NOTES AND COMMENTS

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLI, Issue XLI, 2 July 1921, Page 2

NOTES AND COMMENTS

The many friends-of Mr H. E.CJandy were pleased to see him in Hawera for a few days this week. Mr Candy is no\v well-established on his farm between Morrinsville and Te Aroha," and is more delighted than ever with, the country, there. Now that he has^got right into farming operations and has .had an opportunity of more closely observing local conditions, he considers the land . there can be made to prduce equal to the best. The climate, so far, has been ' ideal, and young grass right up to well into June had made equal to spring growth. A great drain, constructed by the Drainage Board, ran almost from Matamatk right through the centre of .his property, and leading into this he i had recently had dug no less than s£-miles-of minor drains throughout the farm, effectually draining every part that had a tendency to hold the water. The ground then responded ..very freely, there being up to two feet of rich loana on a.free clay subsoil, and root crops,' grasses and clovers were doing capi- ! tally. Mr Candy has, just, erected milking- sheds with six-cow plant milking machines, and he expects to 'be milking a hundred cows next season. His many friends in South Taranaki ■r will wish him every success in his new sphere. -

The penetrating power, of lucerne roots was proved on a Marton experimental area, when an officer of the Agricultural JDepartment was1 obtaining some exhibits for the-^almerston Winter: Show. In digging out some of the' plants it was noticed that the'roots had penetrated through!: a layer of hard ironstone about six' inches thick. - Care was taken -to secure the exhibit. with the ironstone intact. ' Some lucerne planted 'two and a half years ago had roots extending to a depth of over five feet. . The formation of the. soil at this depth is of dry, heavy clay, and, being very brittle, it was a diffij cult matter to secure good samples of the rooting system of the lucerne at this-depth. ./ ' >

The annual sale of Mr. S. R. Lancaster's pedigree -Jersey cattle ' was hqld at farm, , near- Palmerston North, on Friday, 24th inst. There was a very large, and representative attendance and^the sale was solid throughout the day. The highest price of the day "was realised for the exceptionally nice two-year-old heifer, Netley Doris, which fell to the bid of Mr. F. Hoskin, Matapu, price 209 guineas. Other Taranaki purchasers were: Fox's Patch (F. Hoskin), 83 guineas; Beaulieu Ina (P. \W. Nowell, Hawera), 95 gns.; Fairy Footsteps (F. Hoskin), 76 gns.; Renowned Tattler, bull (P. W. Nowell), 31 gns.; Veronica's pride, bull (J. Morrison, Hawera)/ 50 gns.; Lynford's Prince (A. H. ptvfy, Mangatoki), 35 gns. The grade cows and heifers met with keen competition, extra good cows selling at from £30 to £34, good cows £25 to £29. very fair cows. £20, to £24; others £16 to £19, extra good heifers £20 to"£24, good heifers £17. to £19, others £14 to £16.

The low price of• wool and the poor prospects for the immediate future is naturally making some sheep farmers consider the possibility, of dairying on 8 the best parts of their land. It will be interesting to learn that a leading South Taranaki dairy farmer recently went to advise two sheep men near Wangaehu en the question of putting dairy herds .on \ part of their farms. This, it is understood, has been de- | cided. No doubt the same process will take place in other parts of the Dominion where found practicable. Each of such moves will tend to improve the prospects of the farming; industry, and the wool market in particular. j

A lady at Mr. Lancaster's Jersey sale at the Palmerston Show twice "scored" very neatly at Mr. Lancaster's expense and to the amusementr of those present. On the first occasion a cow had hung fire at 40 guineas, and the vendor, in extolling her qualities, made the remark that if she had a Heifer calf he would give 20 guineas for it. The lady in question at once [ asked Mr. Lancaster if the' cow had i twins would he give 40/ guineas for the two—the price at which the bidding had ceased. Later on a heifer came into the ring minus its tail, and Mr. Lancaster remarked that despite thi? handicap the animal, being well bred, would turn out a good ■ "dairy :dow. Turning to his lady friend" Mr. Lan 7 caster suggested she should buy it. As quick_as a, flash came back the .retort.' "But if I did buy it, Mr. Lancaster, j it would always be on my hands, because I could not 'retail' it."