NOTES BY THE WAY.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 28 July 1928, Page 16

NOTES BY THE WAY.

The country is looking very well, and stock- is. generally in good heart. A great deal more rain, however, would he welcome, so as to make the country better, ready to stand any probable dry spell in the spring. The weather has been mild, and dairy farmers have much for which to be thankful.

The' very busiest time for the dairy farmer is just to hand,, and it looks likely .to be very good.. Cows are coming in fast, and calves are going away in hundreds every week to the works. One meets lorries crowded every day on the roads.

Record production has marked , the opening of the 1928-29 dairying, year in the Waikato. The butter yield, which last‘season, was a provincial record, is. being splendidly, maintained, and cheese production, which lias been lagging since the, dry summer and early autumn spell, is equal to that at this time last year.

By special train this week 140 Marlborough farmers will visit Christchurch and travel to various parts,of the province. They will go to jMt. Cook, visit an Addington sale, tour the Christchurch factories, visit Lincoln College, and a. ploughing match at Baloairn. They, will be,,, a week doing the trip. Canterbury people are making very special preparations- for them.

An annual ploughing match is aii event which to a district sivdh as . thi s is practically unknown, but ill parts of New Zealand, mostly in the South Island,.these events are regularly held. The “Napier Telegraph” reports one such near Hastings-. It attracted,,.no less than 200 motor ears with their occupants, and these, in contrast with the farm horses and implements-, must have appeared to make, a striking contrast. A special class of boys from the Hastings High School were present, and were ‘given an instructive talk on the art of ploughing. A competition .for tractor ploughing was also held. The ploughing contests included best gelding or mare, best pair, three- and four-horse team, best dressed team (including harness decorations'), best kept harness in daily use. oldest and youngest ploughman, ploughman with largest family. and best handled- team; best break (in and out); best finish, straightest and best finish, double and -single furrow, and tractor ploughing.

For the Royal Show, to be held at Palxherston North this year, January 31 has been suggested, but the Manavyatu Association has- objected and Wish a later date. The matter is under consideration, but it would seem-, the Royal Society will fix the date they consider the best in the interests of all.

With the heavy culling of dairy herds .that has followed herd testing (says the “M.anawatu Standard”) and the' consequent increased demand for replacements, heifers from good cows are worth keeping, and if sired by a purebred bull are eligible to come into the calf-marking scheme which will be introduced into this district this season. . Every farmer would be well advised to rear the best of his heifer calves for supplementing his herd or for selling as weaners of in-calf heifers, since there is every prospect of good dairy lines being in short demand for a season or two at least. Altogether the outlook for calves is more promising now than it has been for many years when thousands' were lulled for the value of the skin only.

Speaking at aii A. and P. meeting in the south, General R. Young did not hold out much hope for the veterinarians, as it looked very much as if the poor old horse was doomed. Mr. A. M. Brodie, however, said he could not agree with General Young that the horse was doomed. Go-od horses were becoming very scarce, and people would wake up soon and begin breeding horses again.

A good tone prevails at the July series of London wool sales, with prices very firm.