FARMING AND COMMERCIAL.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 3296, 16 July 1918, Page 2

FARMING AND COMMERCIAL.

THE FARM. Dairymen around Wanganui, as well other parts of New Zealand, tiro interested in tin- very fine performance which Mr. -J. Donald's (.We-tinere). I' i iesian cow. We-tiuere Princess Pieterye. is putting up in connection wi h h<r semi-official test. Ip to May li she. had a record of 23. WJlb- milk, and '.MVJIbs butterfat. She was giving lOib of milk per day on a TO test, and she had then 24 days to go. Sim is due to calve in duly. Netl.vrland Prince—4th - daughter in ~2"'> days gave 11,iS'iolb milk and oi'olb of tiit. She was then dried of, on account ot lameness. ■Vnother ot Mr. Donald - l'riesians has. in 2-2 days. a record of 17.!>711bs milk, and "o'.'ll's tat. She i- -till going well.

Afcorditig to an Australian exchange two heifers -ent over to Australia by Mr. Donald to Mr. Frio Idoyd done-, did well at the resent Royal Show. Th wr,. Wood, rest N'etherland Queen 1 oodcre.-t Pietje Portiac -- Wt'stiiier.' Net! frhaiid Princess (th s daughter) and W ooderost Brooklands dohani: i < W oodcivst Pietje Portia< Bi'uokland dtihanna Piotertje)- 1 lormer was placed fir-t. and the latter -c olid in tlie yearling and under live., r chis-. and the iudge comment.-a verv i'avnurably on Netherland Queer.

The champion cow of the Southern States i F.S.A.), is claimed to be a Jer-ev. Blue Fox's Eminent Chromo, of Tavlor Plantation. South Carolina. Her record i- 17.2171 bs milk containing Mjtjlbs butter fat. in one year. Her grar.d-dam. Chrome ,s Deniso, was credited with an average cf 121b milk j er day for three years, including her drv periods. Chromo s Denise 2nd, the dam of the champion, for the same period and under the same conditions, averaged lf'.Glb milk per day. On her sire's side, the champion trace- i\v-lation.-hip to Eminent, Flying Fox, Fontaine's Lord, and ether wtdl-known

F..,tleii the rattle-headed sow that lie- on her pigs. Try another. Not for a century have the prices of wheat, barley, and oats been so high in Great Britain a.s in 1917 —and it should be added that not for a century ha- the cost of production been -o high. , Many pttopic Udieve that anyone can become a dairyman regitrdless of hi.- intelligence or the methods le uses. This is not the case, as perhaps no other industry responds as readily and as profitably as when care and businesslike principles are applied. Before the war large qunatities of rye were imported annually into Great Britain as feeding stuff for live stock. In England and "Wales it is grown on slightly more than 50,000 acres. In other European countries the acreage under rye was approximately as follow-: —lhissia. G") million acres; Germany. It) million: Austria, 5 million; France, d million: Denmark, SOO.OOO: Holland. 500.000. Few farmers realise that the weight of wool from a poorlv wintered fioch is not as large a - that from the same th.ck if properly cared for. Experiment- show that with proper feeding and management, the weight of the fleece may be increased bv at least it pound. Good care not only increases the weight of the fleece, but it improves the quality of the fibre, thus raising the market value of each pound of wind produced. According to the "North British Agriculturist." Ayr-hires are booming, and no mistake. Mr. Lindsay had an average of fully £72 for 100 head, hut this Wiis even beaten by Mr. .Tames Howie, his score being £l6O for 19 bull calves. 11 may l>e of interest to growers of lucerne, that a Canterbury farmer had his plot, it fairly extensive one, badly infested with weeds. He accordingly ploughed over the area, the crown of the plant, of course, being completely .shaved off. The roots, however, soon put forth a healthy crown and topgrowth. again, and, in fact, the area is now looking better than ever it did hetore. This procedure is quite at variance with the i ommendation of tho Department of Agriculture, and there are some w ho w ill have it that the cutting of the roots would have thi l effect ot laying the plants open to the attack of fungoid growth. Be this its it may the fact remains that it was most successful in this instance, and would be well worth trying by anyone who has weedy patches.

Mr. T. B. Lowes, of Eketahuiia, lias disposed of several of his purebread Polled Angus cattle to a Queensland client, who intends exhibiting them at the next Brisbane .show. The Ontario Department of Agriculture has decided to present a silver medal to the boy or girl in each county who. in the "War Plot Potato Coinpetition. raises the largest quantity et po'atoes. The medal under consideration bears the British arms and the ( anadian heaver, and will be engraved with tlie name ot the winner. In audition to those medals the 12.1HH) children who have entered the competition will hav<- an imentive in the prizes being offered by the Rural School Fair Hoards lor War Petal;.e.-. The Government has dis"ontinuci tiie purchase cf butter, on behalf o' tie (mot-rial (lovertinieiit .as from A"ril 'b'h, as it i- considered that a m.a'to trei'i now wdl be re,iu red for hr al osc during the winter. No bat . r no* • u s(ore on ' lie 1 'it h April w I' b • uur-oha-od. and anv letter then in store, '.' [ ii • • -id' a nee ' a aii t w i'l not 1.,, pi: (■" e•' -ed I'lile S |be I) liar " en' 1 ini--••'er •». W ill net ' e I'. ti'dre ' f I" 'o a | use. Ji w'S ro e"t'v anne n " I ' I ,-i' the 'm- --a' I a tlier,; , V ,] ' ~ li 1 . J ;• „.. 1 • - e- 1, •• ' ' •. |.. IV 1 .1.. . r ~ •I|'t 'I - me,a. •■e'll , 1 'I" 'le ern--111 lit - " 'so r \ e '' I, '•> -n • I'l • ~ • 1 . •<.' ' .... ■r J T, f '« ; ...» «.,„•! '?„» , o ... •• oy.n , i i,, 1 ir . t ...., „ i <• 1 '. .. .'II I

It is understood that over half a million crates of this season's make of cheese hive gone into store., considerably more than half of which is still unshipped. With the present shipping prospects it may he some time betore the large balance is moved.

The loss of cows on particularly rich land, owing to rank teed in the liig time, was mentioned before the Military Service Board at Palmerstoii North. Mr. W. Perry, one ol the members ot the Board said that anybody who understood the cow business, knew that this trouble was experienced. but one way to get oyer it wv- to get the cows to "conic in earliei. "otore the tlush ot teed.

SAVING VEfiETABLE SEKD. During the pa-t couple ot years a s'uortage of manv kinds of vegetable seeds has developed. Many of these are of our ordinary garden vegetables that produce seed the fir-t year, and those concerned can do a great deal to relieve the shortage it they feel inclined'. Of course there are a few important points to be observed when savin" anv vegetable crop for seen. The garden, before harvest, should be i;-antful\y gone over, ami all plants not true to name or type .should be pulled up and removed. The annual varieties of vegeca > •> most easily harvested for seod _ aro given below, together with brief dirtctions as to the methods. Radishes. —When the r-talks iie.r.u to show manv brown pods tlie heads should be'gathered and pb.c. d thinly on canvas in a -In ite: "d. well-\enti-lated place. In a iew tue will lie dry enough to thresh. 11ns can bo done by using a round wooden stick like the old-tashioned flail. A piece of canvas should bo spread on the threshing floor to catch the seeus. Alter threshing the seeds may be separated from the chaff by the use ot an ordinary fanning mill. If the seeds are not thoruoghly dry they should be spread thinly on canvas or on trays anil exposed to the sun during the da} and carried inside at night. Lettuce. —The lettuce plants, when the seeds are ripe, are cut with a sickle. The seeds are flailed out on canvas in the same way as radish. As lettuce seed is very light, care must lie used to prevent loss. Tomatoes. —When ripe the tomatoes tiro ground or crushed, and after standing a few days are washed in running water, hong troughs having riffles m the bottom are used to catch the good seeds as they settle, while the pulp floats off with the water. Hie seeds are then rinsed by hand and spread thinly on racks or trays to dry. In saving seed the principal point to remember is that the seed should be thoroughly dried before storing and should then be kept dry. The greatest enemy of stored seed is moisture. When the seed is ready to market the farmer should get in touch with any of the larger seedsmen. When writing to these firms a sample of a few ounces of the seed should be sent, and a .statement made as to the amount offered for sale, the name of tho variety, and, if possible, the source of the original seed. Following are brief instructions for saving Some of our principal biennial root crops for seed: — Onions. —The onion bulb should be pulled ti little earlier than when used for food, and should be cured, with the tops left on, where there is a free circulation of air, but protected from direct sunshine and rain. The seeds form in heads at the top of the main stalk. The seeds turn bint k before they are ripe. The heads should not be gathered until there is danger ot loss of seed from shattering. The heads are then cut from the stalk and spread upen canvas to dry. Beets. Turnips, and Carrots. —The culture for these root crops is as follows When the roots mature they should be pulled and the tops removed. The crowns should not he injured, as tho grow th the following spring starts from them. The best roots only should be selected. Those of medium size, smooth, and symmetrical, are best. A small root, if well proportioned, will usually produce as much seed as a larger illshapen one. The roots should be stored for the winter in a moist cellar or in shallow trenches covered with straw and dirt to prevent freezing. If the latter is used ventilation should be provided to allow tor the escape of gases and the entrance of fesli air. Set the roots as early in tlf spring as possible after danger of frost is past, with the crowns two or three inches below the surface of the soil.

WORK FOR THK FARMER. Mostly all dairymen are now enjoying ;i welcome rest, and so time should lie devoted to putting the farm in repair before the work of winter feeding claims attention. The " Dairy, man." in referring to the work ahead of the farmer, stresses the fact that Autumn crops sl.ould now he making good growth, as for most of these the season is now becoming too far advanced for sowing, lalthousrh in the warmer districts of the North Western wolths may still he sown; also oats or Cape hariey. Emerald rye grows well in oold weather, hut it is not a crop which l.as proved a favourite with dairy farmers, as its growth when Hearing maturity becomes tough and indigestible; for we must not loose sight of the fact that digestibility and siuculency must go hand-in-hand for prime milk-producing requirements No one fodder crop is of itself a complete one for dairy cows in milk, so when we can we should include' a mixture suitable to our purpose, such a one as Italian ryegrass or We-tern W'ohb- and red clover: failing these, any givn fodder and hay ol mixed pasture: or, belter .-till, red Hover or Intern-- hay. Hay made under ideal condi* ions lacks only the ib-ny of the original green stuff to prtn. ■ >111i\;11 - nt to it lor milk production, but our greatest dili'i ulty is met wi.h the 'a• ■ t that it isn't usually made under such '"avo rabh' condi* ion : n fact, in t' o many cases we meet v ith the reverse side of affairs. However tl.-af. "i y 1 e. He ■ a' niit t'o lett■ r when uv iII" Jiree- fori to Ilia' e hav o 'f haswhen 11 11 iii'_ r . I he rea-on for sir h has '•e II I" i eely sho\. II ill previous kmm s of ill's p iner. and are too long n ' a'iet] to 'e.-il with : n i his c'lbirnn. ""'i at. as .rre, n fo'der. I as h to v Cotl)""-p-l it. lint I 1 I- 'brib'tu! ' "••■■•l sown fer such a o'M'- • use wo 11 1 n re"'-oned as n p-i'rio'i' ■ . .. a : M * 11.. p'-e-s -1!• i 11 t • re • • 1. ~ O ,1.1,, |l,.\ ...... n * T. f'., •- 1,1, i eeii't ti ||' TII s-'in . . , ~a I ... 1 ~.. I ■,,,

foddering, as th<ev come into use in early spring. The liberal feeding of dry cows should be more extensively practised, and for this purpose straw sprinkled with diluted molasses will answer very well, particularly if a few turnips be added. Much more feeding value can be obtained from the turnip crop if they be pulled and carted out te stock. A case has lx;en reported in which a grower claimed to have obtained as good results when so treated from five acres as he had originally got from twenty. When feed is plentiful cattle and sheep nrr» apt to overeat themselves, with loss of benefit to theraselve... In tl is category pigs might well bo included too, and in their treatment food can be more profitably used it given "little and often.'' Over-gorging leads to indigestion at all times, and what we should aim at is to obtain given results at the lowest cost. Few of our principal dairy district* enjoy a full supply of straw, but where this is obtainable none should hj,. allowed to go to waste. Milch of late ha- been -aid of the depleted yield of grain in the Canterbury district, an much may be put down to the constant burning of straw stacks as the reason for this. Much better to stock up with young cattle which through their feeding of such would do much to distribute its manurial value over the land, thus helping to preserve cits natural fertility. Humus is what most of our -oils require, and this i- not in any was* obtained by the u-e of artificial manures. Straw, being a fibre,us product. is left very much in it.- original condition after being eaten, owing to its indijgfstibility. and \-<:iise(|iiently the voided manure adds to the humus contents of the soil. In older farmed countries it has long been imperative to u-e farmyard manure on the land, ;n:d 110 doubt in time we shall I ;;ve to I ra-tice something of the sort here.

THE GARDEN. (By W. H. TAYLOR.; Xo opportunity should be lost tu improve the soil. Deep working of the soil is the only way to secure good crops ail the year round. During winter deeply worked soil is required to increase warmth by lowering the water-table. In summer-time deeplyworked soil holds moisture. At all times it increases the growth 1 of plants by enabling them to make stronger roots. Roots deep down are less affected by adverse weather, whether it be extreme heat or cold, than are those near the surface. Deep trenching renders valuable many substances that would otherwise be wasted. Weeds of every description can be utilised it put deep down. Even dockroots will rot if put down 2ft. from tI.o surface. Cabbage-stalks and all garden and house rubbish can be worked in, and will make otherwise poor soil rich. These matters should be seen to while the soil is easy to work, being ircist from rain, as the work is comparatively cheaply done while these conditions prevail. Asparagus tops should be cut down : level with the ground. If planted in | line> on the flat—the modt'rn planlightly fork the ground over and give a dressing of stable or farmyard manure. Too much manure cannot be given, though excessive dressings are not necessary. I have been several times asked if it is necessary or right to lay the crowns bare by dragging away the soil, and leave them in that condition through winter. Some growers are known to do this. My belief is that the practice is the result of a mistake caused by confounding two distinct methods of culture. On the Continent of Europe, particularly in Fran?, l they prefer white asparagus. The same is required by canning-fac-tories. British people prefer green stems. It is the green stems our method is intended to produce. For the production of white stems the plants are grown in rows usually 4ft. apart, and the plants not nearer than 3ft. to each other in the rows. In spring, before growth begins, ridges are thrown up with a plough or other means, so as to cover the plants many inches deep with soil. The heads make their way through tl.e ridge and a" cut low down. The result is beads 12in. or more long that are white up to the top. The ridges are torn don n in autumn wlnn the annual cutt'..,7down is done, the soil being left level till fresh ridges are thrown up tii > next spring. Note that the crowns ar--not laid bare. It is this method oi treating asparagus that leads people who do not understand the matter to say that the French people grow better asparagus than we do. It is just the same, out blanched instead of green. Winter Rhubard should be encouraged to grow by keeping the soil clean and open. Manure it if required—a thing that is not likely to be overdone, as rhubarb will take as much manure as may be given. These varieties may he planted now or at any time desired, though the best results are obtained by sowing seed earlv in summer. Cover seakale by boxes surrounded with fermenting manure for forcing. Anyone having heated greenhouse can force the heads beneath the benches. The crowns are to be lifted, placed as close together as possible in large pnts or in boxes, and covered effectually to keep them dark. When this plan is adopted the plants are raised annually from whips of the roots, to provide the necessary crowns. Plant cauliflower, callage, and lettuce as soon as the plants from the autumn sowing are strong enough. Be sure to plant two kinds of < auliflower, one early and one a large kind, at the same time, as that is the only way to avoid a break in the supply. This planting is important, becau-e it' provides for the spring and early summer supply. I

SMALL FIU'ITS. Loganberries are best grown on new rods very year. There is seldom any difficulty in securing a sufficiency cacti season. The old rods should be cut out ii there is enough young ones tor fruiting. li tlmrc are not. some of those that fruited hist .season may be kept. Tiny will fruit again if the bearing-twigs are reduced to short spurs. Gooseberries may be prumd as a u as the lea\es are off. Benminber that there is nothing gained by having a croud,ed I a. I . ; I < 1 the latter is a constant uii-anie. It the branches am kept open to light they will give their best, and only then. Prune so as to i-ecuio a bush i• ■ c is so open that fruit can be gathered in comfort. Such a bush has as much wood as it t a-i properly furnish with fruit. Cut. out branches where necessary. Tim yeimg growths in the centre should be reduced to spurs, and those on tl e irHsido shortened to strong beds. Keep 1 n oneti centre. Hod and white currants should ha bet to a single main stem. I hoy -'old ti. t, I ~ allowed to throw up stems from under the "round. Ke-p a nerfectlv ot'en centre. All shoots

except leaders should be reduced to short spurs. They never bear fruit on young wood. Shorten leaders to about lOin. Black Currants should be allowed to stool. Underground shoots provide a means for frequently renewing the bush and an effectual method for defeating the borer. The latter takes time to destroy a branch, which can lie replaced by new wood. The black currant bears on the wood made the preceding season as well as the older wood. Advantage should lie taken of this habit by leaving young -hoots where needed. A hollow centre should not be grown, and the bush need not he kept as open as gooseberries and red currants, but the branches should not be crowded.

THK FLOWER GARDEN. Planting of every description can be undertaken, due allowance being made for local conditions. Planting slrould never lie done while the soil is in a sodden state. Unless the soil is in good working-condition the roots of plants will not take to it. There are physical reasons also against planting in wet ground, or, indeed, working it at all. Planting may include roses, winch should be planted without pruning if put in before the middle of .Tune. After that time the advantage of autumn planting is lost, and pruning >hould precede planting. Herbaceous perennials, such as phlox, rudbec-kia, perennial sunflowers, etc., become worn after several yea is. These should be dug and sufficienttaken from the inside of the clumps to plant back. Few things do well without such attention; the clumps get too wide. Tl.ere are exceptions to this rule. Solomon's seal, dielytra, hoteias. glums, and things of that nature improve instead of deteriorating as they become larger. All bulbs still out of the ground should be got in at once. Seedlings in boxes should he picked off in good time. Wallflowers that have filled their boxes would he best tansferred to the open ground in nurse-beds, to remain there till the ground is ready for them; or plant in their proper place if convenient. When digging and manuring the garden, do not dig deeply round such things as azaleas, rhododendron*, kalmais, camellias, or other fine-rooted shrubs. There is not any advantage to be gained in manuring such plants. More likely it will do harm by injuring the flowers.

A VALUABLE SWEET PEA. As showing the value of new varieties of a popular flower, it is reported that the late Mr. Atlee Burpee, the American sweep pea specialist seeing a new scarlet variety called Fiery Cross, admired it so much that he quickly looked up its raiser, Mr. Malcolm. On inquiry as to how much seed lie had of the variety. Mr. Burpee was told that there were three ounces, for which he had an offer of £'2so, with the right to introduce, the offer being accepted. It would be interesting to weieh out three ounces of pea seed and count the number of seed contained to form an estimate of the average cost per seed.

DOUBLE AND SINGLE STOCKS. When seeds of stocks are sown it is well known that a certain proportion of the seedlings only will bear double flowers, and tile usual method of selecting the single from the double when planting is to retain those with the finest and most delicate roots. A new method has just been made public, said to be the result of experiments extending over some years. It is ta soak the seed—which will be of uniform quality—for ten hours, then spread them upon white blotting paper, and place in a gentle warmth to germinate. The seeds w I.seh puts forth roots, it is said, for the greater part put forth double flowers, and the later they are in germinating the more certain it is that thoy will bear singles. The first germinated seeds are carefully placed on a sandy soil and the plants raised from them. It needs to be carefully done, because a germinating seed is a very tender subject, otherwise losses would be very great. There is nothing in this method that is beyond the capacity of an amateur and, assuming the conditions to be correct —there is no reason to think them otherwise — it sb.uld help to do away with the un|erta.inty and possible disappointment when the plants come into bloom.

FRUIT TREES IN POTS. It seems strange that none of our nurserymen cr fruit-growers nave tried the growing of fruit trees in pots or tubs, in England in the autumn shows they are not uncommon, and are a great attraction. At the September exhibition of the Royal Horticultural Society of England a gold medal was awarded for a collection of pears, apples and plums, all grown in pois. The trees were principally pyramids, not more than three feet six inches high, and they were all fruiting magnificently. There were also cordon, espalier and standard trees, all of the same splendid quality. Most remarkable were half a dozen maiden trees or Rev. \Y. Wilk's variety, each with a couple of fruits, each pair aggregating close on two pound in weight. An espalier tree of Pear Princess was carrying about fifty fruits, each of exhibition quality, whilst n pyramid tree of Pear Marguerite Maillat was weighing down with fruit in bunches. Standard trees of Crabb, John Downie and Amygdalus purpureus were in splendid condition, the leaves of the latter as well as tlie fruits being purple.

THE MARKETS THE PRICE OF COTTON*. HIGHER THAN WOOL. For the first time in the history of the trade, the price of cotton is now higher than tin- price of wool. In -riving some reasons for the extraordinary demand, the Manchester Guardian says: —A twelve inch gun disposes of half a hale of cotton with every sJiotfired. A ma' hini'-gun in operation will use up a hale in three minutes. Tn a Naval hattle. like the one otf Jutland, from five to six tl.knisnnn pounds a minute are consumed Wy each active war-hip. Ii takes more th■>n twentv thousand linh's a year to nrovide n'>-or-hent, cotton to stnuivh and hind tlie wounds of the iniured. The (liaiice of •Minnel for nil the troons n 'iv ctH'a"i"l lvnreseiits more than a mdli"n h'des. One hundred tl<v:«, r ind lvilcs v ill hi l i'C'1111!'• 'd to co" n t'»' neropl'Mio fl-m■ * i»' '-ot'on. n« nvn- he nc"ess;irv, «i|t"i'np's l : n n fo" T'"> T* \ !« »i»-. !'-n'tl" n."i'dv - »»;Ui.-n hah- a ' <vr ;• <„ -v. 'dene.

THE ORCHARD. —- Under the Orchard and Garden Diseases Avt, 1908, every person who sells prescribed trees and plants, must register his nursery, the annual fee being £l, and the term one year from the first of April In the interpretation clauses of the regulations " prescribed tree or plant" means any fruit tree or plant, tomato plant, timber or shelter tree or plant, hedge plant, ornamental treo or shrub, or rose plant, and "sale" or "sell'' includes barter, and also includes attempting to sell or exposing for sale. It is just as as well that gardeners should be reminded of the law in this connection, for tin* department intends taking action against unregistered growers, owing to the spread of disease. In t. mato plants and rose bushes especially a lot of disease has been spread owing to the plants raised by amateurs being affected and distributed among the neighbours. The present is the time of tl.e year when any additions to the fruit trees or roses should be made. The importance of these two subjects cannot l>e over-estimated, and every garden should have some, even if some of the annual flowering plants have to be eliminated. Many consider that, having bought their trees, the only other requirement to cause them to bear fruit or frafront roses is to die a hole somewhat less in depth than a post hole, but similar in other dimensions, push the roots into the hole, and replace the soil, and return in a few "'ont-'s for the harvest. This svstem innv mrree+ fir a f voured few. and very few, but it is no* many who wish to b"v 'ree< pverv year. As these two subjects if properly planted, wl' last and gi'-e a return for n mmW of ye-rs >t i« wn"th wbi'e to lie n little 'or ; n tlie of .1 ~ 1 M..,i. ,'f : f ivere enw^tbing .. M ' (. t , <-nwn away a« soon ■'s t'-o fl'iwerinir season is over.