BY THE WAYSIDE

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 81, 17 March 1934, Page 11

BY THE WAYSIDE

Of Interest to Farmers NEW APPLE VARIETIES In the fruit section at the Autumn Show there was a very interesting exhibit of new improved varieties of apples. These included the Red Delicious (growm by Mr R. V. Law, of Hastings), the Red Cox’s Orange (produced by Mr W. Hall, of Gisborne and grown in Hastings), Kidd’s Orange Red, Oratia Beauty, an improved GravOnstein, Red Dougherty (grown by Mr F. Harris, of Hastings) and the Richared Delicious. The extra richness of colour which is being obtained in these fruits should eventually have a beneficial effect on the export demand for the fruit of this district and of the Dominion generally. * » The latest figures compiled by the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board as to fat stock killings show a decided decrease in wether figures for the present season, only 388,142 wethers being killed as compared with 618,813 for the corresponding period of last season. Ewes show a decrease of about 80,000 on last season, while the total number of lambs slaughtered has dropped from 4,886,848 to 4,722,556. For the North Island alone, lamb killings increased over 100,000, the decrease being solely in the South Island. Pork killings show a large increase, as does boneless beef. .r » ■ The suggestion that Robin Adairs would prove a very good potato on the Richmond Block at Napier was made to the writer recently by a resident of Napier South. On his own property, the soil of which was very similar to the land of the Richmond Block, this gdrdener has grown Robin Adairs with excellent results, while other varieties have not done so well. The only objection that this resident voiced in connection with this variety was that they might not keep as well as some other varieties. » » • Striking evidence of the popularity of the Shorthorn, due to its capacity to go anywhere and do anything (writes the secretary of the Shorthorn Society) is afforded by the 1931 census of purebred cattle on farms in Canada. The total figure was 449,462 head, of which the three leading British breeds supplied respectively: — Shorthorn, 93,779; Hereford, 28,117; Aberdeen-

L — ii— i—ii — ii —ii — r MTMwnuxMQ —n— n — Angus, 14,448. Thus the Shorthorn comprised nearly 21 per cent of the total pure-bred cattle population, and considerably more than double the combined totals of its competitors. The reason is obvious —the Shorthorn is unrivalled as a general-purpose breed. • • • During a recent address Mr H. B. Barlow, chief dairy instructor in South Australia, referred to experiments in feeding now being conducted at Roseworthy College. He stated that six separate tests were in progress, and the results so far were remarkable. There were six pigs in each test, consisting of the following breeds: —One Berk shire, two Large White-Berkshire cross, one Tamworth-Berkshire cross and one Large White-Tamworth-Berkshire cross. On > pen was fed on barley; one on barley and meat meal; one on barley, skimmed milk and lucerne; one or wheat; cne on wheat and meat meal, and one on wheat, skimmed milk and lucerne. The pigs were given as much as they could eat, and at the end of 28 days the increase in weight a pen was: —Tlio.ie fed on barley, 113 lb.; those fed on barley and meat meal, 148 lb-; on barley, skimmed milk and lucerne, 222 lb.; on wheat, 113 lb.; on wheat and meat meal, 167 lb.; and on wheat, skimmed milk and lucerne, 224 ,b - What is believed to be a South Island record for a Jersey cow was put up recently by Vanity’s Best owned b> Mr J. J. Hughey, “ Grena-Bank, ” Rangiora, when she gave 815 lb. fat under C.O.R. The sire of this notable performer was Sincerity’s Silver Lad, who was by a son of the Lord Twylish bull Remarkable of Meadowbrook. Hot dam, Glen Tui’s Vanity, is by a son of Admiral of Puketapu, the bottom line tracing back to Starlight, a bull imported frtim Victoria by Mr J. A. McCrea » « « The best way to train a dog that has tendency to run away is to get him on a chain. Much can be accomplished if a stick or strap Is kept handy. Never let a dog bite the sheep when he is driving them. If he does this, the best way to prevent it is to muzzle him. A very important thing to teach a dog is to sit down- No matter where the dog is, when he is told to sit down he must do it immediately (states an exchange). The head of an old pick which is no longer fit for its usual job can be turned to good account to provide a tying-up place for the saddle horse during the adjournment for lunch. Straighten one of the pointed ends and drive it into a stump or a post, keeping the eye of the pick (the hole through which the handle goes) above the wood. All you have to do to tie up the horse is place the rein through the eye and pass it over the projecting point.