FARMING AND COMMERCIAL

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIX, Issue 104, 2 April 1929, Page 5

FARMING AND COMMERCIAL

DETERIORATION OF LAND. SPECIAL BOARD SUGGESTED. FARMERS’ UNION CONCERNED. Alarm at tho rapid growth of pest; and the consequent deterioration ol land in Canterbury was expressed at a meeting of the North Cantebury executive of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, blackberry, ragwort, and Californian thistle being named as tho most dangerous. A report was received from the Dominion president on the question, and after going into the problem at length the report stated that the main thing was to establish a system. He recommended the creation of one or more land settlement or deteriorated land boards, to be composed of specially selected men, to bo appointed by the Government, who should not necessarily be civil servants, and who should have authority to decide what was deteriorated or deteriorating land, to classify such areas, to create the machinery for handling or settling it, to make the necessary recommendations to the Government or Parliament for finance, and to have authority to administer such lands and make regulations for such a purpose, subject to the approval of the Minister. Mr D. J. Hawke said that it would not be long before ragwort was all over the Canterbury plains. Californian thistle, blackberry and gorse were spreading rapidly and nothing,was being done. Land was deteriorating £3 and £4 an acre, and there were thousands of acres which should be cultivated. “I hope the present Government will push the land settlement policy for all it is worth,” said Mr Hawke, who moved that a board be set up to deal with the question. The board, he said, need not necessarily be composed of Government officials. Mr J. D. Hall: We do not want another Government department running this thing. But we have land in Canterbury that is deteriorating at a dangerous speed. I am very chary of any Government interference with the land, and we must have a representatitve of the farmers’ organisations on the board. It was decided to ask that a board be set up consisting of representatives of the Government, but with a majority of the farmers’ organisations..

The necessity for- an alteration m legislation to provide against The carting of live stock by .motor .after dark without special permit, as is the case under the present Stock Act for droving, was brought forward by Mr H. Actor-Adams, at a meeting of tho Canterbury Sheepowners’ Union, with others in connection with recent information with regard to heavy losses of stock in the district was referred to a special sub-committee of the union on sheep stealing. It was decided to reprint notices for distribtuion offering a reward to any person obtaining the conviction of anyone on a charge of stealing sheep, the property of members of the union.

BLOOD SCOURS. TROUBLE WITH CALVES. RESULT OF INVESTIGATIONS. “For some time past officers of the live-stock division have been suspicious that bloodstained scouring in jalves in some of the dairying districts might possibly be due to a parasitic disease known as coccidiosis,” states Mr G. F. V. Morgan, N.D.A., N.D.D, dairy bacteriologist, Wallaceville Laboratory, in the New Zealand Journal of Agriculture. / “Recently a farmer in tho Hutt Valley, near "Wellington, brought in a small quantity of faeces from such a case, giving the following history : Several years ago the majority of his calves died in a small paddock set aside for calves. This paddock was not abnormally damp in winter, but water did lie about to some extent; during the summer the paddock was dry. Deaths occurred in the summer and early autumn. Following the first mortality, several of his calves died annually, until three years ago no gave up trying to rear calves. Every calf that died did so with symptoms of dysentery. This year he had two calves he wished to save, and put them back into the same calf-paddock. Both died, though no calves had been in the paddock for three years. As far as this farmer has noticed, there have been no cases of persistent scouring in. his adult herd.

“Fortunately. I was able to secure the intestines of the last calf to die, and easily demonstrated typical cocidiosis —an ulceration of the rectum due to the entrance, into the cells of the mucous membrane, of this parasite, a species of Eimeria, probably Eimeria Zurnia.. The faeces also contained many of the resistant stage of the organism, known as the oocyst. “The life-cycle of this parasite is an interesting one. The oocyst is dropped on to the ground by the faeces. In it four daughter cells form, tvhich divide again into two sporozoites. At this stage the parasite has been swallowed by another calf, and the sporoz oites, of which there are ndw eight, in the original oocyst are set free and attack the cells of the mucous membrane, one sporozoite to one cell These sporozoites enlarge, and in them many asexual bodies known as merozoites are found, each of which attacks a new cell when liberated, so setting up the ulceration. -If conditions become unfavourable for the parasite after several asexual cycles female elements are formed, the male fertilising the female to form a oocyst, a very resistant body and the one which iij left on the ground in calfpaddocks to infect future generations. An oocyst has been known to remain alive and able to infect for at least two years. “Calves affected are not easily' treated. In Canada the following mixture is prescribed: Sulphate of iron, two parts, sulphur, two parts; salt, six parts. They use 501 bof the mixture with 1001 b of linseed cake to 100 head per day, and continue treatment for two weeks, which works out at lib of tonic to lib linseed-cake per calf per day. Other workers claim results with enemas of 1 per cent tannic acid or 1 per cent alum. For poultry thymol is given in thedrinklng water. With calves a dram of thymol dissolved in the milk might be tried for- a period of four days, followed by a dose of castor oil.. “Prevention is also difficult unless particular care is taken. It is best to provide an entirely new calf-pad-dock, and to use new feeding-tins, etc. If necessary to retain the old paddock, it must be thoroughly ploughed and well limed up to the fence-line. Sheds also require to be sprayed with a 1 per cent solution of disinfectant.

“In order that it might be determined what - species of eimeria ( coccidium), infests New Zealand calves, farmers having cases of blood scours should inform the nearest stock inspector, so that specimen may be forwarded to Wallaceville. Not all cases of blood scours are due to this parasite, but the specimens forwarded will assist in deciding what the proportion is. Farmers should bear in mind that the condition, once present on the farm, requires energetic measures in order to combat it.”

USE OF WOOL. * PROPAGANDA - SUGGESTED. Speaking at a meeting of the Canterbury Sheepowners’ Union, Mr B. E. H. Tripp stated that a propaganda campaign was absolutely necessary with regard to the use of wool, and the recognition of its desirability .as an article of clothing. He pointed out that if a similar effort were made with regard to wool as was the case with regard to the advertising of artificial silk the effect on the wool producing industry would be that wool would be increasingly sought after, and its price at least fully maintained. He suggested that a levy of not more than 6d a bale should be struck over the whole Dominion to provide the necessary funds for an advertising campaign advocating the use of wool similar to that which had proved so successful for artificial silk. He moved “That it be a recommendation to the federation executive at its annual meeting that the Government be again asked to pass legislation empowering a committee representing the wool-growers to strike a levy of not more than 6d a bale in order to provide a fund to be used for propaganda purposes throughout the world with a view to encouraging the use of wool for clothing purposes in preference to other materials, the use of which had proved to be so detrimental to health, especially in the temperate and colder climates.” This was seconded by Mr R. C.- Todbunter, and carried. Mr Todhunter moved and Mr D. W. Westenra seconded a resolution—“ That the secretaries of sheepowners’ unions in New Zealand and Australia be advised with a view to obtaining concerted action throughout the Commonwealth of Australia and New Zealand. —Carried.

INSURANCE OF CROPS. SCHEME IN AUSTRALIA. It is understood that Mr Tliorby, Minister of Agriculture in New South Wales, is working out a scheme for the mutual insurance of wheatgrowers against crop losses due to unfavourable weather conditions. The proposals are in a nebulous stage at present, but it appears that the idea is,to replace the existing system of loans from the Rural Industries Board by straight-out grants from a fund contributed to by all growers in the State on the basis of, say, |d per bushel harvested each season. The scheme is said to .embody the proposal to guarantee farmers cash receipts equal to a fixed _ minimum yield in the event of partial or total failure of their crop in any one season. Four bushels to the acre is mentioned as the minimum, and it lias been suggested that good farming methods be insisted upon"in regard to growers sesuring grants from the fund. A guarantee from the Treasury to tide the fund over the early stages and also "during extremely bad seasons Is mooted, but it is anticipated that ultimately, it will be self-supporting.

CATTLE TICK. SOUTH ISLAND PRECAUTIONS. • At .a meeting of the Canterbury Sheepowners’ Union a letter- was read from Hon. G. W. Forbes in reply to representations made in connection with the appearance of cattle tick in the South Island, and stating that it would not be possible to declare Csolc Strait a tick boundary without declaring the whole of the North Island to be an infected area, and that this would bo far too drastic a measure to adopt as it would place an unwarranted restriction upon producers in clean areas of the North Island. He regretted that while he was most anxious to do everything possible to protect farmers in the South Island he could not see his w'ay to adopt the suggestion from the executive. He stated that every care was being taken under existing conditioiiSj and that the most careful investigation had failed to find any further tick in the Takaka district.

The secretary was instructed to acknowledge receipt of ' the Minister’s letter and thank liijn for his courteous attention, and to express- the disappointment of the executive at the result of the representations made during the last two years, and the evident inadequacy of the steps taken to cope with the menace, as shown by the appearance of the tick so far south as Nelson. It was suggested that the department had probably misunderstood the request with regard to Cook Strait, as it was only suggesetd that adequate inspection of all stock should be made before shipment to the South Island whether from so-called infected areas or otherwise. PLANT STATION’S WORK. REPORT BY DIRECTOR. “It had been hoped that opportunity would be afforded this year to carry out considerable certification of at least white clover and brown top,” reports Dr. Cunningham, Director of the Planf* Research Station at Palmerston North, in the March issues of the Now Zealand Journal of Agriculture. “However,” he adds, “circumstances will only allow of a certain amount of old pasture white clover certification. This work is conducted in connection with the Welsh and Scottish Plant Breeding Stations, and seed from all certified crops is to be put on trial by these institutions, as well as in New Zealand.

“On the area at Palmerston North, over ono hundred commercial samples of brown-top are being grown, and it is obvious that several distinct strains are present, and the comparative merits of these require to be worked.out before any satisfactory certification can be adopted. In addition, it may be mentioned that among these samples there are three which consist almost entirely of true agrostis stolonifera. This seed at tho present time is not in tho trade in any part of tho world, and South German bent grass (which contains only a small percentage of true stolonifera, commands 6d per pound premium over New Zealand brown-top for that reason. It is clear that where stolonifera could be marketed as such it would command quite a fancy price, and, in order that this might be done, certification based on actual examination of the growing crop is necessary.”

LINSEED RUST CONTROL. In a recent report the Director of the Plant Research Station at Palmerston North states: 1 “The J.W.S. linseed now being grown in New Zealand by arrangement with the Empire Marketing Board (350 acres this season) was unfortunately contaminated with linseed rust when shipped here. It is highly necessaiy to secure clean lines of this seed for sowings, and an attempt has been made to treat seed - so that a clean crop could be secured. The treatment, however, has not been successful, and it will be necessary to fall back on the selection of individual healthy plants for the production of a nucleus line of healthy seed. “In tlie case of this rust it is not definitely known whether the disease is actually carried in the seed or whether contamination of a line is due only to teleutospores being present amongst the seed. If the disease is mainly transported as teleutospores in seed samples there should not be any great difficulty in hand selection for freedom from the disease.” CREAM PRODUCTION. CLEANLINESS OF SEPARATOR. ESSENTIAL TO QUALITY. “The separator is one of the most important links in the chain of good cream-production. It cannot be too strongly emphasised that the whole chain is just as strong .as its weakest link, and that the links extend from the supplying dairy to the pastureisation plant at the factory,” states Mr G. F. V. Morgan, N.D.A., N.D.D., dairy bacteriologist, Wallaceville laboratory, in the New Zealand Journal of Agriculture. “The most important points in the production of good cream to consider are—(l) The cleanliness of tho milk-ing-machine; (2) the cleanliness of the separator; (3) the cleanliness of the cream-can. Of these points the separator is a very important item, as it is capable of having a most harmful effect if improperly cleaned and looked after.

“The process of separation always slightly increases the bacterial count of milk —however clean the separator may be kept—by breaking Up the chains and clumps of germs that n ay have entered from the milkingmachine, or that they have originated in the cow’s udder. This, however, makes little difference to the keepingquality of the cream, though it makes a rather marked difference to that of the separated milk. It. must bo remembered that the separator is a centrifugal machine, ana that xlie tendency is for a large proportion of foreign bodies in the milk, among which may be included bacteria yeasts and moulds, to leave the separator with the heavier skim-milk rather than with the lighter cream, or else to remain in the slime which is always to be found adhering to the bowl and plates of the separator after use. “For reasons already explained, this slimes contains a large proportion of the germs, originally present in the milk, more particularly the larger bacilli, most of which are bad ‘weeds’ in dairy-produce and cause the worst ultimate effects, usually leading to rapid putrefaction rather than to normal clean souring. “Germs, of the bad typo particularly, are collected from day to day in the course of separation and provide an ever-increasing contamination of the cream. The necessity of taking down the separator and cleaning it thoroughly after each use is therefore quite obvious. “Apart from removing the slime;or more visible dirt, every part of the separator that comes into contact with the milk or cream should be tnoroughly washed and cleaned, and linally scalded. This removes the film of milk that remains over all parts of the separator through which -the cream passes. “This thin film of milk, if allowed to remain, forms one of the best media for bacterial growth and multiplication, and tho few germs that may have been introduced into the separator with cleanly, produced milk will, reproduce rapidly before the time the separator is next used, forming a considerably increased source of contamination for the following separation.

Again, if this film is allowed to remain for a period of several days, and is continually being replenished by fresh cream and milk already containing bacteria, tho number of germs or bacteria in tho separator itself will be sufficient to cause the cream to sour or develop bad flavours very shortly separation. Experiments recently carried out at the Wallaceville Laboratory show the degree''in which a badly cleaned separator can increase tho germ content and reduce the keep-ing-quality of the cream and separated milk. STERILISATION ADVANTAGES.

“Thorough cleaning and scalding, as will be shown in the tables to follow, very markedly increase the keepingquality of the cream, and a further considerable increase can be obtained by steam-sterilising for half an hour, at as near boiling-point as can be managed, all parts 01 the separator through which the cream or milk passes. This can usually be done quite simply by placing a convenient receptacle with a perforated bottom and a lid over a copper, allowing the steam to enter and keep circulating for half an hour, it must be remembered that however clean utensils may appear after washing, it' is impossible to wash them free from germs, and that most germs found in dairy-produce are capable of resisting scalding water for a considerable time. The only sure way of rendering utensils sterile is by using live steam for a sufficient length of time, and experiments have shown that half an hour is the minimum time in which thorough sterilisation may be expected. Results have shown that sterilisation will add an additional day and a half to the keeping-quality of cream above that of the well cleaned and scalded separator. “It will therefore be seen that sparators should be thoroughly cleaned and scalded. This means little extra time and trouble, and will greatly improve the quality of the cream. Sterilisation of all parts of the separator, wherever possilbe, is also strongly to be recommended. GRASS YIELD. IIEASURED BY MOWER. EXPERIMENTS AT MARTON. The technique of frequent mowings as a measure of production is being tried at the Marton experimental area this season. The effect of applying two different kinds of phosphate at four different periods of tho year is being tested. Cuttings are made at about fourteen days’ interval. No attempt has been made to carry out cuttings at regular intervals, but it happens that a convenient growth for cutting (or grazing) occurs in about fourteen days. Hence it will be seen that a good measure of seasonal production is also obtained. Results up to the present indicate: (1) That there is no particular flush of growth about November, as is commonly supposed, but that production on a well-managed pasture is fairly uniform throughout the growing-season, providing rainfall is adequate and temperature suitable; (2) that super-phos>-phate at 3cwt. per acre on the land in question gives its maximum effect about six to eight weeks after application, when rainfall has been sufficient... for plant requirements.—Journal of Agriculture. BANK OF ENGLAND RETURNS. COMPARISONS WITH PREVIOUS WEEK. (Australian Press Association.—United Service.) LONDON, March 28. The Bank of England returns for the week ended March 28, as compared with those for the week ended March 21, are as follows:

Short loans, 4t per cent., compared with 4 1-3 per cent, last week; three months’ bills. 5 11-32 per cent, same as last week.

CONSOLS AND COLONIAL STOCKS. The following table gives quotations for consols and colonial inscribed stocks, compared with those of March 21: VariaPrice. tion,

Mar, 28. Mar. 21. £ £ Note circulation 413,331.000 412,443,000 Coin 158,160,000 157,273,000 Reserve 51,947,000 58,957,000 Govt, deposits 19,705,000 19,424,000 Other deposits 94,595,000 99.594,000 Govt, securities 50,587,000 47,917,000 Other securities 30,069,000 30,468,000 Proportion of re49.50 serve to liabilities 45.40 SHORT LOANS AND BILLS.

£ s. d. 8. d. C01160I3, 2£ per cent. ... 55 10 0 6 3+ Funding Loan, 4, 1960-90 86 10 0 25 0’ War Loan, 5, 1929-47 ... 101 17 6 5 Of Conversion Loan, 3£ 76 5 0 15 ot Com’wealth, 5£, 1922-27 98 7 6 2 6* Com’wealth, 6, 1931-41 ... 100 17 6 5 ot Victorian, 3, 1929-49 ... 71 0 0 7 6+ Victorian, 3£, 1929-49 ... 75 10 0 2 6* Victorian, 5£, 1930-40 ... 99 0 0 Same Victorian, 5, 1932-42 95 8 9 6 3* Victorian, 41 1940-60 ... 93 0 0 5 ot N.S.W., 4, 1933 93 12 6 2 6* N.S.W., 3, 1935 75 2 6 7 6* N.S.W., 3£, 1930-50 ... 84 15 0 1 3* N.S.W., 5J, 1922-32 ... 101 0 0 10 0* N.S.W., 64, 1930-40 101 0 0 Same N.S.W., 6, 1930-40 101 17 6 2 ot Queensland, 3£, 1930 97 15 0 7 6t Queensland, 3, 1922-47 ... 71 0 0 20 0* Queensland, 6, 1930-40 ... 100 5 0 2 6t New Zealand, 4, W29 ... 100 7 6 2 6t New Zealand, 3i, 1940 ... 86 7 6 5 0* New Zealand. 3, 194b ... 77 10 0 10 0* New Zealand. 6, 1936-51 105 5 0 1 3* S. Aus.. 3. 1916 or after 58 17 6 2 6* S. Australia, 6£, 1930-40 101 2 6 2 6+ 83 15 0 5 O’ Tasmania, 3, 1920-40 ... 79 10 0 10 ot 101 5 0 [Same W. Australia, 1929-35 90 0 0 b ot W Australia. 3, 1915-35 86 7 6 12 6* W. Australia, 6, 1930-40 101 0 0 10 ot fHigher. ♦Lower