Farm and Station

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXIII, Issue 12140, 30 December 1933, Page 12

Farm and Station

DEFINITION OF WEED. AN EN E\ I V 6 V TJ U SBANDftY. The definition of a was given as -‘any plant which is. inimical to the i securing, of the . opt-inium/ . resuft desired from the" soil • in- any local-:, ity.-’ by Mr. C. M; Smith,' chief ’inspector el the State .Forest. Service, in hi.Tectutre; delivered-. • before ..tbe, Economic ■ Biology Section .of t!ie Wellington Philosophical Society,'. ' The lecturer stressed the . importance of- the study of- weeds from- tho point of view- of economic.,,-hp.tanv,■ although there was an. unfortunate tendency’ to. regard tho-subject - as. a. ralhcT'uninteresting one.. But. weeds had corne .to rank with ■ insects and fungi as . one of tho great, obslaelosto economic success in man’s .effort to. profit.. bv the 'greatest" -of • natural .1 esonrees—the fertility ol -the soil. Mr, Smith dealt'with the. administrativA feasures taken to cope, with l&rative- measures taken, to. cope witli the. rise to economic - significance of individual wcnls • was - traced.. The. varying significance of weeds undci different tvnes of culture was mentioned and snoeial stress was.laid on the point that tin weed of one type of culture need 'have no significance - in- an. adjoining type, how, in certain circumstances, the cultivated plants of gardens could be, a weed to the .adjoining foros.t arid vice versa; This varying economic significant*?* of the one.and the same species had risen to be'of great importance during tlr? last century, when improved transport and vigorous, colonisation had brought * large areas under extensive cultivation, or rather cultural exploitation. This method of. large scale pastoral and forest industry side by side, unknown in the Old World, had brought problems of its own. m abandoned farms, tax- delinquent lands (to use the American term), and ruined and weed-grown forests, which had no counterpart in the older days ‘of civilisation. : > ;

Weeds and the methods of treating them wore m cons?,ononce very different, and 't was difficult, if not im, possible, to got a lead from Euro-, ,peaii •-scientific literature of the oco--nomie. effect of the, weed in the Now World agriculture and sylviculture. The field for research work—research work in the open, country with ttm living plant rather than with/the microscope in the, laboratory—was there- , fore open to the botanists of the newer countries. If they fulfilled, their, task, they must be leaders/, hi this new field, just ns they had long looked to the Old 'World botanists tor in. lead in the more abstract branches •of botanical science.

"QUALITY AS HIGH AS EVER.” Mil. JONES REPLIES TO CRITICISM. A denial that the quality of Can-; ter bury lamb had declined was made by Mr. I>. Jones, chairman of t ‘ u . i New Zealand' Meat Producers’ Bosiru. at a luncheon hold at' tho C.h.Af. works at Beiast, when tho entries in tiie district, lamb export cojope'-i----t-toii wore judged (reports the' 'Christchurch "Sun’.’). ' . V Air. Jones said that the quality of New Zealand moat, torclay had never been excelled in the Dpiminion’s history. and even with all parts of the world chasing New Zealand, with Argentine and Australia in the van, the 15 picked pons from/ North Canterbury this year would bo haß*l to heat In any part of. the world. "There, arc always those who are apt.,(o .criticise the quality .of Can-; torhury lamb in recent ..years,” ho said, "but re is not I rue that. its quality lias declined'. , The rest of New Zealand had advanced correspondingly faster than Canterbury, perhaps, blit that can by the only bufeis cm which misleading] criticism lias been made. New. Zealand lathh always brings Id a lb more Than any other meal, imported., into England, and that position would opt have been iua.iitai.n.-d i{ i ousumers wei >■ not. being given the' added value. ‘•'ln uinsulernig l he production tests it a» interesting to note a. lot qt crit.eism- of New ZciLand wool tb-> day," continued the speaker. "It u s mainly of the Romney breed, g andthere have been proposals to spsc.u large sums of money m research.- As. a. matter of fact, we. all .know wuere. the troablq lies and what jf is: The problem is bow to cure it. 1: main*; Lain that- it is'a task lor tdic-h 1 ooders; iii New .'Zealand llie breed .societies are not strict" enough- in ; i fixing' the standards for certification bp stud rams. Tho board is prepared to .assist the societies to give voluntary certificates for stud rams, and it; considers that the - breeders • 'themselvesshould realise thiiit if is their duty to sell rams bred from those, which have certificates. . New Zealand Wool-, is wonderfully good, and'is being. : c.ager.y, sought to-day, and thp; actidiy,;<>f -theCorriedalo Society in' deciding, to reject Tit fairs ai’.l rants-, which do not, pass a severe, inspection tesU prpvicles an outstanding example.;*-which • all other breed societies would do well to follow.- ' ■ • ' • ; ~ "■ N : : ;.i "Pastures and are 'second considerations, and .I--maintajn thatthere -are no hotter pastutey fanner? In any part of the. world tliangm -Now. Zealand. The- board has , made;a number of grants to Canterbury Agricultural College, , Lincoln, "and " : "i

should like to state that the work done at the college lias been off inestimable value. Tbo board lias never iiacl .occasion to- regret making, a grant,” added Mr. .Tones.

i Mr. IT. DC A eland, another member of tho Meat Board/ said that in‘England frozen lamb was known as Canterbury lamb, and if they were to meet competition they must maintaiin production of only the highest quality. New Zealand had the climate, the men and the sheep. ■ Smithfield wanted the small-carcassed lamb, and by the use of the Southdown the North Island hold received a spurt. Having sceurad the 5 Down in Canter? bury, t'h% province would be able to Spurt also, and the famous record 'built up for 50 years would be defended and improved. Mr. O'. G. Jarman, president of tlm Canterbury A/ and TP. Association, did not consider thoit the quality of lamb was deteriorating. It would be more correct to say that other parts or New Zealand were coming up to Canterbury’s level, and perhaps passing it.

FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE WHAT IT -MEANS TO FARMERS

What an outbreak ,ol' foot and mouth disease means to banners in Britain is shown by reports-' to band ’by rife latest mail. According to tlm "Daily Herald,’’ Sir. Humphrey d>* Traffcrd’s famous pedigree herd of 45 Rod Poll cattle valued at several thousand'pounds,; was killed and cremated ioJowing an outbreak of -foot aqcl mouth disease. Veterinary, inspectors also condemned SO sheep on the Ejoyston .(Hertfordshire) estate of Sir Humphrey; while at a ■farm belonging to Mrs Prank lhgg, alf Rushing "Wells, Barkway nine pigs and 22 cattle were destroyed and burned. As a further outbreak ,cf the disease had been notified at Fly, tho movement of cattle and sheep was prohibited over an area °/ more than 30 miles, embracing the Isle of Ely and parts of five comities, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire, Norfolk and Sufjt'olk,

“Sir Humphrey is so dveadfu ly upset) at his loss that lie lias gone Away,” stgiied his private secretary. “Ho has spent seven or eight year's getting a magnificent herd, and to see lit gone in a night.’’ Founded thirty years ago, by Sir Humphrey’s father, the Royston pedigree strain of Red Pods was world famous. Among the animals slaughtered was tlie (famous Kirton Patsy, twice champion of the Royal Agricultural Show. Policemen guarded every gate leading to the farms. No one was allowed near the affected areas. “Tuc pre'iminary work of disinfection has already begun,” stated a Government inspector, “but it will bo a considerable time, perhaps two and a half months, before 'there will be a general release for the movement of cattle in the .ureas ”

t; NORTHERN IRELAND'S PIGS. Replying to a question in the Ulster Parliament, Sir Edward Archdale, M.l\, said he was unaware of any heavy losses sustained by farrnersj ns a consequence of the Pig Marketing Scheme. On the contrary, tho British Government, in limiting imports of bacon into the United Kingdom during the n.ne months ended September 30 to 7,ooo,oooc\vt. as compared witJr 8,-500,000cwt. in the-corresponding- period last year, had resulted dm Northern Ireland obtaining standard price of 58s 6d per dead cwt. for their pigs as contrast with. 40s. pet- dead cwt. a year ago. Mere than 8,000 Northern Ircl; nd pigs were bought by eurers, lie said, iu tho preceding week at the- 'Standard, prices, while between 1,600 and 1,700, were shipped to Great Britain. AU’egether some 9,300 pigs were mar keted -i it, the meek indicated. ■ POLLED; HEREFORD}? EVOLUTION OF THE BREED- ' POPULAR ri’V INCREASING IN ‘ NEW ZEALAND ■ The report that the first polled Hereford hull to come to tlie South 'lsland . arrived recently to the order of hi well-known Southland breeder. Mr. A. S. Holms, of Wnimaliaka, .focuses attention on a breed .that is gaining' in' popularityj , bv reason of the- fact that i t preserves all the admirable' qualities of the ITeroford and all the advantages of a hornless beast. ' . •' • ... • ■ / Horns, one of the features of a a wliitcfaco, have lost thoir usefulness, and sensible breeders urs rcal-i-sing that their presence is, a distinct disadvantage. . There arci three other polled TTevc•fo.i’d bulls in .the Dominion, all at Gisborne, and recently a very fine bull, bred by Mr. E E. Humphrey*, of. Gisborno; was shipped do v ' A ietoria.' It' 'is" coming' more itnd more into favour all over the Common-, vtealth, /particularly‘'i'u Queensland.' i In. 1901, Warren Gammon, an. lowa farmer, conceived the: idea' of a ■ nab-

urally hornless strain of purebred ileretprcisV lie*. thougllt that if tlie horns - coyld b?. removed trom the white tacos without:...impairing -tho purity of their breeding and without sacrificing any of tb 0 superior beef qualities, -,ueh an accomplishment would be- a most, desirable improvement. •

Ho sent a circular. inquiry to every member of the American Hereford Cattle Breeders’ Association, _ asking if such a naturally purebred Hereford had ever been dropped in any herd to their knowledge. F-fo*«*. nnoiigtlio nearly 1500 replies, be located, "IT hornless' “freaks” —10 lemales arid Tour bulls. The .bulls and seven, females were purchased as an experimental herd. Those- cattle were al) registered in the American Hereford Herd Book.

. Experiment soon proved that when a polled bull was mated with horned cows, quite a large percentage of the halves would he hornless. This made it comparatively easy to developMho breed rapidly in numbers, and to date upward of 75,000 double standard Polled Hereford,s have, been registered in the American Polled Hereford Herd Book. Double standard means that an animal is 'registered in both the American an* Polled Herd Books.

From the experience of hundreds of breeders of Polled Hcrofords over a, period of thirty years, it- scorns demonstrated that a breeder- using a .Polled Hereford bull oil purebred or grad? cows may reasonably expect from two-thirds to three-quarters or more of the calves to be lioriKoss ; It i;s an established fact- that the polled character is what breeders c-all “dominant,’’ arid that it is easier to breed tho horns off than to brecct ■them on, so one who waii|s to merit the economic demand of. the day for hornless cattle' need have no fear ot failure when he-starts fo diango his herd -from- the homed to I ho. Poked type.

WOOL SELLING ON STATIONS. AUSTRALIAN A UCTIO> MENACED.

It is an “open secret’’ that organisations of woolgrowers, representative wool buyers Loin overseas, and the wool selling brokers, are exceedingly concerned over the growth of the ‘selling of wool on station 01 farm in Australia this season, writes “D.J.G.” in the “Sydney Morning Herald.” Rcpr: senlative men in the industry and trade who habitually weigh their words say the whole Australian system of wool auction marketing is menaced. The present general system ot marketing wool in Australia through central auction markets is the fruit ol nearly a, hundred years of experience, enterprise and endeavour. To these’ markets the representatives of all’ the great consuming countries —■ Britain, Japan, the Continent, United 'States—come, as. well, ns, of course, the buyers for Australian mil's.

In. the years of peak prices for wool—called then the Golden ’2o’? —• the money paid in Australian, auction markets ranged over the five years ended 1928-29 from £53,305,374 to £'60,873,062 a year. The depression years followed, and the wool cheque was cut in half, or even worse than that. For the current season, 193384, the auction market cheque looks ■at present like being well over £4o',000,000. On top of that there is the value of wool sold in the country for direct shipment, . afnd the wool sent to London for sale.

' These figures convey some idea tho national importance of wool. Obviously anything that seriously interferes with the. sc'ling of wool concerns all Australian interests, directly or indirectly. It is also worthy of mention that many authorities have affirmed again and again that wool Js better marketed in Australia than anywhere else in I lie world.

■So that when it is seriously alleged by representative,s of the growers, the buyers, and the selling brokers that tl»c Australian wool ■marketing system is in danger, it becomes a matter of general public concern.

A conservative- estimate is that about four times as much wool has been sold in country districts of New South Wales this reason than last. A largo percentage of these sales‘includes the host wools. It has embraced many large or well-known clips. Much of it has been so’d for direct shipment to mills abroad. One semi-official estimate is that the wool sold privately in the, country this season was so’d at prices that ■were at least 2d per. lb below aiuct-ion market- values on the day wool was sold in the country. Another semiofficial estimate p'accs th:v difference in price at from 3d to 4:1 per lb, m say from 2s to 2s 6d per sheep. Examples arc quoted in trade circles to show ai still greater difference in some sales. Growers who sold in the country have, lost most severely, . but, unfortunate as that is for the. individual, grower, the real issue is far greater. The whole future of wool values and Australia’s future wool cheques is in the balance.. Selling.of wool in the country for direct shipment abroad means that the price at which the -wool can.he bought there.is cabled to the principals abroad, Ibis, in turn,, means that principals abroad want their representatives, in the. auction markets to avool at tue , same levels. In other words, if the country selling is very .considerable the tendency must he for it .to force down price levels .in the auction lijak jkets, although the competition . in the country selling is only flic ipqrest. fraction of the competition, in the auction inalrkets.. . . .

• It goos even further than that. 11 tile great ma jority . of .buyers who npw loyally support, the auction .markets decide that,they .too will buy in' the country, then, ns one,representative \ grower remarked, EWe would have chaos in the selling of wool in •Australia, There would be

no .'barometer of wool values. None of us. would have any idea what our v/ooi was worth,. We ;would be at the “mercy of a rabble. Much less than true worth is* certain to be forthcoming; for our wool/’ - It i* admitted by all who know the fa'cts and circumstances that this current season provided special reasons for . the growth' of country wool selling. Growers have just come through three years cf tragically unprofitable wool prices, and.they were suddenly offered an advance of perhaps 50 per cent, on the rates thait ruled the year before. They needed the. money,: and there. coilld he' no real guarantee that ' prices would hold. ' ' ■ '

Tf,; ‘i'blVo" oipi hih'ii" of sonic" representative growers that many of tlioso Who : sold ."their wool in the. country this season; Avill not sell in the country next year—they have learned their lesson, and apart .from that should bt 'in. .a hotter position to stand up to conditions financially: Still it is -also the -opinion of some of "tli6 most representative men that the whole position with its dire possibilities cal’s for the most earnest consideration. They believe.that the. industry and trade, through sincere cooperation, are big enough to continue the. genoration-old habit of working out their own salvation.

■ T/AGOUT? SAVING. BIG-FEEDING SYSTEM. METHOD ON ENGLISH FARAL INTRODUCED FROM DENMARK

When quota regulation of bacon imports from Denmark sot a limit to ihe output of Danish pig farmers, a Mr. P. Frcderiksen, whose father controls one of fhc largest folding enterprises in Denmark, decided to feed nigs in England. For some ten months Air. Frcderiksen has been an exponent of a system of housing and feeding entirely new io most English farmers. Til that dime many West-country and Midland pig-kecpars have visited his fattening plant at Portburv, near Bristol. What strikes them first ot a'l is the labour-saving character ot the Danish system of housing fattening pigs, a svstem by which 1000 feeders feci on flic lines as at, I’ortbury can be looked after by one man. anf), labour costs reduced to 2s per pig if .sufficient are kept.

Briefly, that svstem is tlm arrangoiiienfc under one roof of pens of TO each s'kF of a central feeding gan»wav. Glazed tile troughs, one foot or Trimth nor pig. lino the gangwav side of the pens. 3in. of the trough width abutting, t'o r oasv feeding, into (be gangwav. The rear of the pen affords tlie. pigs access to th-> 2ft. Dm. dung passage when the doors are shut across the gangway. When thfe doo*'s are used to restrict the pigs to their sleeping quarters, the who'e length of the dung passage is open for donning. FEEDING AND HOPPING. The. complete system, however, comprises fcediilg as well as housing* As to foods, Mr. Frederikson holds that- the four principal cereals wheat, barley, oats, maize—form, when ground and mixed in suitable proportions, a first-class basis for a pig ration. To this mixture is added a protein concentrate evolved by the Erederiksens after 30 years’ dose study of intensive pig-fattening. With the essential protein the mixture combines vitamins, mineral .salts, and certain digestive and medicinal elements found desirable, iu intensive pig-feeding. * -MX, > . Tlio-f.aed inglai- Pj hit 3i uxj’- -ifCil c|fi ve V. combination of the dry and net systems. For ad lib. dry feed ng Air., Frcderiksen lia« no use—there KVh’-’ holds, too much “eating between meals.’’ But, oil the other hand, H is the meal eaten dry that, so the Dames hold, puts oil the firmest moat. The dry meal is rationed mt° the troughs for each of the three meals per day. Coarse ,grinding ot the cereals is claimed to entourage' mastication, and to avoid cloying ot the .palate. At an interval cf some ten minutes water is added to whatever meal is left in the trough.

Rationing the water is an essential part of the system, incidentally reducing water carriage to a minimum. The allowance is no more than is' required for healthy functioning of the or gains, the dung being regulated to the consistency of butter by control of the w.-L-r al.owancc. In practice the. quantity is about weight for weight with the meal »n winter, and'about bulk lor bulk in summer • SMALL AMOUNT OF MANURE. The non-dilution of the stomach juices with unnecessary liquid a.nu th».aegular periods of feed and rest cv-dentiy combine with the merits oi ijie meal mixture to give godiu 'ashimilation. The smaif amount of manure from ee pigs is i emarliable, and this is • reflected, in the clean an,t dry quarters and fir the low labour requirement for cleaning out.

The results achieved by farmers who have tried the med-eiy and the system nre in many cases striking. Increases of live weight for food consumed have been as ii gh s.s a pound live weight increase for 2.61 b of feed consumed by five-months p-gis.. Instances where results have not been favourable have been traced to overfeeding or to over-restriction of water. Ear from. being idol-proof, the system demands careful operation. No more meal than is cleared up xnside twenty minutes is Mr. Freclenk-sen-s rule.