76S Journal of Afjrifiillttn. Vicioria. | 1.") Dec, 1919. 



Pigs. — Supply short bedding in well-ventilated styes. Keep styes clean and 

 dry, and feeding troughs clean and wholesome. Sows suckling young should be 

 well fed to enable tlieni to produce ])lenty of milk. Give young pigs pollard and 

 skim milk in separate trough as soon as they will take it, and keep them fatten- 

 ing from the start to get them oil" as early as jxissible. Give a tablespoonful of 

 bone meal or superphosphate per 100 llis. live weight in food daily. If pigs are 

 lousy, dVess with kerosene emulsion or sulphur and lard, rubbing well into 

 crevices of skin, and disinfect styes. Plenty of water should be available for 

 them to wallow in in hot weather. 



Sheep. — The vari(tus lireeds of ewes come in season approximately during the 

 following months: — Merinoes and comebacks, Xovember and December; Cross- 

 breds, January and February, Pure British breeds, February and March. Be 

 sure of ample rams running with them. Mate best rams first. Clean up with 

 those not qiiite so good. L'se only rams witli width and substance, and never 

 inferior-fleeced ones. Rams during summer are rarely to be seen working in 

 the day time. Breed from only good-fleeced, roomy, sound-mouthed ewes this 

 season. Keep in view wool production as well as a shapely, thick, forequartered 

 e\'])ort carcass. Meat and wool will be always amongst the foremost commodities 

 in demand. Two-tooth ewes, if well grown, can be bred from " if they're big 

 enough they're old enough," but they must be well treated throughout. Purga- 

 tive drenches, worm pills, &c., should be given to any ewes hollow and ofl' their 

 feed, lambs scouring, or grown sheep showing vmhealthy discharge, as the case> 

 may lie. In persistent instaiu'es, the second and third doses. Healthy sheejj 

 ari' rarely tly-blown. • 



Poultry. — Separate the sexes ; the cockerels should now be fattened and 

 marketed. Grade the young stock according to age and size, otherwise the younger 

 birds will not thrive. Avoid overcrowding. Do not force pullets too much with 

 animal food; build them up with a good variety of food, but avoid maize, and 

 give but little meat. Increase the green food ; thoroughly spray houses and 

 perches with an emulsion of kerosene and soapsuds, or a solution of carbolic acid 

 1 in 60. Keep water vessels in shady spot, and renew water twice daily. 

 Moisten dust bath. 



CULTIVATION. 



Farm. — Get all crops harvested and stacked as soon as possible. Horse-hoe 

 maize, potatoes land other summer crops. See to insurance of stacks of grain 

 and hay. 



Orchard. — Keep the soil well scarified and weed free. Cultivate after 



irrigation or rain. Do not allow the surface to become caked. Spray against 



eodlin moth, pear slug, vine caterpillar, and woolly aphis. Summer prune 

 strong growing shoots and laterals. 



Vkoetable Garden. — Plant out all seedlings, when ready, from former sowings. 

 Stir an(f mulch the surface. Dig each plot as it becomes vacant. Sow seeds of 

 cauliflower, cabbage, peas, French beans, Kohl Eabi, &c. 



Flower Gakden. — Keep the soil moist and cool by watering, hoeing, and 

 mulching. Stake tender and lengthy plants. Water and shade young plants. 

 Sow pansy, Iceland poppy, cosmos, aster, &c. 



ViNEYAED. — Summer bud or Yema grafting may be practised in January, 

 though February is the usual month. (See Journals, January and February, 

 1916.) This is the slackest month in un-irrigated vineyards — all ordinary work 

 should be completed before Christmas. It is only exceptional operations, such 

 as scarifying after rain, sulphuring in case of odium, or spraying for downy 

 mildew (see Journal for November, 1917), that must be carried out. In irrigated 

 vineyards the application of water, and the cultivation it necessitates, require 

 attention. 



Cellar. — Fill up regularly and keep cellar as cool as possible. Towards end 

 of month commence to make preparations for the coming vintage. 



