Farming Topics in Brief

Horowhenua Chronicle, 21 August 1928, Page 8

Farming Topics in Brief

A Mild Winter. .. The winter continues mild, and stock and pastures look none the worse lor the past season. A fair heavy frost now and then servos to remind us that spring has not yet ousted winter, but apart from that there has been little to hinder seasonal operations on the farm. The phenomenal small rainfall in June was repeated in July, and it would appear that neither of those months will be an\ drier than August if things continue as at present. Boys’ aud Girls’ Clubs.

That boys’ aud girls’ agricultural clubs do not wholly adhere to the line of procedure it is desired to encourage in indicated by the Director of Agriculture who says: ‘ 4 The true aim in agricultural instruction in primary ■ schools is not to produce the biggest vegetable that can be produced but to develop in the pupils a scientific attitude towards agriculture. The boys’ and girls’ club movement seeks to develop the practical rather than the scientific side of agricultural instruction but at the same time it is not the policy of this department to discourage their development. The new syllabus of instruction provides for the encouragement of the clubs and the Council of education is also in favour of them. The development of club work is primarily the function of the Department of Agriculture which provides each year a substantial sum for the fostering of boys’ and girls’ agricultural clubs, while the Education Department co-operates to the extent of providing the services of its agricultural instructors, wherever necessary, for the supervision of the work.” Export of Veal. The committee controlling the export of veal from Southland has arrangements for this season’s activities well in hand. Cartage tenders have been received and considered, and it is understood that this year the charges in this respect will show a slight decrease as compared with last year’s price. Tenders have been (‘ailed for the purchase of skins, and it is expected that in view of the high prices ruling in the north these will be in keen demand. It has boon decided to make an advance payment of 7s per head this year, an increase of 2s on last, year’s advance. Killing commenced at Mataura on August 20, and at Makarewa on August 27.

Perfume as a Fannlet Crop. Quoting from French sources on the perfume, industry, the “Now Zealand Smallholder” suggests that the growing of flowers and the bottling of their perfumes might become a useful industry for the smallholders of New Zealand. Enormous tonnages are exported from Europe to Britain and America and largo quantities home consumed. Suitable subjects include carnations, roses, jasmine, violets, lavender and tlie scent of orange. The average wholesale value of the perfumes of commerce in Auckland was recently stated by "Farming First ' ' at £1 per lb., but for best oil of lavender probably £lO. A Bran Mash.

Everybody is supposed to know how to make a bran mash, hut it is only in large studs as a rule that it is done properly, states an English Journal. To make a bran mash, first wash out a bucket- with boiling water, then pour in the quantity of water required, say pints, and stir in .".lb. of bran. Cover ami leave for two or three hours or more if not required for immediate use. A mash requires hours to cool off and is often given to a sick horse too hot, and is refused, when it would have been taken properly if prepared and fed when warm instead of scalding hot. The addition of a tablespoonful of salt to yie ordinary mash can be recommended to keep down parasites and promote digestion, but should not lx* a part of the sick horse's diet unless specially ordered. A.fraid? During his visit to Southland Mr C. M. Hume, general manager of the Now Zealand Co-operative Herd Testing Association, had as a personal bodyguard two well-known Ayrshire stud breeders. Speaking of this on one occasion, Mr Hume said that it was a different story with them in the North, as there the stud breeders would hot come into the herd testing movement, and the only reason he could think of for their not doing so is that they are afraid to face the results. Photographs Wanted.

At the last meeting of the Council of the New Zealand Fig Breeders’ Association a letter was received from the Christchurch Technical College stating that it wuld greatly facilitate the teaching of the farm live stock psition of the agricultural course if tho college had some good photographs of Irst-class stock. The writers asked if the association would let them have photographs of good specimens of dams and sires of Berkshire and Yorkshire breeds. Mr J. McFarland suggested that similar photographs be sent to the Foilding Agricultural High School. It was decided to circularise members of the association asking for photographs to be sent to the council which would consider them and forward the best to the schools that had asked for them. Encouraging H.B. A letter from the Manawatu-Oroua branch of the New Zealand Pig Breeders Association received at its last meeting, suggested that Hawke’s Bay breeders bo included in the branch, as there were not enough breeders on the Other side of the ranges to form a separate unit. It >*ss decided to agree to the suggestion.’ :It was also stressed that efforts .should ho made to foster interest in ttawke's Bay .sufficient to form » new branch there.