2o6 .1 vunial of AyricuUurc, Victoria. [10 Apkil, 1919. 



REMINDERS FOR MAY. 



Live Stock. 



Horses. — Those stabled can be fed liberally. Those doing fast or heavy work 

 should be clipped; if not wholly, then trace high. Those not rugged on coming 

 into the stable at night should be wiped down and in half-an-hour's time rugged 

 or covered with bags until the coat is dry. Old horses and weaned foals should 

 be given crushed oats. Grass-fed working horses should be given hay or straw, 

 if there is no old grass, to counteract tlie purging effects of the 3'oung growth. 

 Attend to teeth and feet of horses to be turned out for the winter. 



Cattle. — Cows, if not housed, should be rugged. Rugs should be removed in 

 the daytime when the shade temperature reaches 60 degrees. Give a ration of 

 hay or straw, whole or chaffed, to counteract the purging effects of young grass. 

 Cows about to calve, if over fat, should be put into a paddock in which the feed 

 is not too abundant. Calves should be kept in warm dry shed. Observe strict 

 cleanliness in feeding to avoid losses and sickness incidental to calf-rearing. 



Pigs. — As recommended in Reminders for April. 



Sheep. — Keep in-lamb ewes in strong condition. Best lambing results arc- 

 obtained when ewes are neither too poor, nor excessively fat. Once the lambs arrive 

 then the most liberal treatment possible is in the main the most profitable. Ill- 

 fed ewes are bad mothers, indifferent to the new-born lamb, and rearing them 

 badly afterwards, particularly very young or very old ewes. Select fine weather 

 for lamb-marking. Yard lambs over night. Never castrate or tail high-condi- 

 tioned lambs immediately on being run in and overheated. The risk with large 

 lambs will be lessened if they are allowed to stay in the yards an hour or two 

 after castration and the coagulated blood drawn, which in many cases will be 

 foupd retained in the groin and purse, no matter what method of opening 

 the purse is used. In tailing never draw tails tight. Projecting bone delays 

 healing, especially when cutting off with hot blades. Even with the knife leave 

 enough loose skin to come over and cover the vein and check the usual strong 

 rush of blood from lambs on well-fed mothers. 



Poultry. — Feed animal food to forward pullets, about ^ oz. daily, and equal 

 parts heavy oats and broken maize at night. Add lucerne chaff to mash daily. 

 See that fowl houses are free from draughts to avoid colds, also that they are 

 free from red mites. Use Epsom salts freely to avoid Roup and Chicken 

 Pox. 



Cultivation. 



Farm. — Dig main crop potatoes. Push on with ploughing and sowing of 

 cereal crops, including peas and beans. Green fodder (as for April) may still be 

 sown. Land for maize, potatoes, and other root crops should be prepared and 

 manured. Flax may be sown. Transplant Chou Moellier and Giant Drumhead 

 cabbage plants in rows 3 feet apart. Complete sowing permanent pastures with 

 grasses and clovers. 



Orchard. — Plough, manure; apply lima to orchard lands at rate or 5 or 10 

 ewt. per acre where soil is sour. Spray trees infested with scale insects. Woolly 

 Aphis, and Bryobia Mite with red oil or crude petroleum. Clean all rough bark 

 from trees. Commence pruning early varieties at end of month. 



Flower Garden. — Digging, manuring, and pruning; trench and drain where 

 necessary. Dress the surface with lime. Continue to sow hardy annuals. Bury 

 all leaves, soft-wood cuttings, and weeds. Continue to plant spring blooming 

 perennials and other plants. Plant cuttings of carnations and roses. 



Vegetable Garden.— Cut down and clean out asparagus beds. Apply manure 

 and lime dressings. Cultivate deeply. Plant out seedlings and early potatoes; 

 sow peas, broad beans, carrots, and parsnips. 



Vineyard.— Subsoil land for new plantations if not already done. This work 

 should be carried out as long before planting as is practicable. Vine-growers 

 are warned against the too common practice of feeding off foliage after vintage. 

 Any small advantage in the form of stock feed is onlv gained at the cost of a 

 reduction in the following season's crop, owing to interference with accumulation 

 of reserves, which continues so long as the leaves remain green. Sheep should 

 not be allowed into the vineyard until all leaves have changed colour. Early and 

 deep ploughing is strongly recommended. Manures should be applied as early as 

 possible. Peas, &c., for green manuring, should be sown without delay, in order 

 to take advantage of early rains. 



Cellars.— Rack or fill up (preferably the former) dry wines as soon as a lighted 

 match, introduced at bung hole, is no longer extinguished. Sweet wines should 

 also be racked and fortified to full strength. 



