FARM NOTES FROM ENGLAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9435, 5 August 1889, Page 3

FARM NOTES FROM ENGLAND.

"FROM OUR ENGLISH AGRICULTURAL CORRESPONDENT.]

~ London, May 31. THE BATH AND WEST SHOW.

Next week the Bath and West of England Society, which rant:3 next to the " Royal," will hold its show rib Exeter. The entries of stock, exclusive of poultry, number 837, and the dairy exhibits 235, 17,188 feet being allotted to implements, &c. There are other societies, such as that of Yorkshire, which are more important than the Bath and West as far as live stock are concerned ; but the latter makes a good deal of interest in connection with its working dairy and butter-making competition. This year the dairy arrangement;} are on a larger scale than ever before. There will be a trial of cream separators for the society's medal, and every day farmers' wives, daughters, and assistants will take part in a buttermaking contest, for which there are nearly a hundred entries. Demonstrations of butter and cheese-making will also be given by experts.

THE DISHORNING OF CATTLE. ' Last week the Lord Chief Justice and Mr. Justice Hawkins gave the full text of their judgment in the case of appeal In relation to the dishorning of cattle, referred to in my last letter. I think some Norfolk magistrates declined to convict a farmer for sawing off the horns of a number of bullocks close to their skulls, and the Society for the Prevention- of Cruelty to Animals carried the case to the Court of Queen's Bench. The judges declared the practice illegal at the last sittings, but reserved the full details of their judgment till last week, when they were given in writing, though also read in court. Both judges were very severe on those who are cruel enough to saw off the horns of cattle as had been done in the Norfolk case, and they reversed the judgment of the Norfolk magistrates. The evidence of some of our principal veterinary surgeons was' to the effect that the operation was excruciatingly painful at the time, and that the pain lasted lor many days afterwards. But the judges, knowing nothing of the habits of cattle, ignored the chief reason for dishorning, and so weakened the strength of their judgment. They assumed that ib was done only to increase the selling value of animals, and they referred to catte goring each other as quite exceptional, instead of as quite a common occurrence, when the beasts are loose in yards especially. Still the practice of sawing off horns close to the head is so terribly painful that it ought to be prevented. By all means, however, let the dishorning of young calves, by pushing out the budding horns, when loose in their sockets, be encouraged on grounds of humanity. The sufferings which cattle inflict on each otherj/vvith their horns is deplorable.

OUR IMPORTS OF EGGS. In 1888 we imported 1,118,474,040 eggs from the Continent of Europe, and the number gradually increases, and has been increasing steadily for many years past. Now, why do not we produce all the eg<rs we require at home? Eggs certainly pay to produce, though the fattening of fowls does not, as ordinarily carried out by farmers, and when the fowls are sold to a higgler, by him to a large buyer, and a third time to a retailer. Consumers pay for fowls about double what producers receive, except where the wives of small farmers take their own fowls to market. But the production of eggs pays well, even when they sell at the lowest price. Then why do we import such enormous quantities ? Well, as far as importation from the South of France and Italy goes, the people there have the advantage of a warmer climate, and can supply cheap eggs at seasons of the year when hens here lay but few. But this is not a sufficient explanation, because more than half the eggs we import come from countries at least as cold as our own, and colder during winter and spring. Germany is the greatest source of supply, France being second, then Belgium, and fourth,l imagine, Denmark. Now, there is no reason why Denmark, a much colder country than the United Kingdom, should be able to beat us in cheap egg production. Yet, as a paper just published by our Agricultural Department shows, the export of eggs from Denmark increased during the twenty years ending with 1887 from 90.000, valued £1800, to nearly 111,000,000, valued at £262,514, most of which came to England. This increase is all the more remarkable because the price has steadily diminished, until it has come down to one shilling a score. Still, even at current prices, the industry pays well in Denmark, according to an estimate made by a producer. He keeps 250 hens at an average cost of 1000 kroner (£55 lis). He puts the average annual production of eggs per hen at 120 at least, such averages as 140 to 160 being known. If he can make one krone (Is lAd) a score, he realises at least 1500 kroner, and his net profit, it is said, is £26 (by my calculation I make it £28), exclusive of any building expenses. If a krone a score is above the average receipts of producers generally, it is also to be noticed that the cost of keeping the hens is generally put less than the allowance in this estimate, though 4s Gd a hen per annum seems low enough. It is explained, however, that as the fowls have a good run on the small farms they pick up a great deal of food for themselves. The staple food given to them is barley, and oats when they are laying Bran and potatoes are also frequently supplied. The favourite breed is described as the Italian, the Spanish being next in favour. The rearing and fattening of chickens are scarcely attempted in Den mark. The South of Ireland is much better suited for the production of eggs and the rearing of fowls than Denmark is, and a great part of England and Scotland is also better suited. But British farmers have been in the habit of looking down on poultry as beneath their notice, and as something to be left to the women to attend to, the proceeds being the perquisites of the wife and daughter very commonly. This arrangement is a very good one when the farmer can afford it; but, as a rule, at least ten times as many fowls as are kept on a large farm might be kept with profit, if divided into several lots and kept in different parts of the farm.

SCIENTIFIC CHEESE-MAKING. One of the most successful dairy schools is the Tiverton Dairy Institute, near Beeston, in Cheshire, carried on by Mr. Willis, who lias been very successful in cheese-making. The vat in which, the curd is manipulated contains 300 gallons of milk. A register in it states the temperature of the milk, which is brought up to 92 degrees, when the rennet is added. After the curd is formed, it is left to steep in the whey for about three-quarters of an hour, when the necessary degree of acidity is developed, and the process of breaking up the curd is commenced. The whey having being drawn off, the curd is kept at a temperature of 90 degrees, and is then cut into cubes of about 21b each. It is wrapped in a cloth to keep the temperature from falling below 90 degrees. Eight ounces of salt is used with each 211b of curd. This is the early-ripening process, the rest of the proceedings being of the ordinary character. The cheese can be sent to market in a fortnight.