ON THE LAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13722, 11 April 1908, Page 4

ON THE LAND.

THE FARM SEPARATOR. PRACTICAL INSTRUCTIONS. [by Pettier.] There is no doubt that in all our farming j districts, where there is no dairy factory, j or where bad roads make it impossible for j the ; farmer to communicate with one, the separator is the dairy farmer's best friend. Under the old-fashioned method of handskimming, there is always an uncertainty as to the month's profits, not on account of the i variation in the milk yield, but because of , our variable climate. During the muggy j weather which we experience every now and j then, both in summer and in winter, the cream will not rise on the milk as it shou'3 j do. and what there is to take off calls for much patience and no little skill on the part of the- skimmer. To the man with a separator, however, it j matters but little whether the day be muggy i and close, or whether it be bright and coldf for neither will affect the amount of cream derived from a given quantity of milk, and with the exercise of constant care in the treatment of the cream until churning day, j he will be able to put out butter that is j firm and sweet, while his neighbour who is contented with " the good old style" will , be trying all he knows to get butter which will be firm enough to print or block, and sweet enough for the table at the same time. It is often asserted that some farmers' butter is better than some separator butter, and unfortunately, there are cases where this is only too true, but if investigation were made it would be found in nine cases out of ten that the blame can be sheeted home to the separator man, who, in ignorance or carelessness, or both, neglects the golden rule of' butter-making— i Familiarity with the separator sometimes may breed carelessness, • and then the one result which the machine should attain is impossible, for it is utterly useless to think of getting the best results unless care and cleanliness are exercised in the daily, working. " When the new machine is installed on the farm it is looked upon with a great deal of respect children are cautioned against, touching it, the neighbours come, some to admire, others to outwardly scoff, but inwardly admit its benefits. The farmer himself, ! aided by the printed instructions supplied, put the machine together, and having received a few valuable hints from the dealer who sold the machine to him, he looks upon himself as a qualified engineer, and the family watching his successful operations ungrudgingly give, him the credit he reckons due to himself. But after a while the novelty wears off, and some other member of the family is authorised to take over the working of the separator, and so it goes on until ultimately anyone in the house who can turn the handle is allowed to take on the job, and that's when the trouble begins. "The'machine "should be carefully oiled in all its bearings before each operation .of skimming, and this should be done thoroughly every time. Don't overload the sight feed i and oiling holes one time, and skimp it the next, just because your oilcan needs filling up. And don't drop your oil aboiit on the table. Keep a special cloth handy for wiping up whatever oil does get outside the machine. Always see that the machine runs smoothly. — jarring either occasionally or constantly is a distinctwarning that something is wrong. To keep running a machine when it sounds or feels wrong is an absurd waste of time and material, for you are causing undue wear on some of the parts, and preventing a perfect result. If by yourself you cannot find out where the fault is, consult someone who lias had more experience than yourself, or get advice from the agent;, but do not rest until ycu have found out and righted what was wrong, for neglect in that respect is fatal to the profit side of the machine. ! Of course, everyone knows that the parts must bo washed, but there is washing and washing. . As soon as possible after skimming the parts should be rinsed in luke-warm water, and afterwards thoroughly washed in hot water in which some washing soda has been dissolved, and subsequently dried. ! Never use sandsoap, but if a brightening-up | is desired, this may be got by boiling the j parts in water with a small lump of washing soda added. When washed, keep the parts apart until they are used again. When at the end of the season the quantity. of milk becomes so small that it would seem hardly worth while washing the parts of the machine night and morning, the best method is to strain the milk' into a clean tucket after the evening milking, and leave it in a cool place until the morning. Then raise the temperature of the milk to not less than o&degs. Fahr., add the morning supply to it, and proceed with the skimming. . > Another method is to separate the milk as usual after the evening milking, and when the skimming is done, and before the machine has run down, to pour about a gallon of very hot water through, then leave the machine standing until the morning operation; but this method is not recommended. Be watchful that the skim-milk is free from cream, and test it every now and then by taking up a bowlful of skim-milk and setting it to stand for, say, 24 hours, for. observation, and if after that length of time there is a coating of cream you may be sure the machine is not working well, and needs overhauling in all its parts, until the cause j of the poor skimming is discovered. The warmer the milk the better is the clean skimming. The milk should therefore be separated as soon as possible after milking, and care should be taken that it is not cooled too much. See that the temperature of the milk is not less than 86degs. Fahr. In order to obtain a good and long-keeping butter, the cream immediately after leaving the separator should be cooled down to as low a temperature as possible, and never add the newly-skimmed cream while .warm to former skimmings. Keep all the cream in a cool place until churning, and there should be no difficulty in getting a good, sweet butter. The owner of a separator should make tha person attending to the machine perfectly familiar with its management; the better it is cared for as regards oiling and cleaning the more uniform the skimming will be, :.nd consequently the yield of butter, not to speak of the cost of maintenace. •■"— ■ — ■ ■■■■■ ' ■' ■■"■'■ TURNIP-GROWING. On the road from Halcombe to Sandon j may be seen at a part known as Mount Beggs, a field of turnips,. worth going many ! miles to see. The field is some 20 acres in extent, and is a living monument to the industry and perseverance«of an energetic man. This man is Mr. H. 11. Hansen, a Dane by birth, and like the Dane everywhere, a successful colonist. Interviewed, Mr. Hansen stated the field was, previous to present treatment, in a really bad start. Not that the soil was poor, but it had hecome overrun with weeds, notably the übiquitous, dock, and the everlasting sorrel. Asked as to how it got into that condition Mr. Hansen stated he thought it was owing in the. first place to carting out the. remains of old straw slacks upon the land, as well as apparently well-rotted stable manure. Artother factor lie thought might influence was his sowing undressed grain a few year.3 back. However, Mr. Hansen set himself to remedy the state of affairs. He ploughed the land in the spring, then let it lie until the summer. Then lie ploughed it again, and left it a week or two. By the time- the (bought was in full evidence, and gave material help, for at this time the disc-harrows and line-harrows were got to work, day after day, Mr. Hansen operating them himself, so that the work might-be done thoroughly and conscientiously. Next, he rolled Hie field twice with a heavy Cambridge roller, then drilled in manure and seed, mixed together at the rate of lib of seed to l£cwt of mixed bondusfc per acre. It is worthy of note the manure,.and seed were sown together out of the manure box of the drill, no canisters, spoons, or patent feeders whatever being used. The result is a magnificent crop of Purple-top Mammoth and Devon Graystone turnips, with just the fault of being a little too thick, perhaps. This, oven may be a blessing in disguise, for the roots being smaller may keep for a longer period than they would if very largo. Throughout the remainder of tho drought this field kept green, when all others were sick by, comparison,

THE.RABBIT PEST. -The : rabbit.-'pest, although ■:.not, go much spoken of nowaday?, is still a menace to our pastoral industry, and needs a* much attention a* ever it .did. , , . . ._„, In spite of the warnings given by inspectors and rabbit boards, it appears that the l*o- « vemment is by no means so fully alive to the serioiwu*** of the situation a* .it should be, and ii certainly not taking efficient steps to cone with the danger. .-. .. - ~ In the Upper Waikato did.net*, in. tie southern pari of Poverty .Bay, and m the King Countrv-whcrew, »" »*». the , aIX ' large areas of Government or native lamisI there are evidences that the prolific and obnoxious rodent is unduly flourishingTh* real method of coping with the ratios. ne-<t is, of course, close settlement, and where 'that is not possible, occupation by people who are altogether interested in making the land carry sheep, cattle, or crops. Experience ■ has shown that the common practice of employing rabbiters with clogs, ] J traps, and gun? is of no practical ate. Ito j chief inspector of stock, dealing with tW« j I subject in hi* "last annual report. .fc'ys:— A I few rabbits this year-httle attention taken, i next rear more rabbits-guns. _ dogs, and i "raps; still more rabbits-ther effective work i -poisoning, fumigation of burrows, and wire netting; rabbit* much reduced. It is accepted as a matter of course that ; the professional rabbiter, who uses guns, j "trips, or dogs, is by no means interested in the real destruction of the peat. It could scarcely be expected that he would be and in places where rabbits can he sold a* food he s actually benefited by their increase, . i The killing of rabbits for the. local market i and for export is quite a profitable indu»trj |to those engaged in it. Skilled met,.in good localities can earn big wages at the work, 1 and the work is by no means disagreeable to those who like an outdoor occupation and have a love of what they consider sport. In 1905 New Zealand exported close on ' 5 000,000 rabbits and over 9.000,000 ; rabbit I skins. In 1907 the number of rabbits exported had (tune down to about 2,000,000, and the number of skins to 5,1*5,152, The export of both rabbits and rabbit skins has been steadily decreasing of late years, for from 1690 to 1896, when the trade was at its height, the annual export of skins was from 12.000,000 to over 17,000,000, and of rabbits between 4,000.000 and 5,000,000. The decrease in these exports is almost, entirely due to the means taken to destroy rabbits in the South Island. The enormous preponderance of skins over carcases is accounted for by the fact that on the larger areas poisoning and fumigation were most commonly resorted to. _ It is well known that the war against rabbits in the South Island costs the country millions of pounds, and is by no means over yet. The danger is at the present time that unless stricter measures are taken war on just as large a scale will become inevitable in the North Island. According to the report of the Government Stock Department, under whose control is placed the operations against rabbits, the pert is increasing in the North. Island. "In the Auckland district," it states, on the Waipa, and to some extent on the Upper Waikato, there is an increase in the rabbit pest. At Waipa, until the discontinuance of of the bonus system of payment to natives for rabbit skins, the European had his rabbits killed fof him by the Maoris, who then brought the skins to obtain payment of the bonus of 3d per skin. This they actually received, as there was no means of distinguishing between the skins of rabbits destroyed on European and on native lands." " In the King Country," continues this report. " the presence of the rabbit is a serious menace to the settler. The district is under widely-spread occupation fact, in many parts, farms are not even adjoining each other. Farmers here and there have small areas ploughed and grassed: their surroundings are acres of Crown and native lands in scrub and fern. With such ideal cover for tne rabbit it is easily recognised how some of the grassed lands are devastated. The men employed 'by the Government in destroying rabbits on these unoccupied lands endeavour to protect these settlers. They have succeeded to a considerable extent, though at a very serious cost. The real settlement of the difficulty, is that these, lands should be brought as quickly as possible into the market." Mr. E. Clifton, who", as head of the Stock Department, is responsible for this report, has struck the nail en the head. Occupation in medium-sized holdings by energetic settlers will beat the rabbit pest anywhere, and if nothing else will induce the Government to throw open the lands, the rabbit, backed by noxious weeds, should do so. In the Upper Waikato district, in the Taupo country, and along the East Coast, where, on account of the nature pi the land, large holdings to some extent must exist, close settlement may not be the panacea; but there is' no reason why the occupation of land in large areas should not also be effective. Give the runholder a suitable tenure, and he will occupy the land—the short lease will not do. lie must be encouraged to poison and fumigate and erect wire netting, and he will do so if he knows he can win some reward for his labour and capital. He must have a secure title for a long time, in order to gain recompense for his costly fight against bunny; he must have compensation for his improvements, and protection against the real source of the rabbit evil—unoccupied Crown lands and un worked native lands. EXPERIMENTAL POTATO-GROWING. FROM OUR SOUTH ISLAND CORBESrOXDEXT. Readers of the Weekly News will rem-em-ber that I. have on several occasions made reference to the experiments in potato-growing made by Mr. H. E. McGowan, of Willowbridge. These experiments have been carried on for a number of years, but Mr. McGowan has not been content with what he has done, and the, experience he lias gained. This year he is further prosecuting his experiments, and has under observation and trial quite a large number of new varieties. About this time of each year Mr. McGowan- takes note of the appearance of the potatoes in his experimental plot, and he'has kindly forwarded me a copy of his notes, in the belief that they will prove of interest to the agricultural readers of the News. He supplements the list with comments, which, to quote his own words, " may v not be amiss at this period, when growers are preparing to lift and store their tubers." Mr. McGowan says: —" Many growers will be greatly disappointed when they commence digging to find their crops much lighter than they anticipated. Even where the haulms look strong, with every indication of a. fair crop, they will find the yield poor, nearly, the tubers being onlv seed size, and some'fit only for feeding to the pigs. This, of course, is due to the very dry season and several days' excessive heat, when the haulms were wilted by the sun, the tubers naturally suffering. Some varieties will stand the heat and drought better than others. Those with good records in my notes will give readers an idea of the identity of these. But some of those with strong haulms and every indication of a good crop will probably prove disappointing at digging time, for all growers of experience know that heavy, haulms are not always accompanied by heavy yields, but a big crop cannot be obtained without good haulms. Northern Star, Eldorado, Sutton's Discovery, Scotia, British Queen, and several other varieties need a moist soil. Indeed, yeryfew varieties will do well on a dry soil or in i a year of drought. . A few of those that do fairly well under drv- conditions are Princess Victoria, Zionhouse, Shamrock, Ranfurly, and Up-to-Date, and these do really well in a moist season. I might also add to this selection Breeze's Prolific. Sutton's Abundance, Lord Roberts, The Bruce, and Carter Early Favourite. My experimental plot was planted on November 2, 1907. If the planting had been done six weeks earlier the appearance and prospective would undoubtedly have been better, though some new varieties received from Messrs. Sutton and Sons late in the season, and planted on December 26 are looking better than any others that i have growing. This is, however, easily accounted lor, the late rains coming in "time to promote their growth. They now cardan abundance of blooms on luxuriant, haulms three feet high. My soil is a rich sandy loam, which in ordinary seasons produces up to 27 lons per acre." Mr. McGowan closes with some words of advice, which may not he without profit He says: " I would urge potato-growers to find out what will suit their climate and soil, and hen keep to that variety. Why keep on growing three or four tons per aero when, by careful selection, four times the quantity and of better quality might be obtained. One lias only to come to my field plots to be convinced of how utterly useless and how much is lost by planting varieties that do not suit, a particular soil. I have Princess Victoria, which will yield 12 tons per acre; in the same field, with the same cultivation and planted in the same week, I have British Queen, Carmen, Ninety-fold, and 20 other varieties, covering probably 10 acres, which will not yield three tons per acre. This means a loss of nine tons per acre, or 90 tons on the 10 acres, ant';., with potatoes at £5 a ton, which they are now, the loss works out at about £450. Working expenses are heavier where the crop is poor, for with the strong and vigorous haulms of Princess Victoria the weeds are smothered, while where the haulms are weakly and small the weeds are continually growing. With my three years' experiments I am now firmly convinced that no potato yet imported equals the Princess Victoria, and my main crop in:the future will be of that variety. 1 sincerely hope that my experiments will be of benefit to some potato-growers. To all growers I say: Do not grow rubbish. , You cannot afford to do so. Plant good t seed, and you jvili dig good crops,"-