The NORTHLAND FARMER

Northern Advocate, 11 June 1938, Page 13

The NORTHLAND FARMER

Edited By C. E. Cuming

Education and Co-operation

!n the long run the most important single factor determining the success or failure of co-operative organisations, and the whole co-operative movement, is a sound and wellrounded education programme. Education is the foundation stone of the co-operative movement in Denmark, Sweden and England, where co-oper-ation has made such a startling impression upon the business life. In other countries, too, education is coming to be recognised as the rock bottom upon which the? co-operative movement must build; the life blood upon which every association must ■ live and grow. Too often one is startled or frightened by the term j “educational programme.Education, especially as it Is used in co-operative ! discussion, is nothing more than informing or teaching or imparting knowledge to others. Using the term in this broad sense, there are three general classes or types of education with which co-operatives should bo concerned. (1) Education and information for members. (2) Education of the officers and employees. (3) Education and information for the general public, including any children and youth groups. Education of the members, or keeping members informed, is the first type of education with which a co-operative should be concerned. The officers and managers of a co-operative concern must realise that an association belongs to the members—the members own the company and therefore are entitled to know exactly what is going on and why. The members should participate in formulating policies and plans, they should be kept informed about the development ; and accomplishment of those policies and plans. Continual contact with members through a sound education programme is also good for the officers and employees. It makes for greater effici'ency and interest on the part of both employees and members, which in turn helps to build a -stranger co-operative association.

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

Importance of .Soil Algae. A Bavarian research worker, K. Gist!, vvho has devoted many years to the study d soil algae, has found that these very low forms of plant life, now regarded as part of the soil micro flora, can prove of practical value to agriculture, as indicators of sod properties. In 1932 Gistl examined the soil on the different plots of a fertiliser experiment, which had boon in progress for 13 years. Since the start of the trial the five plots had received the same treatment. They had received nitrogen, phosphate, potash, and the soil of the complete fertiliser plot contained 2G times as much algae r.s that of the no fertiliser plot. The former contained 43 different types .of algae, while in the latter only nine different types were present With further progress in this work, it is expected that in course of time h will be possible from an examination of the algae present in the soils to draw reliable conclusions regarding their agricultural value. Algae are in form long thin threads with partition walls at intervals and contain green colouring matter or chlorophyl. They extend by throwing out, or extending, their thread-like form. They are in no way parasitic, being quite different

from parasitic forms of life which contain no chlorophyl. In colour they may be green, red or brown. Algae are in their most familiar form in the scum that forms on water in drinking troughs and other uncovered containers of water. The smallest trace of

copper will kill them. It is sufficient to kill any algae that have formed on the water of a trough to dip into the water a small muslin bag of powdered bluestone. Even much more than a trace of bluestone is not harmful to stock. In large areas of swamp country in the south-eastern states of

America nothing would grow until

small amounts of copper had been applied. In the'case of large water storage tanks it is desirable to cover them in order to exclude the light. In the absence of light the algae cannot grow.

Feeding Fat for High Test

Reference has already been made to experiments made in America which went to show that it was possible to get high tests by feeding whole milk or fats to cows under test. Discussing this matter, Mr A. D. Buchanan Smith, of the Institute of Animal Genetics, Edinburgh, says that the feeding of oils to cows is the equivalent to doping them. It is against the rules of racing to dope a thoroughbred, before a race, and to feed a cow with fat before the visit of the testing officer was just as bad a crime. It was difficult to see the difference. Mr Smith goes on to show that a breeder who endeavoured 1 to increase the fat yield of his ,cow by feeding fat to her before a London Dairy Show found that it. only made her give loss milk and did not increase the fat at all. In fact, he was very much worse off than when lie started. From another experience Mr Smith thinks that if a man is going in for this form of cheating he had better go in for it pretty carefilly, as on many occasions it did not seem to pay.

Restriction, and Agriculture

While Governments are deliberately

planning restriction of primary products, there are millions of human beings hungry for the products that are to be restricted. Even in New Zealand there appears to be insufficient provision made out of the country's ample food supplies for the undernourished, even when these happen to be children. The great task before the world Is to find means of increasing [ consumption of primary products, not plans for decreasing production. The ' Secretary of Agriculture of the Uni tea j States once said: "We might jiut as well command the sun to stand still as to say that science should take ;; holiday. Science has turned swi ity hil'o plenty. That it has servee, us well is no reason why wc should cl,, rgo science with the responsibility for our failure to apportion production and to distribute the fruits of plent; equitably. That failure wc must charge squarely to organised society and in government. Wc need economic machinery corresponding to our scientific machinery in precision, in power, and in delicacy of adjustment. Science has done the fiist job and dene it magnificently. U lias shown us how to produce. Now it must show us how to distribute what wc produce. It must go forward and not back. To productive science we must add economic science, without for a moment ceasing to advance the former." Attending Sales. j There is a common opinion in the cities, and even in country towns, that farmers in general are ready to neglect their farm? at any opportun*

ily io attend sales c.f livestock, Iho usual weekly market. As a mallei- of 3 fact, only a small percentage of fanners attend such sales, and in the majority of eases; it is necessary to the conduct cf their business that they should do so. Even when they have no actual business to do at the sale, , in the selling or buying of stock. many farmers find it useful for their ! business to set aside a day a week to t moot their fellows. Inceecl. to the farmer, living in comparative isolation. the weekly stock market presents I a good opportunity for him to meet tlio.se in his own lino of business other than his immediate 4 Much valuable information can be picked up ■ at any gathering of farmers,, for the ■•other man" is sure to knew something that you don t know or to have some labour-saving ideas that may prove very useful The exchange of ideas benefits' everybody and there is no better place for making contacts and gaining information than at the saleyards, The business man is always anxious to make ' a study of business methods in order that he may adapt new ideas to his own business. so surely the farmer cannot be blamed for doing practically the same thing at the saleyards.

Environment Temperature

The following abstract was derived from a research conducted at the University of California and reported in a recent issue of the American Journal of Dairy Science. The effect of environmental temperature on high producing dairy cows was studied in a large room in which the temperature was increased from 40 to 100 degrees F., while air movement and relative humidity were maintained at the constant values of 50 feet per minute and 60 per cent, respectively. It was found that, as the room temperature was increased, there was a uniform increase in the respiration rate, which approximately doubled for each .increment of 18 degrees F.; that there was a decrease in pulse rate; and that at SO or 85 F., depending upon the breed, a point was reached where the animals were no longer able to maintain heat balance. As the room temperature was elevated above this point, milk fknv declined, and an alter- ; atiou occurred in the characteristics ofihe milk produced, which included a lowering of the casein and solids-not-fat content, and an increase in the percentage of butterfat. The pH or acidity of Hie milk was raised, the freezing point depression lowered, and a longer rennet coagulation time was required. The butterfat secreted -was lower in volatile acids and higher in unsaturatod components. The cow’s principal avenue for heat dissipation' or dispersion is the respiratory system. Her breathing varies directly with the environmental temperature and her skin had a high insulating value. She may, therefore, adapt herself with comfort to- conditions of extreme cold; a fact that helps to explain why, as found by certain research worker:;, exposure to zero weather brings about neither lowered production nor increased maintenance requirement, ft is also evident that the cow is not especially well fitted to withstand hot climates, though the studies, show a distinct break difference in this regard. Because of the cow's heatregulating mechanism functions in such a radically different manner from that of man, we are not justified A applying the comfort standards worked out for man to the management of cattle. The changes in composition and physico-chemical characteristics of milk when a state of positive heat balance is reached, probably result from blood changes instituted to facilitate heat disposal.

The Big Herd Problem. ! Herd-testing experience is going to show that when the herd average approaches 4001 b of fat it is exceedingly difficult to improve it. Bulls can be obtained that will improve the 2501 b and even the 3001 b here, but xo raise i or even maintain production in the j better than (lie average herds is a •arious rwehlem. The fact that has to I be faced, is that 100 many pedigree • bulls are not being bred for proclue- : • ion and are useless to the pregres- J ■ive dairy farmer. It has been caleu- ; lated that when a herd approaches an i average of 4001 b of lal. two-thirds ui the pedigree bulls being used fail to' make any improvement. This is not | to bo wondered at. seeing the number | of bulls being sold with 3001 bof fat ' nc: 3501 bof fat being boasted of in i their pedigrees as incfcalive of the j producing bleed they cany. The plain j fact js I hat there are too many low- , producing' cows in our pedigree herds ; being used u. rogot dairy sires. No ; pedigree bull is of any use for real j herd improvement unless his dough- i tors tall his daughters) average 4001 b | of fat or over. The general standard , of bulls required by the dairy farm-I ers of the country for impvovomont ■ purposes will never be obtained until ! every pedigree female fs tested and I the pedigree dud is culled out as drar- , tically a*, the grade dud. I