THE LAND.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 249, 20 October 1922, Page 9

THE LAND.

BY AGEICOLA. 'ABM SHOP KEEPS MACHINERY IN THE SERVICE. In n discussion of the value of farm hops, a farmer declares that his or rpp.lir.-i and spare parts is the most irotitabie and s-.itisfacton investment to ever made, and any busy fanner must .■me to I!ii> same conclusion. The farm n'lop means saving in time. !i not having to make irips to (.own Mid , nick during the husv suison: the lower-1 m; oi labour bills since much of the' uhour i"sl inn be eliminated; I ho fad | 'tat machine* can generally lie kept in' rood order ready for \>nrk without very niich trouble. Nowhere is {'no i> .! doctrine "a stii-ii •: time iuvvk nine" of greater application than in the cisc of repairing farm inachinerv mill other farm nppli.'aiices. If a bolt has |,i.«t a nut. it is an easy matter t.> p>t a new one immediately from the stock kept on hand at tlie farm shop, while mid r i.iher cmulitions ii might h? ncglcc! ! until the bolt is lost entirely. One f.ivm lind :i si:i;i that was prae-ll.-a'.ly complete with ir.'ti and wood working i, ll, - This owner stated that he did all of his own repair work on tractors and oilier machinery, none of it being taken t" town, a Irig saving in money and time. WOOL TOPS AND COUNTS. Cnbipgrame quote the prices of wool in the form of tops, 'mt jt w»« at one iime true that to thp average fanner tiiis system of quotation o. quite uiiiiitellLribie. A.s a matter of fact, prior t" the war. the trade had been in the habit of quoting for wool in the principal classes, such as superior Merino, medium Merino and inferior, lino medium and coarse croewhred. This system was altered after the war. and quotations are now given in many trade circulars hy the count, as 3BV. 4(Vs. -Ui'.-. .Ml.-, and so on. The reason for thi-.i is that a groat deal more is now known about, the wool terms than was the case previously. .Many of our young men who served with the forces were able to obtain expert instruction in wool c!:vs* ing on Bradford lines, ami there is now general indication that these quotations are unsatisfactory. It should be the aim of sheep farmers to become familiarised with the counts of wool. This method offers a nmeh closer definition of thp quality tlian could be possible when the dtv-cription remained under the old term, coarse, fine, etc. It is submitted that the young sheep farmer could with advantage take a course of training in wool classing. It is understood that such a cour-e may be obtained at the Technical High School* of the Dominion. \\V may be <:-suicl that so ' suon as the farm school at f.n;tkir.it i* re-established, thnl instruction to tlie technicalities of wool wil form on important 'part of the function' of the farm.

SEED POTATOES. Tho iiest wed is thai savod from potatoes ilng while the tops nrp cpiiti? green anil (li,' tubers somewhat unripe. You "ill timl tliiit oven if the ekin is not set on the tuber-, they will make- J-rat-rlaM seed: hut iri saving theij -«i l 'e sure that you save n 0 seed from any plants that hn\e grown nothing hut small tii'bpri*. A certain nuuibur of plant.-, in every crop will Up found to grow no l>ij< potatoes, hut a whole lot of little ours. Tli p>c should be destroyed; hut the small tubers from root.-," that have a iiorniul iTtip of giiod-sizod tubers are qiiitr flood sped, and thp more unripe they iiro, within reason, the .better. }Sox tin 1 seed early for sprouting. AERATION OF THE SOIL. The interval between ploughing and 'owing permits iimilion. 'when the land w not thoroughly aerated, tho crop i- often a failure or comparatively so. This is sometime* atrihutcd to tlie soasou or the unsuitability of the crop, wherens it ;- due to the pultivation. This more pronounced on heavy land that is in.-liivd to ho \vpt or sour. If the air cannot penetrate freely into the soil i! makes t ; :o soil 7iit.ro or lcrfs unable to ■.μ-hw gnu.] <■!•• ].-. This ni.iv not :'iise trom the wain nf plant food necessary for crops, hut, 'because tlip pants rei|iiiri* air to breathe as well as food to make them grow. So also do nitrifying b-.ictcra w-mi* nir •,. 1- fyoelv pilmfttPil into tlie soil before they multiply in sullicient numbers and to do their share. (it work effectively. I Land that is left with a hard oni-t on (ho surface until just, previous to putling ill a crop, i- placed at si derided disadvantage in the production of n <rop ; ..",.areil .villi the same class of land that 'has been worked somx' lime p'.oviou- to sowing. i THE FORAGE CHOP AND I SUCCULENCE. To have the requisite amounts of green feed n\xiilabic at all times is a dilTli'uß problem. T!ic varying climatic condition-, and tlip consequent change* ami inequalities in the rate* of ripening of tlie various crop*, lender tlie tiiuo at which a given cop may be available variable. Tlie average yield of :i crop, and, therefore, the exact acreage needed tc supply siuTicicnl green feed for a here , during « given period of time, dependlarjri'ly upon the weti'h.-r conditions. i The tin).- during which a soiling crop van be used depends on the character ot the crop, the time at which it is sown tho soil and climatic conditions. Homo crop-, such us clover, are adapted fot use as .soiling during comparatively short period?, after which the foragi becomes too mature for feeding, while oilier props sire available for use ihrougl Unite a long period. Thiw. tlie t ;'.-■< of meeting the need' of the herd, under changing rlimatii is :;d'r inn- .. 'i :i !• i: in-.' llie viol' and (imp of ripi'iiinjr of the crop, as wel ;;- tin , length of tim• during which i may lie fed. i- a iliftieult one, and i worthy of serioua study on the part " the dairyman.

THE COW TO CTJUL. Intelligent breeders and dairymen have Ions; since agreed that the one time practice of judfTing the productiveness of a dairy cow liy the eye alone belongs to the days that have pone by. Tlie Bnheoek milk testing outlit and supplemented by a pair of scales, dearly points, the way to approximate accuracy in determining the milk and butterfa! production of a cow daily and for her entire lactation period. " Through the use of thefe instruments, both in private use and through the larger organised plan of cow testing association-, thousands of owners of dairy runs have applied the tost to their herds and have' been enabled to throw out the unprofitable cow.s iiuj gradually replace them with others that produce profitably , . SHOWING LIVESTOCK. This is the time oi the year 'when extra care should he j-iven u> livcMock I that is to be exhibited. The showing oi livestock .should be encouraged. It helps to improve and increase your knowledge rif the kind of livtMtuck which you are producing. It broadens your iioiiu-.uutance with your fellow livestock and others interested in your particular breed. It introduces your stock to a la roe number of prospective beginner.-; and future buyers. j It cbtiiins for your stock recognition among the leading breeders of the country. It is one of the best ways of gaining publicity, not only through the I'rexs, but ii: other wave, and the account* of your winnings arc carried beyond the , farm. I Last, but not least, the shotting of your stock incrrases the income Horn your animals and makes the blisincM more profitable. In order to Riieecod it is iie'-(>-<-arv j t'r.at you have die right kind of -dock jto begin with. It costs no more to proI duce nm] develop the liuht kind, and for this reason the right kind of animal* is the first big step toward a place with the leading breeders of the country.