NOTES BY THE WAY

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21445, 10 April 1935, Page 18

NOTES BY THE WAY

POTATOES AND BACON Potatoes are not used to much extent in New Zealand for pig feeding. The reason is somewhat obscure, although, perhaps, the handling and preparation of potatoes entail more work than is congenial for a sideline industry, for that is all that; bacon production in the South Island happens to be at present. With thousands of tons of potatoes that never reach the market in some years this neglect or indifference suggests careless swine husbandry. The writer remembers many years ago a neighbouring farmer exploiting the potato for pig fattening when it was practically unsaleable. He built in two large boilers near the siies, and boiled potatoes till further orders, feeding them to the pigs with skim milk and sharps. He kept accurate records and figured out that his potatoes yielded him something more than £2 a ton. On the market they were less than 20s a ton, from which the cost of carting to town was deducted.

The incident is brought to mind by the opinion expressed at a conference in England by a successful pig breeder and fattener, Mi- A. E. Low. "Our stand-by is potatoes," he said, "which we use practically all the year round." This authority goes on to explain that he uses feed milk, either whole or whey from the cheese factories, and flesh, "one of the finest things to produce heavy weighing and lean pigs." These cheapen the ration, and are sure to show a good return if carefully used in moderate quantities. A very substantial meal ration was also provided, but the interesting fact is the dependence placed on potatoes. Bacon is about the only product that is not being subjected to import restrictions in England. Between 55 and 60 per cent, of the potatoes grown in New Zealand are Canterbury- grown, so it would appear that this province, with its production of feeding barley, bran, and pollard, is in an exceptional position to develop about the only industry left for development. NEW STOCK ROUTE In all the opinions expressed of the various benefits of the new road over the Lewis saddle, there has been practically none concerning its possible influence in the handling of stock. The new road will undoubtedly provide an attractive alternative route for motorists and enable them to avoid the rather disturbing route over Arthur's Pass or the high cost of car trucking from Springfield to Otira. But next in importance to the quicker business connexion will be the facilities for travelling sheep from Nelson to Canterbury. The last few seasons have shown that ewes are rarely likely to be in over-supply in Canterbury. Some few thousands are travelled over the existing routes the 300 miles to Canterbury, and in the process they lose probably half their value. The main routes are now so thronged with motor traffic that travelling mobs receive a good deal of knocking about on the hilly and narrow roads that have to be covered, and the alternative inland route is by far from an easy one. In addition to the Lewis Pass road reducing the journey by 80 to 100 miles it will be principally through easy country, with plenty of running streams, more certainty of feed on the roadside, less difficulty about accommodation paddocks, and less bustling from travelling motor-cars. These advantages, in the aggregate, should allow the ewes to arrive on this side in condition much nearer that in which they left their home pastures. More direct access to Canterbury stock . markets would provide an outlet for Nelson flock owners which at present is practically closed, and at the same time would be a decided benefit to lamb raisers in Canterbury. A North Canterbury farmer who recently travelled over the pass informed the writer that the worst part of the road had been constructed, and if the bridge work is taken in hand without delay, the road should be sufficiently completed well within the period officially suggested to enable sheep to be travelled over it. POLLED CATTLE The growing popularity of the Aberdeen-Angus breed is tending—very slowly, it must be admitted—to increase the proportion of polled cattle offered at the public markets.

The breeding of polls and the voluntary dehorning which the more up-to-date graziers are effecting in their herds may secure the end that it was hoped would be compulsorily brought about by the Government — a general condition of hornless cattle. There is still a long way to go before this position will be reached at Addington market, out it appears to be developing rapidly in the North Island.

A writer in the Hawke's Bay "Tribune" says that a noticeable feature of the present season's stock sale in Hawke's Bay has been the increasing numbers of artificially and naturally dehorned Hereford cattle that have been offered for sale in both the fat and store cattle sections, and farmers have undoubtedly realised better prices, for their stock as a result of this. The last year has seen a number of Polled Hereford sires purchased by Hawke's Bay farmers, and each year should see increasing numbers of Polled Herefords coming on to the market. TJie Polled Hereford bulls have made an excellent name for themselves in siring hornless calves, and up to 90 per cent, of naturally polled animals have been obtained by using the polled bull on horned cows. High percentages have been secured in this way by Mr F. E. Humphreys, of Gisborne, in building up his herd of Polled Herefords. His first importation was the original Polled Hereford importation into New Zealand, and good results were secured from the very first by mating this bull with horned cows. Gradually, Mr Humphreys is building up a herd of Herefords which v/ill be entirely of the polled breed, but in the meantime the use of horned cows in breeding j Polled Herefords has not interfered with the desired result. Out of the last crop of 50 calves, only four are showing signs of horns, meaning that 90 per cent, are naturally polled animals.

NEW CULTIVATOR GYROTILLER IN ACTION A new type of cultivator, known as the gyrotiller, of which the first machine to arrive in the Southern Hemisphere is now in the Waimate district, is creating a great deal of interest among farmers and others. The cultivator, which is a 175 horsepower machine, indicates that it might completely revolutionise agricultural methods. The soil is tilled from a depth of 10 to 24 inches, and it is possible to obtain either a fine or a coarse tilth. The two rotating tillers, consisting of a number of blades set in rotating drums, revolve in opposite directions in disintegrating the soil. The machine is able to cope with either hard or soft soil, for although weighing heavily, the weight is so distributed that the load is only 121b a square inch. The machine cultivates a width of 11 feet at a time, and turns in its own length, so that there is practically no waste in headlands.

Supplementary implements, such as tooth harrows and ridging bodies, can be attached behind the tillers. A ditch-

ing body will dig a trench up to three feet wide and 24 inches deep and a central tine may be attached for subsoil drains below the tilled soil. The machine has a six-cylinder Diesel engine, using 7 to 7i gallons of fuel an hour, and cultivates from three-quarters to one acre an hour. In England this machine has proved up to expectations, and the number now in use has reached 60, as against 20 three years ago. More than 50,000 acres were gyrotilled at a cost of 32s 6d an acre. It has been found that this machine is able to break up the pan in land which could not be adequately cultivated by ploughing, thus allowing drainage in winter and conserving moisture in dry seasons. This resulted in an increase in, crops of from 15 'to 75 per cent. The machine costs £6OOO in England, and approximately £BOOO in NewZealand. Mr A, D. Paterson, of British Pavements. Ltd., is responsible for its introduction into this country, and an interesting demonstration, which attracted a large number of farmers from all districts, was given last week by Mr B. McKee on Mr W. Hayman's property. Studholme. The gyrotiller is scheduled to proceed to Mr J. G. Ruddenklau's property, "The Valley," on a 200-acre contract.

A prominent pastoralist and sheep breeder, Mr H. Williams, of Scone, New South Wales, while in the Dominion recently, visited a number of large sheep stations in both the North Island and South Island and has selected 300 Southdown sheep for export to Australia. He described the sheep breeding, industry of New Zealand as progressive. In Australia, he said, the Southdown sheep was comparatively rare, but an attempt was to be made to develop the fat lamb industry on a larger scale, and it was probable that Australian breeders would be paying frequent visits to New Zealand to cull from the various flocks the best sheep for the purpose.