FARM and DAIRY

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 13 December 1924, Page 11

FARM and DAIRY

NOTES. BY THE WAY. “Over forty years ago,” said Mr. Gibbs, Paten County chairman, to. a Star representative/ “1 said I Looked forward to the day -when the Alton (huge would be straightened. 1 fear \ was looked on as a dreamer, but it. has now come to pass.” It should be added that Mr. Gibbs, was one of those who felled the bush on the route of that road in to the site of the hotel.

“Do you get many colonials willing to go to farm work:-” asked an. Auekland Star representative of Salvation Army Adjutant Gordon. “Practically none at all. The colonial prefer? the city life, and it would take some ex. ceptional inducement to get him to leave the tqwn. To give you an idea how badly farmers are in need of young men, 1 have how in my possession money to pay the fares of any single man willing to come from Home and go on a farm. I’ could place hundreds of boys on fine farms"’and with people who give them every chance in life. But you can’t get them, because they prefer to stay in the city or are afraid they might not be'able to make a ‘do’ of work which would be new to them. I honestly think the latter has a deal to do with the present short age.’’

Auckland papers report that rain interrupted outdoor work in the country, where harvesting operations were in active progress this week, and baymaking had to be abandoned pending an improvement. Large hayfields are affected, many farmers having mowed over ten acres, and if unsettled weather should continue for a : few day<s the quality of the hay will be damaged in consequence. Grass pastures will, however, be greatly benefited by the timely summer rain, and tlie downfall will be welcomed bv dairy farmers, as it will da much to keep up the yield of the herds until after Christina's. Growing crops are .showing exceptional growth all round Auckland, and the ellects ot this are evident on auction days at the city markets.

Twenty butter factories in Gi'ppslaud, recently formed the Co-operative Butteu Manufacturers.’ Association, with the purpose of manufacturing the product under one brand. The ain.i l oi the association is “to enable tin;' butter factory members to obtain as near perfect uniformity under a common oral id as possible by making a standardised choicest grade butter of not less than ,93 points grade.,’’ Definite and comprehensive manufacturing details were agreed upon in the endeavour to attain uniformity. It is stated that the first consignment oi LOGO boxes, under the brand Sunny South.” Iras 'been forwarded for export, and that the butter was or 91-93 points grade. ft is estimated that the weekly output of the association in the height of the season will be- about 8000 boxes.

' The West of Australia could not do without the goat. I'or not a lew remote centres, the goats vie)cl the milk supply and the “mutton.” When you get mutton for dinner at a wayside hotel it is far more likely to be goat than sheep flesh. Wherever you come across a small township or the beginnings of one on the far-spreading western plains, you will see go.at herds roaming about. They play a. great part in the domestic economy of the settlers. Often they provide the only fresh food that is obtainable, It is estimated that altogether there arein Queensland 119,832 common goats. Last year there were killed for food 23.134, which yielded 596,6201 b. of good, sound meat. Of Angora goats there are 3931, Some 860 of these were killed last year, yielding 22041 b oi mohair and a quantity of useful, meat. Angora goat-farming, however, is not a leading industry, though no doubt it could," and would, be developed if sheep wool were not more profitable.' Even in Brisbane there are not a few who esteem goats’ l miik as more wholesome and more nourishing 'thorn cows’ milk. With the -western resident who. does not peep cows there is no choice, except between tinned milk and goats’, and he chooses the goat when he can °eb it.

Most important of all the departments, however, is that in which the live stock are accommodated. Morel instructive to the initiated, at all! events, than the produce are the animal.s from which the milk is obtained, the quality of the herds takes us haek to the source ol all things pertainum to_ the dairy. It would be ea.sv to mismanage the milk, but it is easier still, to fail to induce profitable production, in the first stage of the work. Gowk differ surprisingly in their mill/ mg capacity, and in the response tliev will oiler to any particular form of t. eatmont. ft lies with the owner to discover imperfections and to endeavour to rectify them. The dairy shmv lias been ol incalculable service in obtaining the necessary infonnation and in pointing the wav to its practical application.

EXHIBITION TRAIN

N.S. WALES PROJECT

Early next year an exhibition train, displaying exhibits of Australian industries, will eommen.ee a twelve months' tour of the .State of Xew South V.’ales.

I’ht' Austral iuu-Alade Preference League, which has planned the exhibition, lias completed arrangements with the I fail way Commissioners for the train to visit 100 of the leading country towns.

The director of the League (Air. Bagnalb ALL.A.), in announcing the completion of the railway arrangements. states that the exhibition will be arranged in vehicles specially equipped for the purpose. The Department of Agriculture, in addition to other Government Departments, is negotiating with a view to. participating in the project. Air. Chnflcy. Al mister lor Agriculture, is anxious. it is stated, to provide facilities that will assist the farmer to improve his crops and geneiyllv increase production, by means of lectures. cinema, films, and exhibits, and. it is added, contemplates taking advantage ol the project to advance tlic ini crests of the primary producer. This proposed activity will come under the general heading of “Better Fainiing." Ihe tom - will commence immediately after the Easter holidays, and will continue for ah nut twelve months. His Excellency tlic Governor (Sir Dudley do Chai'd. the Prnmicr (Sir Gnorop Fuller). (he Lord ALavor. and AT inis tors of He Grown will participate in the official launching of the exhibit ion tour. Snootaeular novelties. including searchlights and snorinl illumination, will he part of the equipment: also, the latest -development in wireless for entertainment nurp.oso.x. as well as for commercial broadcast.in<* to assist the sales campaign of exhibitors.

WHAREROA. (Erom Our Own Correspondent.) . \\e are now m the midst of the- harmakmg season, and the whirr of the 'heard* C I- s * l / ru ke nmv be 'mo. d nr H ? u ' ect . 10ns - Generally' the uops aie extremely good, and" the ST tsick "to clover k , Mefoil. The creeping vellovvknow.rL SU |‘ k in ? c i over (commonly knonn ns colonial trefoil) is very prethis season, and in conjunction >v.th the White Dutch clove”Trms a good bottom foe the gras hay crops. . .uglass, too, is prominent {n pastures that have not been eaten doivn Iract SI" 1 ' ThiS St of aIJ C:Jov « rs is practically permanent when not grazed too harshly, and paddocks maV be seea m this locality with cowgrass showing freely, although laid dow/Sr! haps & or go years. seed ot common red clover (Triftflium pratenee), which is only an annual is sor the Perennial cowgrass (Tritohum pratense perenne), and as t&e seed of each is 'wJfabniuXb” caused 1 ‘rEfU’ «*&**““**•» fa often caused. This would seem to have occurred m the case of the Stratford atm ' report showing that cowgrass” went out in the second year alter sowin® o-rSvJh i SIn lldin W th * wonderful growth of the pastures, the cows seem to have passed their flush of milk, and the supply to the local factory is now on the decline. Present climatic indications seem to point to a fairly humid summer, hut it is difficult to. foieeast The old tales about the excessive flowering of cabbage trees, flax etc., as bearing on the future rainfall are quite ridiculous, for these manifestations are the effect of the mild and rainy weather during the sprin® that is past, and cannot possibly" be ; clue to any condition of weather that is to follow. It is putting the cart before the horse rationally to attribute an effect from a cause which has not yet existed.

~ are inclined to think the life of the dairv farmer as one of ease, with occasional intervals' of more or less strenuous work Having. experienced both conditions of environment, I can safely- say that the life of the average dairyman, with the alarms and excursions” incidental to the profession, is much more active than that of the ordinary to.wn dweller. I. ai ticu.hirly iu. the harvesting season, now op, he knows of little respite throughout the livelong day. Till comes that interval of ease \\ hen the day s travail is done ■, The shambling cattle trail awav Lo camp at set of sun— When the starlings roost in the boxthorn, And the last gull flaps to the sea. He stumbles in to his home-for- | awhile,—, By grace of the mortgagee!

MOULD AND WOOD TAINT IN BUTTER.

in a circular giving the shipments of butter from Australia for August to November J, the secretary of the Hairy Control Board says : the Customs authorities are now coni'alilty Boxes.—We give below a report on faulty boxes which recently appealed in one ot the Australian newspapers, and which was kindly sent to the hoard by the New Zealand Director of forestry, ft goes to emphasise the need for using thoroughly seasoned boxes. The report reads as follows: trouble is reported to have arisen in l* l dtor trade on account of mould and wood taint having been, detected m Australian butter on its arrival in England. Queensland butter particularly has been the subject of complaint in this respect. The whole subject is now being investigated by the Customs Department. The official view is that the iise of unseasoned timber for the manufacture of butter boxes is the cause of the wood taint, and that the mould is due. to the faulty dressing of the timber. It is said that unevenness in the boards from which the boxes are made is responsible for the mould. The timber known as sinker pine is said to be particularly objectionable, if used without being seasoned, as it gives a distinct taint to butter. Lining the boxes with ' paraffin wax had been tried, but this had only been partly effective, as there was a difficulty in. applying the wax. Recently, however, a method of treating the boxes with this preparation had made considerable improvement, and the Custom sauthorities are now considering the adoption of this preventive. Two methods have been suggested as alternatives of the method "now used. The first is the use of celotex hoard, a factory for the manufacture of which is proposed to lie erected in Queensland. The second method is a suggestion from South Australia to have the boxes treated with plaster of I Paris.

.Reduction of Grade.—From authoritative sources it is learned that heavy losses are being sustained by the butter factories, and consequently by the producers of butter, on account of the iaults mentioned. The immediate effect is to have the grade of the butter reduced, and it cannot lie uermitted to carry the “Kangaroo” brand. Those engaged in the butter export trade agiee that the taint and mould are serious defects. Thev sav that in the months of March. April ‘and Mav the taint is particularly prevalent, but at oilier'times it is not unpleasant, it is a contentious subject, and lum come into prominence since the shortage of timber suitable for butter boxes has become more pronounced, and the tops of trees'.a ud immature Limber aroused. Botn taint and mould, of course, affect only the surface of I lie butter to a depth of one-sixteenth or one-eighth ol an inch. Kxpcrienced shioners sav that the taint disappears after' a time. The elusive nature of the complaint makes it the more difficult to deal with.

Kxport Not Permitted.—By lowering the grade of butter packed as first quality to second quality, and reducing choicest to first anti even second grade, represents a serious loss to the trade! and efforts are being made to solve the problem. In the Southern States it is complained that these defects 'in Queensland butter are affecting all Australian butter in the London* market. Attention is now being concentrated upon the economic question of supplying a timber for the manufacture of butter boxes which will not taint the contents. As will readily bo understood, the cost of the box must not lie great, or it would bo a serious tax on the producer, particularly when prices are low. The Minister for Customs has under consideration a proposal to insist upon butter boxes made from Queensland" timber being lined with paraffin wax. He says that butter packed in boxes manufactured from unseasoned timber will not be permitted for export. Regarding the lining of the boxes with paraffin wax. the Minister has referred the point to the Australian Dairy Council', and it will be discussed at a meeting of that body.