320 Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [10 May, 1918. 



Sheep. — Clear muck-balls from tails and legs of all sheep. Have the wool 

 cleared from round udders and eyes of all young lambing ewes, and see them 

 first thing every morning. Mark the ram lambs at earliest chance. Cut off 

 ewes with oldest wether lambs to best pasture or fodder crops. 



Sheep with overgrown hoofs are unthrifty. Whenever noticed trim back into 

 shape; they cut easily during winter. If left, are conducive to lameness, and 

 even foot rot. In the case of common foot rot, or scald, the feet can be phced 

 in a thick paste made of lime and boiling water. Obstinate cases of long 

 standing may need more drastic remedies, and persistent attention. In nil 

 cases pare away all loose portions, and leave the diseased parts clearly exposed. 



Foxes are more ravenous during winter montlis. Sparrows, starlings, and 

 parrots are crood bait. Poisoning lambs already killed usually accounts for 

 scavenger foxes only. 



Every fox is not a lamb killer. Remove all lambs for two or throe nights 

 if at all possible, and birds then will rarely fail to entice Reynard the second 

 or third night. 



Powdered strychnine, just sufficient to cover nicelv a threepenny-piece, is 

 the usual dose. On the more valuable lambs fix a light tin collar, cut from 

 2 inches wide at the top of the neck to 3 inches wide below, fastened underneath 

 in one place only, near the breast, with fine wire, and lying open towards the 

 throat, allowing the lamb to both suck and feed. It should be cut as large as 

 possible, yet not large enough to permit of its falling off over the lamb's head. 

 This makes a guard that rarely fails to prevent a fox getting to the main blood 

 vein. Remove the guards when the lambs are about eight weeks old. 



Poultry. — Supplies of shell grit and charcoal should always be available. 

 Sow a mixture of English grass and clover; this not only removes taint in soil 

 but provides excellent green fodder for stock. Where possible, lucerne and 

 silver beet should now be sown for summer feed; liver (cooked) and maize aids 

 to egg production during cold weather. Morning mash should be mixed with 

 liver soup given to the birds warm in a crumbly condition. All yards should 

 be drained to ensure comfort for the birds. 



CULTIVATION. 



Farm. — Plough potato land. Land to be sown later on with potatoes, man- 

 golds, maize, and millet should be manured and well worked. Sow malting barley 

 and finish sowing of cereals. Lift and store mangolds, turnips, &c. Clean out 

 drains and water furrows. Clean up and stack manure in heaps protected from 

 the weather. 



Orchard. — Finish ploughing; plant young trees; spray with red oil or 

 petroleum for scales, mites, aphis, &c.; carry out drainage system; clean out 

 drains; commence pruning. 



Vegetable Garden. — Prepare beds for crops; cultivate deeply; practise rota- 

 tion in planting out; renovate asparagus beds; plant out all seedlings; sow 

 radish, peas, broad beans, leeks, spinach, lettuce, carrot, &c.; plant rhubarb. 



Flower Garden. — Continue digging and manuring; dig all weeds and leafy 

 growths; plant out shrubs, roses, &c.: plant rose cuttings; prune deciduous trees 

 and shrubs; sow sweet peas and plant out seedlings. 



Vineyard. — Thoroughly prepare for plantation, land already subsoiled for the 

 purpose. Remember that the freer it is kept from weeds from this forward, tlie 

 less trouble will there he from cut-worms next spring. Applications for im- 

 grafted resistant rootlings and cuttings must be made before the end of the 

 month — see Journal for last month. Pruning and ploughing should be ac- 

 tively proceeded with. In northern districts plough to a depth of seven or 

 eight inches. Manures should be applied as early as possible. 



Cellar. — Rack all wines which have not been previously dealt with. Fortify 

 sweet wines to full strength. 



