FARMING NOTES

Grey River Argus, 3 August 1935, Page 8

FARMING NOTES

Subsidised Improvements. Many dairy farmers this season are effecting improvements in and around their dairies, and they are receiving encouragement from the Executive Commission of Agriculture. Funds are provided by the Treasury on loan to farmers at the low rate of 4 per cent, with repayments spread over four to five years, to assist farmers to carry out these improvements. The main object is to improve the quality of dairy produce. If these improvements are carried out by contract they are subject to a subsidy from the Unemployment Board of 8 per cent, on the contract price, and if carried out by day labour of a subsidy of 10 per cent, on the invoice cost of materials. These concessions cannot be overlooked by the dairy fanner. ****** Drenching Methods. In an address at Invercargill, Mr. C. V. Dayus, M.B.C.V.S, stated that it was a common belief that sheep should be starved for a number of hours before they were drenched. There was no object in Such a method, he added, for it served no useful purpose and only knocked the sheep about. ****** Certified Italian Ryegrass. This new strain of Italian ryegrass is being marketed by a South Island firm of seed merchants, who have been working for some years past, in conjunction with the Department of Agriculture, in an effort to improve the type of Italian ryegrass at present on the market. They imported all the best selected strains from Europe, and have had these grown for several years in different districts. One of these strains showed such a marked superiority over any Italian ryegrass that the Department of Agriculture considered 1 it to be worthy of certification. This particular strain is a very strong growing type, end produces a wonderful amount of luxuriant feed, besides which it shows marked recovery after cutting or feeding, a great advantage in any pasture grass. Farmers who have been growing this “Italian” over the past years during selection are enthusiastic over its qualities. In 1935 harvest — one of the driest for many years in ( Canterbury—it grew so luxuriantly with one farmer that he was able to secure a second seed-crop from his area. Seed of this Italian ryegrass is now available in limited quantities, machine dressed, sacks sealed by Department of Agriculture, and can be obtained through any of the leading seed merchants.