AROUND THE DOMINION

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6810, 14 January 1929, Page 10

AROUND THE DOMINION

Notes From Here and There Dairying. Present conditions and production in dairying districts of Otago are much the same as those prevailing at this season of the year 1928. Pastures ore in excellent heart, and there is an abundance of feed. Indeed, there is far more than enough feed for stock everywhere in the province, and to prevent the growth of roughage that will bring -waste and damage later on, dairymen- sire faced with the necessity of harvesting greater quantities of green- food for either hay or ensilage. Production figures -just now are good, and provided the weather keeps favourable, factory intakes should show no appreciably diminution for many weeks yet. The prospects arc for good yields in most districts at the tail end of the season. Poultry as Sideline. % "Throughout the year ihere has been striking evidence that the small settler on the land is realising more than ever before the possibilities of siue-line poultry keeping conducted on up-to-date lines," states the DirectorGeneral of Agriculture (Dr. C. J. Reakes) in his annual review. "When carried out in this way, the poultrykeeping farmer 'is able to utilise a good deal of good material which otherwise would be wasted, and lie is consequently less affected by the high prices of bought poultry foods than is the poultryman who keeps birds on R large scale as a means of livelihood. The continued development and extension of the poultry industry is evidenced by the fact that export of eggs ha-i again had to be resorted to, while the public has been able to obtain its supplies at a very reasonable price. In view of an anticipated surplus of eggs during the flush period. Government assistance was arranged by way of a guarantee on export eggs of not loss than 2oz. in -weight, and of first-class quality. The quantities graded at the different ports pf shipment totalled 7427 cases, representing 228,810 dozen.” Slag Imports. Imports of slag into Taranaki through the port of New Plymouth during the year 1928 constituted, it is Understood, a record. The past season’s total stands at 3-16,148 bags of slag or 21,631 tons. Eleven direct shipments of slag arc recorded, the greatest, cargo being 49,161 bags on the Port Adelaide in March last. Importations -of phosphates and sulphur have also been heavy this season. Tho quantity of phosphates and gu-ijno imported has been 12,482 tons and of sulphur 1307 tons. These figures represent a decrease of 6860 tons of phosphates and 1302 tons of sulphur vvhen compared with those of last year. Of the 61,691 tons of overseas cargo imported through New Plymouth during the past year, no less than 39,074 tons- were fertilisers for the improvement of Taranaki’s soil.

Daylight' Saving. The members of the branch of the Farmers’ Union at Hedgehopc, Southland, have original ideas regarding daylight saving. "That the clock be kept on the half-hour, as at present, all the year round, since we think the half-hour in the winter is of moro use to us than it is in the summer. It will also do away with the need of pushing the clock back and forward at tho different periods, and thereby upsetting the usual routine.” This was a remit brought forward by tho branch at a meeting of the provincial executive. It was held over for consideration later.

Australian Wheat Harvest. The Australian wheat harvest is now in full swing, and not only are yields generally well up to, if not in excess of, anticipation, but the average sample is excellent, according to Messrs. J. B. Were and Son’s circular lotter, dated December 14. Over 625,000 bags of wheat, which is 100,000 bags more than for any previous season up to the corresponding date, have been loaded so far this season on trucks in Victoria. The wheat trains aro pouring their consignments to the seaboard, -where ships are loading for the United Kingdom and India, over .10,000,000 bushels having already been sold for the latter country. Estimates of tho total yield are being raised in consequence of tho results of tho harvesting operations, and it is now anticipated that the exportable surplus will exceed 100,000,000 bushels. This, at current prices, will represent approximately £21,000,000, as compared with exports of wheat and flour valued at £10,859,000 last season, £27,039,000 in 1926-27, and £24,026,000 in 1920-26. This season’s exportable surplus is expected to be ufcovo the average, but the decline in prices during the last couple of years is responsible for a reduction in the gross receipts from the overseas sales.

Agriculture in Schools. According to the Education department’s pamphlet about 26 per cent, of the male breadwinners of New Zealand are engaged in agricultural or pastoral pursuits (says the Evening Post). Taranaki primary schools, therefore, are contributing their quota for the land if, as reported to the Taranaki Education Board, 33 per cent, of the boys leaving school go on to farms. The complaint is that the secondary schools do not maintain this high average. Various explanations may be given. Country scholars aro often unable to obtain secondary education unless- their parents can afford to pay

for (heir accommodation away from home. Further, while a high school course may often be of benefit to a boy intended for farming, it is not so essential as for the boy who proposes to enter the professions. The latter youth cannot enter on his work without further study. It would be desirable if more secondary scholars became farmers; but we arc not sure that the remedy for the present position is to emphasise'agricult ere in the wrim-

aiy schools. In country schools the boys can always learn much at home, and the school hours may be more profitably given to instruction in basic principles (rather than practice), such as they arc less likely to acquire from their parents and ciders. Agricultural Labourer's Prospects. Sir Michael Sadler- spoke aptly at the London conference on rural education (says an English paper), when he said: "Under present conditions the economic-future of English farming is so uncertain that if I were a farm labourer with boys to settle in life I should not care, if I could help it, to bring them up to follow my own calling, but should want them to qualify as motor mechanics, electricians, or shop assistants, or to emigrate. I should feel that the liard-won new rates of agricultural wages arc threatened by the financial plight of many English farmers, and that union rules as to hours of labour will have a precarious life if English agriculture fails to find prosperity." This is just what is happening in the villages of agricultural England to-day. Very few young men aro looking to the land for their life’s work. Some start off on a farm when they leave school, but b.v the time they reach 18 or 19 most of them have found more attractive, and perhaps less arduous, work outsido farming. It is true that tho wdiolc life of the village community is overclouded by the uncertain prospects of, 1 the agricultural industry. And tho village school is suffering in usefulness on this, account.