NOTES BY THE WAY.

Hawera Star, Volume XLIX, 16 November 1929, Page 16

NOTES BY THE WAY.

A Hawera. man who .recently disposed’ of his comparatively small daily farm a few miles away and bought a smaller place still close to a neighbouring town is more than ever an enthusiastic advocate of the one man or one family farm. He says he can make a good living and find time for hobbies and other pursuits Which on a larger farm are impossible. Surely that will be a lever to influence the young people to take up work on the land. And how it would, increase the prosperity of the district, and the Dominion!

Despite the cold snap of the pot few days, feed all over the district, and especially in those areas which woe most favoured by the weather —:.t is remarkable how patchy the rainfall ha?' been—is' coming away nicely, and fanners are much happier. But they do not anticipate more than a. holding in the milk supply, because, at the. ,!, -J of October the cows are mated for the season and this; obviates an increase in supply. If. however, the weather continues favourable, farmers may look forward to a, good rich autumn.

There have been several go d fads of rain which, but for drying y.inds would have had ai much more n arked effect on pastures than has been the case, but farmers agree that the grass is now coming away nu.eiv Where farms have been heavily stocked—and this is probably in a large number m eases —the season must have, been wry h,aTd. There is no doubt, -however, that rotational grazing, as recently described' in the “Star,” would have had a markedly good effect and have, been a distinct asset in a dry’ spell 1.

Following the welcome rain experienced in the Waipukurau district at the end of 'last week, which was succeeded by warm weather, feed is now coming awav splendidly.

A recent Napier visitor to the southern Fast Coast area states that the lambing percentages throughout that part “of the province were very satisfactory and everything 'points Ui a, good shearing season. The rain of last week, while it delayed shearing operations, was very welcome in this area, as good feed was getting sparse.

As evidence of what can be carried on a small place in Southland, the ease is given of a. Walkeetovn .property of 30 acres, that has wintered 115 "ewes on grass', aided by one ton of chaff and eight bags of oats, and is at rresent carrying the same ewes plus 150 lambs, and doing the whole lot very well.

The recent cold snaio seems to have had a. verv definite effect op dairy cows. A Stratford fanner with 40 cows reports that his butterfat went, down bv 1001,bs, and 1 if this experience was general, the. aggregate loss would be fairly substantial.

The month of October has been, one of the driest on record at Nelson for 46 years. Only a, little over an inch and* a halif has been recorded, against an average of three inches and a. half. On the last two. days of the. month welcome rain fell, and will do an immense amount of good throughout the. district, but more is needed. The pea. crops in some parts suffered .from the dry spell! . while” tobacco lands which ore now being put out need rain to give them a start.

Ri. L. Horn’s Kit Ku Brooklet was Mr Missen’s selection of the four cows ■which paraded in tlie cow in milk class' at Palmerston North, and she was also awarded! tho championship. Hi* Horn was heartily congratulated on his success, and naturally he was a very proud man (says the “Standard”), this being Ku Ku ■Brcok'let’.s fiftieth championship. This champion cow has been seen in previous years gt Hawera 1 .

After a fairly late beginning, there is< at present a great growth of feed in Poverty Bay (reports the “Herald.”) The growth was backward! until about the beginning of last month, when the warm weather which set in about that time (provided' the stock with an abundance of gree.n feed. Little rain fdll during the month until the recent' storm' ancl just prior to that dairy farmers were beginning to feel the want of further rain. This caime in abundance, and the grass was given a greater fillip than ever, with the result that now there is plenty of feed to spaire. The flush of the milking ipenicd ig rapidly approaching, and the present abundance of feed should provide the herds with sufficient sustenance to supply heavy yields during the next few months.

Referring to the success of several Southland dairy factories at the big dairy show in London recently, when they competed, in cheese classes against Canada, Australia and South Africa, the “Southland Times” remarks: “The results of the show form an interesting confirmation of the merits of the grading system in New Zealand, when it is recalled that for the last season Rya.l Bush, which Avon the competition, headed the grading list with an average grading of 93.783 points.”

Bv yielding 33.922 quarts of milk 'and 28651 b of butter in two years, a cow belonging to a Seattle farm has won for herself” the distinction of having a statue of herself erected. Her output was equal to that of ten ordinary cows.

The breaking of the dry spell wufPered during the past week (says the •‘Southland Times”) has enabled the grass to come ahead rapidiv and in most cases there is now plenty of feed’. The la.rmerp are enjoying a favourable season, and high production should result.