FARM and DAIRY

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 6 March 1926, Page 14

FARM and DAIRY

NOTES BY THE WAY. A renorL in the Wairarapa Age of the last meeting of the Farmers’ Union Executive remarks on the growth ol the Bovs' and Girls’ Club movement in the 'Wairarapa. The report of the farmim' instructor of the Education Board showed that 12 schools were participating, and the movement was rapidly spreading. The Friesian herd ol Aiessis xi. North and Sons, Rosevale, North Otago, have put up an average production tor 365 days of 20,6661 b milk, <lolb fat, fpr 25 * cqws under semi-official test. The highest return is that- of Burkeyje Sylvia Posch, 27,1611 b milk, 8541 b fat. In the notes on the Stratford Faini last week, when writing of the manures for Taranaki, the omission of a sentence gave a wrong impression of JVU Deem’s remarks on the subject of manure for top-dressing m coastal ana inland districts. He said—and he has stressed this more than once—that super was the best for the coast lands and slag proved superior in the land further back. , One of the features of the hist A. and P. Show held in Hawera was the sheep shearing. This was stressed y old settlers some time ago when some of their reminiscences were given m the Star. It shows m one striking respect how farming in this distiict has changed its character But they were mighty shearers m those days, and their tallies with only hand shears were such as would make shearers oi to-day look up and take notice. This fact has been noted by the pioneers of the Taranaki A. and P. Show in giving their fine trophy to points in sheep as a ‘‘remembrance of the early days and the great asset to New Zealand the sheep with its “o-olden fleece” has been. _ It was altogether a happy inspiration.

SOFT TURNIP YIELDS

AT STRATFORD FARM

Each year a number of new 'varieties of seeds' of various kinds are tried out at the Stratford Demonstration Farm, the object being to see if there is any one of them of outstanding quality and prolific nature. Last year a number of Danish varieties of soft turnip, were given a trial, seven being tried out and all but one did fairly well. They returned an .average ,per acre ot 38 tons 4cwt, ranging from 37 tons 15cwt to 39 tons 3cwt. None of them had dull root, and two were also free Of the main crop, all but one returned a better tonnage, and the average over all the five varieties was 39 tons Bcwt, or, excluding the lowest, which .rave only 32 tons 9cwt and was not fully matured, the average was 42 tons 12cwt. Red Paragon topped the list with 46 tons Icwt, and next came Hardv Green Globe with 43 tons 3cwt. -ft will be of interest to note that three plots of the last-named were grown with different manures—two parts super and one of basic slag, two narts super and one part Nauru, and basic super. The first was the best bv over a ton and a half. All the mam crops were free of elub root, and there was onlv a small appearance of rot in the Gre'en Globe, while Red Paragon w.as perfectly sound. NEW ZEALAND BUTTER. Another tribute is paid to the quality of Now Zealand butter by arelative of a Riverlea farmer, Mr B. Hev, who came fo New Zealand a few years ago from Yorkshire. Writing to Mr Hey recently, this gentleman acknowledges a supply of butter sent to him as a Christmas present. Inter alia, he says: “I don’t know whether I should call it new or not; it must be at least six weeks old. . . It is very good and sweet, and much better than some of the new we get here; there tvas no keenness about it considering the age. I do not know whether any preservative is used in butter-making when it is for export or not; all I can say is it is good butter. Then there was no ticket on it to say what it cost in vour country; we hai-e to pay 2s 6d here.” ROMNEY MARSH SHEEP. Until some eighteen years ago the Romney Marsh sheep was an unknown quantity in the Western States of America, says an American writer. About this time, ‘or, to be exact, in the year 1907, an enterprising sheepbreeder, Mr. William Riddell, jun., in Williamette Valley, in the State ot Oregon, decided to give the .Romney Marsh a trial. He was at this time a .Lincoln breeder, but lie had heard so much of the Romney Marsh sheep, and of its pre-eminence in the British Dominions, New Zealand, Falkland Isies, etc., and of its good qualities away from its native habitat of Kent, England, that he decided to give Romneys a trial. The Williamette Valley, in Oregon, where the Riddell Bros. haA-e large holdings, while not an exposed country, and where the winters are comparatively mild, has at times of the year an excessive rainfall. It is a wonderful stock country, and has always been noted as the Mecca ol long-ivool. sheep in America. Air. Riddell came to the conclusion that the Romney Marsh sheep, Avhicli he had heard so much about, “making good” under climatic conditions similar to that prevailing in liis locality, might be the sheep adapted by nature for his land -and surrounding. He made up his mind to start in with the very best he could import, and through the instrumentality of a New Zealand shepherd who Avas then in America, lie procured a number of ewes and a ram from the famous flock of the late Ernest Short, of Feilding, then at the zenith of his fame These sheep did well from the outset of their arrival in their neiv country. Being a new breed Avhere they Avere up to then unknown, their progress was obviously slow in gaining recognition.

It is true the importer sold many rams for crossing purposes at ordinary field prices, which, however, did not deter him from importing more- good rams from New Zealand to use in his flock, and making purchases of some of the New Zealand sheep sent over to the San Francisco Exhibition. Later, it was found that the Romney Marsh crossed well with the RambouilletMerino, and Air. Riddell in time disposed of as many rams as lie could breed for this purpose. Apart from the fact that a few small flocks were started, a Romney Marsh Association was formed which has now forty members, with an executive and secretary, w hich is doing good work in the breed.

The Romney Marsh is known, and has made good in the State of Washington since the year 1915, when Mr. H. Stanley Coffin, of Yakima, visited New Zealand and made a big importation. He has now a large flock, and breeds halfbred Romney-Merino rams

for the Range trade. Air. Coffin was one of the first presidents of the Romney Marsh Association at its inception .

If tlic Romney Alarsii has provel itself by its inherent qualities to bo of value to those in this country who liaA r e gone in for flocks, it inis enhanced its position and demonstrated its exceptional prepotency in being the progenitor of what may lie termed a new breed.

Some few .years ago a large ami prominent lioekmaster in Caiiiornia, Mr. A. T. Spencer, president of the California Woolgrowers’ Association, purchased of Mr. Riddel] some Romney Marsh rams to cross with his Rambouillet-Merino ewes. The produce of this cross, with careful section, were subsequently inbred, with wonderful results, and have really ne come a iixed type, resembling the Kornney Marsh very much in type, con, formation and character, save that the wool in some instances is nmen liner. It is classed as three-eighths blood, that is fifties to fifty-sixes. He has named them “Romeldales.” The owner has now the fifth generation or tiiis cross, and finds ready sale for all the rams —many hundreds —he can breed, at very good prices. The ewes he breeds to Hampshire rams to produce fat lambs. Several new Hocks are now being formed in California, including one at the University Farm at Davis. But the progress of starting a purebrred flock must of necessity be slow, as registered ewes are unprocurable

In Humboldt County, on the coast in California, the Romney Marsh has got a good “foothold,’' and nearly all available rams last season were purchased for that locality, where it has been found it crosses ivell on the Dorset Horn, the prevailing breed of sheep in that part, of the State. If any evidence was required th° popularity of the Romney Marsh in the Western States, it was forthcoming at the recent International Exposition at Portland last November (1925), when there was a large and represent ative showing of the breed, including a flock from British Columbia, Canada. The Romney Marsh section was the feature of the sheep show, and the demand for rams was more than the supply. The British Columbia show flock, • some twenty head, was soldi n its entirety, and remains on this side of the border. Although the breeders declined to part with their ewes, one was sold for one hundred dollars. Prom this it will be seen that the Romney Marsh has at last “come into its own” in this country and is here to stay.—American Ebe change.

AGRICULTURAL ITEAIS. In the western .States of America, lucerne, or, as they call it, alfalfa, has been dubbed “the mortgage lifter,” owing to its magnificent cropping qualities. Pliosphatic manures never have the effect upon the growth and colour of the crop which nitrogenous manures have, so that they can only properly be judged by the weight amt quality of the crop.

Crops of thousand-headed kale and chon moulder are best cut and ailoweu to wilt lor a day or two before being fed out. In this condition cows do better on the fodder, and the danger of red-water is avoided."

The combination of basic slag and potasli salts is productive of wonderfully good results on some soils, especi ally on light soils, which are naturally deficient in potash. In such a case potash manures must be used with the basic slag. improved live stock makes about 40 per cent, more profitable use of feed than common stock. Purebreds excel grades, and grades excel scrubs. The use of purebred sires leads to the •ownership and use of fully six times as many purebred 'female animals. The dairy cow converts into the most vital food for man the cheaper products of the farm, and, il she is of proper quality, returns a profit for labour and feed expended and furnishes a home market for grain and hay and continues with her work year in and year out. Silage is aii all-year feed. It replaces the elements of pasture in winter and it supplements pastures in summer. If the pasture dries up, as is too often the case, silage tides olie over. If the cows are heavy milkers silage can profitably be fed with good pasture, for the variety of succulence encourages the cow to eat more. The honour of possessing the best managed farm in Kent (England) has been awarded to Air. A. Day, Tong Farm, Headcorn, who uses nine horses and two tractors on 509 ; acres. He had 350 breeding ewes, 130 lambs, 70 bullocks, and many fat pigs, and some 95 acres devoted to fruit and 35 acres to hops. The interesting point about this farm is not so much its productivity as that the farmer finds it profitable to combine the use of horses and tractors.

The mortality in fat cattle, in Queensland owing to dry weather should have a reflex action on the position in New Zealand, where prices have been only fair.

There is a widespread movement on foot in Canada just now favouring the formation of butter and cheese pools, similar to the organisations so highly developed in Denmark. The results following on the recent bush fires have been so dreadful and so destructive that it is good to see the Investigation Department is taking up the matter with a view to prosecutions. It is pretty certain that in manv cases much too little care is

exercised. The time for indisci miinate and wholesale bush fires has long since gone If it were only for the material destruction, almost irreparable, the matter is worth strict inquiry, and punishment if necessary as a deterient in the future.

FEED FLAVOURS

RESULTS OF EXPERIMENTS

The outcome of many experiments that have .-been undertaken to determine the reasons for the variations in flavour and odour of milk and the means of control appear to be that many of the objectionable feed flavours reach the mjlk through, the body of the cow, and not through absorption from the air of the milking shed This lias been shown to be true of green clover arid lucerne, and to a slight extent with green maize. The same effect was found to be exercised when the green feed was cut and carted to the animals as when they were allowed to graze. When the green food was consumed within an hour of milking, these undesirable flavours were present. When three hours elapsed between the feeding or grazing on clover or lucerne the intensity of the objectionable condition of the milk was considerably reduced When the interval was five hours the flavour and the odour became normal. The recommendation is that cows should be put on the grass, clover, or rank growth of any sort, or fed on carted green food immediately after milking, and that they pass a certain time, four hours if possible, • in a pasture of clean grass. It may be noted that this- precaution applies more especially in spring and early summer. The strong odour and flavour appear to lessen as Hie plants pass the ripening stage. It may not be forgotten that clover or lucerne that lias been cut and allowed to wilt parts with at least some of its strong odour, and that it is no less palatable to the animal. A PRECSENT FOR THE KING. FROM NEW ZEALAND SOLDIERS. CHEESE FROAI TIRiATU SETTLEMENT. In accepting the Christmas gift of an 801 b cheese from the members of the Tiratu Soldiers’ Settlement sent to His Alajesty the King, Lord Stamfordham said : “The King will be very glad to accept the cheese so kindly sent through you on behalf of the Tiratu Soldiers’ Settlement, I propose with your approval to write direct to Mr. S. T. Paviour-Smith, conveying to him His Majesty’s thanks for the gift and also for the kind terms in which his communication was made.” Lord. Stamfordham also intimated that there would be no objection on the King’s part to a duplicate .of the cheese being exhibited in the window of New Zealand House, and afterwards sold, the proceeds to be given to char-

ity. The duplicate, therefore, wbigSjL was in the hands of the London agent® of the factory, the Anglo-Continental Produce Company, was on view in the Strand window as from January 7.

RAGWORT.

AUSTRALIAN OOAIAIENT.

fn view of the serious menace of ragwort in this and other -parts of the Dominion the following comment by a Melbourne paper will be read with interest: Air A Peverill (Under-Secretary to the Lauds Department) spoke in enthusiastic terms of an experiment which the department had recentlycarried out in the Callignee shire with the object of checking the spread of ragwort. Members of Tra.ralgon Shire Council had accompanied the Minister last week to Callignee parish, which was composed mostly of hill settlers, who were apprehensive regarding the hold which the weed was obtaining. Last year, at the expense of the owner, a block was cut in tins district by the department, but ragwort grew as freely as in the past. Then the department suggested to the owner that sheep should lie placed, on it. The result was amazing. Some 700 poor sheep were trucked to Traralgon in connection with the experiment They were in such poor condition that 20 of them fell by the wayside on the road from Traralgon to the block. In the short space of two months, however, the block wheawfie sheep could get at it was almost ootjipletely cleared, and the sheep were/ in healthy condition.

LAALB SEASON IN THE SOUTH

CARCASES WEIGHING HEAVY

The various works have been working at full pressure since the opening week, and some good lines of lambs have been handled, says the Southland Times. Many farmers, not satisfied with the prices offering, have “hung” their lambs, and are holding them in anticipation of better prices in the near future. The average weight of lamb this season is slightly heavier than last, and runs out at about 361 b. as compared. with about 331 b of northern works. Those who are closely connected with the meat trade state that the general average for Southland lamb is too high, and that if the Southland farmers want better prices thev will have to breed lambs that will mature early, and not weigh so heavily. It has been proved that Southland can produce early light la nib, and another season at the present prices will force farmers to breed this class of lamb. AVhile good prices were obtained for heavy lambs, farmers grew them, but with such.a difference in price as that operating, at present, farmers will soon be raising the lambs that will pay them best.