ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS— cow^iTiwerf. 



Service of Heifer. — L.N. asks the following questions : — " (i) What is the earliest age 

 a heifer can go to the bull without detriment to her. (2) Starting with an Ayrshire herd and 

 mating to a Jersey bull and keeping the heifers {a) is it advisable to keep on with the Jersey 

 blood when getting a fresh bull or change to the Ayrshire or Shorthorn? (d) Is the cross- 

 referred to a good one?" 



Answer. — (i) Fifteen months, (za) Depends upon the object in view; the Jersey will give 

 quality, the Ayrshire quantity. {2b) Yes. 



Knuckling Over. — J. B.C. states that his 3g years' old filly has knuckled over in the hind 

 fetlock. He has blistered her but apparently without result. Inquiries re treatment recom- 

 mended. Merton makes similar inquiry concerning his colt. 



Answer. — Consultation with a veterinary surgeon would be advisable. A special shoe is- 

 used successfully in some cases; occasionallv an operation is necessary. 



Lump on Brisket. — F.G.M. states that recently he noticed a slight lump on the brisket 

 of his colt. It is about the size of a marble and does not appear to be connected with the- 

 skin. 



Answer. — This is a purely surgical case and it is advisable to consult a qualified man who 

 could remove the swelling simply. 



Fermenting Food. — P.K. refers to answers givens to A.R. in April Journal and asks- 

 whether diluted molasses mixed with chaff would not be more readily digested by horses if 

 allowed to stand long enough to ferment. 



Answer. — Fermenting food is not advisable as various moulds, &c., grow and may be 

 injurious. Digestibility is not increased, though some foods are made more palatable. 



PaSpalum. — W. (Iv: W. write : — " We have had several inquiries lately for Paspalum grass,, 

 and should be glad if vou would favour us with particulars relative to suitable soil, cultiva- 

 tion, &c." 



Answer. — It is assumed that your innuiry refers to Paspalum dilatatum which grows best 

 on moist ground mi.\ed with rye grass, white and strawberry clovers. The paspalum and 

 clover give feed in summer, the rye grass in winter. It will grow on partly cleared ground 

 and helps to suppress bracken fern. The quantity of seed varies according to requirements, 5 

 to 8 lbs. per acre gives the best results, but it will establish itself if only i^ lbs. to 2 lbs. per 

 acre be sown, if rested after grazing so as to allow the grass to grow on and shed its seeds 

 naturally. The best time to sow is early spring and summer. An allied species, Pasfalum 

 virgatiini, is a more erect and coarse growing grass; it is useful for hay, stands drought well, 

 and is suitable for growing on poor dry land. Other allied species worthy of cultivation are 

 P. scrobicidatum , L., and P. stolonifera, Bosc. The "Silt Grass" {P. distichum, L.) is a good 

 grass for wet meadows and is useful to cover silt or bare slopes of ponds or rivers. 



LOQUATS. — Bexdtgo asks if the r|uality of fruit borne on loquat trees 19 years old is likely 

 to go back on account of the trees being seedlings. 



Answer. — There is no need to fear that loquat or other trees raised from seeds and tested 

 for such a lengthy period will degenerate on account of being raised as seedlings. If the 

 fruiting shoots are allowed to increase until overcrowding and weakness results, the fruit will 

 decrease in quality whether the trees are seedlings or " worked " trees. The remedy in the 

 case of overcrowding is to thin the fruiting shoots. 



Growing Maize in Orch.^rd. — Agricola wi.shes to know whether the growing of maize 

 between young fruit trees will do any harm to them. 



Answer. — If the land be stony the maize will grow too rank and high, and, besides exhaust- 

 ing the soil, will exclude the light and air which are necessary for the growth of the trees. 



Potato Moth. — Agricola states that his potatoes this season are badly infested with the 

 potato moth. He proposes to sow the land down to grass and wishes to know how to get rid 

 of the grubs. 



Answer. — Plough and cross plough the land and then harrow several times. If the grubs 

 are injured in any wav whatever, thev do not come to maturity. Before ploughing give the 

 land a dressing of colonial gypsum, say, 5 or 6 cwt. to the acre. This material is very cheap, 

 and, against grubs particularly, very effective. 



Identification of Gribs. — Agricola forwards specimen for identification. He states 

 that he has a small paddock which has lain fallow for twelve months. On mattocking out the 

 large weeds preparatory to ploughing he found the soil full of grubs especially where cow 

 manure had been dropped. As he intends to sow the paddocks down to grass he wishes to know 

 whether the grubs will affect the young grass. 



Answer. — The grubs, which are those of a small cockchafer, will injure the young grass 

 by eating the roots, but a great deal lies in the first preparation of the land. If there are 

 native birds or fowls about, let them have the run of the land after the first ploughing, and 

 again when anv grubs show themselves. 



Weight of Carcass. — Fat L.'AMB wants to know what would be the dressed weight of a 

 lamb in prime condition 24 hours after killing if the live weight came to qo lbs. 

 Answer. — Roughly, 45 lbs. 



