HASTINGS NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 626, 1 October 1909, Page 5

HASTINGS NOTES.

■ , A LECTUEE ON DAIRYING. ' J tßy' Telegraph.—Specln) Correspondent.! Hastings; September SO.' A 1 smoke concert was' held last night by'the Oriental Hockey Club'to celebrate the conclusion of the season, and was. attended by about. 70 persons.,' Mr,'. l\>Cassin .(president) occupied the chair, A lengthy toast list was honoured; and ft musical programme also given. A return "billiard march was played last night',between members of the Heretaunga Club and the Napior; Working Men's Club. On arrival at Hastings; the visitors were entertained at dinner. The match resulted in a win' fbr the Heretaiinga. Club by six games to four. ' ; ■ The annual meeting of the Hastings Cricket Club, was held last night, Mr. Gallagher being in the' chair. . The report and balance-sheet disclosed fi satisfactory, position. Mr. T. AV. ■ Greville,. ?ditor .of the "Dairyman," delivered ;a lecture last night on dairying. . Mr. Ambrose Wellwood (chairman of the local branch' of the Farmers' Union)- presided, and there .was a fair attendance. In,the course of 'an interesting address, the lecturer stated that; it was regrettable that Hastings, with such splendid land, did not take more interest in dairying. The great objection, :no doubt, was the' drudgery ..of ; the industry, but that ' could ;be altered, and he instanced the case of a man milking 120. cows in 107 minutes, all by,'machinery. The value of'milk from this herd was >S15!)0 per annum* mid .two Taranaki factories paid farmers .£170,00t) per annum.. The land round Hastings was splendidly suited for dairying, and he urged the audience to have no fear of taking it up. Hoarding butter and cheese, , there',was no fear of a glutted market. After. speaking of. the moistare-in-butter question (ho did not agree that, it would ruin the trade), Mr. Greville went' on to; state that Hawke's Bay, land was not as dry as the Darling Downs, but the farmers hero should make ensilage, and grow maize'. He described the, correct method ensilage, and said that the'only secret connected with it was watching the 'temperature.. When that reached 165 degrees, operations should stop till'it. fell .to 140 degrees. In Taranaki, in', winter, very little mflk could be got, and Hawke's Bay had an advantage in winter, as its climate was warmer. He went on to'say that farmers should test their' Cows,' and any animal falling short in .the test should be'sent out for'beef. •: At the conclusion of the address, the lecturer answered questions from the audience, after which the chairman moved a hearty vote of thanks, and the meeting terminated. ; ' . '.