384 Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [10 June, 1919. 



foal is strongly condemned, as such a course may give rise to many foaling 

 ailments, with consequent loss of foals, and, at' times, that of mares also. 

 Commence preparing stallion for season, especially if worked. 



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

 and aired in the daytime when the shade teraperatui-e reaches GO degrees. Give 

 a ration of hay or straw, whole or chaffed, to counteract the purging elFects of 

 the young grass. Cows about to calve, if over fat, siiould be yjut into a paddock 

 in which the feed is not too abundant. Newly-calved cows should be fed liberally 

 to stimulate milk How. Cows may now be served for autumn calving. Calves 

 should be provided with warm, dry shed. 



Pigs. — Supply plentj^ of bedding in warm, well-ventilated styes. Keep styes 

 clean and dry. Store pigs should be placed in fattening styes. Sows in fine 

 weather should be given a grass run. the cheapest feed now available is second- 

 grade wheat, to be obtained from the Wheat Board. 



Sheep. — Go carefully through all breeding flocks at conclusion of lambing. 

 Reserve all best-framed and profitable-fleeced ewes. Ear mark all found unde- 

 sirable to breed from, and dispose of any that may be fat before prices recede 

 in the spring. Use a neat mark for ear-marking, not the " slash," " top off," 

 and other oversized unsightly marks. Discard all undersized, narrow-framed 

 ewes, any with short yellow fleeces, those with thin locky staple, any with 

 very fine, light, and wasty fleeces, ewes with " bottle " udders, single teats, 

 undersiiot, overshot, or otherwise deformed mouths, ewes six years old and 

 over. Dra-w teeth of aged ewes altogether, if showing open and signs of feed 

 slipping tiirough. Consider well before selling any early born, good-fleeced ewe 

 lambs. Select best rams for future service; remember, wide, thick sheep are best 

 thrivers, but they must carry good fleeces as well. Keep all ewes well crutched 

 and the udders and eyes well cleared of wool previous to lambing. Give lambing 

 flocks good attention. 



Poultry. — Mating of birds intended for breeding purposes should receive im- 

 mediate attention. Eight second-season Leghorns or any otiier light breeds, or six 

 of the heavier birds, such as Orpingtons, Plymouth Rocks, and Wyandottes (pre- 

 ferably in their second year), with a vigorous unrelated cockerel will be found 

 satisfactory. Table birds bred in March or April will pay handsomely prior to 

 the Cup Carnival. A tonic in drinking water as a preventive against chicken pox 

 and other ailments is advantageous. 



CULTIVATION. 



Farm. — Finish sowing barley, peas and beans, and late white oats in backward 

 districts. Trim hedges. Fallow for potatoes, maize, and other summer crops; 

 in early districts, plant potatoes. Graze off early crops where possible. 



Orchard. — Continue to plant deciduous fruit trees, bush fruits, and straw- 

 berries. Continue cultivating and pruning. Spray for mites, aphides, and scales. 



Flower Gardkn. — I'lant shrubs, climbers, and permanent plants, including 

 roses; also annuals and herbaceous perennials, early Gladioli, Liliuras, Iris, and 

 Bimibir plants. Continue digging, manuring, trenching, and liming. 



Vrokt\ble Gardkn. — Plant out seedlings. Sow seeds of carrots, parsnips, 

 cauliflowers, onions, peas, broad beans, and tomatoes. Dig all vacant plots. 



Vineyard. — Proceed with pruning, burning oil', and ploughing. Though 

 Anthracnose (black spot) did little or no damage last season, the disease 

 must not be ignored; given suitable weather conditions and absen"e of 

 preventive treatment, its re-appearance is almost certain. All susceptible 

 varieties (sultanas. &c. ), should be preventively "swabbed," just before the buds 

 burst, with acid iron sulphate solution. Bulletin describing treatment will be 

 posted on application. Complete, as early as possible, the ap))lication of manures 

 if not already done. Mark out land for new plantations. If ground is in good 

 order and not too wet, proceed with plantation of young vines (unpruned). 

 Remove cuttings or scions from vines previously marked, and keep Jrresh by 

 burying horizontally in almost dry sand in cool, sheltered place. Permanently 

 .stake or trellis last year's plantations. 



Cellars. — Rack all young wines, whether previously racked or not. Rack 

 older wines also. For this work clioose, as much as possible, fine weather and 

 high barometer. Fill up regularly all unfortified wines. This is a good time for 

 bottling wine. 



