320 Joitnial of Afjriculturp, Victoria. | 10 May, 1!>19. 



with warm dry shed. Cows and heifers for early autumn calving may be put 

 to tlie bull. Observe strict i-leanlincss and regularity with regard to temperature 

 and quantity of feed to avoid losses and sickness incidental to calf rearing. 



Pigs. — Supply plenty of bedding in well ventilated sties. Sows in fine weather 

 should be given grass or lucerne run. Bulletin on the Pig Industry is now 

 available. 



tSHKEP. — Clear muck-balls from tails and legs of all sheep. Have the wool 

 cleared from round udders and eyes of all young lambing ewes, and see them 

 first thing every morning. Mark tlie ram lambs at earliest chance. Cut off 

 ewes with oldest wether lambs to best pasture or fodder crops. 



Sheep with overgrown hoofs are unthrifty. Whenever noticed trim back into 

 shape; they cut easily during winter. If left, are conducive to lameness, and 

 even foot rot. In the case of common foot rot, or scald, the feet can be placed 

 in a thick paste made of lime and boiling water. Obstinate cases of long 

 standing may need more drastic remedies, and persistent attention. In all 

 cases pare away all loose portions, and leave the diseased parts clearly exposed. 



Foxes are more ravenous during winter months. Sparrows, starlings, and 

 parrots are good bait. Poisoning lambs already killed usually accounts for 

 scavenger foxes only. 



Every fox is not a lamb killer. Remove all lambs for two or three nights 

 if at all possible, and birds then will rarely fail to entice Reynard the second 

 or third night. 



Powdered strychnine, just sufficient to cover nicely a threepenny-piece, la 

 the iisual dose. On the more valuable lambs fix a light tin collar, cut from 

 2 inches wide at the top of the neck to .3 inches wide below, fastened underneatli 

 in one place only, near the breast, with fine wire, and lying open towards the 

 throat, allowing the lamb to both suck and feed. It should be cut as large as 

 possible, yet not large enough to permit of its falling off over the lamb's head. 

 This makes a guard that rarely fails to prevent a fox getting to the main blood 

 vein. Remove the guards when the lambs are about eight weeks old. 



Poultry. — Supplies of shell grit and charcoal should always be available. 

 Sow a mixture of English grass and clover; this not only removes taint in soil 

 but provides excellent green fodder for stock. Where possible, lucerne and 

 silver beet should now be sown for summer feed; liver (cooked) and maize aids 

 to egg production during cold weather. Morning mash should be mixed with 

 liver soup given to the birds warm in a crumbly condition. All yards should 

 be drained to ensure comfort for the birds. 



CULTIVATION. 



Farm. — Plough potato land. Land to be sown later on with potatoes, man- 

 golds, maize, and millet should be manured and well worked. Sow malting barley 

 and sow cereals. Lift and store mangolds, turnips, &e. Clean out drains and 

 water furrows. Clean uj) and stack manure in heaps i)rotected from the Aveather. 



Orchard. — Finish ploughing; plant young trees; spray with red oil or 

 petroleum for scales, mites, aphis, &c. ; carry out drainage system; clean out 

 drains; commence pruning. 



Vegetable Garden.- — Prepare beds for crops; cultivate deeply; practise rota- 

 tion in planting out; renovate asparagus beds; plant out all seedlings; sow 

 radish, peas, broad beans, leeks, spinach, lettuce, carrot, &c.; plant rhubarb. 



Flower Garden. — Continue digging and manuring; dig all weeds and leafy 

 growths; plant out shrubs, roses, &c.: plant rose cuttings; prune deciduous trees 

 and shrubs; sow sweet peas and plant out seedlings. 



Vineyard. — Thoroughly prepare for plantation, land already subsoiled for the 

 purpose. Remember that the freer it is kept from weeds from this forward, the 

 less trouble will there be from c»it-worms -next spring. Applications for un- 

 grafted resistant rootlings and cuttings must be made before the end of the 

 month — see .Tournal for Alarch. Pruning and })l(mgliing should be actively pro- 

 ceeded with. In northern districts ])lough to a depth of seven or eight inches, 

 ^lanures should bo applied as early as possible. 



Cellar. — Rack all wines which have not been previously dealt with. Fortify 

 sweet wines to full strength. 



