GRASS SEEDS. THE BACON INDUSTRY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1262, 18 October 1911, Page 10

GRASS SEEDS.

THE BACON INDUSTRY.

REPUTATION OF N.Z. COCKSFOOT. It is satisfactory to know, says the Minister for Agriculture, in his annual report, that cocksfoot seed produced within the Dominion is obtaining a_ reputation extending beyond New Zealand. It has been n.skc<! for from America, and is in constant export to Great Britain. The same may bo applied to the rye-grass. Tho bulk of this is produced in the South Island, and is of a high quality. That of Poverty Bay and Hawke's Bay is probably the most perennial in character, some of the local pastures being of forty years' luxuriant production. There is a very good market for southern ryegrass of 30ib. bushel weight for export. On portions of tho West Coast of tho North Island tho seed of rye-grass, created dogs tail, and meadow foxtail is produced with great success. Clovers, beans, and peas are also taking their position in the exports of the Dominion. The peas produced in New Zealand aro specially appreciated abroad, as they are not affected with the weevil that has been so detrimental to peas in Great Britain. Unfortunately, tho Fonthcrn crops of grassseed have not been .as large as usual, though generally in the north these crops have been above the average. While tho seed availableis therefore rather short in supply, tho demand is heavier' than in somo past years,- owing to the good burns, especially in the central districts of (he North Island, encouraged by tho dry summer. Prices, as a consequence, are tibovu the ordinary level, nnd thore grower-; who have obtained satisfactory crops have had a very profitable year. The shortage of this year has presented rather an ndvantnae, as it has enabled old stocks to be cleared, very little grass-swd of any description being held ovor. Next year, in consequence, farmers will renp the advantage of having practically nothing but new seed available. Tho area of lh« grass-scod crops is_ estimated as under, figures fir 1810 being (riven in paren-theses-.—Rye-grass, 50,352 acres (5G.550 acres); cocksfoot, 2G,f>27 (2fl.sofii; clovers, 5515 (3000); other kinds, 9500 (10,000).

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NOT ENOUGH RAW MATERIAL. The chairman of directors of the Inglewood Co-operative Bacon Company (Mr. A. Jforton), spraking at the annual meeting of the company, remarked that the expenses li-ad Jweu heavier in proportion to the previous year, but this was due to threo reasons, which .he considered could be satisfactorily explained. First, they had extended their operations in receiving pigs, and tho rail and commission cist a little more. Then they had adopted an improved method of treating the carcasses, viz., by singeing. This had the effect of softening the rind, Mil also of up tho pores and so decrea-sing shrinkage. It entailed a little expense, as great host had to ho maintained. Then they had opened up a fre.sh market in Wellington, which had proved most satisfactory, as they were felling at the highest price in the' Dominion. In order to got a footing there they had to give a larger commission and discount, but they stilj received a higher net price, and s> satisfactory had it prove:! that six vrosks ago th-a whole stock was cleaned out. Ho pointed out that the production from the present shareholders and the district as a whole was far too small for the needs of -the factory. Last year they had received 100 fewer*pigs, although they had increased the-receiving stations. He pointed out that the price of porl; in the Dominion must keep up, for the number of pigs appeared li bo-tkcreasiuß rather than increasing, and there were no moro now than ten years ago, although tho consumption was increasing vnui mo increasing population and fresh outlets. During t.'io last fifteen months 19,000 carcasses had been exported from the Dominion, and ho considered 'that tha local consumption was fairly heavy, probably 70,080 or 50.C09 per annum. Thus there was not enough raw material available to enable bacon factories to carry on profitably. He believed if more would cultivate- for pigs as was done for cattle, their returns would bo augmented considerably, and so would those of tho Bacon Company. As far as the demand was concerned, in placo of the 4-Mlfl pigs received last year they wanted 8000. In order to meet the demand tho directors were making extensive additions to the factory for drying and hanging, and would shortly increase the freezing chamber, as thai* was vrh'jre they most felt (he want of space, so that any time 'when there was no demand they could sloro until tho demand ores?. Further additions would bo necessary so as to enable all the stock to be artificially dried, and to placed on the market quieker.

COW-TESTING. I'AEMERS' JUDGMENT AT FAULT AGAIN. "At the beginning of tho past season," says Jlr. \V. Ai. Singleton, Assistant Dairy Commissioner, in Uis annual summary of the work oi cow-testing associations, "we asked the members of tho new associations to select, in order of merit, their eight best cows. One object of this was to ccntraliso tho attention of tHo owner on the results as they came t'o hand during the season, and also that we , might know something of the average dairy iarmer's knowiedgo of his herd prior to testing. The comparisons of the owners' selection with tho yields of the individual cows for tho season is interesting. A tow of them are:—Not selected: A cow giving MGlb. fat Selected: A cow giving 2181b. fat. Difference: 1281b. fat at Is. per lb., or £6 Bs. Not fsleeted: A cow giving 2441b. fat. Selected: A cow giving 1201b. fat. Difference. 1241b. fat at Is. per lb., or JC6 Is. Not selected: A cow giving 2761b. fat. Selected: A cow giving 1401b. fat. Difference: 13Glb. at Is. per lb.. or ,£G lGs. Discussions with some of tho members evidence the fact' that mistakes are made every year becauso of insufficient information.

"Farfner 'A' had a cow that he thought , was giving milk equal in richness to skimmitlc. The cow was rather restive nnd nervons nnd did not take kindly I'o ordinary handling; consequent!} - the farmer decided to disnoso of her and her yearling heifer. He said he would have received about X 2 10s.. had he sold the cow fit tho lime. His first return from the Cow-testing Association gave the production of this cow as almost the best of his hpTd. He was surprised, but sensibly concluded thnt if she. was as gcod as indicated he would give her more nftention. He started milking her himself, and in a short time, with kindly treatment, she was as nuiet as other cows in the herd. At the time lire story of this incident was related by the owner, he stated that £\h would r.ot then buy the cow. . . . Tho paving offered en this ono cow more than compensated Hi? mvner for his trouble wi!h the wasnn's testing of the whole herd. There wore nftier cases simitar to tin'.'. . . .' We Ivlieve." conclude Mr. Rin.iricton, "tli.ifc Hie extension of the as-icialinn principle of testing dairy cows will continue to evidence such mistakes of judgment."