ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS -confm«ed 



Mammitis. — Mai.lee Farmer writes : — " About a week ago I noticed that one quarter of 

 a cow of mine was quite hard. It got harder and now it has broken out and smells very bad. 

 "What is the matter with the cow?" 



Answer. — The ailment is "Mammitis" or inflammation of the udder, caused either through 

 an injury or local chilling having been sustained by the udder. When the inflammation is 

 acute, as indicated by heat and swelling and secretion of curdled milk, the best treatment is to 

 apply warm fomentations accompanied by massage or hand-kneading of the udder for a period 

 of 2 or 3 hours at a stretch. A slmiulating liniment .-.hould be rubbed in at least twice a 

 day until recovery is effected. 



Obstruction in Throat. — H.S. asks (i) what is the best method of getting a potato out 

 of a cow's throat? (2) How is " lampas " in horses cured? 



Answer. — (i) When a cow is chokmg from the presence of a potato or other such body 

 in the gullet it depends on the situation of the obstruction as to what means should be adopted 

 to remove it. If near the throat the potato may be extracted by the fingers through the mouth 

 which is held open meanwhile by a gag. If further down the attempt should be towards push- 

 ing it down into the stomach by external manipulation and by the use of a probang, stiff hose 

 pipe or buggy whip handle. Before doing anything, an oil drench should be given so that the 

 lining of tlie gullet may be well lubricated, and throughout great gentleness is necessary as the 

 tissues are easily torn. (2) "Lampas" or swelling of the ginnbars behind the incisor teeth is a 

 normal condition associated with and almost always present during dental changes. Unless the 

 svNeJling is excessive it ought not t.-< be interfered with. In any case nothing more than lancing 

 at two or three places with a sharp penknife should be attempted. 



" Bots." — Strezleckie asks (i) How the piesence of " bots " in horses ean be determined? 

 {2) What crops should be grown to provide a full balanced ration for stock? (3) For any other 

 information that will be helpful to a beginner. 



Answer. — (1) The presence of bots at this time of 3'ear can only be definitely ascertained 

 by discovery of the pupa; or chrysalids in the manure. Curative treatment is of no value but 

 with a view to prevention it is advisable to clip the long hairs from beneath the jaw and cover 

 the clipped area with a piece of bagging. The "bots" leave the stomach each year of their 

 own ucccrd. (2 and 3J. See article " the General I'urj'ose Farm " in the Chapter on " Closer 

 Settlement Studies" [Year Book of Agriculture for 1905). Chapters on "Feeding of Farm 

 Animals" and "Dairy Farming" in same volume should also be studied. 



SiL.'iGE. — Burwood asks whether cauliflowers, cabbages, and cape weed will make good 

 ■silage. He also proposes to put in some u.o^^^- 



Answer. — Cabbages and others of the Brassica family, turnip, rape, &c., do not make good 

 silage unless in the seeding stage. Cape weed should not be mcluded unless in comparatively 

 small proportions. Gorse as a mixture with other fodder should give good results if only young 

 shoots are used. 



Sxi.AGE blowers. — Heyfield in(|uires whether small blowers for attachment to silage 

 cutters of a capacity of say 4 tons per hour and capable o[ being driven by a 4 h.p. steam 

 engme are obtainable. 



Answer. — The only blowers on the market are either attached to, or form an integral part 

 of, ensilage cutters imported from America. None of them works with much less than 10 brake 

 horse power; but all will handle considerably over 4 tons per hour, running up to 20 tons per 

 hour. Local makers are, however, experimenting with a machine on the Imes mentioned in the 

 question. The ordinary cham and box elevator is cheap, costing £6 to £'& lor lengths of about 

 25 to 30 feet, and will handle over 4 tons per hour ; but it is not so portable as the blower. 



Plouching. — YouXG Farmer wishes to know how deep roots should be run in cleaning land 

 and also what depth the ground should be ploughed. 



Answer. — Roots should be run to a depth of at le.^st 12 inches or until they can be broken 

 by the hand. The depth of ploughing is governed by the nature of the soil, the kind of 

 manure to be used and the length of time it can lie fallow. Generally speaking, 4 to 5 inches 

 will be deep enough for the first turning up. 



ii^xcAVATiNG Tank. — Waitchie asks for surface dimensions and depth of an excavated 

 tank having end slopes 6 to i, and side slopes 3 to i, with a capacity of 1,000 cubic yards. 



Answer. — The greatest depth feasible under such conditions is 7 feet and the dimensions 

 of surface would be 92 feet by 92 feet. It is not advisable, however, to make such a tank. A 

 tank 100 feet by 56 feet on top and 10 feet deep havinir 3 sides with a slope of 2 to i, and one 

 watering slope of 4 to i will contain the required volume and conserve water with much less 

 loss by evaporation. 



Specimens of Plants. — T.C. forwards specimens of plants for identification. 



Answer. — No. r is Erechtites quadridentata, DC, a native weed found over nearly all 

 parts of Australia. One of the Compositse, allied to Senecio (Ragwort &c.), spread by its air- 

 borne fruits, but apparently not a serious weed, though of no appreciable economic value. 

 Sometimes but wrongly known as cotton weed. No. 2 is Pimelea stricfa, Meissn ("Rice flower"). 

 A native shrub, having a certain decorative value, but no particular economic value apart from 

 that. 



Moulting. — E. W. G. writes " My pullets, hatched in August and September, started to 

 lay in March, but most of them are now moulting. The morning mash is composed of cabbage, 

 apples, oil cake, bran and pollard and wheat is given in the evening." 



Answer. — It is not uncommon for pullets to moult late in the season, especially those that 

 have laid heavily. Giving too much oil cake predisposes to moulting. Feed on 2 parts pollard 

 and I part bran, with f to i oz. of animal matter per bird added ; 10 per cent, of raw on'ons 

 cut finely should also be given, the whole to be mixed with hot water. Discontinue the oil cak^ 

 as it is too fattening for laying hens or pullets. At night equal parts of short oats and wheat 

 should be fed. Plenty of sharp grit should be provided. 



