442 . Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [10 July, 1916. 



BUILDING UP A FLOCK. 



Thirteen years ago, when Mr. J. Anderson, of Knysvale, Victoria, 

 was a child, an uncle gave him a Shropshire ewe as a birthday present, 

 and later on lent a Shropshire ram. In due course twin lambs were 

 bom. Later on, the original ewe and two ewe lambs dropped more 

 lambs, the boy being indebted again to his uncle for the loan of a ram. 

 A proportionate increase was recorded with each succeeding year, and 

 tne youthful stockbreeder had retained a few of his ram lambs. His 

 father then gave him the free use of a paddock of 300 acres. Mr. 

 Anderson remarked to the writer: — " I wanted my boy to stay on the 

 farm, and since he displayed an intelligent interest in his little flock 

 I reckoned that if he could make money out of sheep he would soon 

 realize that he had something better than a billet in the city." He 

 has got something better than " a billet." He made a practice of 

 selling a majority of the ram lambs and breeding from the ewe lambs. 

 To-day his flock of 67 Shropshires is the result of his own breeding. 

 With money originally realized through the sale of Shropshire ram 

 lambs, he purchased crossbreds, since he had the freedom of ample 

 grazing area. Further sales brought in more money, with which he 

 purchased additional sheep. In April last, when his flock comprised 

 about 135 ewes and 7 rams all told, he purchased 55 crossbred ewes. 

 This purchase was made with money banked from sale returns of the 

 character noted. His deal of the past year returned him 7s. per head 

 for wool shorn from sheep that cost him 13s. each last April. The ewes 

 are his property still, and, in addition, he has a complement of lambs. 

 What this extra asset means to-day it is hardly necessary to specify, but 

 given a fair percentage of ewe lambs, this rrost interesting flock shows 

 every promise of increasing well up to the 500 total before the end of 

 the present year. — AucJdand Weekly News, 24th February, 1916. 



STOCKHOLM TAR. 



N'ow that the season for pruning fruit trees and lopping forest and 

 ornamental trees is approaching, it is an appropriate time to bring 

 under notice the virtues of Stockholm tar as an antiseptic and germ 

 destroyer. 



Where a branch is sawn or cut of? and the bark trimmed round with 

 a knife, then the tar should be at once applied with a brush or piece of 

 stick. If genuine Stockholm tar, it will be very thick and viscous in 

 cold weather, and should be warmed before application. The whole of 

 the surface of the wound should be covered. This is Listerism applied 

 to vegetation, as the tar prevents unfavorable germs from developing 

 and promotes a healthy grow^th. In a short time new wood completely 

 covers the wound even when the branch is 6 inches or more through, 

 and a perfect cicatrix results. 



Coal tar must not be used, as it is destructive and objectionable. 



