JOTTINGS FOR FARMERS

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13714, 22 April 1910, Page 8

JOTTINGS FOR FARMERS

Tho 'Waikato Times" states that wheat threshing throughout >\ ailcato has been very disappointing this year. Farmere aro complaining that tne crops, although' healthy enough looking before coing into the machines, have only about half tho yield of last year s crops.

Some time ago (the Melbourne "A<V reports) o dairy farmer wrote to Dr. Cameron, the chief veterinary inspector of the Agricultural Department, asking if it were illegal to dehorn cattle, and if not, what was the most approved method for carrying out the operation. It appears that there has been a widespread impression among farmers that the dehorning of cattle is against tho Law, in consequence of a farmer at Saio having been prosecuted some years ago by the Society for tho Protection of Animals, and a charge ot cruelty having been sustained before a Court of Petty Sessions. Dr. Cameron replied, stating that it was not illegal to dehorn cattle, and giving the required information as to tho process. He has new received an appreciative letter from tho dairy farmer, stating that he had successfully dehorned 33 cows, that tho animals are now much quieter, and that the serious injuries which used to occur in his herd are now prevented. Dr. Cameron says that with present day instruments and proper facilities for securing the animals while the process is in progress, the operation, in his ooinion, does not amount to cruelty, and if there is a passing twinge, it can boar no comparison to the continuous cruelty to which cattle are subjected by horning ono another, especially in tho milking yards and in the cattle trucks. There is no specific law against dehorning.

The South Taranaki correspondent of the "New Zealand Times" writes: —During a "pitch" with a prominent judge and buyer of horses who bos been shipping to Melbourne and Sydney, be informed mo that wo in New Zealand can look forward to a rising market for all classes of horses. Australia to-day wants thousands, these of the heavy draught filly* class preferred. They ore going in extensively for grain-growing and everything is prosperous, thanks to tho good prices for wool. All the three-year heavy draught fillies here ore about bought up for shipping to this market. This will soon tell its tale, as this class are really wanted for breeding. The buyers for the Indian market will be operating very shortly in this Dominion. Gunnery horses and remounts, wi'l claim their attention. Horse-thippers say a largo trade is opening up with the Chinese. The Chinese soldier will, it is said, at no distant date be a mounted man, and as there arc a good few millions of them the horse trade has an -unlimited future.

"In Western Victoria and largely throughout the Riverina," Mr J. R. Matthews (Government sheep l and wool expert in connection with the Agricultural Department of New South Wales) told the Woolclassers' Wages Board, "by expert classing an American market has been obtained for merino clips." This applied, he said, at least in South Australia, not only to large clips, but to small ones, when a number of bales had been sorted out as suitable for American buyers. In a little clip grown on the hills in light country, one-third of the wool might be light enough in condition and length of staple to suit the Americans. Thoy wanted light wool, because of the 11 cent duty. But tho Americans wanted tho fleeces well skirted, so that they could use them right away for blending purposes. They wbuld not buy wool grown on the neck or flank. There was a lot of nice light country in the Western district, and he believed the Southern districts would suit American wools. Years ago. there wero wools in New England suitable to the Americans. They did not take burrv wools if they could help it. Such wool would have to be properly "skirted. The Western Victoria wools were deep grown and of beautiful quality, and the American**, took nearly all the fieeco parts. Tho Americans bought all Erodes of wool, from our seven-eigbvh blood Lincoln up to our finest merino. But -svith a certain class of wool they wanted a higher yield than they would from a finer wool. Of late years thero had been a bigger American demand for our finer crossbreds than for merino olir.s, because if they could get anything like the finer quality in these wools, they would yield better.

The system by which students are taught woolclassing- in South Australi**. was explained to the Woolelas.r-ers' Board by Mr J. R. Matthews, Government sheeo and wool expert in connection -with the Agricultural Department of South Wales. The student, ho said. w-ent through a threeyear course. In his first ye-ir he worked for four months, and then, if he could pass an examination, went through a practical course in sortin _. or skirling, on stations. He was taught the value of wools, and how to classify tbera according to the market demands. Then he was examined by a Government Board, and entered tho institution for another three montlis. After thai, he went to the stations for his seoond year. In this br* was trained and examined by the Board in the classing of fleeces. Mr Matthew* kn«*w of no student who had obtained the dinlouia under four years' apt/rent ireship. While he had been connected

with the institution, out of 500 students only four had been considered by tho Board competent to hold the diploma as fully qualified woolclassersMost of the students were farmers' sons, who were attending to obtain information on sheep as well as wool. They did not aim at being professional woolclassers.

To show- the necessity of farmers using every effort to eradicate Bathurst burr, a well-known Hawkc's Bay sheep farmer has been advised by his London broker that tho burr deteriorated the price of the wool by Id a lb.

An up-country settler, speaking to a Wanganui "Herald" reporter, expressed a whole-hearted contempt for Mr Fostcr-Fraser, of "flaccidity" and bookwriting fame. -'The idea of a man. who lias seen only the cities and taken a few drives on a motor-car, presuming to describe a country!" he said. "'I wish I could take him by the scruff of the neck, and drag him through the backbloeks and show him what is coint** on there. He would be pretty flaccid himself by the time I had done with him." he addeel.

A Wairarapa farmer imported some solid straw Tuscan wheat from Temuka. in tho South Island, for experimental purposes, last seasou. Tlie crop, which has recently been threshed, has returned a yield averaging forty bushels per acre, which, taking into consideration the si-vison, is very satisfactory. He states that in parts the yield was fully fifty bushels per acre. the average hoimx reduced by oi>o or two wet patches in the paddock, where the wheat did rot grow so well. It- was noted, too, that" this season it did not take tho rust so readily as some of the other Tuscans. One of the advantages claimed for it is that it stands up better than some of the other varieties.

It is stated on unofficial authority (says a Taranaki correspondent) that during the past four years nearly aquarter of a million calves have boon slaughtered in the province of Taranaki. Tins with the opening up of new areas for dairying purposes has caused a shortage amongst dairy cattle, from which it is stated it will take fully two years to recover. The result is that there has been a distinct advance in the price of dairy stock, and this it is said will be considerably intensified bofore next spring. Authorities further state that, e>ven with the. expected docrease in calf slaughter, the demand for dairy cattle will considerably exceed the supply.

Japan has sent a sheep commissioner over to the United States to investigate sheep and wool interests. Dr. Issa Pammura, the said commissioner, in an interview makes the following observations : —"Formerly all Japanese farmed They wore no hats and only cotton clothing, being vigorous and healthy. But since Europeans have come to Japan, the people have taken to the cities, adopted mechanical, commercial, or professional business and deserted the farms. The need for a new food i. therefore apparent for these reasons, but most of all because the atheistical tendencies of the race have removed the prohibition of the old religious sects. I say thero is a great opportunity for American stockmen and packers in Japan. Beef is now eaten very largely, and America is the best place to get it from. We have tried Australia, but in crossing the tropics the flavour of the meat is spoiled. . Our meat has come largely from foreign countries. Mutton has lately been introduced. There pre only 3000 sheep in Japan, and our Eeoplo do not know how to feed them, amb and mutton is so little known that most of the Japanese will not cat it, but the sheep that aro killed because they get too old, are cut up und raised with beef. The people do not know th-s difference between the two meats, and eat the sheep in this way. But if the mutton is properly prepared I think they would prefer it to hog or beef, for the Japanese seem to like chicken immensely, and of the meat of quadrupeds named, mutton and lamb approach chicken the closest."