THE FARM.

Clutha Leader, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 90, 31 May 1912, Page 2

THE FARM.

FEWER TWIN LAMBB. A SHEPHERD'S SUPERSTITION. A quaint local superstition has been curiously home out by this spring's experience on the farms (states the 'Daily Mail'). The theory of some old shepherds is that twin lambs are scarcer in leap year. It is certainly true of recent lambing among the long-woolled sheep that twins and triplets have been comparatively rare. The sheep-farmers' profits depend very largely on the fertility of the ewes, and the fact means quite a serious diminution in the "sheep population" of the country. Food has been so dear and scarce that where large flocks wero kept the ewes have suffered very severely, aaid a fair number died. The abnormal sprouting of the grass in March prevented what might have been a real catastrophe to fanners all over the country. Easter travellers will see the meadows full of ewes and lambs fattening rapidly on grass <xf such luxuriance as we have not seen at this season for years. It began to grow just at the moment when roots, which were a miserable crop, were exhausted, and small dairymen have been saved from bankruptcy just as the sheep-farmers. This luxuriance is as noticeable in the cornfields as in the meadows. So ex. eossive was the growth that many fields have been pastured as if they were grass, by which means the prospects of tho corn crop have been improved and a useful supply of green food added. In spite of all that spring has done to make up for the dry summer, the whole animal population of England has fallen lamentably. It is feared that the "pig population," like the "sheep population," is very much diminished owing to the astounding price of feedingstuffs. Horses have diminished, and probably cattle also, by a considerable percentage. Tliis all means a large decrease in the capital value on the farms; and as small holders always keep a much larger head of stock to the acre than larger fanners, their losses have been exceptionally heavy.

DAIRYING IN WINTER. At least a few of tho Manning River fanners are awakening to the fact that, il they desire to keep abreast of the times—.particularly dry times—they must go in for conserving fodder and growing tlie most suitable for winter tceds (states tho Wingham correspondent of the Sydney 'Daily Telegraph'). Mr Singleton, of Mondrook, is one of these. Mr George Marks, inspector of agriculture for tho north coast, has accomplished good work in the direction of imparting information 011 such matters, though the extensive tract of country over-which he presides prevents him from doing justice to every centre. 'Mr Marks has lately planted several experimental plots 011 Mr Singleton's 1 farm with winter feeds. The system invariably adopted by farmers in the past has been to grow oats, of which the Algerian was proved to bo the most rust-resisting variety. Even with Algerian, however, it has frequently been found that it has taken rust so freely as to cause stock to absolutely refuse to eat it. As the result of experiments conducted 011 the coast during the past two years or so it would appear that much better results can be secured from the planting of rust-proof wheats. Huguenot is one of the varieties which stand out prominently in this respect—producing, as it does, a large amount of fodder and free from traces of rust. Mr Marks has planted three varieties—Huguenot, Thew and Medea 11. Thew is a very early variety, and makes first-class hay, but is inclined to take rust. Two varieties of rye are also boing tested, as also are Algerian oats. Mr Marks states that it is not as generally known as it should be that the inclusion of a leguminous plant, such as peas or vetches, with wheat or oats will be instrumental in providing a fodder of a very much higher feeding value than would otherwise bo obtained. At Mondrook grey field peas, also black and golden vetches, havo been sown with wheat. These leguinines have also been sown with Algerian oats. Again, plots have been planted to thoroughly test the efficacy of chemical fertilisers, where superphosphate has been used a.t tho rate of 2owt. to the aero.

It is frequently a puzzle to some farmers as to how much seed per acre should bo sown to achieve tlio best results. In this case wheat and oats by themselves have been sown at the rate of 2o\vt. per acre. When there is a combination (that is, wheat and peas or wheat and oats) a bushel and arhalf of wheat or oals and 481b of peas or vetches were used.

WHEY FOR PICS. In all cheese-making districts thorp is a largo amount of whey to deal with as a by-product, and this lias always l>eon fed to pigs. During tire last five years or so (writes Professor Primrose MoConnell in 'The Dairy') the Kilmarnock Dairy School has been experimenting with this to find out the best method of feeding it to the pigs, and a report has now been issued oil the results. The whey was tried alone and with various proportions of maize meal, barley meal, bran, and Paisley meal (a by-product of corn flour made at Paisley), and warm versus cold foods were also tried. It was found that whey fed alone was quite sufficient to fatten pigs, giving an increased yield of lib. per nend daily, and showing a return (qual to }d per gallon with a margin over; but a much better return -was got from it when fed witli various meals. The best 'esuits were froim a mixture of 211). of maizo ineal to 2J gallons of whey. Sep&rwd milk was also tested against to" "iiey and showed a better yield in Mjkv proportion of 3 to 2—that is, 50 pw cent, better. One test only of warm versus cold food was tried, and the warm variety gave 12£ per cent. Jb«ti"r results ihan the cold. Ab theso results were obtained over a series of fi /o ypai's they are specially worthy of notice; but at the same time it must be pointed oil that they do uot agree with American and Danish experiments which have been elaborated in past years. Professor Henry in his great work on "F«eda and Feeding" r•parti

that "swill" does not give such pJ. results as meal damped and fed IIe4 j!? dry, with water given as the pigs *•»» it; that meal versus whole grain not give results that pay for the ing; and that warm food does notp,, for the coal and labor as against cojj food. In the case of potatoes only cooking pay. However, these are point, rather outside the present matter have a quantity of whey to dis] 6 and want to feed it as much :i» sible, and the point of these Scotland experiments was to find otl the best results to be obtained, k parently 21b. of maize meal to 2j lons of wliey is the best mixture aoj proportions for the purpose, Watin. barley or bran. ™

Dairy fanners in other parts of Zealand when they hear of the Li prices offered for land on the Plains, as much as £75 per acr« | )a^r . recently been offered, wonder (saystjj Eltham 'Argus') how it is possible make a living at such a iigure. Tli tetperienee of Mr T. McPliillips, of Suth#, land Road, proves that money expend' ed in the selection of good ««vs,, money well spent, and tliis with teniatie farming on those go<xi l would make dairying pay even »it| land at a high figure. On 2DO acreg milked 120 cows, besides keeping |j| calves, which lie disposed of at eight -months for £3 l'2s Cki. These* 120 «nri averaged for the season HloUi. of but% fat as tested through the sex'iation. This, at the low figure of j, 2d per lb. (and it is estimated th# Kaupokonui will pay out Is .'id for t]» season), amounts to £IH 7s (id per cm per annum. Jt is no wonder, therefore that on leasing his farm at £•') os pg acre u\lr McPliillips was able to of liis whole herd at £ls per WanJ: that 24 18- to 20-months heifers fr® the same herd wero disposed of in ti» open salo ring at Alanaia at an averagi price of £ll ss, the best animals reali» ing £ls 15s.

.Mi- .lames J, Bayliss, the wcll-knim Australian breeder of Shorthorns, lm supplied in a paper to tl«» ' I'astoraliufi Review ' some valuable inlormation« the subject of Mendel's laws. Hitharto! a good deal has been written abouttbi results of muting different-colored mals of this breed, but mostly of» theoretical nature. Mr lkyliss gjq the results of twenty year*' in his own herd. Of 3(Ki calves tun during that period the following cokn resulted: When roan was mated ijj roan, in 141 cases tho calves cane 3 roans, 41 reds, 27 whites. When & sire and dam were red, in 11 cases,i calves came 10 red and one roan. Wig white and white, 13 cases, tlie aim came 10 roans and three reds. Wis roan and white were mated. 11 cam the calves came 21 roans, lti whit* four reds. When red and roan,!) cases, the calves canin 'ill roans, It reds.

Spain has a series of national cittk insurance societies. All fanners or on ers of live stock who have one or mi horses, mules or asses may belong It these societies, in which they into* healthy six-months-old animals, ft insurer only receives the value of til dead animal if on entering the socktj he has paid up 2 per cent, of the fill as estimated by a special eommisMi if lie has engaged to eon tribute prop* tionally to the payment of mernW claims, and, finally, only if tlmdeithi tho animal is not due to war, flooij epidemics, overwork or negligence. payment of the amount tho value of tlie animal is not nti till at least 15 days after its death. About (300 cubic feet of straw ill settled stack go to the ton.