€34 Journal of Agriculture. [10 Oct., 1908. 



A HOME-MADE SEED DRILL. 



A verv useful home-made seed sower used at the Church Training 

 Farm, Apollo Bay, is illustrated. It is used for sowing in drills seed such 

 as maize, peas, beans, &c. Its construction is very simple, as it consists 

 of a plain wheel, or the end of an old cask with an ordinary sized m'ilk 

 dish screwed on one side, with a square hole cut through both for a piece of 

 wood 2 inches x 2 inches for an axle ; half round holes should Im? punched 



5"xi^x5a- 



TREi^CLE TIN CUT DOWN . 



■ Milk DISH' HtLF 



ROUND HOLE 5 

 PUNCHCD J" 

 ftP^RT /"rRQM 

 OUTCR CPGC. 



A\'ith a hollow tool about 3 inches apart 1 inch from the outer edge l>efore 

 the wheel is screwed on, leaving a lip to open and close to regulate the 

 ■quantity of seed to be sown. A round hole large enough to take a 7 lb. 

 treacle tin should be cut about i| inches from the top and tacked in the 

 hole for filling tlie sower. Two battens about 5 feet long with two cross 

 pieces may be used for handles. The machine is wheeled along the 

 furrow and sows verv regularlv. — W.H.D. 



VINE CANE8 AS FODDER. 



Vine canes, containing as thev do, stores of reserve material such as 

 ■starch and proteids to start the growth of the plant the following spring, 

 constitute a fair fodder for stock. The food value is intermediate between 

 that of straw and hay. The chief difficulty in connexion with their use 

 is the amount of preparation necessary in the way of chaffing and 

 crushing. When hav is cheap this militates against their use, Imt in 

 seasons of scarcity thev become valuable, especially for use in conjunction 

 with other fodders. 



In France they are largely used — special machines for treating them 

 being obtainable. In certain French districts almost the whole of the 

 vine prunings are utilized either for fodder or for bedding, especially in 

 •dry seasons. Sometimes the vines are pruned early — before all the leaves 

 have fallen. The prunings. after chaffing and crushing, are then made 

 into ensilage, in which form they constitute a valuable fodder. — F.C. 



