52 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Jury, 1898. 
grow. A matter which it is important to keep in view is, that at the time any 
plant is just in the height of its growth it will then bear manure water being 
given more freely than either at the beginning or later in the season. Another 
thing of quite as much importance, and which those who are first commencing 
to grow any kind of plants will find it to their advantage to note. is that plants 
have not the power to reject the food that is brought in contact with their 
roots in the way that manure water is; whether the water they thus imbibe is 
sufficiently or over-charged with food, they must take it. If it is too strong, 
the effects are seen sooner or later, but often when much mischief is done. It 
is always well to keep on the safe side; frequent applications are very much 
preferable to stronger doses, even if they are slightly too strong. Asa rule, 
the slower growth a plant naturally makes, the less able is it to bear manure 
water in a strong state. This fact, not having been fully seen and acted upon, 
results in many plants that are generally supposed to be unable to bear manure 
water at all, such as the slow-growing hardwood conservatory plants ; yet it 
is in the case of these subjects, more even than stronger-rooted things, which 
can bear partial shaking out and renewal of soil, that assistance by the use of 
liquid manure is often most required. It is scarcely necessary to mention that 
whenever manure water is used, even to the most vigorous growing plant, 
which, consequent upon its strength, is able to bear that which would be death 
to others weaker, the liquid should always be clear and transparent, otherwise 
the sediment it contains is vertain to clog up the soil, and make it too 
impervious to water afterwards. All who have given the least attention to 
such matters here stated are fully cognisant of the fact that liquid manure, 
prepared in the usual way by the admixture of water with some solid manurial 
matter, must of necessity possess elements identical with those of the solid 
matter to which it owes its fertility, the potency of the liquid being propor- 
tionate to the volubility of the solid matter—of course, governed by the extent 
of dilution. 
THE FOOD OF HORSES. 
From a paper read by Mr. T. Jeffs at the Agricultural Bureau Conference, 
at Kapunda (S.A.), we extract the following pertinent remarks about feeding 
farm horses :— 
The farmer should well consider the constitution of his horses. This 
varies very much ; one will have a good appetite and eat up all his dinner, and 
be ready for his afternoon’s work in reasonable time, while the horse with a 
poor appetite will take more time and pick out the best parts. This is no 
fault of the horse, but may be remedied by giving him some appetising 
medicine. I prefer giving such a horse less in quantity but better in quality— 
say, a little more bran and pollard. This will enable the weaker horse to keep 
up to his work. Old horses must have more attention than younger ones in 
the matter of food. It is unreasonable to expect old horses to do the same 
amount of work as younger ones on the same kind of food. Ina team of five 
or six horses, there will be one or more slower at their work than others. The 
driver should carefully consider where the fault lies—if there is a fault—and 
not punish what appears to be a slow horse. In no case should the reins be 
used as a whip. If the middle horse requires waking up, and it is done with 
the rein, the outside horse is irritated by having his mouth jerked in such a 
way as to give him unnecessary pain. It would be much better to carry a 
light whip and use that when required. A sharp clip with the whip would be 
more effectual than so much banging with the reins. 
