576 Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [11 Sept., 1916, 



to produce plenty of milk. Give young pigs pollard and skim milk in separate 

 trough as soon as they will take it, and keep them fattening from the start to 

 get them off as early as possible. Give a tablespoonful of bone meal per 100 lbs. 

 live weight in food daily. If pigs are lousy dress with kerosene emulsion or 

 sulphur and lard, rubbing well into crevices of skin, and disinfect styes. Pig 

 breeding and feeding should be very profitable for a long time to come, and 

 it should be safe to launch out now. 



Sheep. — Shear as early as the weather will permit, and avoid the usual exces- 

 sive dust in travelling to. and yarding at sheds. Burr and seeds collect on the 

 fleeces as well, particularly with lambs, if shearing be left until late in the season. 

 Shear all lambs not fit for export, they thrive better and make more growth 

 through the ensuing summer and autumn. Fleeces from well-bred, good-backed 

 sheep should be skirted with care, the better the class of wool the greater the 

 necessity. Fleeces that have become dead and earthy on the backs need only 

 removing the merest stains, there is little advantage in skirting these. It is 

 better management to have ample tables and extra hands skirting closely than to 

 hastily tear off imnecessary wool and then employ men at other tables to sort 

 "broken fleece," "first," and "second" pieces, &c. All stains must be removed 

 from ewes' fleeces, and pizzle stains from the bellies of wethers. Keep separate 

 all coarse fleeces from the finer sorts, and in merinoes the yellow and mushy 

 from the shafty and bright. Skirt all hairy thighs from crossbred fleeces. Avoid 

 sending wool to market in long, round-sided bales, known as " sew-downs." Press 

 in a box press, forming square sides. Brand l)ales neatly, and not with sheep- 

 branding oil, tar, or paint. Stencil plates and branding ink can be obtained on 

 application to tlie respective brokers. 



Poultry. — The bulk of incubation should cease this month — late chickens 

 are not profitable. Devote attention to the chickens already hatched; avoid 

 overcrowding. Feed with dry mash. Also add plenty of green food to ration, 

 ordinary feeding to be 2 parts pollard, 1 part bran, and a little animal food 

 after the first fortnight. Feed ground grain, such as wheat, hulled oats, maize, 

 and peas, which should be fed in hopper to avoid waste. Grit or coarse sand 

 should be available at all times. Variety of food is important to growing 

 chicks; insect life aids growth. Remove brooders to new ground as often as 

 possible; tainted ground will retard development. 



Cultivation. 



Farm. — Plant main crops of potatoes in early districts and prepare land for 

 main crop in late districts. Fallow and work early fallow. Sow maize and 

 millets where frosts are not late, also mangolds, beet, carrots, and turnips. Sow 

 tobacco beds and keep covered with straw or hessian. 



Orchard. — Ploughing and cultivating to be continued, bringing surface to 

 a good tilth, and suppressing all weeds. Spray with nicotine solution for peach 

 aphis, with Bordeaux mixture for black spot of apple and pear, and with 

 arsenate of lead for codlin moth in early districts. 



Vegetable Garden. — Sow seeds of carrot, turnip, parsnip, cabbage, peas, 

 French beans, tomato, celery, radish, marrow, and pumpkins. Plant out seedlings 

 from former sowings. Keep the surface well pulverized. 



Flower Garden. — Keep the weeds down and the soil open by continued hoe- 

 ing. Plant out delphiniums, chrysanthemums, salvia, early dahlias, &c. Pre- 

 pare ground for digging and manuring for autumn dahlias. Plant gladioli 

 tubers and seeds of tender annuals. Spray roses for aphis and mildew. 



Vineyard. — This is the best month for field grafting. If stocks bleed too 

 copiously, cut off 24 hours before grafting. Make sure that scions are fresh. 

 Placing butts in clean water for a few days before grafting is recommended. 

 Field grafts must be staked, to avoid subsequent straining by wind and to insure 

 straight stem for future vine. Stakes are also necessary for grafted rootlings 

 for same reasons. Temporary stakes 3 feet long will suffice. Keep a sharp look 

 out for cut worms. (See Journal for July, 1911, and also October, 1913.) Disbud 

 and tie up all vines, giving special care to young plantations. Beware of spring 

 frosts. (See Journal for September, 1910.) 



Conclude spring cultivation (second ploughing or scarifying and digging or 

 hoeing round vines ) . Weeds must be mastered and whole surface got into good 

 tilth. Sulphur vines when shoots 4 to 6 inches long. 



Cellar. — Taste all young wines; beware of dangerous symptoms in unfortified 

 fruity wines, which may need treatment. Fill up regularly all unfortified 

 wines. 



