ON THE LAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14132, 6 August 1909, Page 9

ON THE LAND.

' ■ ,'AN AGRICULTURAL BANK. n4s most important department of State M to the farmer-settler in Queensland is fkl egrieultural bank. From this institumjk%t&gno& to save the settler from the tender mercies of the private money-lender Joans ma >' ** obtained for carrying out ' Z r miinent "improvements, such as fencing, : building » house, a dairy ' or P rovidin S water facilities, or for paying off liabilities already .* ur^6 d in the acquisition of land, the aurofcaso of stock, or implements. The rate of interest is calculated in accordance with tjia nature of the purpose for which the money is advanced, but so that the whole 0 the indebtedness shall bo worked off .in 25 -asps. In no cases do the contributions amount to moro than £3 lis per cent. Last year 319 persons were helped in this way, »ad no loss than £70,107 was advanced.

,VE OF TILLAGE.

~ THE VAL 1 Good cultivation is equal to a dressing of , good fertiliser. This axiom is strikingly confirmed by the result of an experiB ment reported by the Government agriculturist at the Cape. The experiment was tarried out in the following manner. At the experiment station a piece of land was selected, divided into plots, and uniformly pressed with a complete fertiliser. After bei»g ploughed, «s stated below, a culti;wtor was run over tho land and oats sown with tho drill. The land was then rolled. Each successive plot, however, had received ? one more ploughing than the previous one, w d tho yields roso correspondingly in steadily ascending order. Plot 1: Once ploughed, yielded 7501b oat-hay per acre. I«ot 2: Twice ploughed, yielded 10001b :' oat-hay per acre. Plot 3: Thrico ploughed, : yielded 18801b oat-hay per acre. Plot 4: ■ Four ', times ploughed, yielded 38001b oathay per aero. It is stated that equally striking results, -were obtained from the barley and wheat plots planted during tho past year, although . the plots -were each ploughed and harrowed ::, .'-once' only, but each succeeding plot was ; cultivated once more than the previous one. The results of these experiments emphasise , the importance of careful tillage, and show that, although manuring is highly important, yields can be still farther and profitably increased by extra ploughing or cultivating- In India, where the peasants often : find it difficult to obtain fertilisers and "labour is cheap, they depend largely on 'obtaining good crops by increased cultivalion, and • will frequently plough their land tour or five times. Four ploughings appear to be the =aost tried at the Robertson experiment farm, and it is probable that Ji; ploughing much more frequently than this would not have had any better effect.

EUROPE'S MEAT SUPPLY.

" The population of Europe" has outgrown lie meat-production of the' Continent, and

large importations from the United States, Argentina, and Australia are annually decided upon to tide' over the shortage of domestic producers. While the animal inekisiry of Europe ] continues. ._ of steady volume, it car not easily be increased, owing

to all the agricultural lands being under a high Estate';'* of "cultivation, "while /consumption annually increases. "Hie meat-produc-

ing countries of the world look to Europe as t, permanent market for their surplus

ineii animals. The foreign shortage of the

jneai supply is emphanised by many European nations consuming horse beef cut from superannuated horses that had been specially : fattened for the shambles. Even vi the United States the meat industry is undergoing an evolution which tends towards decreased production. The principal cause of the decrease is the breaking up of , tie western ranges and , the great stock

ranches in the southern St&te into small ' farms operated by diversified agriculture. I This transition of great ranches into smal- ,■ ler holdings is working a change in the meat industry. ' A WEEDKILLER. Spraying; with sulphate of iron as a weedkilling agent seems destined to come into popular use. Some of the most obnoxious -■'?, farm weeds yield readily to applications of this by-product of the steel mills. It is used as a spray. Penny cress or siink weed, wild mustard, ra.g weed, the tig-horse weed, dandelion, cocklebur, and Canadian thistle are among the varieties on which the sulphate of iron treatment has been experimentally successful. Extensive trials ■" in Delaware, New York, Wisconsin, Minnesota, th> Dakot&s, and Manitoba have gone far toward determining the practical value of this ferreous material. Results already to its credit are of the most encouraging :'.'■ character. ; . ■?,;: ' ■■'. ■'■", * '

BREVITIES. ' Have you got your seeds and implements all in good order? Young pigs must have exercise, fresh air, . ftnd some occupation. Never put a horse at heavy work right after eating a hearty meal. * • Denmark formerly occupied the lowest rang lof tiio agricultural ladder. In the matter of feed a cow is like n cupboard, in that you cannot take anything out pf it unless you have put something in. A pig should gain a pound of weight every day from three to eight or ten months. . A bull soon eats his head off unless he pays for his keep by getting valuable calves. One cress is permissible, but breeding erossbreaß results in nothing but mongrel stock. '.-. , ~- ' It is not enough to know that a cow gives »pailful of milk when she is fresh: we want to know what she produces in a year. There is no better way to grind food for the pig, if his pigship's health and longevity fro considered, than to make him grind it himself. . , ■ <. The loss in tho fertilising value of stablemanure begins as soon as it is voided, and continues until it is thoroughly incorporated in the soil. .The importance of the pony as a factor in light-horse breeding and for purposes of crossing has been much insisted upon in recent years. ;% "■-'''.'"" , Bulky litter which is but slightly rotted I'M the greatest physical effect on stiff soils, whilst the reverse holds good in the ■« case of light soils. Farm teams should not be highly pamper- . W, but should be fed a liberal ration of Substantial foods so as to sustain them in ' vigorous and sprightly condition. • The. old style of flour and home-made Fead an tho plainer feeding of days gone hy seem to have produced tougher enamel i' Wid sounder teeth than present-day food. •The harness, and particularly the collars, •htndd '. be •■ accurately adjusted to tho horse. 1} the collar is either too tight or too loose ! " S.'alls him and interferes with his respira- • tion. S?! l j'p , .fe I V'!;,, ; ______ -.-£..,: .Jdttle pigs must not he over-fed, underf°> cr pampered too much. They do betwhen left to hunt feed for themselves, ~ Provided only that abundance is within reach. ■ ■ ■ ''. ."' ~ '■■' : -/. __ To produce best butter the cow should be * good, healthy animal,, kept on good pas|iP B iandi supplied with pure water. The. ' '-able should be clean at all times, especi--.-'y. during milking. Tho cream should be journed at the proper time and. temperaw*». a.nd worked until the milk is all out. •', ■j'j ' ' '■",■■■'■' ;*"^ r e are four great principles to be re■peered ;■= in • connection with disease 3s D SSt,calves. They are: That a certain ' iS int wili occur even in the very best of j W Management; that liability can be to '. "?- extent guarded against and preitltenP tllat the very best preventives aro id: ess dryness, ■ light,". air, and regular '' n inW ajC V- that half > the battle with disease • iy/ _ T «* if '*'he taken in hand promptly, and ■ * *-'.s' 0 -. be well and carefully done. 1 '*f*