lo Mar., 191 1-] Ajiswcrs to Correspondents. 215 



Blindness (Sheep).— J.R.C. and J.M.C. state some of their sheep are getting 

 tlind, a film coming over the eyes. 



Answer. — The most eommon cause of this condition of blindness at this time 

 of the year is the entrance of grass seeds into the eyes which pass well under the 

 lid, and have to be carefully searched for and removed. The resulting inflammation 

 is best treated bv washing with boracic acid lotion, and dronping a few drops of the 

 following into the eye twice a day or as frequently as the number affected will 

 allow: — Boric acid, 4 grains; tincture of opium, 20 minims; sulphate of zinc, i 

 grain; water, i oz. Specific Ophthalmia may also be considered, but similar treat- 

 ment is effective. 



Sheep and Cattle Lick. — W.T.C., whose land is almost wholly granite-sand 

 country, asks whether it is advisable to mix lime with salt as a sheep lick. 



Answer. — A sheep and cattle lick composed of lime, 6 lbs. ; superphosphate, 

 '6 lbs. ; and salt, ^ cwt. ; is a suitable one for the country described. 



Poultry — Table Breeds. — G.T. inquires re best breeds of fowls to select for 

 crossing for table purposes. 



Answer. — The following breeds are suitable for local and export trade : — 

 Dorking and Game cross, Buff or White Orpington and Game cross, Wvandotte and 

 Dorking cross ; or Faverolles, Black Orpingtons or any of those mentioned bred 

 pure. 



Feeding for Egg Production. — H.H.H. asks what would be the proportion 

 ■of protein, &c., in a perfect food for laying hens. 



Answer. — In feeding hens for egg production they require a narrower ration 

 than other farm animals, i.e., i of protein to 5 of carbo-hydrates, &c. Roughly 

 speaking, this is e(|ual to i oz. animal food and ig ozs. pollard and bran, with 

 one-third of the bulk made up of lucerne chaff. The feeding to each bird of about 

 2^ ozs. each morning and i^ ozs. of grain each night — equal parts wheat and short 

 white oats — is recommended. 



Castration of Ram Lambs. — J.R.C. asks whether lambs bred for export should 

 be castrated. 



Answer. — The younger they are when thev are operated on the less it will 

 check them. If they are not castrated, the fact of the testicles being in could be 

 used against you with a view to lowering the price of the lambs. Again, during 

 some seasons, even providing you do your best, there will be rejects — they must then 

 be castrated with, perhaps, some losses. 



" Nitro-Bacterine." — C.A.H. desires information as to effect of treating 

 iucerne seed with " Nitro-Bacterine '' and similar cult^ires. 



Answer. — The use of these preparations for inoculating lucerne is not recom- 

 mended, except under very unusual circumstances. Most Australian soils suitable 

 for growing lucerne already contain a sufficiency of the bacteria required, and 

 experiments at Buniley carried out by the Deinirtment have shown that, in such 

 cases, the treatment of the seed with bacterium cultures, if anything, tends to 

 decrease the yield. Where lucerne refuses to grow, it should be made sure that this 

 is not due to bad drainage, a deficiency of lime, or the presence of injurious 

 materials in the soil. If it is due to the absence of the requisite bacteria, fliese are 

 ■best added by sprinkling over the ground soil freshly removed from old lucerne 

 fields. A cart load of such soil, say at los., will add at least a thousand times as 

 many suitable bacteria to the soil as an ordinary imported culture at the same price. 

 In addition, the bacteria developed in cultures seem to disappear rapidly in the 

 soil if it is at all unsuitable for them. 



Codlin Moth. — W.J.E. asks if one can till wlutlicr Codlin Moih is prevalent 

 in an orchard. 



Answer. — ^The eggs of the Codlin moth can be seen on fruit or leaves. If 

 hatched, the presence of the grubs becomes evident througii the excreta expelled 

 from the tunnel made in the fruit. 



Slaters. — W.J.I], inquires re treatment of posts which are being eaten bv 

 slaters. 



Answer. — Paint posts with arsenate of lead and wliiting paste — i lb. of 

 arsenate of lead to 9 lbs. of whiting, made up into a paste with water. 



Spray Pump. — W.J.K'. writes : — " I have a spray pump that works in a bucket. 

 How should it be cleaned? Should it be oiled? 1 once screwed the top off and 

 ■took out the jiiston. When I put it back I am afraid that I injured the leather 

 portion, for much of the spray mixture works over it now." 



Answer. — It is impossible to say how your pump should be cleaned without 

 an examination. Fns< nw all the parts that you can and use strong washing soda 

 wash, tlien oil or use vaseline. It recpiires a new leather washer. 



