FARM AND DAIRY.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue LXXIV, 27 September 1918, Page 2

FARM AND DAIRY.

The possibilities of the Mangatainoka district in the growing of lucerne are reyt-aled by the experience of a settler who is now cutting a. fine crop. Two .acres.werg laid down in January last aid fed off in July. There is now a. seoond sturdy growtti, the plants being a'ifoof higli.-^-Pahiatua Herald.

In the Journal of the Department \<>i Agriculture, the annual results of the herd-testing scheme, conducted by the department for tha year ending June 30, 1918, show that the annual champion cow is Jessie VI. of Melrose, a Jersey owned by Mr W. Woodmason. She gave 76911b. milk in 273 days, with an average test of 6.74, equivalent to 5181b. butter-fat. The reserve annual champion is Jubilee XV., a Jersey owned by Mr A. W. Jones with 93611b. milk, 5.33 test, 5001b. butter-fat. The prize for best herd falls to Mr Woodmason's Melrose herd, with 82 cows, gaining certificates; and the second prize to Mr J. D. Read's Springhurst herd, 23 of whose cows won certificates. Mr C. Gordon Lyon's Jersey herd of 36 certificated oows came third on the list; and Mr C. G. Knight's Jersey herd of 18 certificated cows was fourth. There are now 47, pure herds being tested under this scheme.

To secure greater efficiency in administering the act dealing with the settlement of returned soldiers, the State is divided into seven districts (says a Melbourne exchange), in charge of district officers in Melbourne., in regard to all Crown lands, including, in a partial manner, closer settlement lands, and it has been arranged that once a soldier is settled upon a block, the district officer in whose district the land is, shall take over control of him entirely, under the direction of the Closer Settlement Board, in place of the old system of personal supervision by the board. To facilitate this, the work, of each district in regard to soldiers is every week to be grouped for consideration by the board, and as each group comes up for decision, the district officer concerned will attend the board, present doubtful oases, note the board's' opinion, thus gradually acquiring an intimate knowledge of the policy which is being followed until he can take upon himself much greater responsibility, than in the past. It has been arranged that district officers shall visit their, soldier settlements at least once a quarter.

According to the New South Wales Department of Agriculture the average production per cow in the'Tweed-Rich-mond district for the year ending February 28, 1914, was 169£1b butter. In the following year the average for the whole district was 227£1b butter; and tor the Bangalow district, where httrdtestdng was carried on, it was 2411b per cow. For 1917,tt 0 Bangalow figures were 256£1b, and for 1918 265* lb. In 1914, 98 per cent, of the cows gave under 2501b butter. In 1915 only 67 per cent, of the cows produced under ,2501b butter, in 3917 only 49 per cent., and in 1918 only 47 per cent. The increase from 2 per cent, to 53 per cent of oows which gav e over 2501b butter, marks a considerable advance, and is due to the culling out of the worst cows, ascertained by testing and weighing the milk. '. -■

The; dairymen of Los Angeles who received tile first prize, for milk at the United States Government test of dairies declared that the kindly treatment ot the animals was the first factor in their success. "We have learnt that the best and largest quantity of milk come from the oontented cow Every cow in our herd is a pet. All'of them have learnt to expect nothing but kindness. That, I believe, is" tine real reason 4 why we hav c succeeded." The principleapplies even, more to human bemgs.; Infants at the breast have been known to die when nursed after a fit of passion in the mother. Sir Astley Cooper, a great surgeon of the past, powerf|illy commented on the harm to babies'brought, by ill-habits and undieciplinegl 'emotion in the careless or evilminded parent. But/ like so much else of value in medicine, hia remarks are now forgotten.

The i American Grocers' Brokerage Uonipauy, Chicago, writing to a New Zealand company under; date August «A f? JS> rePorte' an ixentfemen, —We represent several iatrgo-milk condenseries, thoroughly responsible, who manufacture powdered milk, skimmed. We understand that this article is now being used in large quantities in New Zealand, and if interested we shall be glad to open relations with you. This milk is packed in new bright barrels, about 20 pounds each, and the market to-day ia about 25i cents per pound, f.0.b., San Francisco. , It is made by the spray process and guaranteed fully U.S. standard leo-ms: Funds available in U.S. on presentation documents. If interested <n this article will be glad to cable quotations at any time. Will gladly furnwi. • £ ~and commercial references both m U.S. and England.—Very truly yours, American Grocers' Brokerage

Mr James Hart, of Raumati has had the i pleasure of seeing a Holstein ieifer at His own breeding put up new figures for the Dominion. This is the two-year-old heifer Lady Pauline, who recently completed her official' test, during which time she gavei 18,1371bs of milk tor the 12 months and 603.851bs of fat tiie best previous performance in the Dominion in this class being 5531bs of rat. l»ady Pauline when she completed Jj e^^'^st"! going strong, giymg 321b5.0f milk on the last day thereof. She has yet to fulfil the calving conditions which, she will do in thi course of a few days. Though Lady Pauhns has broken the existing record Mr Hart understands that even better figures have "been put up by a heifer in SSpTfi,^'owned in the W^i>aiapa, but + he has as yet no official knowledge or the fact.