Dairying Industry.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 203, 3 September 1901, Page 3

Dairying Industry.

(To the Editor of the Times.) Sir, — I have to thank “Weary ’Willie" for his, on the whole, complimentary letter, and should say, “By all means start a Dairy Association.” And let the members attend the meetings, more difficult matter to enforce. Why it is that people making their living and keeping the towns going off the land, do not combine, has been a puzzle to wiser heads than mine. As I have no experience of ensilage I did not mention it in my winter feed for milch stock, and as turnips and rape give a bad flavour to milk, I omitted them. I was much pleased by the quality of milk produced by pumpkins and grass hay, better than anything we can grow in the South. Mangolds are inclined to make insipid butter, especially if used too early in'the season. Shakespeare was a clever man and a sensible one, but I doubt if he would go in a boat in the floodtide to fortune, without a steer-oar. When 1 wrote about waiting three years before starting cooperation I was thinking of dairy farmers sending cream from the Karaka and the fertile hills and valleys surrounding the Flat proper, off which it will be a hard master to make a decent living (as mentioned in my letter in reply to “ Dairyman ”), and pay some thirty shillings per acre rent and taxes. If held in freehold it comes to the same thing, though the pocket does not feel it the same. I fear that the output of the two factories running is not so very great, or Mr Score, a comparatively new starter, would not be so willing to sellout: or if there was a mint of gold in the business, would Mr McGregor have commenced here at all? as I understand he has boon at the game elsewhere for some years. |

Having so far paid my way, I cannot pose as an expert. Neither can I as a practical man, whom I consider should be able to sow tho grass seed, and from that on rear the calf which in time produces the milk to make tho butter and cheese. I can do all but the latter, which, owing to preferring the spur and stockwhip when young, I omitted learning—-which I have regretted many a time since. One of the hardest things to get on a dairy farm is a person with sense and patience to feed the calves properly, which are tho foundation of the future herd. As to the best breed of cattle to keep, I cannot do bettor than refer dairymen to Agricola’s notes in tho Otago Witness of the 21st August, page 8. Doubtless lam blamed for throwing cold water on the dairying scheme, but it is much easier to paint in glowing than in grey colors. I could give a tally of a small Jersey cross cow’s still in my possession, and write pages that would even excel Mr Lysnar's figures, but should only lead the public astray. I give the output for 303 days, and have the original figures and dates to the fore : “ Daisy,” horn September 20th, 1895, had second calf July 7th, 1898, duo to calvo December 12th, 1899.—F0r the season 1898 and 1899, 13 quarts per day for 363 days, 1180 gallons, which, taking tho low Danish average of 281bs of milk, represents -1211bs of butter, say at Is, equal to £'2l Is: 1180 gallons at present retail price (Is), T 59. Of course 281bs of milk to make a pound of butter is a long way too much for this particular animal, but I am not exploiting a dairying or dredging boom, have the cow, and have spent tho shilling a pound her butter brought in. She has never had a heifer calf, and for some unexplainable reason, has not dono so well this season, but is still milking fairly, though within ten weeks of calving, Taking lOlbs as a gallon, “Daisy” gave ll,Boolbs of milk in the season. I hope our kind editor will insert a clipping from tho Field, giving Mr G. Taylor’s milk returns for 1900. The Field says that the milking record for the year 1900 of Mr Garrett Taylor’s red polled herd at Whitlingham hears further testimony to tho milking qualities of the East Anglian breed, as well as to the method and skill that characterise tho management of this herd. Tho highest individual record shows a total yield of The variances in tho individual returns and also the general utility of tho herd arc well shown by tho following' gradations : —Three cows exceed 10,0001bs, four exceed 90001 b, two oxceod 80001 b, 17 oxcecd 70001 b, 19 exceed 60001 b, 30 exceed 50001 b, 16 exceed 40001 b, and five exceed 30001 b. The butter fat is not mentioned, but Mr Lysnar did not advise testing a cow’s milk that gave less than tho minimum (909 gallons per ten months’ season) beforo kicking her out of the stockyard. I hope that hoots for the drafter aro included in the items supplied free of charge in the strangely-worded advertisement, “To Dairy Milkers,” so different to the unnatural “Wanted

married couple, without encumbrance” that is so common. From the advertisement, Mr Lysnar intonds to back his own opinion by experimenting on his own property; he would confer a honefit on

New Zealand in general and Poverty bay in particular, if he would follow the late Mr Mechie’s example, and publish an annual balance-sheet, also charging a fair rent for land in use. For the instruction of the younger generation I may mention that Mr Mcchie was a retired cutler of London, who in the early fifties, having a fancy for country life, purchased a wilderness of a place, Tip tree Hall, Norfolk, intending to go in for what would be even now very high farming. Being a tradesman. the agricultural papers held him up to ridicule, with the effect that he made an annual statement of profit and loss, how he worked his land, and moreover his publications sold. He invested a lot of money in tile training, iron pipes, for distributing liquid manure, guano, then but little known : good buildings, with sparred floors, steam engine, steel (instead of local country-made) dung forks, and everything first-rate, but bad land to start on. For many years the balance was badly on the wrong side of the ledger. However, in the course of time the farm paid very good interest on the capital sunk. Mr Mechie also wrote some books on advanced farming, which even now are referred to. Who knows but in Mr Lysnar we have a second Mcchie ') And let us hope that some journalist may at some future time be able to write of him as one did of Mr Mechie : “ He was honored by everyone who knew lhm, a good business man and a farmer, a just and kind master, who died regretted by all sorts and conditions of men.” I have only to thank you for your space in the Times, and to wish Messrs Lysnar and Attwood, “Dairyman,” Weary Willie,” the proprietary and cooperative dairy factories, dairy men and their stock, and last, but not least, the milkers, “ Ivia Ora.” —I am etc., Cecil M. Maun sell. Wliataupoko, August 31.

WAIROA NOTES

(TIMES CO KKtf S POND ENT.) Messrs V. and A. "Winter, bakers, arc at present having a new oven built for their rapidly-increasing business. Tlic oven is a very large one, and is ol' the latest design. The work is in the hands of Messrs Cooper and bons, of Napier, which is a safe guarantee that the workmanship will bo of the best. The School Board have received word from the Education Board, to the effect that the services of Mr Caughley, assistant master, whose services they had decided to dispense with on account of the falling off in attendance, would still be retained. The forthcoming Volunteer Ball promises to be a huge success. The committee are working hard, good music has been obtained, and the catering being in the hands of the ladies is a guarantee that quality and quantity will be of the best. Tickets are now out for sale, and can bo obtained from any of the Non-Com-missioners of the company.

Mr Crabb, Government Veterinary Surgeon, left here for Napier on the 27th August. During his stay here ho inspected the different slaughter-houses and dairies, which with few exceptions were considered in good order. Two cows had to bo destroyed owing to tuberculosis. Mr Crabb intends re-visiting Wairoa in five or six weeks’ time for the purpose of seeing that the recommendations made have been carried out. On Wednesday a sitting of the Justices’ Court was held, Messrs J. W. Sargisson and G. Britnell being on the Bench. A charge of drunkenness was dismissed after a great deal of contradictory evidence had been heard. The case of Watenc ITuka v. I’ctaHapc, in which the defendant was charged with the theft of T2O, trust money, and who was arrested on warrant at Gisborne, was next heard. The prosecutor made a statement to the effect that the natives interested had held a meeting and decided to withdraw the case, as the accused had wished to refund the money. If the Bench would withdraw the case they would bo very thankful. The police stated that the informant had taken out a warrant for the prisoner’s apprehension, which was forwarded to Gisborne, whore the prisoner was arrested.

John Hunter Brown, sheep-farmer, then gave evidence to the effect that up to two years ago he used to pay his rent to 16 original nominees. Since then the different relations, over 100 in all, had presented a petition to the Government, asking them to bo admitted, but up to the present, the petition had not been decided. He then owned them two years’ rent ; later on they built a church at Whakaki, and asked him to pay the first rent, and also the second, due May Ist, 1901. This lie agreed to do. The Natives then appointed Watenc liuka and the prisoner Beta Hapc, as trustees to receive the money. lie gave them the amount in two cheques, one of J-57 os 7d and one of ■£,37 ils 7d, and they gave him a receipt. The prisoner belonged to a new lmpu, and tho £2O was more than their share. To his belief the prisoner was not entitled to a farthing, as his hapu had sold out their interests to Wat-cnc liuka. The Bench, after admonishing the prisoner severely, decided that as soon as the prisoner handed over tho £2O, ho would be discharged. An application by tho police for 10s costs was allowed.