Tllh BAND\ M VN <»n THE FARM. 



re tenacity than any other of the ingredients in paint. The best lead 

 will keep its hold after the oil with which it has been mixed haa dis- 

 appeared, forming the " chalky " surface so familiar on old buildings, fences, 



gates. 



A Useful Lime Wash. 



The following- mixture may he used on rough timber, brickwork, or 

 :orrugated iron, and will reduce the temperature of houses when applied I 

 the roof equally as well as the best refrigerating paint sold: — 



10 lb. of fresh unslaked stone lime; 1 lb. glue; 1 lb. powdered alum. 



Slake the lime with hot water, keeping it well covered over during slaking. 

 Dissolve the glue, also the alum, in boiling water, and add to the already 

 slaked lime, taking care not to make too thin. Strain the whole as for 

 paint, and cover over for two days or more, when it is ready for use. Apply 

 with an ordinary two-knot whitewash brush, giving the work two coats, the 

 to be thoroughly set before the next is applied; and if on roofs or tanks. 

 apply in cool weather. Colouring matter (ochres) may be added if neces- 

 sary. A little blue improve? at all times. 



THE USE AND CARE OF ROPE. 



A large assortment of fibres, either pure or in mixtures, arc made into 

 cordage. In a rapid survey of all these rope-making materials, none stands 

 •out with such pre-eminence as Manila hemp. The fibre is produced from the 

 Abaca (Musa textilis), a plant closely related to the banana. Its cultivation 

 is almost exclusive to the Philippines, where it forms three-quarters of the 

 total export. The fibre is 6 to 12 feet long, and is wonderfully resistant, 

 forming one of the strongest and most satisfactory ropes for farm work now 

 manufactured. It is moderately pliable, nice to handle, and will stand the 

 wet so successfully that it is rarely if ever tarred. 



Manila hemp is one of the few fibres that can be used with success in 

 self-binding machinery. Sisal is also used quite extensively for binder twine 

 either pure or mixed with New Zealand and Manila hemp, and, with the 

 rapid development of self-binding machinery, its use will probably become 

 more and more extensive where Manila cannot be procured. A trial of 

 sisal in the reapers and binders was conducted at Hawkesbury Agricultural 

 College some years ago, but it was found too stiff and liable to kink, while 

 the tie did not hold with the tenacity of Manila. It is estimated that 

 sisal has only about two-thirds the working strength of the best Manila. 



The maximum strain could be resisted by a rope if the fibres were laid 

 parallel. This being impracticable, the fibres are first twisted into yarns : 

 these are laid up into strands ; and finally three strands go to make the 

 rope. The object of twisting is to make the rope portable, and to ensure 

 that, by mutual friction, the fibre, yarns, and strands may hold together 

 when the strain is applied. Laying up or twisting a rope decreases the 

 strength, but increases its durability. The tarring of rope results similarly in 

 excluding the wet, and preserving the rope at the expense of the breaking 

 strain. 



