The NORTHLAND FARMER

Northern Advocate, 26 June 1937, Page 11

The NORTHLAND FARMER

Instructive Competition. In view of the fact that so much is being made of the declared value of medium-testing milk over higher-test-ing milk for cheese-making, the case of the Jersey cow, Tararua Mayflower, which sold at auction at Levin recently for 209 gns, is decidedly interesting. This cow was the first Jersey to take part in the cheese test competition at the Hawera show, and she won the competition. She gave less milk than the Friesian cow that was second to her and the same amount of milk as the Shorthorn that was third, the Jersey and the Shorthorn gave 561 b of milk ,and the Friesian 631 b. The Jersey gave 5.45« per cent. of fat, 2.11 ' per cent, of casein, a cheese test of 10.8 and her milk ’ produced 6.648 cheese; the Friesian 3.28 per cent, of fat, 2.19 per cent, of casein, 8.5 cheese test and gave 5.355 of cheese; the Shorthorn gave 4.23 per cent, of fat, 2.17 per cent, of casein, a cheese test of 9.5 and produced 5.320 of cheese. Thus, it will be seen, that cheese production followed fat percentage as well as milk yield. Of course, this is only one test and a day’s test at that, but the fact remains that milk yield is not everything in the production of cheese, but that the fat percentage of the milk has a decided influence.

Margarine Menace. The Australian Government is proposing to introduce legislation to compel margarine to be white in colour. Last year 8907 tons of margarine were made in Australia, so it is time they did something. The manufacture of margarine is steadily increasing in this country, and some such idea as that of Australia will be necessary. The Americans, who have to face very heavy margarine competition, are advocating that the best way to meet the comp tition is to so improve the quality of butter that margarine will have no chance against it, but the margarine manufacturers are all the time improving their product, making the fullest use of science, so much so that many people could not tell the difference between the pure article and the substitute. Great Romney Dispersal, What was probably a world’s re--1 cord were the averages obtained at the dispersal of the great Parorangi flock of Romneys, twelve stud rams averaging 82 gns and 800 ewes averaging just on 11 gns. The founder of this flock, the late Mr E. Scott, was generally admitted to have been the greatest breeder of sheep this country has produced. There have been many notable flocks developed, the credit for the standard of type created being

A page prepared for the purpose of helping the Northland farmer to make the utmost use of the remarkable advantages which Nature has _ * bestowed on Northland, and thereby 6 to develop the most fertile territory in New Zealand. S

due rather to some of the very capable Scottish shepherds that have settled in the Dominion than to the actual owners, but in the case of the Parorangi Romneys it was the work of the owner that was solely responsible. The late Mr Scott had a rare natural gift as a breeder and no importer of British stock to this country was more ready to buy the best regardless of cost. For the benefit of the many readers who are now developing sheep flocks for the first time, it may be well to emphasise the importance attached by the late Mr Scott to the head in judging an animal. When the boys in the agricultural class of the Feilding High School were camping on his farm for instruc-

1 . Edited By 1 C. E. Cuming 5 •

tional purposes, he had a portion of a | fence boarded up and holes cut in this so that the heads of sheep could be put through and studied apart from their bodies. Then he talked for some time to the boys on the heads—on the importance of width between the eyes, and the value of the good nostril and good mouth, the jaws meeting well, while the matter of good expression was emphasised. The ram had to have a masculine expression and carriage, while the ewe required a matronly expression, quite different from the pretty head that appeals to many. After the boys had been well impressed with the points he wanted to drive home, the sheep were brought round, and it was demonstrated to them that the good bodies, and even good fleeces, accompanied the good heads. And several of the best Scottish shepherds who developed some of the country’s best flocks have also attached great importance to head, expression and carriage. “Ah, what a gay eye,” said one of these shepherds when he first caught sight of a notable imported sheep. And Parorangi Romneys were noted for many years for their great heads’ and for their outstanding style and character. Milk Bars. The milk bar, says a London paper, has come in ‘“with a vengeance.” A bar in Fleet Street, London, is open day and night and serves something like 12,000 customers a week at 4d a drink. Several companies have already been floated for the purpose of opening up bars in other parts of London. There are over 1000 bars operating in the province. The Credit System. Credit on the security of land in Denmark is organised through mortgage credit societies, in a manner which facilitates the obtaining of cheap loans, and at the same time offers the lenders satisfactory security. I These societies are, with one excep- | tion, associations of joint loan seeking property owners, who through joint liabiltiy offer greater security and therefore obtain cheap loans. The mortgage credit societies grant loans on first mortgages up to three-fifths of jthe appraised value. The hypothec societies give loans on second mortgages as a rule, so that the maximum 1 liability incurred may reach up to 75 per cent, of the property value. The hypothec societies which are principally concerned with second mortgages on farm lands, are operating as a bank with a State guarantee as to its capital. In this manner credit has been readily obtained by the faimers and owing to the joint liability .no losses of consequence have been experienced, and due to the unquestioned security such mortgage loans ha,ve been obtained on the basis of 3£ to 4 h per cent. To sum up the fortunate economic position of Denmark, credit must therefore first be given to rural education— high schools and agricul- ; tural colleges—through which developed the co-operative movement resulting in profitable operations of the farm and the ability through the cooperative borrowing or joint liability, to obtain necessary financing at a low interest rate. Grassland Productivity. The cultivation of grass, as distinct from the mere growing of it, has received far more attention since the war than at any previous time. The reasons, therefore, are manifold, but

probably the chief one is the recognition that it pays to treat grass like a direct offspring of the goddess of fertility rather than as one of he*- neglected step-children. Some grassland enthusiasts would like to see an even greater proportion of our cultivated land sown down to grass, but perhaps the saner policy is to make more of the existing area under grass before encroaching on the preserves of the arable farmer. The kernel of the problem is how to obtain the greatest economic yield of grass of the most nutritious quality. The key to its solution is manuring with nitrogen; but that key cannot be used successfully unless certain conditions are first satisfied. These conditions may be summed up in the words “cultivation” and “management.” The ne-

cessity for draining and liming, and for using selected strains of grasses when re-sowing, needs no emphasis. The maintenance of an open top soil, through which air and water can percolate to the roots of the herbage, is also very important, and has been rather overlooked until recently. Old matted turf must be broken up; if very bad, by ploughing in autumn (followed by re-seeding); otherwise

by the judicious use of the harrow, the severity of treatment varying with the toughness of the mat. Desperate ills require desperate remedies. After the harrowing, the sward is left open for a while, and then rolled lightly until growth begins. Once the mat has been removed, grazing and treading should keep the surface open, and thus allow white clover and. the finer grasses to come into their own.