FARM TOPICS

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 39, 9 November 1940, Page 8

FARM TOPICS

Butter Factory Costs fl Seven years ago a very large Auckland province butter factory achieved the distinction of producing butter at. O.OSd. a lb., covering costs from cream stage to f.o.b. . . This season’s costs are authoritatively estimated to run to a full 2d. lb,, a full 100 per cent, increase. Increased price charged for boxes alone, just the increase, will cost ttiiOO this season. . , , ... Additional increases) are tell almost daily over a wide range of items, among the most, serious being that lor butterpaper. This factory feels that a reduced payout is inevitable, this being felt at the season’s end, when lower deferred payment must be expected. First Ragwort Flowers. On November -1 I saw the first ragwort in flower of this season's crop. It was growing in a plantation, ungrazed ground. Such places frequently become bad sources of infection. . Even on well-kept properties, it is noticeable that, odd ragwort plants are widely found. ’ A few pounds of chemical kept on hand provides the readiest means for itH extermination. This can be .taken out in a tin (of say. 11b. capacity), and pre-mixed with lime, applied to odd plants found about. The job is best r,ot on with right away. Lowering Swamp Fences. All experienced with swamp country know how the fences “rise” as the ground sinks, and that from time to time these must be lowered. The usual policy is to clear the line and knock down the posts; that is often done with a maul. Ajuueii more effective method is to use a postPU The”best of these we have yet met with was one designed by Mr. Alfred Seifert and seen used at his swamp Uli on Makerua Plains this week. Designed for use by two men. it weighed about Jcwt., and had great driving power. The mam portion was a piece of maire, well seasoned. Jit. 3in. long by Gin. by 4in This was “shod” on the striking side bv a steel plate 3ft. long by bin wide by Jin. thick. The surface was indented by marking with a cold-chisel; the roughness so made stopped slipping. Four half-inch bolts held this to the wood. The wood and iron had then been bored to take the handles, which « electro-welded on to the iron plate on the under-side and had welded big wiisheis on ion side Pieces of one-inch ordinal} galvanized piping, 3ft. long, formed the maQ s t alK l s each side of the fence the punch is placed atop the post, then lifted steadily and brought down sharply. The foorce of the: blow is derived jointly from the force of giatit) and the pull of operators. It is a very considerable force and speedily sets down ”'7'£"S .h» .».i "»»> ami find the punch 100 per cent, ahead. A Shepherd's Crook. At a firm's booth at Carterton Show I saw a real shepherd's crook; indeed a stock of them. « ■ Later on the day I met Mr. MacLeod, Southdown breeder of Mai tin borough and an exhibitor, proudly bet riu" one. He advised that he had found it;'really useful and was most attached to it. When getting his sheep from pen.-, to lorry he demonstrated its usefulness. Fanners on “Relief M ork.’ How serious was, ami largely is still, the Australian drought is told by tins account of a discussion between farming leaders and the Victorian Prime Minister. “The council urged that arrangements’ be made for wheat to be held at stations to meet farmers’ seed requirements, and that the Federal Government be urged to advance a further Bd. a bushel on pooled wheat, that a subsidy of 10/- an acre be paid oil crops sown this year, that, tun support, be given to the Premier in his efforts to obtain a larger sum for relict of farmers, and that the Premier be urged to make money available immediately for the relief of farmers by distribution among shire councils for road works.” , , Referring to Crown rents uue trom settlors whose .-ifl'nirs were adjusted, Mr. Dunstan said that, they would not. be pushed off the blocks if they could not pttv. He agreed that shire councils should have money for 'assisting tanners with road work, but said that funds were Another drought reference tells of 'j'Wouts being constructed at all sawmills; very thoroughly designed and equipped. These were to ensure saving lives in event of great bush-lire* such an raged only two years ago. Haying Sub. Clover. “I’addoeks of subterranean clover are difficult to cut unless the mower is titled, with a divider, and if an old type ol machine is being used it. may be necessary to alter the gearing slightly to speed up the knife.” , 'Phis advice is given in ’Mock am Land” of Australia and may prove uselul this season over here; as growth of sub.