ON THE LAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13497, 25 May 1907, Page 3

ON THE LAND.

BIG SHEEP.

The opinion of a prominent, breeder on the, question, "Does it pay to breed big sheep?" is worth recording. He said, "I am inclined to think that' it docs not pay. A ewe of great size must require a proportionate amount of food, and if 120 moderate-sized sheep could be carried with the same amount of grass that it would take to feed 100 of the very big ones, the moderate-sized sheep should pay best. I am no advocate for small sheep, especially breeding ewes, but it seems possible that they can be too big. As a general rule the very big sheep are light clippers. The big sheep referred to cut 81b. The question of whether this is an adequate return for the amount of food consumed is what I am endeavouring to prove. If size, with proportionate weight of wool, can be got, that would bo one point in favour of big sheep. The moderate-sized ,ewes should produce a. greater number of lambs for the feed con- \ sumed. Suppose, for example, 50 acres | carry 100 big ewes, producing 100 per cent, lambs, equal to 100 lambs, producing 81b wool per head, equal to 8001b wool; 50 acres carry 120 moderate ewes, producing 100 per cent, lambs, equal to 120 lambs, producing 7|lb wool per head, equal to 9001b wool. That would be 20 lambs and 1001b of wool in favour of the smaller sheep. I do not uphold these figures as correct; I merely give them as a suggestion, so that every breeder can think the matter over for himself. For my own part, I have never put a sheep out of the flock for being too big, but have put out many very big sheep for not carrying enough wool." . THE -HEALTH OF THE FARMER. Health, in an article on the above subject, comments pretty severely on the indifforence of the farmer to hygienic conditions. Cities have their quarantine officers (says our contemporary), their sewer systems, and street-cleaning outfits. Building inspectors make sure . that the plumbing of new buildings is in -good condition. Food inspectors shut out adulterated, decayed, and unhealthful foods. Health specialists, in fact, make it their business to look after the health of city communities. "In the country none of these safeguards are operative. The farmer can have his well in his barnyard, or next to his privy. His kitchen sink may empty into a stagnant pool under the kitchen window, or into a cesspool in the cellar. He can have unsanitary conditions of every kind and degree, and no protest will be made.; This is his own business, unless ho lives in close proximity to some more particular person. Even when he has a fair knowledge, of sanitary science, the absence of sewer connections, and the tendency of offal to accumulate in the barnyard, make it difficult to maintain ideal sanitary conditions. When, in addition to this, he does not know about or care about sanitary safeguards, the situation is far from hopeful. Again, the farmer often sets, an abominable table. Situated, as a rule, so he might live off the fat of- the land, contents himself- with foods that a mechanic's family would refuse. ~ : . TESTING COWS. An important factor in the value of testing cows is the way in which the sample is taken. Where cows have been tested from day to day, unaccountable variations "in the fat percentage have been noticed. This has.led to the conclusion that the sample ; should be taken from' several ] milkings. The most convenient way seems to be by taking a small portion : of milk from: each of several successive milkings, and using this mixed sample for the test.. A ample taken from six successive milkings seems to give good results. An instance can be cited of a cow being tested from samples taken, _ onoe each •■-„■ month, but from; only two milkings in each case.. Samples of the same cow's milk taken by the owner,. and covering, period of six milkings in each month, gave the cow a record much in advance of the first process. A dairy cow can show nearly, all the outward signs of being a heavy producer of milk, and yet have as low an average as any cow in the herd. The process of; multiplying the monthly < weights of milk by the fat percentage will frequently show some of the lighter milkers to bo the best producers. Appearances are just as bad a guide in the dairy' as they are in other matters in life. ; :" BREVITIES. ;' ; :' ' Rabbit skins to the value of £20,000 •were imported last year into Shanghai. The habitual, use of so-called condition ' powders for,horses- is to be strongly depre- ' cated. ' ". . ;■ Foal 6, old .horses, or those with defectiveteeth , should have , their oats crushed ior bruised. - • .■■■;, ,-.;■■. r .\--'.,"'•:';';-.-.' J -.,'■.-.!. If a horse is addicted to picking the grain out of, the chaff in his ration damping the feed may prevent him. , r ".It is desirable to damp the food of horses suffering from 'cough, cold, broken wind, or any respiratory trouble. >"■'; The business of the farmer to-day. is -to .hold on to all the wisdom of tho past and reject all its folly, and ignorance. 1 There is no single grain that equals oats for horses, but maize and beans can be made to equal oats in albuminoid ratio. - • There is no substance that will entirely take-the, place of milk for the feeding of calves, although there are foods that permit of the milk allowance being! reduced to a iininimum. . ■• ' - Beans and maize, when used as horsefeed, .should always be crushed, as the grain is' hard and elusive, and may escape proper mastication. A Wanganui farmer, Mr. Shaw, is said to have obtained 16s. 3d, a-head for 450 Jambs, shipped through the Wellington Meat Export Company. ■ •