AGRICULTURAL AFFAIRS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 23, 27 January 1912, Page 14

AGRICULTURAL AFFAIRS.

METHODS OF FARMING. The, following American imprecision of Australian methods of farming may also bo of interest to some farmers in Now Zealand: — "Burning etubblee, qlosp oropping^" waste 'of poarse manures, and summer fallowing ■ imprets tno as the principal- reasons . why the I. fertility of Australian farms has become so largely .exhausted^ and I cannot believe that your fields will continue long to produce profitable orops by the mere application of superphosphates. If I conjecture rightly the _ Australian farmer is making history similar to that made by tho early farmers in the older America!! States, which resulted iv exhuustion and abandonment of the farms taken up by the first settlers. These farms ar© now becoming rooccupied (thanks to the agricultural experiment stations), and profitably oultivated, through the practice of an agriculture aiming at the greatest possible utility of vegetable manures. Chemical analyses reveal in the stable manures a quantity of plant food sufficient to warrant paying as- high as a pound a cord for them, while their chemical and physical effect ,on the soil place them far in preferenco to'the commercial fertilisers, wherever their application is , reasonably practicable. The farmer who recognises the need,' of proper renovation of & run-down farm begrudges not his fields eom&.of the herbage they produce,' ' and * frequently indulges to the extent of ploughing- under a good crop as green manure. JBosidiw furnishing food for the succeeding , crops,! and aiding to dissolve and digest the_ elements of plant life .'lacked up m the soil, the presence of humus has a very beneficial effect upon the supply, of moisture. It renders the soil more' open and porous,' thereby ' increasing its capacity for the reception of moisture As a surface mulch it will remain more loose and effectual than the pure sand and clay^ It Berv.ee to Hold the soil from tho shifting^ effects of wind and running water; it improves the texture of the 6011, and renders it more congenial for plant growth." The turnip crop, unusually late throughout Southland on account of the long spell of wet weather experienced this summer, is being seriously attacked by tho fly in certain districts. , In 6omo cases crops have been sown /twice, and both crops taken. As has often been found before, the crops ridged ai the same time as 6owing are looking! best now, and seem less liable to the" ravages of the fly. Reports -from tho Orepuki-Waiau district indicate that this year the cocksfoot crop, although baolcwaxd, will be exceptionally heavy (says tho Southland Times). This district is noted for the splendid , cocksfoot grown in it, and when heady it is reaped with a hook and threshed with flails, a mode that is followed on Banks Peninsula, which alfeo is a famous cocksfoot country. Of course, on Banks Peninsula the rough and inaccessible nature of the country precludes any other but hook and flail treatment. A good cocksfoot crop is generally a firet-olass paying one. • , Next month (states the Eketahuna Express) the Nireaha Cheese Company, in addition to tho ordinary payments, will pay out 2d per lb extra for butterfat supplied during September and October, and Id per lb extra for the November and December supplies. This will bring the advance up to lOd per lb, the amount it is proposed to pay for the January supply. In the course of a conversation with Mr_. A. Dunlop, manager of the Hawera Dairy Company, a representative of the Hawera Star was informed that although the milk supply was now on the decline for. the season, the supply at the present time is considerably higher than it was at this time last year, and the prospects , pointed to a very good season. ; The' Hawera Company has exported over 9000 cases of cheese to date this eeoeon, a case averaging about 1701b. The Arawa took away 2070 case* ot cheese account of the Kaupokonui Cooperative Dairy Factory Company, Ltd.,' making a total for hye Shipments of 10,016 cases of an estimated value of £44,500. . Excellent orops of pate ar© to Jbe ob-. served in' the Konini and Hamua diotricto (says the Pahiatua Herald). They will nofc be ready for harvesting for some time yet. Good orops of beans are afeo noticeable. Careful enquiry shows that the recent Riverina wheat crop, the harvesting »of whioh is just completed, ie about two- ! thirds" the weight of last year's crop, which it is generally admitted was the best that was ever gathered in Riverina. The experience of the past season as to the best varieties gives first place to Federation, because it is a wonderful doer in a season of low rainfall, besides being so tough in the stalk as to be- able to stand up against strong windstorms. Bunyip has gone out of favour, because a considerable quantity of it w>as damaged by being bkwn down by windstorms and heavy rain in November and December. Buyers of wheat are well satisfied with the treatment they We receiving from the railway authorities. They have mot v^ith no trouble in securing trucks. The London correspondent of the Pastoraliste' Review writes:— "lt is stated that plucks, livers, and hearts are to be imported regularly from New Zealand lin the future, and it is hoped that tho 'innovation will be a successful one. Tho importance, I think, of this tl-ade in meat work offals has not been fully realised in Australasia." TheT. L. Joll Co-operative Dairy Co., Ltd., is (tho Hawera Star says) about to commence the , making of butter from whey. The Kapuni faotory will start first, and th« other of the company's factories will probably follow as Boon after as posoible. The total -milk supply to tho several factories ' is about equal to last year's, but under normal' conditions it should havo been considerably more, as the company has more suppliers this year than last. Writing to the Hawera Star, Mr. W. T. Wells says:— "l noticed in a local that it was 'reported thu't I had bought 6uD calves at an average of 25s and sold at £3 and £4. But it was not quite correct. The facts were that during last autumli and winter I did buy about above numboV and at about 25s all round, and the first 300 sold at £3 afc tho middle or end 'of August, and the balance, including extra money received foi young yearling bulls, at an average of £2 19s; but they had to bo kept till October and a few till November, and had to be'vyell dono all through. So though I only lott sevonteen head, it was not ull profit, and if anybody is looking for a bit ofv worry to keep him busy, buy a big lot- of calves: and then he will get it, a» a bad •doing lob ot lambs are not in it with a bad doing lot of calves. But _ contrary to. general boliof, I find whey-fed calves do the bestj calves, mother : fod, go back after weaning unless *dono extra well." Whilst shearing recently, a Now South Wales settler discovered a aheep with two I mouths. He obuerved a lump on the animal's head just beneath tho ear. This he found was u a lip, and underneath it were two teeth' and a small mouth penetrating the head. On the hand being placed over the nose, tho sheep Could breathe through the other opening. Payments to milk suppliers in Taranuki continue largo. For December, the Lowgarth Dairy Company paid out £2614, at tho rate of 1& lid per lb of butter-fat; Hawera £7990, MelPs £1988, and Normanby, £2751— a1l at the rate of Is per lb. Of tho Hawera factory cheques twenty-two were over £100, the largest being £239, £188, £164, £162, £160, and £141. Normanby factory had nine over £100. Some of the/ largest individual cheques paid out by tho T. L. Joll Cooperative. Factories wore. £207, £190, two of £161, £160, £159,, £157, ami £154. Tho Kaupokonui factbry difctrihutod £14,159 2s among their suppliers al Is per lb of fat. Forty-ono suppliers roceived ovev £100 «ach, whilst tho six largott supplier* received £1986 between them.