AGRICULTURAL AFFAIRS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVII, Issue 108, 8 May 1909, Page 12

AGRICULTURAL AFFAIRS.

A LUCERNE BOOM. A New South Wales correspondent writes to the N.Z. Dairyman : — There is a boom in lucerne growing. The dry seasons are responsible for this, as settlers find that the king of fodders stands the droughts well and is as much at home under irrigation as if the moisture were naturally applied. During the recent harvest spell one could travel scores of miles through the wheat, districts and never see a green thing in the way of a crop but lucerne. At the irrigation farms no failures are discoverable. It is calculated that the crop will yield an equal part to £20 per acre per year when irrigated. This means money, and plenty of it. The dairy farmers who have lost so many head of valuable cattle during the past few years are wondering why they were insane enough not to raise fodder as au insurance against the weather extremity. For years past every journal in the country has been warning and talking about the benefits of ensilage and lucerne, but the farmers who heeded not are now responding to the lessons so dearly learned. Over vast areas of country in Australia lucerne will grow like a weed once it is properly planted. And, during flush seasons, tens of thousands of acres of grass, fence high, go to waste because there are not sufficient stock to keep it down, and no settlers with sense enough to conserve it, though ensilage in the dry districts so made does not cost more than 5s per ton. The satisfactory point is that the beginning of a more sensible era is with .us, and must spread and grow. A large consignment of cattle railed from Southland to Addington last week evidently had a rough trip, as it was found before the journey had been completed that several had been trampled to death. It would seem more humane and businesslike, says a writer in the Witness, if people railing stock sent a man by the train to keep a watchful eye on the cattle or sheep at the various stopping places after shunting operations. Draught horses are still selling well, writes a Christchurch agriculturist, and the demand is increasing, no doubt as a result of the large area vof crop that it is intended to sow this season. At horse fairs held last week, good stamps of young draughts sold freely at prices ranging from £35 to £40. About 9000 calves Have been inoculated against "blackleg" in the Hawera district this season by Mr. Elliott, Inspector of Stock. The horse is a strict vegetarian and the most particular animal about the quality of his food known to domestic life. Good food, sanitary etabling, grooming regularly, and kind handling will tell their story on almost any^ horse in an incredibly , short space of time. Every market now in the central portion of Sussex, England, is working under insurance schemes against tuberculosis in fat stock sold at the respective markets, and the arrangement appears to give every satisfaction to buyers and sellers. The Stock and Station Journal reports that the country just outside Sydney is in a parlous state. There's no grass; there hasn't been any for months. Dairymen are hand-feeding their stock, and the outlook is exceedingly "blue. Camden and Campbelltown are in a bad way, and winter Is hefo. Agricultural science is of great value, and it will assist farmers' sons to make the best use of their practical knowledge of farming. Without the latter a farmer can hardly hope for success, while in a good many cases it would be found that theory alone is a hindrance rather than a help. Farmers themselves do not, as a rule, appreciate the value of the teaching of scientific agriculture as they should. They prefer their own methods, and they will not admit that scientific teaching*' will ensure for them heavier crops of grain, or stock of better quality. This is a mistaken view, and when the benefits of agricultural science are better understood it will give way to more enlightened ideas. — Timaru Post. The value of wheat and flour imported to the Philippines in 1908 (says an Australian writer) was £217,618, of which Australia contributed £111,733 worth, the United States being next with £105,674. The importation of breadstuffs is on the increase. "In connection with the flour trade," observes the New South Wales Trade Commissioner, "in fact breadstuff's generally, it takes a lot of time and energy to get brands favourably known ; and, even when this is done, unless supplies and equal quality can be kept up, we are not likely to succeed. This is the case, not only in Manila, but in the markets of the East generally." The results of the numerous experiments at the Government farms in the North Island should now be available for what they are worth, and the criticism of practical men should assist the authorities of the Agricultural Department to estimate whether the results are commensurate with the cost, suggests the Otago Witness. It should not be too late yet to organise an exhibition of varieties of apples— the only fruit in which an oversea trade is practicable to us. Samples of canned fruits, showing the merits of the different varieties of apples, pears, peaches, apricots, plums, etc., and- of canned vegetables, such as peas and asparagus, would also be highly instructive. Much is heard of what is being done by the Government for the fruit industry, and some fine exhibits have been sent to exhibitions in London ; let growers here have the benefit of some of the information and illustrations. A farm 'not many miles from Stratford, which was purchased some eight months ago for £20 an acre, was pointed out to a writer in the Stratford Post one day last week by the manager of an adjacent creamery. The owner, who has every reason to anticipate clearing £300 during the first complete twelve months thereon, has recently refused an advance of £7 per acre on his bargain, but is quite satisfied to hold on. it is perhaps needless to add that tne present occupier is an up-to-date dairy farmer in every respect, and attends carefully both to the manuring of his pastures — a thing practically undreamt of in this district a few years sinee — and the careful culling of his herd. Any cow that, being tested, is not up to the mark, is promptly quitted, and the farmer alluded to has now the satisfaction of owning several that have leturned him as much as 11s a week each. This only goes to show what can be done with efficient management — the pity of it is that more dairymen are not equally far-seeing. A Timaru paper notes that the high price of fowl feed has had a beneficial effect upon the quality of poultry kept both for show and ordinary household utility. With wheat at 12s per sack, it has been important that the population oi the poulU'y-yard should be depleted of everything in the shape of "wasters." The result has been that only fowls of the better quality have been spared, and it is anticipated that tho quality of the exhibits at the coming show of the Timaru Poultry Society will display a marked improvement on past years.