AGRICULTURAL

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 18, 22 January 1916, Page 12

AGRICULTURAL

Horses seem to be going a-begging in Clutha nowadays (says the Leader). At a horse sale recently there' appeared to bo more sollersthan buyers,-and most of the animals offered were " passed. in." One seller^ who did not get a bid for his hack, told a small boy ho could have the horse for nothing if he took it away. The boy had no hesitation about accepting the gift. •

There is a loss in two ways in not milking cows clean. Not only does "the owner lose the milk,- but the cow: will soon have a. swollen ..udder, which may result in the loss of a quarter or ruin the whole cow as far as milking ib concerned. And, besides, if a cow. testing 4 per cent, butter-fat be milked, - and the first fourth of tho milk be tested, it will probably only test about 2 per cont., and it oven may be a little lower. Tho second fourth will test between 3 and 4 _por cent., and keep on increasing, and tho vory last milk or stripping sometimes -tests as high as 12 and even 15 per cent! ' Hence the importance of getting the strippings.

The chief use of fertilisers is to supply plant food. It is good !armtn» -to mako tho most of the natural resources, of tho soil and of tho manuros produced on the farm, and to depend upon artificial fertilisers only to furnish what more is needed. It is not good economy to.pay high prices for materials ivhioh .the soil may itself yield, but it is good 'economy to supply the lacking ones in the cheapest way. .

Australia, claims to have, established another, world's record In .tho Victorian Journal of Agriculture for September it instated that a, Red Poll cow, named Muna, _ has lately, given the- highest authenticated yield for one year of both milk and butter-fat from a, Red Poll cow in any part of the world. Also, ■ Muria has given . the highest - authenticated or recorded Australian weight of. butter-fat (8841b) for one year from a cow of any breed. The milking was done- a-t tho Government.Research Farm at Werribeo

A crop to which special . interest ■• attaches is ono. of .Green's Rust Resistance oats, grown at Fairhall, by Mr.- 3. W. Paynter. The variety.;' has. been developed by the New Zealand Agricultural .Department.from a stalk which asserted its superiority in a field that -was dovastated by rust. Mr. Paynter obtained a small quantity, of the seed, and last year threshed 40 bushels, from its growth. Sowing his return, he has produced this season 1400 bushels, the yield being at tho' rato of 59. bushels . por acre. -. Mr. Healy's: machino threshed 1000 bushels in 7;, hours. Considering tho dryncss of the season, tho yield is, remarkably good; and.,tho results ..obtained from the hew variety are tho more satisfactory -as tho crop was practically • free • from- rust, though, neighbouring fields of white oats wero. affected .by -tho disease to a considerable extent. . The' oat, being a ■ thinskinned one with _ a largo kernel, commends itsolf. for, -, its . quality- as woll as for. its healthiness. .An early sower,- it escaped completely... tho attaoks 'of the caterpillar. Mr.. Paynter is saving, tho sood with the object 'of disposing of it for, local use. < - ■ ■■