FARM and DAIRY

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 11 October 1924, Page 9

FARM and DAIRY

NOTES BY THE WAY,

In a report of the Royal Show in Victoria, the Australasian records that in. the .class 5 years old or over (in milk), thirteen responded, from which C. D. Lloyd’s beautiful Island bred Golden Noble Duchess, a daughter of the world-famous sire, Golden Fern's Noble, Avas awarded first prize. She was also decorated with her fourth successive championship. Two New Zealand Visitors to England, writing to friends, say they have been to Wembley, and consider the New Zealand butter and frozen meat display to be one of the features of the Exhibition.

Top-dressing, said Dr Richardson, in a lecture at the show grounds on September 20, was a sure means of improving grass land. The response was most marked in regions of heavy rainfall. Experimental work had clearly proved that for Victoria soluble phosphates were the , most valuable fertilisers for top-dressing. Phosphatestarved grass produced phosphatestarved stock, and the application of liberal dressings of phosphate to the soil resulted in a great improvement in the health and vigour of stock. Phosphates promoted root development and early growth and hastened maturity. They led to economical use of the water supply of the soil; they increased the bulk, succulence, nutritive value, and palatability of the pastures. The addition of soluble phosphates removed the important limiting soil factor for heavy production. Superphosphate was the most profitable form in which the deficient phosphate supply might be made good. Basic phosphate and basic slag stood next in value, and might be useful on sour lands and in peatv soils. Grass was Australia’s greatest crop, and a study of the principles underlying its successful production was of great national importance. Lucerne ranks first among all forage crops for pigs. It pays to go to some trouble to establish this crop, as there is nothing better than a good lucerne stand if looked after and not grazed too heavily. Lucerne hay has proved a valuable food. It can be fed in open racks, chaffed, or ground, and the pigs accept it readily. Rape ranks next; it is a splendid crop for pigs, and, moreover, can be grown in almost any locality. Two feedings can be got off each sowing, and for pigs it can be sown much earlier than the usual planting for other stock. It should be, remembered that pigs must not remain long on the rape crop at the start, as it is very laxative and liable to cause scouring. This means that until the. pigs have become accustomed to it they should be allowed on it only a few hours daily. It should not be fed until it is 12in. to 14in. high. Peas are a very valuable erop, and can be fed down either in the green or ripened ! stages. When green, with the pods just forming, the pigs will clean up every bit. Wheat, barley, maize, oats, ryecorn and millets are all good when in green and succulent stage, and are improved when peas or vetches are sown with them. Pumpkins are’ a good crop for winter use, and do. well when sown •in conjunction with maize or grain. All the roots are valuable, but owing to turnips and swedes being often affected with diseases, such as club-root j and dry-rot, there is some risk in de- | pending upon them for winter use. Other roots, such as carrots, mangolds,! and parsnips, entail considerable labour, but are excellent foods, especially mangolds. This latter crop should be stored for at least three months in order to allow the sugars to form, in which stage it gives the highest feeding value. I In view of the objects of the project- ' ed automobile contests across the centre of Australia from Darwin to Adelaide (2000 miles) next winter, an interesting statement bearing on the future development of central and northern Australia was made last week. At the opening of the Victorian Royal Agricultural Show, Lord Stradbroke (Governor of Victoria), who has recently concluded a 3000-mile motor tour across the greater portion of the route selected for the contest, expressed his opinion that there are very great hopes for the further development and opening of the great areas now going to waste for lack of better communication. and improvement in transport, the cost of which is so high that development is well nigh impossible under existing conditions. 'The work of planting trees on the sand dunes along the coast is progressing rapidly, and (50,000 trees have this season been planted out from the newly established nursery at Tangimoana (states the Manawatu Standard). The camp has now been transferred to the new site, and the nursery when fully established will have a capacity of 50,000 trees. A consignment of 100,000 •yearling trees received from Rotorua has been lined out and will be ready for planting next season.

VELD BURNING. There was a remarkable discussion (says an exchange) on the effects of veldt burning at the recent meeting in Capetown of the South African Association for the Advancement of Science —remarkable in the respect that not a single voice was raised in support of burning. What made this attitude all the more impressive, also, was the fact that- the delegates had had a year to consider the matter. The Association met last year at Bloemfontein, and devoted some time to,a consideration of the question “whether the present vegetation of South Africa showed any definite signs of deterioration towards a drier aspect. ’ ’ This year’s discussiou was therefore a continuation of last year’s with all the added authority that a year’s observation and reflection would give. And as we have just said, not a single delegate from all that vast territory defended burning or apologised for it, or was indifferent to it. All agreed that there had been deterioration of the veldt over large areas, that the cause was the annual or periodic burning of the bush and grass, and that legislation was urgently necessary to cope with this evil. But curiously enough it was not established that the rainfall has decreased during the last century or halfcentury. Where records have not been carefully kept there is no trustworthy way of deciding on rainfall, and it is only recently in South Africa that observation has been careful enough to form a foundation for scientific discussion. It was proved, for example, that I lie destruction by fire of the vegetation in the catchment area of one particular stream reduced the flow of water in a very short time by quite 50 per cent., but it was found impossible to say anything authoritative of wider

areas for indefinite periods. Memory, on the other hand, aided by old and accidental photographs, may be a very ■accurate indicator of changes in vegetation especially where the change means the complete disappearance of some forms—and it was quite easy therefore to prove that “many hundreds of species of shrublets, shrubs, and small trees” that were one of the characteristic features of South Africa in earlier times are features no longer. Even in specially favoured regions—in one, for example, where the rainfall exceeds 100 .inches—it was proved by actual photographs that the vegetation has changed considerably in the last twenty, years. The Cape ‘Times, whose report we have followed, does not say what measures precisely the conference thought Parliament should take to make burning less fieqhent. It does, however, say that burning was made a criminal offence more than two hundred years ago, and that the punishment was a severe scourging on the first conviction, and hanging on the second. Even when the Cape was taken over by Britain in 130(5 this law was still in force, while a man was arrested under it as late as 13-18 and released only because the Attorney-General did not press the charge against.him. It is, in fact, possible that the law is still in force, but it is not probable that the botanists, biologists and pastoralists who met in Capetown last month will ask for any hangings or seourgings. Even if they feel as grim as their ancestors they will probably reflect that the methods of these realistic souls did not preserve the veldt. THE CULL -COW PROBLEM. THE UNPROFITABLE ANIMAL MUST GO. THE ONLY SURE MEANS OF ELIMINATION/ SPEY THE CULLS. (“Anchorite.”) There are many contributing causes in the making of culls in the dairy herd, and probably the chief of these is the thoughtless use of inferior bulls—year after year. In this important respect the herd owner himself is the only one who can correct matters, and the way to bring about this improvement is to at once convert his inferior sires into steers, turn them into bully beef, or “shunt” them on to the boiling-down works without undue delay. This drastic remedy will prove to be a good business proposition for all those herd owners who wish to continue in and make a success of the butter-fat producing industry. There are some cull cows that, in appearance are fit to send into the show ring, and in these instances it is only by actual experience that their unpayable, qualities as producers may be found out. Then again, there are animals culled from high-class herds which would be considered by some small dairy farmers to be as good as their best cows. To get over this difficulty of the definition of a cull, it would be a good, system to grade them, into, say, A,. B aud G grades. There are careless farmers who,' under the present existing conditions, will always have culls on the property and for sale in the nearest, saleyards; and it- is in such cases that the farmer should be classed as a cull, together with his unprofitable beasts,- and drastic measures taken to prevent inferior animals from again entering the dairy sheds of the unsuspecting or inexperienced dairy farmer. The fact that large numbers of cull cows are- allowed under existing conditions to be sold from farmer to farmer, and dealer to dealer, or farmer, and also by the auctioneers, call instantly for a drastic remedy in the interests of the farmers -themselves, and in the greater-interests of the Dominion as a whole. Spey the Culls—the Only Remedy. After very considerable research and thought on this matter, the writer is firmly of the opinion that the only positive .means which can be employed to eliminate the unprofitable milker is to spev the animal, and convert her into beef. It is pleasing to note that the Farmers’ LTnion are now interesting themselves in the matter of speving, and some branches are making overtures to the Agricultural Department to establish a brand to be placed on all cows and heifers speyed by an operator approved by the Department.

SUPERFLUITY OF INFERIOR STOCK. (Australasian.) There is no fault to find with the numbers of the dairy and dual purpose breeds of cattle, entries of which aggregated 882, but strong exception may be taken at a show like, the Melbourne Royal to the presence of so many animals of inferior type and quality. This is freely admitted, and even if it was not there was ample proof to support the statement. It was hoped that in 1920, when the society imposed a limitation on the number of entries of individual exhibitors in each class, that an improvement would, take place. Such, however, has not been the case, as after having been four years in operation it is obvious that this measure has utterly failed in its intention. Leading breeders are now of the opinion that every animal entered, should be subjected to examination before the show commences, and that unless it passes a prescribed standard it ought not to be allowed to come before the judge, nor occupy a stall in the same building as those that do. “Some .of us have been endeavouring for a considerable time to induce the, society to adopt a system based on those lines,’’ remarked a prominent Jersey breeder recently, “but no action has been taken to remedy the present unsatisfactory condition of affairs. If the council of the Royal Agricultural Society was progressive it would have instituted such a scheme before this, and it would have received the support and co-opera-tion of leading exhibitors and the various breed societies.” Neither reputable breeders nor those who have the interests of the State at heart desire to see Victorian pedigree dairy stock discredited, as it undoubtedly wa» at this show, by the appearance in the judging rings of so many unworthy exhibits. CLEAN MILK AND CREAM. The importance of providing the managers of dairy factories with clean milk and cream cannot well be overstressed, seeing that no amount of pasteurising can rectify faulty raw products, although some few dairymen, ap- >

near to think it is immaterial. Their faith in pasteurising is illimitable. Fortunately there are comparatively few imbued with this idea, and now a big Mfort is being made to bring it home to these sinners that a continuance of arelmlc methods threatens to jeopardise the Dominion’s reputation at Home for dairy produce. An extract or two frc'm a circular issued by the Co-operative Dairy Company of Otago places the matter in a nutshell, and should be studied by all who realise that they cannot afford to risk losing our hold in the best outside market in the world: "A study of the butter production figures of the world show a big increase from all producing countries. This must mean lower prices and keener competition in the world’s markets. “So far as frozen butters are concerned, the New Zealand article holds an enviable reputation on the London market; but if we are to hold our own against the ever-increasing competition from other countries we must lose no opportunity not only to mainain our quality, but to improve it. “At the South Island annual conference of factory representatives, held in Dunedin in June last, Mr Singleton, Director of the Dairy Division of the New Zealand Department of Agriculture, read some reports he had re ceived from overseas, which convinced delegates there was urgent need for some improvement in our industry. “We have a big obstacle to overcome in tbe prejudice in favour of Danish, Irish and other fresh butters, and cannot afford to have reports of such a nature being made about our produce; “The defects complained of are due to the factories receiving too big a proportion of low-grade cream containing a . high percentage of acidity. ■ The class of cream compels factories to use larger quantities of neutraliser than is desirable, and to pasteurise at high temperatures in the endeavour to overcome bad flavours. To remedy the cause we must get back to the source of production, which is on the farm where the cream is produced.

“The improvement in the quality of cream supplied to the factories has been engaging the attention of the Dairy Division and the factory managers for some years. In the opinion of those qualified to judge no progress whatever can be made in this direction until the factories offer some inducement to the dairy farmer to supply the best article possible. “Cream grading has been in operation in the North Island for some time, and. according to grading figures- supplied by the Dairy Division, a very pronounced improvement in the grade of butter manufactured by the factories carrying out cream grading has resulted. ‘ ‘ Grading of cream has been discussed in various districts in the South Island on many occasions, but its adoption would not have had such beneficial results to the industry unless it was made universal by all factories throughout the island, and those who were responsible for calling the special meeting of the South Island dairy factories in Dunedin in June are to be congratulated by everyone concerned in the industry, as cream grading will be an accomplished fact "throughout the South Island this season. “The conference, representing the whole of the South Island, unanimously decided to hdopt regulations governing the grading of CTeam and payment to suppliers according to test and grade, of cream supplied, and to put them into operation this coming season. “The Dairy Department has promised to make available a competent officer to advise factories, and to assist dairy farmers in the establishment of a uniform grade, bv visiting the factories and seeing that the work of grading is properly and'fairly done.” New Zealand has been aptly termed “The Empire Dairy,Farm” on account of -possessing the climate and lands ideally suited for dairying, and given the correct grading of , the raw material (milk), together with strict grading of the manufactured products, we should be able to produce the best dairy products in the world.

THE END OE A WORLD’S CHAMPION. The Jersey cow, Sophie 19th of Hood Farm, one of the greatest producing dairy cows in the wcn-ld, has been donated to the cause of the science of animal husbandry. She is soon -to be slaughtered at an American dairy experiment farm for the purpose of making analytical studies of her anatomy.. The carcass of this famous cow will be dissected in studies of the factors governing the relationship between conformation and physiology and milk and butter-fat producing ability. AGE AT WHICH TO BREED. At which age should heifers come into milk? asks a correspondent. This question frequently crops up when dairy -farmers gather together, and I find considerable diversity of opinion. The age at which heifers should come into milk depends upon the maturity of the animal,, which is governed to a, great extent by the breed and feeding of the aiiimal. Larger breeds such as the Friesians and Shorthorns as a rule should not calve before thirty months. The more rapidly-developing Jersey is as a rule sufficiently matured at twenty-four months. The Ayrshire also takes longer to come to maturity. The heavy feeding of grain results in an animal large for its age, and of early sexual maturity. Some breeders are inclined to have the first calf dropped at a rather early age, claiming it a way to fix a habit of milk production, also securing early financial returns. These animals are allowed to- drop their second calf eighteen to twentv months later, developing a long milking period. .It is questionable whether this method is advisable. Its advocates state that by allowing a longer period between first and second calves, the cow wil' have time to grow before the second calf is drooped, but the severe strain of a lactation period does not allow of much energy being devoted to building up the body, unless the heifer is allowed to 'dry off some time before calving. Breeding too young undoubtedly results in small cows, and it is impose sible for a young cow to digest a sufficient amount of food to produce milk and growth at the same time. The production of milk in a dairv heifer is the dominant function, and will not be materially checked to allow growth to continue. A cow that calves voung usually shows more pronounced femini"e characteristics than one that has calved later. From data supplied bv the .A«>rieultnral Un urn-si tv of America it has found that the highest milk producers are those that have calved between the ao-es -of twentv-six to thirtv months. Tt is' a great strain on aheifer to develop a foetus, and Horn investigations it has been found that a heifer does not materially add to her

own body during the last three months of pregnancy, even if liberally fed. The important factor necessary for economical milk supply is the individuality of the cow used, and this as mostly dependent ion inheritance. Still, the effect of the manner of raising heifers has to be taken into consideration to a very great extent. The poorly-developed heifer cannot be expected to make a high-producing cow, no matter what her inheritance is.— Producers’ Review.

THE CATTLE PLAGUE

DECREASE IN CALIFORNIA. EFFECTIVE METHODS. SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 10. The United States Department of Agriculture has just; issued the following Press notice: — ‘“With gradually increasing intervals between recurrences of foot-and-mouth disease in California, the situation in regard to the suppression of this livestock plague becomes more and more favourable. This was the view of the veterinary officials of the United States Department of . Agriculture ou 'August 30, based on Department records. No new outbreaks have appeared in Tuolumne County since August 16, and none in Los Angeles County since August 23. In the 14 other counties .involved during the outbreak no new cases have occurred for more than two months. The Department’s veterinarians continue to make painstaking inspections so that further cases, if any, will he promptly detected. ' “‘ln most cf the herds in which the disease lias been found recently only one animal in each herd was affected. This means that the system of thorough inspection resulted in prompt discovery and suppression before the virus had time to spread.. “In the infected range area in Tuolumne County mounted inspectors aire gathering up stray cattle and disposing cf them by tlie slaughter and burial method. None of these animals have shown lesions of the disease for about two weeks; but the value of such stock is small compared with the ravages , the disease would make if any of these animals should develop the disease and spread it to other. stock. A constant patrol of the ranges will be continued. “Further evidence that foot-and-mouth disease has yielded to scientific methods is the 100 per cent, result obtained with test animals on disinfected premises. After an infected herd is slaughtered, buried, and the premises disinfected, . the veterinary officials always use a few test animals for at least 30 days -before general restocking of the premises is permitted. The test animals will show symptoms of the disease in case' any dormant infection ■ has escaped the action of the disinfecting chemicals. Thus far on moa-e than 200 premises no test animal" has shown any sign of foot and mouth disease, no- have ' any of the other new, stock brought on the premises later Jieen. affected. This is considered rather remarkable in view of the treacherous nature and persistence of the virus and speaks well far the work of the disinfecting crews. “Increasing numbers of States have, modified their regulations dealing with the foot-and-mouth outbreak to conform to those of the Department’s Bureau of Animal Indutry. This makes for uniformity of administrative and field work.’ 1 ’ A SETTLER’S TRIALS. FIGHT AGAINST HEAVY ODDS. “MY WIFE A LITTLE HERO.” A HUMAN INTEREST STORY. A story of human interest, of a settler’s trials against heavy odds, of how he fought hardship and went down, only to rise again through sheer force of character, is told in a letter received by-Mr R. Masters, M.P. , which was the subject of a question in Parliament on Wednesday (states the Dominion). The letter is as follows: “I am enclosing a form that I received a few days ago in resjject to a soldier farm that I had to leave about a year ago. It seems impossible for me to fill it in and sign it, and be honest to everybody. I would very much appreciate your advice on it. Also I would like "you to fully understand my position, so will try and state my case as briefly as possible. “About five years before the war broke out a friend and myself took up a block of land (bush, 1400 acres). Spent what little money we bad on it; in the winter we worked felling bush, then went away to work, and what we made we spent on the place; never a holiday and never any time for pleasure. This went on until the end of 1915. “My partner tried to join the forces, but was rejected. I tried, was accepted, and went into camp on January 2", 1916. My partner passed the doctor a few months later, and left our farm (of which we had 300 acres in grass and well fenced) in the charge of a neighbour. At the end of January, 1919, when I returned (my partner had returned a few months earlier)', we found our farm in such a state of neglect that we could only leave it. All the grass had come away in scrub and fern, and all the fences were broken and ruined with slips; in fact, nothing had been clone all the time in the way of repairs. You can understand what three years of neglect can do in the back country. Our financial position suffered also. When the few sheep that were left were sold they just cleared the bills with the auctioneers, although they were practically clear when we left.

“Now, besides the six years on the farm, and three years at the u’ar, I even lost the 3s per day deferred pay, as I had it paid into our farm account.. I spent some time working for wages, _ and put in an application for a soldier section of 236 acres, which I got. Everything looked very nice, prices were good, and I had been looking forward very much to getting on the land again. “Just before I got the new section I got married. We very soon found that prices were not going to keep up. I had just got in at the top prices, and, instead of making money to further improve -the place, I had to go out to work to make money to keep my store hills paid. For three and a half years we struggled along, getting further behind with the rent, and the interest. .My wife, a little hero, cheerful]}' assisting by careful housekeeping and self-denial, clid far more than her share to help me. Our living expenses were £36 a year. AVe neither bad luxuries nor clothing, and we were going back further and further. “What with the loss of bullocks, and the slump prices I had to sell for, low prices for wool and lambs, and ewes ageing and depreciating, I had got into a pretty bad way. I bad fair luck with the few cows I had, but I bad to pay one-third of the cheques to the Crown. AVe now had two children. In fairness to everybody, especially my family, I decided to ieave and try and make good somewhere else. My going to the war cost me 13 years of my

life. Rather a big price for one man to pay, don’t you think? I am now nearly 40, and in a very much worse position than I was in 1914.

“So we left, the four of us, one a baby 10 weeks old, a bit of furniture, and £7 between us and starvation. I got a . job stumping and ploughing for a few months, and then*got a job at the—works. While there I saw an opening for a motor-truck, so a friend bought a one-ton truck, which I was to pay for when and how I could. I had very good luck there for a few months, and was able to pay £9O, leaving £123 owing. I got a little more furniture, which was badly needed, and put £4O in the bank, to pay some benzine and repair bills that were running rip. But the 'works closed down, and I was again out of work, so I decided to commence as a carrier. I was unable to lease- a house, and had to have a home of some sort, and the only thing to do was to buy a cottage. I had the-offer of one, sound and very cheap, for £360, with £4O down, so you see that took the money I saved to pay my bills. Do you think I would be doing an honest thing in signing that form and swearing to pay no one until I was clear of my obligations to the Crown? At present I am only just making a living, but trust to get more work shortly.” The reference to signing a document is connected with a circular sent by the Lands Department to soldier settlers. The clause the writer objects to is: I have not made, and do not intend to make, any arrangement with any of the above-named creditors for satisfaction of my indebtedness to them, either in whole or in part, in priority of the Crown’s claims. The matter was brought under the notice of the Minister of Lands by Mr Masters, and the Minister intimated in the House on Wednesday that he proposed to introduce an amendment of the _ Act to remedy hardship in cases similar to this. MONEY FOR FARMERS. AGRICULTURAL BANKS. OPPOSED BY MR T. SHAILER ' WESTON. “WILL NOT MEET THE DIFFICULTY.” “A measure that has been strongly advocated during the .last three years by some fanners is the Agricultural Banks Bill,” said Mr T. Shailer Weston at the annual meeting of the New Zealand' Employers’ Federation in Wellington. “The importance of this Dominion itself providing yearly by the savings of its people the capital- required by individuals, local bodies, and the Government for the maintenance of old and the construction, cf new undertakings required has been already stressed. Ido not. apologise, therefore, for considering the advantages and disadvantages of a scheme which will, in the opinion cf those who support it, attract a large amount of the national savings. With an unsatisfied demand already existing for such savings, no scheme should be inaugurated at the present time which is unnecessary. The scheme, as set out in the Bill officially promulgated by its supporters, is quite simple.” Mr Weston then outlined the provisions of the Bill. “The collapse of the boom in 1921,” continued Mr Weston, “coupled with the enormous unproductive expenditure of the war, resulted in: (1) A substantial fall in rural land values: (2) a great shortage of available loan, moneys; (3) a diminished saving power in the people; and the effect of these factors on the supply of capital available for farmers was accentuated by the amount of Government securities offering for sale at low prices by holders requiring cash, and the high rates of income tax payable upon income derived from mortgages. “An Agricultural' Bank was one cf the remedies suggested. If established during the last three years I doubt very much its success. When important local bodies such as the Wellington Harbour Board and the Wellington City Council, could not borrow at 5* per cent-., would investors have taken up Agricultural Bank bonds bearing that rate of interest? Moreover, there were not sufficient moneys available to be borrowed in the country. The bank at that time required at least £2,000,000 to be of the slightest use. It either could not have raised this amount, • or, if it had, it would have been at the expense of other institutions who were making good use of that money, including among these farmers’ co-operative societies. The Government plan to borrow large sums in London to lend to farmers through the Advances to Settlers Office was, undoubtedly, the right one, as such a policy made seme millions at once available, ■and it did not draw its supplies from sources where money could not be spared. In the immediate future, however, the adverse factors diminishing the amount of moneys available for farmers’ mortgages , should be decreasing. The value of rural lands is now based by all shrewd farmers upon its productive, capacity established by reasonable prices for its products. Lenders can, therefore, depend upon a security which, if valued in this way, will not seriously depreciate in value. * The national saving power is again becoming normal, and should from now on supply every year a minimum of £lO,600,000 towards the country’s requirements, The funds at nresent invested cn mortgage of rural lands have been largely increased, and are still being largely increased by Government borrowing in England.’ Most important, too, owing to the reductions in income tax, coupled with the increased prices of tax free Government stock, mortgages on rural lands have now become a more profitable investment for the big life insurance companies, who held so much of the people’s annual savings represented by annual life insurance premiums, and from now on these companies should steadily increase the amount of their funds invested in mortgages of rural lands. Even if the Bill were now passed, the farmer asking for the Bill assuredly would be disappointed. An Agricultural Bank could sell only a comparatively small amount of debentures at 5) per cent. The investment would be a novelty and no safer than many others offering greater inducements. The bonds would have to he for comparatively long terms, as their proceeds would" be lent on loans, whose repayments would extend over very long periods. They would not su.it the on’d in ary depositor, who.,lonics to obtain bis deposit without trouble or expense whenever lie may require it. The amount an Agricultural Bank could raise on its bojid.s would be so small as no! to materially affect the present position. It would be surprising if the total readied £500,000 within three years. Such an amount would be a mere drop in a bucket. The farmer,when lie came to borrow from the Agricultural Bank, would be disillusioned. He would have to pay 54 per cent (plus up to another 1 per cent, to cover the bank’s expenses of management). and liis loan could not exceed 66 per cent. Of the value of his land. Indeed, the farmer with anvthiug like reasonable security will be able to obtain the same accommodation offered by the Bill without the necessity of guaranteeing to the limited extent before-mentioned bis fellowfarmers’ mortgages from the bank. The

real difficulty in tlie case of most farmers to-day in need of financial assistance is that the value they would like to place upon their farms for mortgage purposes is more than a lender could, with safety, assent to, anti even on these values they require more than a 66 per cent, advance. The Agricultural Bank Bill, even if passed, would not, if faithfully and honestly administered, meet this difficulty—if" not so administered it would not be keening faith with its bondholders, who would be providing the money to be lent. It is desirable, therefore, to start another institution entailing the burden of another set of overhead expenses when that institution can do no moire to cope with the situation than the Government Advances to Settlers Office, the Public Trustee, the Government Life Insurance Department, and the big life insurance companies can do? Would it not be another case of over-engining the Dominion?’’