346 Journal of Agriculture. [8 June, 1908. 



bad, and this unfortunately is the case in most instances, and often 

 necessitates the overstocking of paddocks where goad water exists. A 

 little hay three times a week, and coarse salt (laid out in the bags it is 

 bought in, with the upper side cut open) help in digesting the old grass, 

 &c., eaten between feeding times. If the sheep show signs of being very 

 bad, Epsom salts mixed in with the salt and re-bagged up, help still 

 more. If sheep have had no previous knowledge of salt, sow some broad- 

 cast around the spot where the salt bags are, and they will find it when 

 feeding. Loose coarse salt, known sometimes as agricultural salt, allows 

 of the weak sheep running off with a mouthful when driven away by the 

 stronger ones. Like the feeding, salt must be commenced early to give 

 it justice; when sheep get lo-w in condition a lot of feed is necessary to 

 improve them, and so it is with salt. If impaction has already com- 

 menced, it may take so strong a mixture of Epsom salts that the sheep 

 will refuse it. The healthiest of sheep will never refuse salt after once 

 getting to know it. 



One thing in fa\or of districts where the worst time for the stock is 

 the autumn, is, that the ground is then dry and the nights warm, whilst 

 in districts where the worst time is the end of winter, to feed outside 

 to any quantity of stock, means a greater waste of feed' through rain and 

 trampling in the mud, and takes more feed to do the same amount of 

 good. 



A SMALL FARMER'S WOOLPRESS. 



H. ir. Ham, SJtecp Expert. 



Many farmers with small larnb-raising flocks hang up a pack at shear- 

 ing time to the cross beams of a shed and stamp the wool into it. Wool 

 men call such bales " sew-downs," and expect on opening them to find 

 things inside just as irregular and bad looking as the outside appears. 

 These sew- downs have acquired a bad name, for in them as a rule are 

 found mixed grades of fleeces mostlv with stains and dirty and burry 

 pieces left oin. Some strange tales are told in wool circles of false 

 packing and rubbish found in this class of bale, such as dead sheep, 

 stones, eggs, bird droppings, string, straw, &c. A handy, inexpensive 

 press is necessary for small fanners who wish to take any pride in keep- 

 ing all classes of their clip separate, even if three or four sorts are put 

 in the one bale, as described in the January Journal. 



With the box press shown in the accompanying sketch, the objec- 

 tion- may be raised that enough cannot be got into it, and that a farmer 

 would be put to more cost for packs than if sew-downs were used. One 

 thing to be remembered is that star lots are tO' be avoided as much as 

 possible. If a farmer has a fairly even line of wool in twO' very heavy 

 sew-downs, or three medium ones, it would pay him better, had he made 

 four lighter ones, for then his wool would appear in the main sales. 

 With the press illustrated, bales are squarer and neater and not so long. 

 From 2 to 3 cwt. can be pressed in with a spade, and even a bale of 

 i^ cwt. will look neat and attractive. It is not desirable to put so much 

 wool into bales as was at one time thought necessary. The custom is 

 towards lightly pressed bales of from 200 to 300 lbs. each, except in the 

 case of lower classes of pieces and very hea-\y bales of these are against 

 sellers' interests. 



