FARMING AND COMMERCIAL.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 823, 23 May 1910, Page 10

FARMING AND COMMERCIAL.

NOXIOUS WEED CASES,

SOUTHERN MAGISTRATE'S VIEWS.

Noxious weeds cases have been coming before Southland Courts in record numbers this season. A sitting of tho TVint-on Court last week produced a. batch of no foiver than twenty-seven cases, and Mr. G. Cruickshank, S.M., convicted in all, the fine ranging between 10s. and £4. In convicting two Lochiel farmers, Mr. Cruickshank gave tho following interesting judgment:— "Tho law clearly is that each occupier of land has to cut to the satisfaction Df the inspector the stems at least of all Canadian thistles to prevent them flowering. It will be noted that it is not to be done to t-ho satisfaction of the magistrate, but of the inspector, who is sole judge of the efficiency of the work. Of course, t-ho inspector's opinion must be an honest, reasonable opinion, given in good faith. It must not bo fraudulent, or the result of wilful caprice, or prejudice, or dishonour-" able design. 'J'here is not .suggestion in this case' that tho decision of - the two inspectors is not their ■ genuine opinions. The defendants occupy a large erea of land, some 1400 acres, in a notoriously bad thistle locality. The defendants show that they have done tin immense amount of work in cutting thistles, but admit that there , are still some parts not touched, owing to difficulties in the way of, the weed, largo holdings naturally bring large responsibilities in a thistle-infested country, -but if, in the of the; inspector, there is still a portion uncut, a large expenditure is not a. defence. Defendants must be convicted. 'As they have done good work the fine will be comparatively light. 'They will be fined £2 and costs."

DAIRY COW TESTING.

TARANAKI DISCUSSION,

An. interesting discussion took place dt the Taranaki Provincial Conferenco of the Farmers' TJnion on the subject 1 of dairy cow testing. Tho conference had before it the following remit from the Eltham branch .—"That the Provincial Conference take steps to initiate tho formation of a milk-testing association, as this is a matter of primary importance to this district, and would do much to sccuro the support of the farmers of this district with the union.'' Mr. Sergei moved the remit, and advocated that -there should be. at least one association started in Taranaki. Mr. Burgess, who seconded, said there was nothing the conference could take up that would produce such a result at so little cost. He would give his own experiences of' three years testing. When ho started he asked the milkers to pick out the five best cows. Only one of these selected was in the first half, of the herd on actual tests, and some thought'to bo t-lio worst cameout at the top. In 1907-8 a herd of 30 cows averaged 216£1b. of butter-fat fof the season. •He culled heavily, and with 28 the following season, averaged 23211b. This year tho - average was 2401b., and some were yet in milk,, so that the average would be about 2441b. by the end of the sea>son. Hi?' always' checked by the factory Weights aad tests, and no season was he out a single point compared with tho factory figures. On the two years—tho first year could not be ' counted —he had "gained 241b. of butter-fat per cow. He had not bought any high-priced cattle, but just picked them up in the ordinary way.- The total cost for the season was about ss. a cow for the testing, and lie expected even better results, _as he had now some young stock coming on from the proved best oows of his herd. He did not think they could do bettei than.- tako .•tins' up, which woUld mean practically doubling the exports of the country. The average annual yield of butter-fat per cow in Taranaki should be worked up to 3001b. The remit was then amended to lead: — "That this conference requests branches to urge the co-operative dairy'factories in their particular districts to form' cow-festing associations on tho lines of the Dalefield Association." Mr. W. Cleaver spoke- on tlio very successful cow-testing done in • Denmark-. On similar lines ,in Taranaki it would cost about 2s. 6d. a cow. - . , Mr. Mapp Jiad taken a good deal of interest in the testing of cows, and, "substantiated what had been said as to tho _ appearance of milk being no indication of quality. If, as had been stated; in newspapers, cows in Denmark averaged about 750 gallons of milk a year, at the rate of 251b. to lib. butterfat, and butter Is. a lb., the return was .£3B 10s. per' cow. If that statement- was true it could be readily seen what was dono by testing. Mr. Sergei, in'reply, hoped that* the matter would bo brought to some definite result, and would liko to suggest that, each delegate bring it before his branch! All information about the Dalefield Association would bo supplied by-Itfr. Singleton. The members could then form deputations, go to their nearest factories, and'ask tho directors to assist. The resolution was one of tho most important ever passed .by tho conference. It would attract fanners to the union by their undertaking such « good work. _ The-amended remit was then adopted.

NEWS AND NOTES.