FARMING NOTES.

Dunstan Times, Issue 3146, 4 December 1922, Page 7

FARMING NOTES.

There are several preparations for dressing the hacks of farm animals, particularly dairy cattle, to minimise the torments of flies. An effective dressing can be made from sulphur, -loz ; spirits of tar, 4oz; and rape oil, 1 quart. If you have a number of cattle a gallon of this material should lie prepared. It is best applied along the back from the head to the tail, using a whitewash brush, and in the warm weather the dressing should be repeated every ten days. Spirit of tar retains its peculiar odour which is peculiarly obnoxious to all species of flies. The dressings should be commenced at the early part of the season before the flies appear. That there is little possibility of developing sheep breeding in Japan to any extent is the opinion of Mr J. W. Robertson Scott, in his book entitled ‘‘The Foundation of Japan,” just published by John Murray, London. He says:—‘‘The sheep at present in Japan are not living in natural conditions. They feed on cultivated crops. Sheep could hardly live a week on natural .Japanese pasture. The wild herbage is full of the sharp bamboo grass. In lh(‘ summer much of the eatable herbage dries up. Not only must sheep endure the summer heat and insects, they must survive the trying rainy season. It is said that the quality of the wool on the sheep kept in Japan depreciates. An improvement of Japanese herbage, sufficient to fit for sheep would he a heavy task even in small areas, if the sheep wore put on cultivated land or placed on straw as I "saw them in Hokkaido, there would he serious risks of footrot. If Japan set up sheep-keeping she would no doubt have to devise her own special breed of sheep, for the well-known Western breeds are artificial products.” The butter fat test at Geelong show last week was won by a cow entered by Mr P- Pi ley, of Moolap. At the morning milking she gave 291b milk, testing 5.2, and at the evening milking 1711) of milk, with a 7.0 test. Her milking for the day produced 2.731b butter.

The Melbourne Leader commenting on the Clydesdale mare Princess Douglas. which Mr V. Dahlenberg imported from New Zealand, says she comes from some of the best strains ever bred or imported into the Dominion. Her sire was the imported General Douglas, and her dam Rose of Drummond. was by Shepherd Lad. Her granddam Maggie, was by imported Pride of Scotland, and her great granddam. Queen, by George Buchanan (imp.). She is a bay mare now rising G years old, standing 17 hands high, a. splendid set of legs and feet, and a close and true mover. She has been a great success in the show ring m New Zealand, where she won several champion prizes for her former owner, Mr R. Kennedy, of Drummond. It is understood that the price paid for Princess Douglas makes her the high-est-priced female Clydesdale that has ever left New Zealand.

The Royal Northern Agricultural Society in England has taken a very important step with the view of minimising the risk of spreading infectious disease through the medium of the show yard. They have decided that “no animal suffering v.nder-any contagions or infections disease, or brought from a. stock where such has appeared at the time, or has existed within the preceding three months, shall be permitted to enter the show yard.” Red Poll cattle from the herd of the late Lord Man ton were b'old in England at the end of August, and fetched high prices. The 10-year-old cow Rendlesham Royal Quaker Girl, which yielded nearly 11,0001b of milk in 52 weeks at the age of 9, brought 300 guineas. This cow comes from one of the original herds of the breed, and from one which is represented by severad descendants in Australia. At the same sale a heifer under 3 years old sold for 310 guineas.

it is as well to remember that 60 per cent, of what a cow eats goes to keep up her own body. This is the first GO per cent. Have you ever thought of that (asks an American expert). Unless a cow gets more than this amount she cannot produce except at the expense of her own body. Many cows are doing just this things—producing aH the expense of their own bodies, and in the lofig run their owner loses. You say, “Bought feed costs too much.” But you grow most of the elements of a good balanced ration on your own farm. You can’t make your herd pay unless you feed. A hay diet may be economical, but it will never pay. Freshly drawn milk contains a certain amount of air and gas, therefore, it should be allowed to stand for an hour or so before being tested by the lactometer.

A good heap of compost always comes in useful. Path-cleanings, animal droppings, road-scraping, lime and stockyard debris should all be well mixed together. Burning is wasteful. Lucerne-growers should watch for dodder seed. Towards the end of summer little tufts of pinkish flowers are produced, from .which the seeds are readily shaken out by the wind. For butter-making cream is considered rijie when it contains O.d to 0.6 per cent, of acidity. Overripe cream imparts a sour flavour to the butter, and in some case's causes rancidity to develop. By ploughing five acres of ground in a. nine hours day with a motor-tractor. Miss Frances Brown, of Cookham, Berkshire, has set up what is claimed as an English record. She holds the distinction of reaping 22 acres of corn in one day.

A dairyman milking 50 mixed cows in Iho Moengawahine district has gone in tor testing his herd, which to Ins surprise revealed the fact (states the Northern 1 Advocate) that the herd averaged over a -1.2 test, though there are no pedigree cows among them, and the feed is hush hum. Potatoes should be lifted 1 as soon as the tubers have finished growth. As to this, tne haulm is not always a sutlicient guide, and consequently a few roots of each hatch should he examined) at intervals of a week or so. The potato is one of the first of roots to commence a second growth, and of this there is much danger from rains. Milk should always he tested for acidity before adding the rennet for cheese making. 'Fhe acidity or ripe11**s„ ul the milk has a great effect upon I lie - curd obtained, methods of testing for acidity are by the soda test and the rennet test. If the rennet test is employed a 22-second test denotes that the milk contains about 0.22 per cent, of aciditv.