FARMING AND COMMERCIAL

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVII, Issue 124, 23 April 1927, Page 5

FARMING AND COMMERCIAL

NOTES BY “PLOUGHSHARE.” THE SEPARATOR. Many dairymen make the mistake of using a separator of too small a capacity. Niow, a separator is made to separate a certain quantity per hour and no separator should bo run, continuously for more than one hour. If this is done bad skhnming will be the result and consequently a loss in cream which means money. This matter should be watched where it is' the intention of the farmer to increase the size of his herd. The following information will prove valuable For two to four cows use a separator of 13 gallons to 20 gallons capacity; four to seven cows, 20 gallons to 30 gallons; seven to ten cows, 30 to 40 gallons; ten to fifteen cows, 40 to 50 gallons; fift'een to twenty-five cows, 50 to 80 gallons; twenty-five to forty cows, 80 to 110 gallons, for over forty cows do not use anything under 110 gallons capacity. BRUISING LAMBS. I%rmers should take particular care when handling their stock before and when en route to the freezing works. Many lambs are placed in the second grade by the freezing companies, and a great 'number of these, are stated to he so graded owing to bruises. These bruises are often caused through wool pulls.' COMMON RUSH.

In practically nny place where the soil is constantly moist some variety of this rush is likely to be found, and it holds its ground in a nost sturdy way. The only means of controlling this weed is to have the ground thoroughly drained, and if possible cultivate the field for two or three seasons. -This is necessary to destroy ■the system of branching root stocks. In dealing with small areas the use of the grubber is reccoi amended; also constant top-dressing and s ocking. - HIDE BOUND. > Men accustomed 1o handle and deal in live stock attach riuch importance, and rightly, to the condition known by the above name. The thriving animal has a layer of fat under the skin, and the latter is easily pinched up by the fingers, giving a soft yielding sensation which implies health and prosperity. The poor starveling or the diseased or worm-ridden animal is hide-bound, that is, has his skin tightly adherent to the ribs, with the covering hair or coat impartirtg a harsh and altogether unthrifty feeling. The hide-bound nnimal will, in any case, take some time before he begins to pay for his keep, although the condition may be due to bad wintering or poor food, but disease maybe suspected, and great caution sjiould be exercised in purchasing such an animal. A hide-bound home is not equal to full work, and a beasl will not fatten nor a cow give a fair supply of milk if hidebound. Any debilititing disease, such as tuberculosis, will be liable to cause it. Worm medicine tonics, and good food are remedies to be recommended unless some specific disease discoverable. TURNIP FLAVOUR. A large number cf farmers in tjie district are now feed ng .out soft turnips to their herds. Turr.ips cause objectional flavours and* the prevention of these flavour is a pressing problem. They should always be fed after milking. It is a wise plan to allow these roots to wilt in tho sun before' allowing the stock on them, The health of the cow which' has been

previously fed on turnips transmits the flavour to the milk. . FACTORS AFFECTING GROWTH. Assuming that the conditions preceding are satisfactory, crops are able to make efficient headway and make use of plant food that is within reach. Unfavourable conditions in any one respect may make a crop unable to utilise the plant food that lies immediately at hand ready for use. Practically all other conditions are preliminary and, in a sense subordinate to the one final purpose of enabling the plant to obtain and use its food. CARBOHYDRATES. The term carbohydrate is applied to a largo and important class of organic substances. They form the principal constituent of the -dry matter of most plants, and to a smaller extent they are found in animals and animal by-products/ They all Contain the elements carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. The function of the carbohydrates as foodstuffs arises from the fact that after their assimilation into the animal’s system they can be made use of in building up animal increase, or on oxidation evolve heat and energy for supplying warmth and mechanical power to the body. GENERAL NOTES.

The value of a working agent depends not upon tho amount of work it is capable of doing, but upon the amount of work it can do in Soino given unit of time. Clovers can thrive on soils destitute of nitrogenous compounds where other plants would fail. The growth of a crop iof clover enriches the land.

Quite a number of foodstuffs may be utilised as winter diet for young horses depending on what the farmer has on hand; bruised oats and bran, cut hay and pulped turnips moistened with treacle and; water make an excellent mixture. It will sometimes be found that a horse will never settle down to “hard tack,” but will thrive on grass, etc., and that a beast will be habitually blown unless an oily portion is given in his food; and it may prove profitable to dispose of such individuals to persons üble to utilise them in. different circumstances.

The colour of a soil shows the nature of the iron compounds. and indirectly shows also the ease with which air penetrates; a deep red soil is necessarily well aerated, whilo a brownish soil lying on a greenish clay is t erated only in the uppermost layers, If a pump fails to throw a good stream of water, the seat of the trouble may be found in the leather of the bucket. This leather may probably be worn out and should be replaced. If, however, the water comes out of the spout foamy, some of the joints below the pump are not tight end leak air. * Open drains are very often damaged by stock and the cleaning out of these drains is very often a costly item. VVhero these drains become neglected, weeds arc very quickly established and soon spread over the adjacent paddocks. The chief function of a drain is to tap tho reservoir of underground water, and so provent the water table from rising to such a height that the moisture will stagnate around tho roots of plants and thus hinder their growth. To procure first-rate crops, the soil should be porous and in a fine state; itmust contain sufficient supplies of plant food and moisture. To obtain this condition tho soil must be loosened and turned over so as to allow air, rain, frost, wind and sunshino to exercise their pulverising influence. Uneveness or vibration will soon set a separator out of order, .

It is advisable to. lime land in late autu) in or early winter in order that it may exert an action by the following spun ». IVI sn succulent the pasture is not available, foods which will aid the digestion shouj 1 bo included in the ration. Ne lect of horses’ feet will eventually lead to lameness. Attention to this imports it duty will enable the farmer to detect ny defects which may arise, and may save leedless worry and expense. Ail is the source of much contamination in n Ik. Care should be taken to carry on t e work in a dust freo atmosphere. Fo' I supplies for the bacteria and other usefu forms of lifo art? obtained by the react m of lime upon the organic matter of th i soil.

Coi stipntion is usually due to bad food, impre let feeding, lack of exercise or of insufl dent water.

DAIRY PRODUCE. , LA’ EST LONDON QUOTATIONS. LONDON. April 21. ' Th butter market is quiet. Austral.' n and New Zealand prices are unch nged. Danish is weaker, at about 170; ier cwt. Th> cheese market is steady. New Zealt id, 76s to 775; Australian, 73s to 7 o . per cwt. —A. cable. DAIRY INDUSTRY. CA IEIN MANUFACTURE COMMENCED. At his time of the year, the autumn, when butter-fat contents of milk are very igh, it pays to make butter, and the d rectors of a Taranaki factory have lecided to change to butter and |cased manufacture (says an exchange). Thin i not an innovation, being followed every year, and in one year castii was manufactured for no less tha l >ix months.

Thi general manager (Mr Bowman) infer) led a Hawera Star representative 1 lat it is quite profitable, returning 1 d to 2 per lb. of butter-fat - . Casii . is used for imitation ivory, paint , glue, and many other things, and i s use is increasing every year. If s considered that the prospects f<y t itter are very good, and this, allied to the return from casein, has indue d the change over. Sep of milk will.be conducted at th. branch factories and the cream taken to the main factory; in addition t > other usual supplies. F:ro n the skim milk is manufactured the g een curd for casein. The process c inlands a lot of work, but it is a pro table one.

BABY BEEF. j EW RULE A SUCCESS. FIVE-YEARS LIMIT. SYDNEY. April 11. “Th day of baby beef is at hand,” said A r G. B. Waller, of Wallarobba, who ji Iged in the Hereford section at the.Rc fal Show, “judging by what we have s en here and over there to-day” (pointi ig to the adjoining ring, where the bh rthorns were paraded). Thor > used to be no limit to the age at wlii. h cattle could be exhibited, hut on the recommendation of the Cattle Breecle s’ Society, -Mr Waller explained the limit this year was five years, nd next year it would be four. “Tin exhibits to-day,” he continued, “pro\o that the idea was good. Cattle mu t make progress from' birth; there i no time to stand still.

VI r ELVE MONTHS LOST. “Tha • is the secret of the Argentine’s s iccess. Its beef is growing all the tin 3 and is marketed young. In Austral a we have been inclined to say tha b any country is good enough for woa lers, arid they have been turned om; Dr 12 months on rough country. “Ti e time thus lost was never made up. H wever, a new era is beginning. One yo mg bull weighed here this mornin; showed 1001 b. a month—l 800 lb. at 1 1 months old. That spells not only d )ice quality beef for consumers but progress and prosperity for Austril a.”

0, NTERBURY MARKETS. Per Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, April 22. Holic lys have interrupted the ordinary fin of business this week, but the agree: n nt in regard to wheat prices arrived at between the millers and the fanners had eclipsed all other factors in the narket. The agreement is regarded is satisfactory. It has been ratified by the millers, and it is expected that it will meet with the approval of most g owers. The price of flour for local cc lsumption is £l7 per ton, but for si i] ment to the-North Island £ls 15s per ton f.0.b., the lower shipping price being-to meet Australian competition in the North Island market. The average f.o.b. price is about £l6 5s per ton, equal to 5s 8d to 5s 9d f.o.b. to the grower'of wheat. Potat >es have eased during the week, and are now not worth more than £3 a ton on trucks at country stations. The Waipiila, which sailed for Auckland just be ore Easter, took a total consignmn t of 11,400 sacks, and this quant: t; is likely to keep tho Auckland :n irket supplied for some time. Aucklnr 1 merchants are showing little inclim.t in to enter into fresh contracts ind few orders have been received’. Offerings of potatoes from the countiy are small, as most growers are not p: - c tared to , accept the reduced prices n >w offering. Tho i mrket for onions is still dull, and the best figure offering is £2 5s per-ton on trucks. There is a fair demand for oats. Gartons are quoted up to 2s 4d and Duns a 2s to 2s 6d at country stations. . - . Partr lge peas are quoted at from 6s 6d tc 7s on trucks. •Clove:, red and white, is 8d to 9d per Jb n trucks for good samples. Inferior is 6dr WELI.I IGTON POULTRY MARKET. (By Tol graph.—Special to Standard.) WELLINGTON, April 22. Eggi.- -First grade 3s 6d, second 3s; pric s firm. Preserved have dropped o'v: lg to cheap consignments from'i.h South Island,J the quotation being Si 7d, which is . unduly low compare 1 with the position of fresh eg ßoilin fowls 5s per pair landed in Wellin?l >n. Cockerels, Is Id per lb. Supplies are tending to ease oft.