BY WAYSIDE

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 80, 16 March 1934, Page 12

BY WAYSIDE

Of Interest to Farmers CONTROLLING RUSH GROWTH Rushes, particularly on land which is highly productive, are a source of loss to a number of farmers in the Hawke’s Bay district. Although rushes have their uses, a heavy degree of rush infestaion is not a sign of good farming. Draining is the main factor in reducing rush growth and can be carried out from the present time on into the winter. * * • Experiments carried out at tho Marton experimental farm show that the use of the mower at regular intervals to control growth, coupled with regular topdressing and liming, tended . definitely to check the spread of rushes. The most satisfactory means of dealing with the rush pest is by the draining of the pastures concerned. Rush growth indicates sour conditions, which may nearly always be taken as an indication of lack of drainage. Last year several interested farmers in the Hawke’s Bay district rase up in arms when it was suggested that parasites be introduced to control the white butterfly, because, they contended, the parasite was a wasp. Despite the denials and explanations that have been made, this view is still held, and Mr N. R. W. Thomas, chairman of the Auckland Council of the New Zealand Institute of Horticulture, is the latest to promulgate the wasp theory. Speaking at Auckland recently, Mr Thomas said that the Agricultural Department was introducing a special wasp enemy, but ho doubted that this would control the buterfly! * * • Culling without replacement is expected to go on to a marked extent in Gisborne dairy herds during ths coming winter. This will be one inevitable result of the continued low dairy market returns, and nb doubt will be most evident among those sheep farmers who turned portions of their property over to dairying when wool was worth only 4d a lb. A similar movement, as far as the culling of herds is concerned, is expected to take place on several dairy farms in Hawke’s Bay. Farmers who have confined their attention to dairying for some years will not, it is anticipated, reduce their herds to any marked degree, but on several Hawke’s Bay properties, where dairy herds have been established during the slump, a reduction in herd numbers will most probably occur. * » • One Hawke’s Bay dairy farmer with whom the writer was recently in conversation, does not regard the future of the dairy industry in the Dominion as black. “Butter and cheese prices fell about a season after the drop in wool,” said this farmer. “Consequently, it may be a season or two yet before dairy produce prices pick up once again.” Dairy-farmers in the province will hope that this optimistic outlook is justified. * * » Plenty of exercise is of the first importance to the young colt or filly, therefore never keep them shut up, except when really necessary. It is 'advisable to get foals to eat a little corn some time before being weaned. Nothing is better than oats; they are capital frame-builders. A little oatmeal, bran and a few pulped carrots may also be given; while a feed of bran scalded with boiled linseed will, if given occasionally, help to keep the system in order. Unless a foal, aftei weaning is well fed, it will not do as well as it would have done under proper treatment. At the same time there must be no forcing; the food must be supplied for growth and development only. Excess of a corn ration, combined with insufficient exercise, has helped to spoil many a good young horse. * * » Out of a flock of 950 sheep Mr T. Flynn, Waikouro, has sent 1.088 lambs away to the works off 918 ewes. The draft, worked out at 21/10 net with only t per cent of seconds (states the “Southland Times”). Only 220 acres of paddock were used for feed, which works out at five fut'lambs per acre, and. Mi Flynn has still 150 lambs to be drafted. * * * A pieceof rubber tubing too worn to do dut.y on the claw of a milkingmachine makes an excellent feeder for troublesome calces. If the tube be immersed in the milk the calf will suck readily, and if von keep the calf’s nose in the milk after a few feeds it will drink without the tubing. This method is a great advantage over using the finger (writes a correspondent). * * * During the hot weather the flock should be handled as little as possible.

The sheep should be in paddocks where there is good shade and water, and a supply of salt should always be available. Any work necessary with them should be done during the cooler parts of the day, and if water is available it should be sprinkled on the yards to keep them as free from dust as possible. » * * According to the latest figures available showing exports of wool from South Africa during the first three months of the season there have been considerable changes in the demand in that market this year. It is notable that Japan has been a considerably bigger buyer, having taken 524,9091 b of greasy wool and 10,4531 b of scoured, compared with 105,7191 b and 1081 b respectively last year.