136 



TEE AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 



Gieaningsm 



A fur rug which is hardened in the washiug 

 and drying may be softened in the following 

 way : Mix together three tablespoonfuls of 

 castor oil, one of glycerine and one of turpen- 

 tine ; rub this preparation into the back part of 

 the rug and let it remain for a week, then rub 

 it with a smooth stone or block of wood. Wipe 

 thoroughly before placing on the floor. 



The New Zealand Gazette of March 8th 

 contains some interesting particulars of the area 

 sown with green crop and grasses. The grass 

 area is given as over 33,000,000 of acres. Green 

 crops, mainly turnips, 404,313 acrts ; and rape, 

 124,318 acres, amount to 638,804 acres— a falling 

 ofE from previous year of nearly 33,000 acres. 

 The number of sheep is returned as 19,355,195, 

 of cattle 1,256,680, and of swine 250,975. 



When fruit trees are to be planted it is good 

 practice to plant alternate rows of different 

 vajieties of the same fruit, because the pollen 

 of one variety is often wanted to fructify or 

 fertilise the flowers of another. Thus, if a block 

 of Brandis almonds alone were pLnte \ there 

 would be poor crops of nuts ; but if some hard- 

 shells and othtr varieties were grown alongside, 

 there would be heavy crops of almonds If 

 several acres of stone Pippin apples alone we'-e 

 planted, there would probably be no fruit ; but 

 there would be heavy crops if two or three othei 

 sorts were planted in alternate rows with them. 



How careless we are in respect to the nature 

 of the stuff we purchase and u-e as fo d. Any- 

 thing, for instsrice, sold as " vinegar " is accepted 

 as genuine, and vet the great bulk of the cheap 

 acidulous liquor that is sold under that narne 

 consists of more or less deleterious acids, dis- 

 solved in water and coloured with burnt sugar. 

 If we had any proper respect for our health and 

 digestive organs, we would see to it that our 

 vinegars were the fermtnted product of grapes, 

 or apples, or honey, malt, or some other whole- 

 some substance. Wine and cider vinegars are 

 to be preferred, but malt or honey make excel- 

 lent and perfectly wholesome vinegars. 



An American paper, is summarising the value 

 of ensilage, sayss that twenty years' experience 

 in the use of the silo has brought out some facts 

 about which all are agreed. Fir.st, that a larger 

 amount of healthful ' attle food can he jref-erved 

 in the silo, in better condition, at lo's expense 

 of labour and land, than by any other method 

 known ; second, that silage comes nearer being 

 a perfect substitute for the s'lcculent food 

 of the pasture than any either fot.d thiit cin be 

 had in the winter; third, 3()lbs. a day is enough 

 silage for an averaf.e-sized Jersey cow; larger 

 cattle will eat more : fourth, a cubii; foot of 

 silage fr.)m the middle of a medium-sized silo 

 will average about 451bs. ; fifih, for 182 days, or 

 half a year, an average Jersey cow will re<iuire 

 about 6 tons of silage, allowing for unavoidable 

 waste. 



The ' Revue des Kevues " publishes a long and 

 exhaustive article, from which it would appear 

 that the problem of the cure of tuberculosis 

 has been dtfinitely solved by the use of the juice 

 and plasma extracted from raw beef subjected 

 to pressure. The discovery is ascribed to MM. 

 Charles Richet and Hericourt, who are already 

 known for their work in connection with the 

 employment of therapeutic serum. 



Some correspondence is going on in the 

 English papers about a new remedy for worms 

 in stock, termed thymol. Professor Ewart, 

 and Mr. Ptter Wilson, the well-known veterin- 

 arian of Penicvik, have been trying it on a 

 Lumber of foals about six months old with 

 great success, giving it in 10 graiii doses once 

 daily for three days, and following it up with an 

 opening dose of castor oil on the fourth day ; 

 then, after an interval of four or five days, 

 giving three 15-grain doses at intervals of three 

 days, with a full cathartic dose of castor oil 

 after the last thymol dose. Of seven foals 

 thus treated, one died, one was partially cured, 

 and five entirely. 



The famous Luther Burbank states in recent 

 American issues that his " Plumcots," produced 

 by crossing of apricots and plums, are the latest 

 wonder in the fruit line. The fruit has the 

 form of the apricot and the same general out- 

 side appearar.ce, but is more highly coloured 

 than either apricots or plums. The rich flavour 

 of the fruit is said to be a revelation of new 

 fruit possibilities. Mr. Burbani also reports 

 favourably on the improvement he has effected 

 in his seedless plums and prunes. Australasian 

 horticulturists will doubtless watch with interest 

 the advent of these latest creations in the fruit 

 line, and should the expectations raised by the 

 statements as to their merits be fulfilled, they 

 will soon become popular in this part of the 

 world. 



The horse, say the Arabs of Sahara, should 

 have four points broad— the front, the chest, the 

 croup, and the legs ; four points long— the neck, 

 the upper parts of the legs, the belly, and the 

 haunches ; and four points short— the loins, the 

 pasterns, the ears, and the tail. All these quali- 

 ties prove, firstly, that he has real blood in him, 

 and secondly that he is fast, for his form com- 

 bines something of the greyhound, somethitig of 

 the pigeon, and something of the mahari, or 

 riding camel. The mahari, be it added, is to the 

 common djemel as a thoroughbred is to a cart 

 horse. The Arab idea of what a good horse 

 should be able to do is curiously expressed ; he 

 must carry a full grown man, his arms, and a 

 change of clothing, food for both his rider and 

 himself, a flag, even on a windy day, and, if neces- 

 sary, drag a dead body behind him. Doing all 

 this, he must k eep up a good pace the whole day 

 through without a thought of food or water. 



