FARM AND FIELD

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 1107, 21 November 1917, Page 7

FARM AND FIELD

OB I CiN At. A RTiG IH# ; (By F. 0.8.)

FEEDING FOR BACON. According to some recent experiments, the bacon-producing values cf separated milk, whey, and meals respectively were found to be increased when the liquid'and solid foods were I combined. The smallest amount of dry | matter was required when maize meal | was given at the rate of 21b. to 2$ gallons of whey. As the weight of the pig increased; so-did the quantity of food required to produce lib. live weight become greater; at 2141b.; live weight it required 50 per cent, more I food than at 1181b. While the pigs went on increasing at about the same rate per day from 1001b. to 2001b. live weight, the larger pig required more food to satisfy it. A heavier and older p_ig was found to be a economical bacon-producer than it lighter and younger pig. It was found possible to increase.the live weight of the pig from 1001b." tb '2lolb. in from nine to 10 weeks at the average weight 1.721b5. per head per day by feeding mm separated milk and barley meal! When the ration was whey and maize meal it required 11 weeks to produce the same increase. "Different lots of pigs, yielded different percentages of carcase to live weight. This was due partly to the ,differeis weights of the pigs at killing. Heavier pigs on the same diet yielded higher percentages than lighter pigs. But it was due partly also to the kind of food. Whey and maize meal produced the highest percentage of carcase to live weight. Different pigs yielded different proportions of bacon to carcase weight, i'hi - was due partly to the kind of food Pigs fed on maize meal and whey gave the highest proportion of bacon to carcase weight, and therefore also the lightest proportion of hacon to live weight. Barley meal, without skimmilk or whey, produced a bacon inferior in quality to that from meals given with milk or whey. Barley meal and separated milk in every test gave the best quality. When whey was used in quantity so as to produce a considerable proportion of the dry matter of the food, a good quality of bacon was obtained with either barley, paisley, or maize meal. On - the average of two experiments conducted whey with a mixture of equal parts barley meal and paisley meal gave better results than whey with a mixture of two parts- barley meal and one part rice meal. But whey with a mixture of equal parts barley meal and maize meal gave the best results of the three. Whey .with raw potatoes and a mixture of equal parts barley meal and maizo meal give better results than whey cooked with potatoes and a similar mixture of meals. But whey with a mixture of equal parts of barley meal and maize meal gave better than whey with a similar mixture of meals and either cooked potatoes or raw potatoes.

MANURES AND MILK. An interesting set of experiments has been carried out at the Kingston-on-Soar experiment station, England, to test how far it is profitable to manure pasture land >n dairying. The experiment was spread over a period of six years, and the results should encourage dairymen to pursue this practice. Two plots of pasture land, of four acijes each, were fenced off, and both dressed with 10 -ewt. per acre of ground lime. One plot received nothing else, but the other plots received, in addition/ 4cwt. super and l£cwt. sulphate of potash per acre. Two lots of cows were put on the plot early in May, and kept there' Continuously as long as there was sufficient grass; no other feed being given. At the end of each fortnight the two lots of cows were changed over to eliminate the influence of individuality; the weights of the second week only being taken, and doubled to give the fortnightly yield. Valuing the milk at 6d. per gallon, the increased yields per acre I of." the. manured over, the unmatured plots-were £2 2s. in 1909," £2 '3s. in 1910, £2 os. 6d. in 1911, and £2 19s. 6d. in 1912. Deducting the cost of manures for the first year—£l:9s. per acre—it leaves a net profit of £7 16s. per acre from the treatment. 'During the last two years the unmanured plot was given a dressing of the same fertilisers ; and it improved in a similar way;,the yield from the cows on both plots during 1913 and 1914 being practically the same, which goes to" prove ,hat the good results obtained during ne first four years were entirely due r o the fertilisers.

ROOT ACTION. As it is only around little particles oi soil that the roots of crops can encircle in search of their food, so by this method of dividing the feeding area of the crop or their root pasturage will be increased' eight times. The practical point of this rough illustration is by superior cultivation one acre can be expanded into eight : acres, or by neglectful cultivation eight acres can be reduced to one acre;- In vthe the object of cultivation 'aim manuring- is usually to consolidate small particles into larger particles, so that the plant food may not be so quickly, washed out of the soil by rain, and that warmth and moisture may be conserved. The object of cultivating on the heavier, soils is to break down up; on higher soils to consolidate;and .conserve. In this, as practical experience and knowledge of the farmland, its requirements are the .fir§f£ essentials. X ' " '■■'■''-?'■■■.'.■•

FERTILISERS|«Hp PLANTS. w The direct the' growth bf plants of the three* principal kinds of plant food, riitrogenV [ phosphate of lime,- and potash, ; is different. Each ingredient ims its t|pecial f role .■;in*/the development of the ir *plaht organisation. Nitrogen promotes vigour in leaf and foliage formation. Backward and weakly crops are encouraged by. it. to stronger and: more rapid' development. When plants have finished growth; having arrived at the ripening stagey they no longer draw, plarit'-f oba out of the soil;' but -from'."the'' nourishment stored in the leaves .'and .stem. thus easy to comprehend the necessity of a full deyelopmnt. of loaf. If / the ..amount of/nitrogen,is too much or not balanced by sufficient" phosphate'of. Llime and potash, the leaf" development 'is necessary' "to keep down , the diver while he is hunting for pearls.-rfllichterjj ••will be unduly luxuriant, giving -rise to - a ''lodging''-of the plant, arid injury | to the crop. .Large dressings of iiitror

•-..'■ ■•■< ■-- '■ ' .-.#'•--. . "•■■' .. ~-.'.. , -%. .■ : gen, especially if applied late, by pro-moting-a longer period of growth may ■do harm by,.delaying the maturity of the, crop. \ The correct quantity to be applied, and time of application of active nitrogenous' fertilisers is a pVoblemj which should have the careful consideration ; . of every cultivator, J i'nospnate of.lime acts .on the ripening | and.-proper- development of the seed! and therefore a plentiful«,supply is par'? ticularly essential. Its effect is also to ! advance the maturity of the crop. ! Potash promotes the healthy-growth of a plant. Its application-'has been tound to render-plants- less liable to disease. Its action is very -favourable tor the development of leguminous The indirect action of fertilisers on plant, and soil also claims consideration. If nitrate, of soda is applied in large amounts it' may cause a cessation of progress. Kainit is known to prejudice the quality of potatoes. Both nitrate of soda and kainit, it applied often to the same v soil, may cause the working character of the soil to deteriorate. Such indirect action of valuable fertilisers is not .an argument against, their, employment, but is an indication that they must be applied with discrimination. ..