What “Sundowner” Hears

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, Issue 205, 13 August 1927, Page 4

What “Sundowner” Hears

I left my dad, his farm, his plough, Because my calf became his cow; I left my dad—’twas wrong, of course— Because my eolt became his horse; I left my dad to sow and reap Because my lam became his sheep; I dropped my hoe and stuck my fork Because my pig became his pork; The garden truck that I made grow Was his to sell and mine to hoe. —Contributed.

Yet another exemplification of Southland’s favourable climate (says a southern exchange) is to be found in the fact that Mr T. Lodge, of East Winton, planted King Edward seed potatoes in April, and has grown a successful crop, which is now ready for the table. This is surely a record for the South Island in 1927 new potatoes.

“The value of a utility hen depends upon her performance more than upon her appearance,” says a Home writer. But it all depends upon where she appears. If in the show pen then “appearance” is everything, and if at the egg-laying competition “performance” (egg laying) is what counts. But when the bird is for sale a competition record for laying plus standard type would bring a higher bid than would either performance or appearance alone.

The beneficial effects of top-dressing with fertilisers to keep down noxious weeds has been frequently demonstrated (says the Ashburton Guardian). The top-dressings so encourage the growth of pasture grasses that more stock can be carried.

A drover taking a mob of bullocks through Nuhaka early this week was unfortunate in having seven large beasts completely bogged near the Omana settlement (reports the Poverty Bay Herald). Some of the animals sank almost neck deep in a place where a slip had recently been, and horses had to be secured to drag them out.

In four of the largest eastern cities the United States department of agriculture has commenced the grading and stamping of beef for retail sale. The work is carried out at the pack-ing-houses, and the stamp is put on in such a way that even a small retail cut will shoiv the grade. If the experiment proves successful and the consuming public commences to call for beef according to grade, a regular force of graders will be put on and practically all beef sold will be graded.

It has long been widely recognised that milk as an item in the diet of children was second to none, but it is startling to learn from a report of the Medical Research Council that the addition of one pint of milk a day to a diet, which without it satisfied the appetite of growing boys could convert an annua] average gain of weight of 3.851 b per boy into 6.981 b per boy. and an average increase in height from 1.84 in per boy into 2.65 in per boy. and that coincident with this striking increase in weight find height the lioys Were obviously more fit than those in the other groups. Exactly the same testimony was recently borne by the authorities in a school whore it was decided to close the proverbial “tuck shop” and open a milk shop instead. The improvement in the physique and general health of the boys was surprising, and led to the example set hv this school being followed by others.