SKIMMINGS.

Dunstan Times, Issue 3144, 20 November 1922, Page 8

SKIMMINGS.

The United States Department of Agriculture, reporting on Argentine wool, states that the forthcoming clip probably will be the smallest in thirty years. The number of sheep grazing has fallen from 74,380,000 in 1895 to between 25,000,000 and 36,000,000 at the present time. The River Plate clip is said to be producing this year no more than 190,000 bales, of which only 13,500 bales will be first-class merinoes. A mob of 300 odd bulls left Hamilton for Taranaki recently, (states the Taranaki Daily News). A local farmer who saw them in the Waitakto regards their driving through to Taranaki as a source of considerable risk'on account of-the tick that is prevalent in certain parts of the north. If they were subjected to thorough dipping before they crossed the Mokau, the risk Would be eliminated. Once the tick is introduced into Taranaki it would flourish as the green bay tree, as the conditions there, it is stated, are ideal for its development. The Leader says: Sir Sydney Kidman who has just completed a trip through the Queensland pastoral country ,ha.s reached Charleville. He says he has never seen the stock route between Birdsville and Hergott Springs in a worse condition, even at the timolol' a big drought. Many people were selling; cattle for what they would realise. They were shooting their old cows. Ho had been offered 2000 cows in the , Gulf district for 7s a head, but he* ' could not have taken them at 2s 6d !a head, because the droving would cost 22s (3d. Tho heifer should be taught the milking habit in her first lactation, says a practical Ayr breeder, who ought to know, for his cows grow towards tho 2000-gallon model every year. "If the young thing becomes used to milking long and well she will improve her records regularly when she is a cow. Tif she once gains the notion that she i|s to dry off early, she will keep tjhle ha hit up and lose her powers, while her daughters will go one better, and not have any." It is estimated that there are no fewer than 9,000,000 cows in the Argentine, as compared with 1,000,000 in New Zealand; but whereas New Zealand exports 112,000 tons of dairy produce per annum, the maximum export from the River Plate hitherto has not exceeded 20,000 tons in any season. 'Clio production of butter during the past Awelvo months, although well.up to the average of recent years, was disappointing, inasmuch as the expected increase was checked by climatic, conditions. Nevertheless, the total quantity of butter produced during the.jp past twelve months is estimated at 27,-'" 000 tons, of which 1(5,821 tons reached England. The imports in 1920-21 were 19,423 tons and in 1919-20 only 5369 ions. These figures indicate that the l Argentine will gradually become a more formidable competitor of Australia and New Zealand in the English market. In all, 55 British cows have 2000gallon yields, and all but 4 of these super-producers are British Friesians. Brookside Colanta, Britain's embryo champion milk cow, and first 3000galloner, has yielded to date 2517 gallons in 271 days since calving. Her present daily production' is still eight gallons. According to statistics, Ulster grows 58,000 acres of flax, and the rest of Ireland under 1000. This crop, however, is beginning to spread outside of Ulster, and it is reported that in England next year, an even larger area, than that in Ireland will be grown. Cysts,, which are. small bladders or sac-like formations, may ho either harmless or dangerous, ' according to their character and location. They may be tiny, even of microscopic di- , mensions,, or may consist of enormous mL, masses. They are found on the skin, ™ muscles, mesentery, braim, etc. .A