FARMING NOTES

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4809, 12 July 1939, Page 3

FARMING NOTES

THE CONFERENCE SEASON. FARMERS' UNION DELEGATES GATHER. WOOL AND MEAT PROPOSALS. FREEING OF EXCHANGE. Winter is the farmers' conference season, and in this, the winter of 1939, farmers have many grave problems to be debated. The outcome of these conferences may possibly affect their fortunes for many years to come, and not only their own, but those of the Dominion as a whole, writes "H.A.S." in the "Dominion." A stage has been reached where the man on the land is veritably battling for his heritage. And this is the result not of any market collapse, as in 1931-32, or of any great devastation of nature, as was the drought that so sorely tried our Australian fellow-producers. That which afflicts farming to-day is not unduly low prices, or any grave fall in productivity as experienced by American farmers in the "Dust Bowl" region, but an intolerable burden of costs, imposed by forces beyond the control of individuals.

That primary producers have not reacted violently to the situation is a tribute to our democratic way of government, and to their steadiness of character.

Consider the National Dairy Conference, the extreme reasonableness of the stand taken there upon the guaranteed price. Dairy farmers declared their willingness to accept a price determined as fair almost a year ago—in spite of the increase in rail charges, in interest rates, in costs of living, in numerous costs of farm maintenance; in spite, too, of the current continuous demands made by other sections of the community for an ever-increased reward from the national income. This week the New Zealand Farmers' Union conference will open in Wellington. There it is expected that the guaranteed price proposal for meat and wool will be the major matter for discussion.

In spite of the allure of the guaranteed price, it is believed almost certain that it will be rejected. Here again character is shown. One position to the proposal is founded upon a belief that it is elementally unsound, and that its general application would wreck the Dominion's economy.

The primary producers of this country hold to an inherent belief in sound economy—that the coat must be cut according to the cloth. The measure of the cloth is our exports income, of which they are the providers. Costs should be kept in sound, proper relationship to the income of our great primary industries.

Unfortunately, New Zealand's economy has drifted far indeed from that ideal. And at present no early return to that ideal appears possible. JHence the search for an alternative. In this regard, a higher exchange is advocated —not one artificially raised; also, of course, not one artificially held down as at present. A freeing of the exchange rate would be all that is asked. HARROWING OF GRASS. Of the benefits derived from harrowing the pastures on farms, the spreading of animal manures is probably the greatest. Without this operation, particularly where cattle are grazing, the paddocks will soon become "sick," and covered with patches of rank growth around the droppings. Cattle —cows in particular—wiH not eat these rank patches. With harrowing it is the solids that are spread, and the manure from a cow would total about 8% tons a year. The full value of this is only secured when it is thoroughly spread over the pasture.

A FARMER'S WORK.

WHAT IS IT WORTH AT UNION RATES?

A working, hill-country, Hawke's Bay farmer recently told me he had made calculations to see what he would earn on his farm, were he paid as are the waterside workers, writes H.A.S. in the "Dominion." Estimates made, he said, showed that his wages v/ould be on the average £l6 weekly, or £BOO yearly. He denied any exaggeration of figures. He quoted a dozen farm tasks and notes. So much for plucking wool from a dead sheep in hours normally worked; so much more on Sundays and holidays; overtime rates on work of all kinds; high rates when topdressing; allowances as foreman; al-

lowances for skilled work; allowances for wet places and wet weather. Even if one were to discount largely the total arrived at, there still remains an illuminating comparison. A minimum of £SOO would clearly be earned. Many a farmer must be wishing—"lf only I had that."

USE OF LIME. BUILDING FERTILITY. SOILS WHICH RESPOND. ESSENTIAL FOR GOOD FARMING. Adequate liming is an essential in building up and maintaining fertility of many of the Dominion's soils. Particularly docs liming benefit heavy clay soils, making it more friable and more easily cultivated. Soils containing a great deal of humus or vegetable matter are acid and sour, and soils which, usually in districts with a high rainfall, have had the lime leached out of the surface layer are consequently acid. Such soils can be detected from the dominance in the grass sward of such species as sorrel, hair grass and sweet vernal.

Humus-Deficient Soil.

Lime should not be applied in heavy dressings to soils deficient in humus. At any time it will be more effective if light dressings are applied at frequent intervals. The season of the year when lime is applied is of little consequence.

There are three kinds of lime commonly used for agricultural purposes in New Zealand—carbonate or ground limestone, burned, or quick lime, and slaked or hydrated lime. The first is easiest to handle and store, as it does not depreciate through the absorption of moisture. It is slow-acting and its effectiveness depends largely upon its fineness of grinding.

Value of Quicklime.

Quicklime, or "caustic" lime, is difficult to handle and sometimes dangerous to store. Its chief advantage for agriculture is that it is approximately only haff the bulk and weight of carbonate for a similar effectiveness and cartage costs are proportionately reduced. When slaked, either by exposure to air, or by damping with water (hydrating), it reabsorbs the elements expelled in burning and returns to its approximate original bulk. At the same time, the slaking process breaks down the lime to very fine particles—much finer than is usually secured through grinding—and it is therefore very quickly available and effective in correcting soil conditions responsive to lime. Burned lime already slaked is procurable, its faults and virtues being as described. Variation of Grades. In general, ground limestones may be classified on the basis of carbonate content as: High grade, over 85 per cent, carbonate; medium grade, 70-85 per cent.; low grade, below 75 per cent.. The quality is chiefly dependent upon the deposit, but shell limes are uniformly high in quality, though very hard and only slowly soluble unless burned.

It often pays to apply heavier dressings of low-grade limestone when these are available from sources close to, or on, the farm, especially if this is a soft rock limestone deposited by water. Such soft rock is more readily soluble than is a hard rock, or shell carbonate when ground only.

ANTI-ABORTION VACCINATION

The Director of Veterinary Research for the State of Victoria has advised that his plan for the test of calfhood vaccination, using vaccine prepared with Brucella abortus Strain 19, has now been completed. It is proposed to take 100 calves, 50 to be vaccinated and 50 to be used as controls, and to observe the life history of these animals through three pregnancies. To give the plan effect a property will have to be leased and conducted as a dairy farm for at least five years. The intention is not to milk the cattle, but to permit them to rear their calves.