8 May, 1908.] Groiving Greenstuff — Three Crops a Year. 279 



and is probably widely distributed over the West Indies, but as there is 

 Jittle or no trade, except for local consumption, nobody appears to take 

 any trouble with their poultry yards. 



The cattle tick (Rhipocefliains annulatiis) is common in Cuba upon both 

 cattle and horses, and any stock feeding upon open pastures are more or 

 less infested with them. As a general rule little attention is paid to them, 

 though Dr. Mayo at the Experimental Station informed me that the De- 

 partment is going to build several dips after our plans, as on account of 

 the heat of the sun, they find they cannot use the oil smears; used so much 

 in the United States. The cattle tick is also found in Jamaica, and there 

 are also a great number of indigenous species found in the different West 

 Indian islands. 



Another very serious disease in Cuba is tetanus, which attacks both 

 man and beast. The natives are ver\- careful about their feet when travel- 

 ling, and, unlike Mexicans, always wear boots or sandals, for injuries to 

 the feet are very liable to bring on lockjaw. It is quite a common thing 

 for a mule if it gets staked in the feet to develop this disease. Dr. Mayo 

 says that rest and treatment with strychnine are the most effecti\-e reme- 

 dies. Thrush in the frog of the forefoot is another troublesome disease 

 in the wet season, and if neglected the hoof rots. Treating with car- 

 bolic or creoline and packing the diseased parts cures it in time. 



GROWING GREENSTUFF-THREE CROPS A YEAR. , 



/. 5. McFadscan, Dairy Supervisor. 



The accompanying illustration of a second crop of maize is from a 

 f-acre padaock on Mr. Edmond Fletcher's property at Auburn. The 

 principal ousiness of this place, as carried on by Mr. Fletcher and his two 

 sons, is tradmg in dairy stock, the cows being purchased as springers and 

 sold when in full profit; and, though this cannot be looked on altogether 

 as dairy-farming, yet there are several items in connexion with the working 

 of the place that bear more or less on the industry. As a general thing 

 about 18 to zo head of cows weeklv are passed through this shed, being 

 purchased by pri\ate buyers and Metropolitan dairymen ; but orders also 

 come tO' hand 10 supply dairy stock for the countrv districts and the other 

 States, so that at times this number is greatly exceeded. The milking 

 shed is of 18 bails, brick floored and sewered, as are also the stabling 

 and calfpens. The approaches to the stabling and shedding are asphalted 

 over brickwork; and a large store room for feed is similarly floored making 

 it dry and rat-proof. A 2\ h.p. Otto gas engine drives the rhaffcutter, 

 putting " green'-stuff through at a cost of 6d. per week. The feed room 

 adjoins the end of the milking shed ; and fodder from the chaffcutter 

 falls directly into the mixing bin. 



The cows are handled twice daily to quieten them and for this purpose 

 are in the stalls for about two hours morning and evening ; and are then 

 supplied with about 20 to 25 lbs. of mixed fodder each, according to 

 requirements. The usual mixing for the day is about 3J cwt. of chaffed 

 green stuff, 2 bags of best hay chaff, 2 bags of straw chaff, and 6 bushels 

 of bran, with 10 gallons of water; making altogether about 800 lbs. of 

 feed. Taking this as the general ration given by a practical feeder at a. 



