NOTES BY THE WAY

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22678, 5 April 1939, Page 15

NOTES BY THE WAY

THE. DRY SEASON The country is again be«oming dry, and most of it could do with a heavy rain. The useful fall of some weeks ago freshened up young grass and roots and enabled interrupted cultivation work to be resumed, relieving a good deal of the tension that was developing. It was not heavy enough, however, to benefit old pasture to much extent. This can be seen from the dried-up appearance of the down and hill country in North Canterbury and also of the Peninsula. Taking the Christchurch fall as a criterion, the lack of moisture can be realised from the fact that for the quarter ending March 31 the total rainfall was 1.96 in as against 5.22 in for the first three months of last year. The latter quarter, however, was an abnormally wet one,, but the comparison shows that this year is, so far, as much the other way. A tremendous amount of cultivation work has taken place since the weather broke nearly a month ago, and it is fairly plain that an extended wheat acreage is intended. This assumption is supported by the much increased sales of seed wheat by merchants. A continuance of the dry weather might have some effect in checking cultivation, although it is much too early in the season for serious consequences as far as the wheat acreage is concerned, unless the dry conditions are unduly prolonged. The dryness of Canterbury, however, is only a circumstance to the conditions in Marlborough. The whole of the southern part of the North Island is also in need of rain, and some concern is being felt in Hawke’s Bay at the prospective scarcity of winter feed. Taranaki, which is rarely known to suffer from a drought, is recording a reduced dairying output as a result of the unusually dry autumn. But in no district in the North Island is the intensity of the drought so acute as it is in Marlborough, as the season is too far advanced for a recovery of growth to much extent when the rain does come. The drought is considered the worst for 50 years.

GOATS, KEAS, AND PIGS

The Government subsidy of 2s 6d on kea beaks expired at the end of March, and so far no announcement has been made as to whether it is to be renewed. The subsidy has beeh paid to county councils, which could Increase the amount, and most of the councils have done this. The matter was discussed by the Marlborough Sheepowners’ Union at a meeting last week, and it was decided to ask the Government to renew the subsidy and, if possible, to Increase it.

Another high country development which caused discussion at the meeting mentioned was the number of goats and pigs to be seen on unoccupied lands, and it was also resolved to ask. the. authorities to do something to check the pests. The Sheepowners’ Union recently requested the Crown Lands Department to resume its campaign of destruction of these animals. A reply was received from the department that Molesworth and Tarndale stations would be included in the killing operations to commence in the spring of 1939, As lambing would be in full swing in the back country by this time, if was decided to request the department- te-advance the commencement of the operations to the winter months. . . - The lengthy spell from grazing has allowed a particularly good growth of grass on the abandoned runs, notwithstanding the presence of rabbits and deer, and if the Government agreed to lease the stations at. a reasonable rental and provide better access, there is every probability that a tenant might, be found.' . Experience has shown that the droughts on the Marlborough down country do not extend seriously to the uplands. The present is a cheap time to stock up, but the difficulty of getting the number, and the right type of k sheet), at the right ages, might be an obstacle to the settlement'of Molesworth. • The Tarndale block is reputed to be good cattle country, and the Government would have to relax any conditions that it ma*’ have contemplated as to the class of stock to make the property attractive to investors; The Rainbow block is being advertised for ballot, and it will be Interesting to note if the loading tin the way of rent and improvements will be a barrier to its occupation. . MASTITIS INHERITED

DR. HAMMOND’S STATEMENT

That recent work in New Zealand had shown that such a widespread dis-ease-aa mastitis in cows was probably inherited was a statement by Dr. Hammond, in the course- of a lecture on animal breeding in London.

“Dairy qualities in cattle are held by. some to be sex-linked, but I do not think that. there is anything in that theory. The number of factors involved is too numerous,” , said Dr, Hammond. Most commercial characters in our domestic animals depended qn what are known as "multiple factors,” that , is, a large number of hereditary factors. They were, also practically all dependent on environment.

Genetics and these external conditions were all mixed up. Breeders, by crossing two animals of extreme characters, say, of high and low butter-fat content, could-get a strain Intermediate for fat production. They could stabilise the breed at any point, depending on the amount of back .crossing dpne. This, however, was not possible with difference of colour or other factors in which Mendelian segregation took place. In selecting for any particular quality, the plane of nutrition was an important consideration. For the full development of commercial capacity, animals had to be kept under the best conditions with regard to nutrition, etc.

But the breeder had also to select, for constitution, that is, the power to thrive and live under the conditions prevailing. It was possible that the number of British breeds of sheep was due to excessive regard for constitution.

Disease resistance was another important consideration. Selection for this character was not economic with the larger animals. Recent work in New Zealand had, however, shown that .such a widespread disease as mastitis in cows was probably Inherited.

The difficulty experienced by, Marlborough farmers in finding a market for the total of 6000 sacks of feed barley, hwich it was estimated was in the district this season, was com-mented-upon at a meeting of the provincial executive of the Farmers’ Union. It was stated that the importation of Australian barley made it impossible for the local farmer to find a market in the North Island., A suggestion was made that the union request the Government to take the matter oyer. It had found a market for the Imported Australian barley, atjd Should tie able to find an outlet for the Marlborough grain, one member said.-