ON THE LAND

Feilding Star, Volume XIX, Issue 4931, 5 July 1923, Page 4

ON THE LAND

VIEWS, NOTES, AND COMMENTS

Attention to tho feet of cattle, if immediate, often saves future trouble.

Tho output of tlie Morrinsville Cooperative Dairy Company’s butter factory during its first season lias been in excess of that anticipated. Over 300 tons of butter were manufactured.

Feed dry bay before turning cows on clover or lucerne, and do not pasture them when the paddocks are wot with rain or dew. Cattle should be very gradually accustomed to change of feed.

It was stated at tho annual meeting of the Wanganui Beautifying Society that there was a bettor selection of Australian native trees in the Wanganui borough nursery than m any nursery in Australia.

To breeders who have not yet engaged in the work of making large records, we say it is the chance of a lifetime, and the shortest and surest road to success in the development ol your herds.

“You have run your liorse on that land?” was a question put to a na : tive in a case heard at tho Wanganui Court when the Agricultural Department prosecuted a Maori for failing to takes stops to eradicate blackberry. “My horse has wandered on it,” was the reply.

One of the oldest long-woolled flocks, that at Pointon, England, ol which Mr T. Casswell was owner, was dispersed on December 4. It Jias had an unbroken existence since 1771, though improvements of frame and fleece have, of course, been carried on by selection during this long period.

Tho Opotiki Agricultural and Pastoral Association made a loss of £.129 last year. The receipts amounted to £516 and the expenditure £615.

The Bongotoa branch of the Farmers’ Union unanimously supports the Banking Bill compiled by Mr W. ,T. Poison, Dominion President of the N.Z.F.U., and trust that in the near future it will become law.

Tho school for dairy instructilon of instructors was opened at Uuakura aFrni, Waikato, with about 40 Now Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company’s instructors, graders and factory employees present.

The Shannon News has been shown some self-sown potatoes just dug by .Mr Pirovano. These are a rarity for this time of the year, considering tho weather experienced lately. The tubers are a fine sample, each root being well loaded.

Mr G. Woods, manager of the Kuku Dairy Co., Levin, was conspicuously successful with his entries at the Hawera Winter Show, securing four firsts, one second, one third, and ono fourth, besides winning the Shaw Savill and Lonsdale Cups, and tying with two others for the Henry Lane Cup.

A farmer, in the Breeders’ Gazette, describes how ho levelled the foundations of a new house by filling a 50ft. hose with water. When the hrose was full of water the ends were level.

The late Professor Williams, in Ins “Principles and Practice of Veterinary Surgery,” says: “With reference to tho clipping of horses. I am of tho opinion that it is a. great advantage ; they work better after being dipped, thrive on less food, are less liable to disease, are stronger, healthier, and more cheerful, and when lick recover in a much shorter time.”

■Recently there took place a trial in wkliich six farm tractors participat'd. The plots allotted to each tractor averaged about 68 acres, and every care was taken to givo as nearly as possible the same kind of ground. The surface was hard packed, and tho soil was mostly red loam, with numerous stumps and roots just under the service. All the tractors were worked as one-man outfits. The costs of ploughing per acre were respectively were 6s( ss, 6s 6d, and up to 8s 6d.

There are many Scotch people out hero who hail from that part of Aberdeenshire where that greatest of all cattle breeders, William Duthie, of “Collynie,” lived. Mr Duthie, who passed away lately at a good, ripe old age, was a. confirmed bachelor, and loft at his death over £260,000. He was known the world over is the “king of Shorthorn breeders,” ind he did much with his stock to imirove the herds in nil quarters of the 'lobe, and notably was this done in nil- Dominion.

'l'lio winners of the field competitions this season at Rongotea. were: Lucerne competition (new stand), trophy valued £2 2s, donated by Hon. 111. Newman (selection of volumes), won by Mr H. E. Fieldhouse. Lucerne (any stand), trophy, gold medal milled at £2 2s, donated by Mr F. 3. Boddy, winner Mr F. C. Burgess. Uangokls, trophy, donated by Mr J. Linklater, M.P., gold modal valued £2 2s, won by Air F. C. Burgess; second prize, trophy donated by the local branch of the Farmers’ Union, won by Air E. J. Morgan. Swedes, diallenge cup, donated by Mr C. Watkins, present holder, Mr C. Clavey.

In using the Gerber tost for dirt n the milk the small cotton wool Use should be carefully removed and i-e placed on a piece of white blotting paper as soon as the sample has been tested. The blotting paper will readily absorb the moisture from the cootton wool, allowing the dirt to remain for examination.

The comparison of the different nirogenous manures as applied to mangels in an experiment carried out >ver two years in England shows that he best results were obtained by niirnte of soda and nitrate of lime. In ■ach case the dressings were applied it the rate of 801 b of nitrogen per tore; the latter was the most expenive dressing.

Speaking to the Levin Chronicle, Mr W. G. Sloman expressed himself ■s very optimistic as to the possibilities of the poultry industry in the future. The importation of Chinese pulp, although prohibited two years ago, was so extensive immediately before the embargo that the market

Las up to the present time been flooded with this article. The supply is now practically exhausted and with this further opportunity for expansion the industry appears to have sound prospects before it.

Farmers in the Havelock North district (H. 8.) are much concerned at present over the ravages of sheepworrying dogs. One flock-owner at Te Mata had 20 hoggets worried to death a few nights ago. Measures ar« being taken to combat the danger, and night patrols are being formed to keep watch for these useless canines.

Regarding the woolly aphis pest which is more prevalent this season, in some of the ordchards in this district than for some years past, Mr A. C. Holms, of Levin, recently wrote to the Cawthron Institute of scientific research in Nelson for information as to the value of the parasite Ayhelinus Aiali, with which tests have been conducted in the Institute with a view to combating the aphis by natural means. The reply to band speaks ver highly of the result achieved up to date, and promises Mr Holms a supply when the distributingk season commences in November. The Aphelions Mali is a natural enemy of the aphis and it will be interesing to note the effect of its introduction in the district.