Answer. — The insect in question is no doubt the " Cabbage Aphis " figured in Part I. of 

 French's Destructive Insects of Victoria. The pest being so difficult to get at is a hard one ta 

 combat successfully. The best plan is, boil i lb. tobacco, i gallon of water, and 5 lb. soap 

 together; then add from 12 to 14 gallons of water, and spray the plants, being careful to reach 

 the under portions of the leaves and the inner parts of the cabbage. Rape and other members 

 of the order of Cruci ferae are also liable to attack. 



Pruning. — A.M.G. writes : — " Please let me know how to treat the following fruit trees 

 as regards pruning : — Almond, cjuince, cherry, plum, fig, orange, lemon, and walnut." 



Answer. — Your questions are so vague as to indicate that you do not grasp the first prin- 

 ciples of this subject. It would take many pages to give precise information on all that your 

 questions involve. In previous issues of the Journal we have published several articles on the 

 principles and methods of pruning various fruit trees. If you have not the back numbers, get 

 a book on general orchard practice. You should also take a weekly paper which gives season- 

 able notes on and methods of carrying out orchard work. Quinn's book on pruning fruit trees, 

 IS., will also be of use to you. 



Cowshed Floor. — B.D. inquires (i) whether a cowshed floored with sawn or split 

 timber would meet the requirements of the Dairy Supervision Act? (2) Whether the floor 

 of the stall should be level? 



Answer. — A cowshed floor of wood may be made effective : (i) if care is taken to saw 

 or fine-axe the edges of the boards before laying in order that the joints may be close and 

 not admit of percolation of fluids, (2) if the timbers are soaked in hot tar before laying 

 or if the joints are grouted with tar and sand so making the floor watertight. — There 

 should be no space underneath the board floor. A fall of about i inch or i^ inches in the 

 length of the' stall, towards the gutter at the rear, should be given. 



Rugging Cows. — J.E.S. asks what is the normal temperature of a healthy cow in full milk, and 

 whether there is any advantnge in rugging cows when the temperature of the air is under 60 degrees. 



Ai7S7ver. — From 101.5 to 102 degrees, a little higher in the evenings and a little lower in the 

 mornings. The rugging of cows during cold weather is advantageous in that the external bleakness is 

 ]irotected against, and a radiation of external body heat is, in a measure, prevented. The rug should be 

 removed on warm sunny days and at intervals of a day or two in any case, to allow the animal to lick 

 herself and to prevent chafing of the skin. It should also be removed and replaced with a dry one after 

 heavy rains, otherwise the expenditure of animal heat in the drying of the rug is very great. In other 

 words, the cow is for the time being literally encased in a cold wet blanket without any means of drying 

 on sunless days other than the body heat of the animal. 



