'J44 Jounial of Agriculture. [lo Nov., n^Of). 



Maize Growing. — Red Gum asks : — (i) Which is the best variety of maize 

 to grow for grain in the cieej) red hjam of Cohuna ; (2) the number of waterings; 

 (3) the probable yield. He also inauires whether millet is a good crop to grow 

 for hay. 



Atiswer. — (i) I'.arh \fllow Dent will be most likel\- lo give a satisfaclor\- 

 yield of grain. (2) Three waterings should be sufficient — one before sowing, one 

 when plants are 3 feet high, and one just at the time the plants flower. (3) l""ron^ 

 ^o to 60 bushels ])er acre, or possiblv higher. (4) Japanese millet is tlie most 

 favoured of the Millet family. It makes good coarse hav. 



Treatment of Gravelly Soil. — A.M. desires information as to the best 

 course to adopt after levelling to bring an area of "shallow diggings" country 

 into fit condition to grow a crop that could be ploughed in to enrich it. The 

 soil is gravelly, and sets hard in summer. 



Answer. — Soil of the character mentioned could onl\ be made to produce 

 successful cro])s y the liberal use of farm manure. This would prevent '.he 

 soil from bakmg m the summer and would also assist it to accumidate and retain 

 jnoisture for a much longer })eriod. Croi>s suitable for ploughing in for green manure 

 .ire peas, vetches, or rape. 



Earth-]{atixg Habit. — W.I writes : — "Last year one of my foals dietl 

 when two weeks old. I'rior to that it was doing well, but on fost-moriem 

 examination, the stomach was found lo be full of dirt and rubbish. Recently 

 another foal was taken bad, but, as he was very costive, a dose of oil was 

 given, with satisfactory results. What is the cause of the foals eating earth?" 



A7is'wer. — The mare should be fed liberally on hard feed, and the foal 

 given an occasional dose of oil. The earth-eating habit ma\- be due to 'he 

 lack of earth salts in the pasture, or desire on the part of the animal to correct 

 the undue acid secretions of the stomach. 



Skin Cracks. ^ — W.R.Z. inc^uires as to treatment of small cracks just above 

 the hind fetlocks and a crack behind the knee. He also states that a soft lumji 

 :ibout the size of a hen's egg, and apparently containing liquid, has appeared on 

 the point of his stallion's stifle. 



Afiswcr. — (i) An application of boracic acid ointment is advisetl. (2) The 

 enlargement is caused by an e.vcess of the joint oil. Blister lightly with red 

 mercury blister. 



1''eeding V.^LUEs. — H.T.L. states that, as he has not much grass, he is 

 feeding chaff to his milking cows. He wishes to know the relative values of 

 Algerian oats, bran, oil-cake for mixing with the chaif. At time of writing the 

 ruling prices were : — Algerian oals, is. ()d. |)er bushel ; br.in, is. id. ])er bushel ; 

 oil-cake, gs. 6d. per cwt. 



Answer. — Calculating the feeding value of oil-cake at 100, oats have ap- 

 proximately a relative value of 80. and bran 70. Thus, oats are four-fifths 

 and bran seven-tenths the value of oil-cake, that is, assuming they are equally 

 digestible, which is practically the case if the oats are crushed. Compared with 

 oil-cake at the jirice you mention (gs. 6d per cwt.), crushed oats would be worth 

 2Si. 8d. per bushel (40 lbs.), and bran is. 2d. per bushel (20 lbs.), so that 

 oats at the price vou mention, viz., is. gd. per bushel, are by far the most 

 economical feed, but for milking cows they must be crushed. 



Dysentery ok Bees. — R.V. writes : — "I have three colonies of bees, in an 

 out apiary of forty colonies, affected with what seems to be dysentery. The bees 

 spot the entrance and alighting board with a yellow stain, and, if the cover is 

 taken off, or they are disturbed in any way, they eject this all over the frames. 

 Also, they appear to uncaj) the honey indiscriminately, as if they were gorging 

 themselves, the combs getting quite sticky." 



Answer. — The s\m[)toms are those of dysenter\-, but, as vou do not describe 

 the dead bees, the trouble might also be paralysis. The difference in appearance 

 was given in the August issue of this Journal, page 500. The indiscriminate 

 uncapping of sealed honey is a sign that the honey is of doubtful character as 

 bee-food, and the lacerating of the cell-caps is done in searching for something 

 better — a comb often contains two or more varieties of honey scattered about 

 in patches. Unsuitable food is the cause of dvsentery. Remove all combs which 

 contain no brood, and put empty combs in their place. Feed inside the hive, 

 a little everv day, a warm syrup, inade by dissolving sugar of the besit quality in 

 an equal weight of boiling water ; stir continuously while on the fire until 

 dissolved and quite clear. Whether the ailment is dysentery or paralysis this 

 is the best treatment. No disinfectants are needed, but in the case of paralysis 

 the queen should be replaced as soon as possible. 



