672 Journal of Agriculture. [11 Oct., 1909 



ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



Silage. — D. J. H. makes several imiuiries about silage-making and feeding. 



Answer. — (i) A two-horse horsevvorks is sufficiently powerful to work :t 

 cutter and elevator, cutting and elevating 3 to 4 tons green fodder per hour. {2) A 

 No. 2 chaffcutter of a 3-ton green fodder capacity per hour without sieve attach- 

 ment will cost £\-] los. (3) The average amount of chalTed maize silage required 

 per cow per day is from 30 to 40 lbs., according to the amount of grass available. 



Collecting Insects. — A. D. wishes to know the names of some reliable 

 works on collecting, preserving and naming of insects. 



Answer. — First Studies in Insect Life in Australia (Gillies), is. 3d. ; .Aus- 

 tralian Insects (Froggatt), 15s ; Butterflies of Victoria (Anderson and Spry) 2 Parts. 

 5s. ; Destructive Insects of Victoria (French), Parts I. to IV., 2s. 6d. each. 



Non-Broody Turkeys. — A. K. B. states that he has experienced great diffi- 

 culty in getting turkey hens to sit. 



Anstver. — There is nothing you can give yojr turkey hens that will induce 

 them to go broody. They usually sit after laying about 18 to 21 eggs. Allow them 

 to cover up their eggs, as they usually do, after depositing each egg in nest, and do 

 not rob or disturb the nest in anv way until they go broody naturallv ; then add eggs 

 as desired. 



Broken Wind. — S. J. H. writes : — " My pony has got a very bad cough. She 

 coughs mostly in the evening and early morning. Last winter she was similarly 

 affected." 



Answer. — The likelihood is }our pony is affected with asthma or " broken 

 wind," in which case, beyond regulating the feed times and diminishing the bulk 

 of food given, remedial measures will be of little avail. 



Best Breed of Dairy Cattle. — T. P. asks several questions relative to tlif" 

 best breed of dairy cattle. 



Answer. — (i) Opinions differ considerably; the majority prefer the Jersey. 

 Purity should always be aimed at. (2) Ayrshire cattle are not liable to suffer more 

 than other breeds in cold, wet and frosty weather. (3) The larger-framed animals 

 require the larger ration. (4) Hereford cattle are probablv the hardiest, but they 

 are not dairy cattle. 



" Cords " on Teats. — E. D. writes : — " Since one of my cows calved somf* 

 three weeks ago two of her teats are bad. What looks like a cord runs down each 

 of them, both being about the size of a wax match. The milk has not been affected, 

 but only small quantities come from the teats concerned at each pull." 



Answer. — The cow was probably not dried off properly at end of last milk- 

 ing period, with the result that a stringy clot became deposited in the milk ducts, 

 in which case the injection at intervals of a couple of days of a weak solution of 

 carbonate of soda (i part to 100 of water) may assist in breaking down the cord. It 

 may be, however, that what seems a cord is really a thickening of the wall of th-* 

 milk duct, caused by a sub-acute inflammation of long standing. 



Mammary Actinomycosis. — P. A. states that recently he bought a cow and 

 soon afterwards he noticed a hard lump, about the size of a pea, on one quarter of 

 the udder. The lump disappeared and a larger one came in another quarter. It 

 is just under the skin, is hard and movable, without any heat .ir pain. 



Answer. — If the lumps persist, and particularly if others show themselves, 

 it is probable the udder is affected with mammary actinomvcosis — tumour-like 

 nodules in the udder, produced by the action of a fungus identical with the rav 

 fungus which causes the majority of cases of lumpy jaw in cattle. This affection 

 of the udder has been recently found to be fairly common amongst cows in this 

 State. It is incurable, and may vitiate the milk to the extent of warranting con- 

 demnation of the cow. 



Calving. — C. P. N. writes :--'" I had a heifer which slipjied her calf two 

 months too early. She did not " clean," and died a week afterwards. What 

 should be done when they do not " clean " ? 



Answer.— \rTig?iie the womb daily by injection with i gallon of 2 per cent, 

 solution of lysol in warm water or solution of permanganate of potash ; remove by 

 gentle traction any traces of retained membranes, and give a drench consisting of 

 Epsom salts i lb., powdered gentian i oz., ginger 5 oz., in i^ pints of warm water. 



Service ok Mares. — McD. Bros, would like to knoiv (i) How many mares 

 a draught stallion, 5 years old, should serve during the season? {2) How many per 

 day? and (3) the distance the stallion should travel daily. 



Answer. — (i) 70 to 80 mares. (2) and (3) No definite rule can be applied. 

 Much depends upon the condition and temperament of the horse ; and the number 

 of mares to be served and distance travelled are matters for the discretion of the 

 owner or man in charge for the season. 



