ABOUT THE FARM

Manawatu Times, Volume LIII, Issue 6536, 18 February 1928, Page 12

ABOUT THE FARM

News From Everywhere Quality of Horses. “Everyone has a sneaking regard for a horse, even the man and woman who can’t ride,” said the Prime Minister (the Right Hon. J. G. Coates) at Mastcrton last night. “I am glad to know that the young people of the country are showing themselves to ho fond of horses.” Referring to a suggestion that the Government should assist in the importation of stallions into the count: y, Mr Coates said that the Government had interested itself in the matter sonic few years ago, but it had heard more criticism over its actions than over anything else. However he was sure that if there was an earnest move in the direction again the Government would he only too pleased to assist.

Some Cook, A farmer who visited Christchurch is enthusiastic about the ability of people who apply for ,and get,, jobs in the country as cooks. His latest cook had, it appears, broken some eggs into a basin one evening and left them. The farmer, coming in late and feeling hungry, had used these to ; make himself an egg-flip, refilling the basin with water. Next morning the cook asked his employer what the basin had had in it. “Eggs,” was the reply. “Good,” said the cook, and set about preparing breakfast. After about half an hour he went back to the “Boss” and complained bitterly that he "could not do anything with the blanky eggs ” The farmer investigated and -found that the cook had been trying, needless to say without success, to scramble the egg-tinted water that he had left in the basin.

Ragwort Poisoning That ragwort is a real menace to slock is pointedly evidenced in a communication wc received this' week from a settler in one of the out-dis-tricts inquiring for information as to the .progress so far made by the Cawthron Institute authorities with experiments with the cinnamon moth, (states the Waipa Post). Our correspondent stated that in the last 26 months' he has lost 16 cows on his property, their deaths being certified by the Government veterinarian at Hamilton as due to ragwort. This information may cause other farmers to take precautionary measures, such as we suggested last week, by losing no time to pull out by the roots the clumps of flowering ragwort in their paddocks. A little trouble devoted to the task • now; will assuredly avoid a .lot of trouble if the ragwort seed is allowed to drop to the ground and germinate.

Second Grade Cream. It is sometimes very difficult for a, grader to convince a supplier that his cream is second grade, as perhaps ho is doing all ho can, and very often going to more trouble than is necessary to ensure first grade. If, however, the layout of his shed is bad it may be difficult to get first-grade. Cream when leaving the separator is just at the best temperature to take a taint, and if the atmosphere be impure the cream is certain to pick up whatever smell there is. The cream will smell just as does the separatorroom or place where cream is kept. It does very little good to shift cream after separating in an impure atmosphere, but it is not so bad as leaving the cream there. One frequently hears complaints from farmers because their cream was graded second when not sour, sour cream being in their opinion the worst of all. It is natural for cream to go sour; when cream will not go sour it is a sure sign or Inferiority. I have known farmers to prefer rancid to sour cream. It is difficult to get two cans of cream exactly alike in flavour. So well versed do some graders become that they can remember the flavours of each individual farmer’s cream as easily as they remember the cans. The flavour is just as distinctly impressed on the grader's mind as if ho had seen it. Ive for Farm Produce IjCow science is brought to the aid of farmers in the United States was described by Mr M. Cohen, ex-chair-man of the Wellington Harbour Board upon his return to Wellington. There is a Lake at Utah, ho said,, GOOD feet above sea level. This is artificial, and when filled is frozen over in winter. It is comparatively shallow and becomes a solid mass of ice, which is cut into blocks. These blocks arc stored in a special chamber threequarters of a mile long, and can be loaded as required by appropriate machinery into waiting produce trains. The South Pacific and Union Pacific Railways had 70,000 special produce cars, in which this ice was used, in order to assist the farmer to get his produce to the market in prime condition

A Good Recovery. In a speech delivered at the social function in connection with the annual Show of the Masterton A. and P. Association, the Prime Minister (the Right Hon. J. G. devoted some time to a comprehensive review of the trade position in New Zealand. Quoting figures indicating increases in exports, Mr Coates pointed out that New Zealand had made a good recovery from the recent economic depression, and said that the outlook was bright. The Prime Minister dealt in turn with the various forms of primary produce, and his remarks held the attention of the large gathering from beginning to end. Stitch in Tims

On many farms round about the district there may be seen plants of ragwort in full flower (says the Eltham Argus). Somo of the patches are so small that they could be pulled up in a few minutes: but no, they are being allowed to seed and spread all over the place. These are the cases where weed inspectors should summon without delay. When a man has a large area infected it is sometimes beyond his financial means to pay for clearing, but in cases where a man with only a few plants on his farm is too indolent to clear them off is a menace to his neighbours, and should bo made an example of at court. In the Kitchen.

Excitement ran high in a popular homestead at Tutukaka one morning last week (states the Northern Advocate). The guests had just arisen from the breakfast table when a great commotion occurred in the kitchen, into which had rushed an excited Jersey bull. The animal performed a variety of evolutions, the nature of which decided the kitchen staff that discretion was the better part of valour. The uproar continued for some minutes, and when the intruder took his leave, strange to say, not an article was broken or misplaced.

The Übiquitous Pig. In New Zealand the pig is remarkable. He thrives in a wide climatic range, and in four years has multiplied his kind to the extent of a 25 per cent increase in the pig population. His geographical distribution follows closely that of the dairy herds but the number of dairy cows has been unchanged since ,1924, showing a certain independence on the part of the pig industry in regard to the dairy industry's capacity to support and build it up. In fact, the recent statistics contained in the January “Abstract’ ’ show a tendency in the Dominion to develop pig farming quite independently of dairying, and New Zealand has to-day 40 pigs for every 100 cows, an increase of 10 per cent, in 7 years. Denmark, one of the Dominion’s principal competitors in the Homo market, has increased her number of pigs as compared with cows in the same period by over 200 per cent. About Eels.

Tho continued dry weather, like most other phenomena, has produced tho usual unusual incident, and a Waitotara fanner is reported finding eelcatching particularly easy Just now. Lack of rain has caused one of his creeks to dry up ( and here eels congregate in large numbers in what few pools rmain, and are easily caught The farmer, who says it is particular-1 ly interesting to watch tho tunas at nigltt time travelling up the crock in search of water, is turning his large hauls of cels to use, by converting them into poultry food. A, Convincing Testimony. Speaking at tho executive of Otago Farmers’ Union at it’s last meeting, Mr. E. B. Tennent, instructor in agriculture, said his hearers could judge the significance of top-dressing experiments to some farmers when he told them that one landholder on whose property an experimental plot had been laid down with special success, had assured him that the work carried out thereon had saved him from “walking off” the farm. He had had no idea that such immediate and surprising results could be expected from super. The knowledge gained as a result had given him a new lease of life, as It affected his holding at least and had given a startling filip to the farm’s production. ■