4 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
Don’t use Soap in Washing 
Milk Vesseis. 
Thero is a decided objection, says H. EB, 
Van Norman, of Purdee University, in 
the Counrny Genriuman, to the use of 
common washing or laundry soaps for 
washing milk vessels. As an illustration 
ata recent dairy convention the judges, 
in crit cis‘ng a certain lot of butter, noted 
on the score-card, ‘Tastes of soap.” In- 
quity of the exhibitor later brought out 
that in hur anxiety to have everything 
right, she had given the vessels a thorough 
washing with soap suds and carefully 
rinsed them afterwards; yet there was 
sufficient soap adhearing to the vessel in 
which the milk had been handled so that 
the judge could detect it in the butter. 
While I grant that this was a good judge, 
with 2, very sensitive taste this experience 
has often been confirmed. I would recom- 
mend the use of salsoda, or some other 
alkaline washing powder and suggest the 
following as a desirable method in the 
absence of steam, cr steam in addition, 
for that matter :-— 
As soon as the vessels are emptied, 
rinse them out with lukewarm water, if 
available; if not, cold water. Wash 
thoroughly inwater as warm as can be 
comfortably worked in using suflicient 
alkaline washing powder to cut the grease. 
Then rinse in boiling water or as neao it 
as possible. It would be alittle better to 
us two waters, one to riuse the alkaline 
water off and the second to simply scald 
it. In ordinary practical work this is 
more trouble than most people will take, 
so that one rinsing with sufficient water 
is freasouably satisfactory. This vessel 
shluld then be turned up to drain day. 
if left hot it should dry wsthout rinsing. 
Commins’ Criticism. 
By G. W. Comarys. 
REPLY TO MR. W. F. EVENDEN. 
Sir—Mr. Evonden has wisely re- 
frained from issuing his ‘“ Challenge ” 
until I have given up the breed, and have 
uot one White Leghorn in my yards, 
turn to my advertisemext on page 41 last 
issue, no mention of White Leghorns, I 
simply defy Mr. Evenden, or anyone else, 
to prove I ever penned a line boasting of 
the laying qualities of any of my fowls, 
and wish to remind him that mud 
slinging is not argument. I will seek to 
prove what I say by the result of the 
laying competition, what has previously 
appeared in your columns, and in the 
“Daily Telegraph.” As to Mr, Even- 
den’s statement, I claim to be the 
originator of it, and offered to pen 12 
White Leghorn Pullets and pay in £12 
towards expenses, (why did he not coyer - 
I entered, paid my fee, and - 
it then.) 
being in Sydney when the birds had to 
go, long beiore, and after, I went to the 
Secretary and told him I could not pen 
the birds; I have never boasted that my 
Octoser 1, 1906 
SS NLEenceennnEnSEnEETENNES 
leghorns were great layers, I speak of 
them as a breed, and havo stated in yours 
and other papers, that Brown Uoghorns 
were the best layers, and White next, 
Browns were ruined by breeding from 
one pen for cockerels, and another for 
pullets. Long before they disappeared, 
I predicted their downfall in the “ Aus- 
tralasian Agriculturist,” and I have al- 
ready said White are also doomed. 
When people were satisfied with straw 
colored birds we had great layers, hardy, 
good fowls, then the ‘‘snow white, stay 
white” came, it has been proved that 
such birds are hard to rear, and often 
infertile; I found it so, and have dropped 
them. Now for the laying competition, 
before the svent—I said Brown Leghorns 
were the best lnyers, there were none in 
last time and White Leghorns won, An- 
dalusians (including Mr. Evenden’s) and 
Minoreas absolutely last. Andalusians 
in the present competition are practically 
in the same position, while the breed I 
have always said to be the best is first, 
see page 20 (competition) every breed 
ahead of Andalusians, Also, see page 21 
S.A. competition, where Andalusians 
(Mr. Evenden’s), are behind every breed 
represented except Indian Game, even 
Minorcas boing ahead of them, leading 
pen 385 eggs (Wyandottes), Mr. Even- 
den 177! about half, In our competition 
my favorites, Brown Leghorns, total 470 
against Mr, Hyenden’s 288, and everyone 
says Leghorns are not winter layers. 
Now if Leghorns which are not winter 
layers (I haye always said they were) tot 
up 470 eggs in winter, while Mr. Hven- 
den’s only do 288 only, how can he call 
his birds winter layers? But we do 
not want to go to America for birds to 
beat Andalusians, the sneer at Mr. Howell 
“’Dottes” of eggs was bad taste, the 
Andalusian eggs are very little larger as 
proved by the weights given, and the 
“*Dottes” laid 471 eggs while the Anda- 
lusians laid 288. I cannot be accused of 
ringing ina free advt. re Leghorns, I 
have none, I speak of the breed as I 
found them ; now it is all changed as far 
as English “improved” strains go, bat 
send to America and get some of the 
original type, such as were sent over to 
England years ago, and you will get the 
same grand layers. Look at the Ameri- 
can: breed, Silver Wyandottes. Finally, 
if Mr, Evenden’s birds proved the best 
layers in the competition it would not 
convince me that Andalusians, as A 
BREEN, were the best layers. I never 
write about a particular pen or an indi- 
vidual, unléss [am drawn into it. Iam 
never the first to mention names, 
The most bewildering fact is that a 
great many breeders, depending on the 
natural method, buy up all the available 
broodies for their own use. : 
In so doing they rob themselves of a 
customer for eggs in many cases, where, 
if they adopted artificial incubation, the . 
hens would be available for the small 
breeder. : 
There is something in this that will 
appeal to all thinking people, and no 
doubt in the near future we will see our 
leading breeders offering to supply the = 
broodies instead of buying them up from 
outside, f 
= — 
K. Bechtel, | 
Truss and Bandage Maker 
59 O’Connell-street, 
NORTH ADELAIDE 
—_— 50: —— 
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Made to Order, 
And sent to all parts of the Commonwealth 
... Fit Guaranteed ... 
A Trial solicited. . 
Aen 
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