FARMING INDUSTRIES

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LII, Issue 8616, 13 June 1924, Page 9 (Supplement)

FARMING INDUSTRIES

PIG RAWING PROSPECTS. FATTENING AND RAISING . OF STOCK.

Haud-mTra'ud with the dairying industry ip that of pig-raising, which is h*w regarded as one of the most: impsatemt activities on the farm in Hie Tauranga County. During the past few years many thousands of pig-s have been raised in the Tauranga, Katikati and Tc Puke districts, and have been responsible for materially expanding the cash returns on some hundreds of farms. The district offers exceptional prospects for pig-fcreeding for the following reasons: First, the carrying on of the home-separator svstem of dairying makes available a large quantity of skim milk and (his cannot be put to better use today than as a fcod for pigs. Secondly, the area is within the maizegrowing belt, and maize is acknowledged to be a valuable grain as a fattening food. Thirdly, lucerne, kuraikumi and root crops can be grown readily and are all cheap foods. Fourthly, the climate permits of the pigs running out all the year round, thus conferring thei benefit of plenty of range, which makes for the early conversion of the pig into l a marketable product. Fifthly, the establishment of the Bay of Plenty Bacon and Cold Storage Company’s works and factory at Tauranga. Sixthly, the early linking up of the railway with the main system of the Dominion which will permit! of the more advantageous working of the local factory and will place it on a parity with outside wapks of a similar naturel. Pig-raising can be carried on in this district, with a minimum of labour. If care is taken in selecting the pig runs in order that good drainage may be secured the pigs give little or no trouble. Of course shelter has to be provided against storms and in the cold weather, but attention in this respect is well repaid, as pigs respond to fair treatment. As already stated the food problem is easily met by supplies cf milk, lucerne, maize and root! crops, and the aim of all pig raisers- to produce animals of early maturity —can be achieved here as cheaply as, if not cheaper than, anywhere' in the Dominion. Several good studs of purebred Tamworths and Berksbires are now established in various parts of the county, and there is no need to send cut cf the district for pedigree stock. The breeds which find favour here arc the Berkshires and the Tamworths, and good results are also claimed in crossing these two breeds. The promoters of the Bay of Plenty Bacon and Cold Storage'Company were no doubt prompted by the knowledge that the district was eminently suitable for pig-raising, and the success which has attended the operations of the company has fully justified the confidence in the district. The finished product is a very high-class article and has a splendid reputation on the bacon market. A large quantity of the Company’s bacon has been and is being exported from the Dominion. The Company recently lock steps to increase its capital, and has now established slaughtering works on the site of the Tauranga abattoirs. The curing factory is in the borough itself and is equipped with all the machinery necessary for ensueing the manufacture of lugh-quaity bacon. The pig-raising industry, as time goes on, promises tot become one of the Dominion’s best paying land proportions and so far as the farmer in Tauranga County is concerned he is in a very good position to secure the best price possible for his fat pigs.

Prior to the establishment cf the dairying industry the fattening of sheep and cattle was tnc cf the main stays of the Ta manga, T.. Puko and Katikati districts. In the early days the fern was burnt and grass seed sewn c.n the burns. The growth of clover in rhe-e days was phenomenal and thousands i f acres grew as high as the fence t :ps. In the To Puke bleak especially the growth cf clever was marvellous. Hundreds cf head cf cattle were purchased in outside districts and placed on the clover lands of Taurcuga County, where trey were rattened in a few months ami driven in big mobs to the Th aviu.i and Gcldfields districts. Then properties changed hands and eventually on many of the fattening farms the bullccks gave way to the dairy cows. Other lands, however, ware steadily won to pastuerage- and thousands cf bullocks and sheep are still fattened in many parts cf the.' county, especially in the Maketu Riding, an extensive area in the eastern portion of Tauranga County, which has within it's borders seme of the most fertile land in the Bay of Plenty. Many land-owners devote their attention to the fattening cf stock. The cattle that are topped off are amonst the primest: in New Zealand. Proof of this fact was furnished at the. last agricultural show at To Puke, where Messrs R. King and Tanenr Bros. yarded fat cattle that were class enough for any shew in the: North Island. Mr King sent forward Hereford cattle from his Tir-an-ragh Estate, near Maketu, which were ready for the butcher at two years old. The? cattle were cared for from birth and went to show that, for early maturity the pastures of Maketu are exceptionally good. The name'of Messrs Tanner Bros, has stood high in the Bay of Plenty fat stock trade for over forty years. Originally they raised and sent fat stock to other places, but to-day the catle fattened on their rich pastures are needed to meet the requirements of their own business. Where the clover once fattened cattle mixed English grasses to-day produce bed of the very finest quality. Bullocks raised on Maketu Riding pastures have lime 2nd again topped the prices at the Westfield markets, which is the very best certificate that any North Island grazier can hope to win. Large mobs of beeves still find their way from Tauranga County to the Auckland market, where for size and quality they compare yerv favourably indeed with the best "fats" from all over the North Island. Other fat stock from this c';uut,y arc scut !.■ the East Coast Co-operative Fn -zing works at Wha.kataim, widen arc within casv reach cf this district. It may also be stated that hundreds • of cattle are fattened every year ou . ; Mr W. 11. Paterson’s estate at Motlii Island, near Tauranga. Sheepraising is steadily coming into l' a ‘ vour in many parts of Tauranga. County. The Katikati hinds and the Wailu Plains adjacent, are specially adapted for’the raising and fattening of lambs. The hill land in the same locality is considered to bo ideal sheep country, and when developed and growing grass it is certain to come into l great, favour as a shep-raisiug area. Satisfactory results have attended sheep-farming In the Te Puna, Papamoa, Maketu, Paeogaroa and Pongokawa. districts, and the railway is likely to l assist this important! branch of farming. CATTLE BREEDING. The breeding of cattle is amongst one of the most important of the

laud industries of the district. On every dairy farm the best heifers are reared in order to* fill vacancies or make additions tc the milking herds. On other holdings the breeding of cattilo is carried on in order that when the’ fat cattle are moved off the grazier' may be able to fill his stock requirements right at hand by purchasing .store beasts from his neighbours. The breeds most keenly sought after by graziers are Shorthorns, Polled Angus and Ileivfords. Tiro Friesian steers also command good inquiry.

lIORDE-BHEEDING INDUSTRY. Ibitil a few years ago, lire breeding (.!' high-class draught horses and serviceable hacks was a branch of farming that received much attention. On flu heavy rich Hat lands the draught.-; grew and developed and were t argm lv sought after and ■ bought, for city weak. The motor vehicle then came in and hit the horse] breding industry very hard. NTovi',, however, t he pendulum is apparently beginning to swing tho ether way and the transport.- firms in the city are again seeking weighty draughts and arc prepared to pay substantial prices for them. There is also- a keen demand for good hacks. Fortunately a number of breeders retrained their best fillies and the young stock seen today will bear favourable comparison with those of former years. There is now every prospect of the horsebreeding industry again reaching its former high standard in this county. CHOPPING PROSPECTS, Ever since the settlement of Tauranga County the growing of crops has been an important factor in the prosperity of the district. Even before the Europeans took up the ■ lands the Maoris grew 1 wheat) exten-

sivdy on the peninsulas. The trading cutters came along and it is on record that Tauranga-grown wheat was (ii the average worth six-pence per bushel more than the grain produced in other areas. Wheat was grown very extensively for many years after the Maori war. Flour mills were established in at least' two- places adjacent to the town cf Tauranga, but they have long since been dismantled. Very little wheat is now grown. Oafs however, is extensively cropped and what is netused locally is shipped tc Auckland.

ine best crops run about three tons to tiro acre-. The chief grain crop is maize and on the heavy lands it grows splendidly. One cf the Otumo'&tai fanners, Mr 11. G. Lever, has grown one hundred and ten bushels to- the acre on a nine acre paddock and a crop standing on bis farm today is equal to anything in New Zealand. When ho purchased his farm it was in a. somewhat backward state, but by careful and systematic working he has increased the producing capacity until hei is able to secure crops ranging according to the season,

fium eighty to one hundred and ten bushels to the acre. Of late years the prices for maize for feeding purposes have averaged about five shillings per bushed and for picked seed the- grain has been worth iqr to seven shillings per bushel for bulk quantities. Maize is a payable crop, and there, is always a keen demand. Amongst the largest gienvois are the natives uf Matakana and Mctiti Isands, who harvest heavy crops year after year. Several fanners specialise in raising seed maize, which is sold by sample

The best shaped and biggest cobs arc mainci for seed and placed in a special department cf the cnb, and the remainder of the crop is kept separate for feed purposes. The cobs are allowed tc dry for at least two months, and then the sheller is brought into- use and the maize is bagged ready for market. The cobs, after the gram is shelled, make excelent fuel, and are a nice bandy size for the stove. The Tauranga County is eminently suitable for Uie production of root mops, including turnips, swedes, carrots, mangolds, potatoes, kumcras, and general produce. Of these kumcras are grown in quantities in excess of local requirements and the surplus meets with a ready demand in Auckland, and realises payable prices. Kumara growing Is largely ii\ the hands of the natives, who make a great success cf this crop and ary l able to secure very satisfactory returns. Now that the potato' blight is somewhat prevalent in many parts of New Zealand the culture of kumaras is worthy of special attention, and there is every indication that it will continue to be a payable crop. The district- is uucquallcd for the raising cf early vegetables and when railway communication is established many settlors should benfict, as the means of ready and cheap transport will bo a help in marketing to advantage.

and is worth inoro than the average product. After the maize is planted continuous cutiyaticn fi/ the scarifier is essential. There is nothing better to lock at on the farm than a crop of well-developed maize. The “picking’’ of the- ccbs is carried cut largely by natives, who- generally do the work by contract. Tire cob is stripped from (ho husk on the stalk and thrown into heaps, after which the drays come along- and convey the cobs to the crib-. Here' the ccbs are given time to dry. They are then put through a machine, which shells the: grain and iti is bagged ready for sale. Maize grown in this county has a well-merited name for excellent quality. In addition to many thousands of sacks sent away every year, a large quantity of grain is used in the district for feed for horses, pigs, and poultry. As already stated the value of the maize field is, in nearly every instance augmented by the growing of kumikmnis which arc: unsurpassable as feed for cattle, pigs and poultry, as feed for cattle, pgs and poultry. Asked for particulars as to his method of growing maize, Mr Lever advocates deep ploughing, about eight inces, at the end of August cr beginning of September. Then follow in rotation discing and tineharrowing until the soil is pulverised and a good seed bed is assured. The grain drill is then employed for the purpose of broadcasting the fertiliser, the application of which varies from 3cwt to scwt per acre, according to the variability of the soil. The marker is then brought into use and lays out the ground in suqnres, three feet three indies each way. The maize is planted between October 10 and 20 by a hand planter and the object is to drop three seed grains into the corner of each angle of the square. The planter places the grain from two and ahalf to three inches deep, and the withdrawal of the planter partially covers tire seed. The next operation is to run the chain harrows over the paddock. If the weather is dry tiic plaining work is concluded, wit!) the use uf the Cambridge ruler. As seen as the rows arc distinguishable the scarifying commences and the laying out. of the ground iu squares permits the cultivator to praclicallv co round the stalks so that net a weed is left in the mop. On the scarifviug operation depends iargelv the yield or grain. Mr Lever scarifies the crop once a week for about eight to ten weeks, when the stalks arc too far advanced to permit of the horse working between the rows, A good day s work for a cue-horse machine is to scarify five acres. The maize dues not require anv further attention until the plucking period, which takes piace in May and June. Mr Lt-ver insists on bagging the cobs as they arc plucked from the stalks. The sack? arc then carted from the field and shot out on the floor of the crib, where they are sorted.