REMinOERS FOR MAY. 



LIVE STOCK. 



Horses : — 



Those stabled can be fed liberally. Tliose doing fast or heavy work should be clipped ; if not. 

 wholly, then trace high. Those not rugged on coming into the stable at night should be wijicd down 

 and in half-an-hour's time rugged or covered with Ijags until tlie eo;it is dry. Old horses and weaned 

 foals should be given cruslied oats. Grass-fed working liorses sliould he given hay or straw, if there is 

 no old grass, to counteract the purging effects of tlie joung gnnvtii. 

 Cattle : — 



Cows, if not housed, should ba rugged. Rugs should be i-emoved in the daytime when the shade 

 temi)erature reaches 60 degrees. Give a ration of hay or straw, whole or cliaffed, to counteract the 

 purging effects of young grass. Cows about to calve, if over fat, should be put into a paddock in 

 which the feed is not too abundant. Calves should be kept in warm dry shed. 

 Pigs : — 



As recommended in Reminders for April. 

 Sheep : — 



Attend lambing ewes first thing each morning. Avoid overcrowding in lambing paddocks, and 

 consequent shortag? of feed. Scarcity of feed means inattentive mothers. Breeds of ewes having 

 mora than half of British blood should be kept in good strong condition, as they will not lamb until 

 July or August. Young ram weanei-s of all breeds should now be classed, and rejects castrated or 

 blocked. Be suspicious of weak fore-cpiartered sheep. If castrating, slit, tie with fine cord soaked 

 in antiseptic, cut off, and apply Stockholm tar liberally inside and out. Blocking, whilst most humane 

 in the case of rams two years old and o\er when tlie latest appliance is used, is not desirable for 

 two-tooths. Cle<xr wool from eyes of merino rams, and cut horns witli pruning sheai-s. 



Poultry : — 



Feed animal food to forward pullets, about i oz. daily, and equal parts short oats and maize at 

 night. Give 2 ozs. lucerne chaff, mixed with mash, to each bird daily. Watch young stock for Roup 

 (watery discharge from nostrils, with unpleasant breath). Late chicks are likely subjects. Isolate 

 all cases, and use disinfectants freely. Keep head and throat clean by washing with either Condy's 

 fluid or boracic acid. In cases of Chicken Pox isolate birds and apply to affected parts ointment nuule 

 of sulphur, eucalyptus oil (three or four drops), carbolic acid (two drops), and a little vaseline mixed 

 well. 



CULTIVATBON. 



F.U{M : — 



Dig main croj) of jwtiitoes. Push on w ith ploughing and sowing of cereal crops, inchuling peas 

 and Ijeans. Creen fodder (as for Ajjril) may still be sown. Land for maize, potatoes, and other root 

 crops should be ])repared and manured. Flax may Ix" sown. Trans|)lant Chou Moellier ami (iiant 

 Drumhead caiibaLrc plants in rows 3 fe;!t a])irt. ('oinplrfe sowing |KTmanent i>:!stures with gnvsses 

 and clovers. 



Orc'H.\rd : — 



Plough, manure, (lraii\, antl sub-soil ; ajiply linn- to orchiird hiiuis at rate of 4 or 5 c\M. jx-r acre. 

 Spray trees infested with scale insects. Woolly Aphis, iiiul Bryobia .Mite with red oil or crude ]»troleum. 

 Clean all rougli bark from trees. Commence jiruning at end of month. 



Flower Gakdex : — 



Digging, manuring, and i)runing ; trencii and diain where necessary. Dress the surface with 

 lime. Continue to sow hardy annuals. Bury all leaves, soft-wooded cuttings, i-.nd weeds. Continue 

 to plant spring blooming |ierennials and otlicr plants, llant cuttings of cjvrnations and ros«^. 



VlClilCTAHLE <iAUI)EN : — 



Cut down and clean (Uit asparagus beds. Ajijily manure and linu^ dressings. Cultivate deeply. 

 I'lant out seedlings and early potatoes ; sow pci's. Iiro.id Ix'ans, carrots, and pn-snii>s. 



\ INEVARD : — 



Vine-growers are warned against the too common practice of feeiling olT foliage aft<>r vintage. 

 Any small advanlaj;e in the form of stock feed is oidy gained at tlu' cost of a reduction in the following 

 season's crop, owinu to interference with airumulation of reserves, which lontinues .so long w the 

 leaves remain green. Sheep slioidd not be allowed into the vineyard mitil all U-aves have changed 

 colour. Early and deep plouuliiuK is strongly reiommended {^»v Slan h JnunuiL |wige 1U8). 



CiUnrs. — Rack or fill up (preferably the former) dry wines as soon as a lighted niateli, introduied 

 at bunt; hole, is no Innt'cr e\t iiit.'uishe(l. Swref wines should also be racked and fortilied to full 

 strength. 



