ON THE LAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17179, 5 June 1919, Page 4

ON THE LAND.

AMERICAN HORSE VALUES.

The average price of a farm horse in the I United States, all ages included, declined ' from £29 in 1910 to £26 in 1916. In. 1917 the average price went up to £26 10s, but in 1918 the fall was resumed ami the average price became £25. In 1910 the price of a farm horso averaged about 240 per cent, higher than the price of a cow ; now a horso averages only 50 per cent, higher.

GERMAN SHEEP. According to tho Bradford Wool Record the number of sheep in Germany has dwindled from 7,700,000 in 1912 to about 4,000,000. The total number of sheep in England and Wales on June 4th last was 16,475,180, a decrease of 694,680, or 4 per fent., compared with the previous year. Breeding ewes have decreased 5.6 per cent. Tho total number oS sheep is the smallest ever kept, as far as official records can show. In Brazil sheep numbered 10.594,930 in 1912, but in 1916 they had fallen to 7,204.920.

SHEEP SHARING. Li the settlement of returned soldiers upon tho land in Now South Wales, a share sheep agreement has been issued which enables a returned soldier to obtain a number of crossbred ewes not older than three years on shares for ono year. Up to tho present lime somo 20,000 ewes have been made the subject of these agreements, and, although tho lambing season was unfavourable upwards of 17,000 lambs i were dropped. The value of these ewes is about £20,000, whilo the lambs are cptimatrd to bo worth between £14,000 and £15,000. The value of the wool clip amounted to £10.000. Of tho yearly profits, tho Government deducts 6 per cent, interest on the value of animals supplied t'nd on any money advanced alt 6 per cent.; 4 per cent, of the net profits for cost of supervising; and 3s per sheep for depreciation. The lambs become the property of the share sheep-farmer.

GARDEN FERTILISERS. ' Even many farmers experience difficulty in obtaining supplies of well-rotted ma--1 mire for the vegetable garden. In such cases commercial fertilisers should be used. Even where stable manure has been , secured and worked into the soil it is well to supplement with moderate quantities 1 I of quick-acting fertiliser in order to give I plants an early start and hasten maturity. I A mixture containing 3 to 4 per rent. 1 nitrogen and 8 to 10 per cent, phosphoric 1 acid is about right for the average garden. If the fertiliser also contains potash, so much the better, but potash is scarce and high in price. Where no manure is used , the fertiliser should be spread over the surface of the finely-prepared seed-bed at tlio rate of 51b for a plot 10ft square, just be--1 fore planting. The surface soil should I then be thoroughly raked so as to mix the . fertiliser evenly to a depth of 2in. Never place seed or transplanted plants in direct ] contact with fertiliser. Thorough mixing • of the fertiliser with the soil is essential to prevent injury of seed or roots. Where i manure has been worked into the .soil, ! reduce the fertiliser application approxi-1 ' inately one-half. Tomatoes, potatoes, spin- : ach, and some other crops requiring ra- 1 thor long growing seasons, are materially; benefited by a second application of fer- ' tiliser when half grown. Side dressings of ' this kind should be scattered between the rows at the rate of 4oz (one-half pint to I 10ft of row) when rows are spaced 2ft apart; and pro rata for rows spaced ;t greater or lesser distance. CULTIVATION BY EXPLOSIVES. Up to a few years ago most farmers be- ' lieved that when they ploughed their fields to a depth of a foot or m they were fulfilling all requirements. Then "it was fonnd that deeper cultivation brought big- , ger crop yields. The plough's depth of stirring the soil, however, is limited. [ When that was reached and realised, tho next step was the use of dynamite. It \ 1 is now possible, by using a singlo cartj ridge of explosive to convert several hunj dreds; of yards of compact and useless ', < hardpan into half an aero of new and , 1 productive ground. In this way land that is unproductive because of "stumps boulders, swamps, or from other causes, ' may bo reclaimed quickly and economic- ! ally. The purpose of blasting, in agri- , culture, is not to supplant the spade or ■ plough. It is possible to dig a hole with ' dynamite, but the real object of blast- ' ing is to mellow the subsoil and make ' root-growth easy. A properly placed ' charge will not excavate a hole at all. ' j hut merely puff up the soil, mellowing it to a depth of from sft to 6ft, and through- ' out a circular area 10ft to 20ft in dia- J meter. ,' Under the generic term " dynamite" are ' } included all those explosives which are detonated by blasting cap as distinguished A from the black powders and smokeless ' powders which are exploded by spark or a flame. There are a great number of ex- ? plosives in the dynamite class, each of '.' which is adapted to a particular class of 1' work. s

WOMEN HERD TESTERS. There are 27 women cow testers in different parts of the United States. Considering that tho testers get free board and lodging, the pay is thought satisfactory. The women are paid the same as the men, and receive from 50dol. (£10) to 75d015. (£ls) a month, besides board and lodging. _ Conveyance to the next farm is furnished in some associations, whilo in others the tester provides her own conveyance and the farmers furnish free stable room and feed for her horse. Tho work does not require great physical strength. It does demand somo training, but this is easily acquired bv women, and, even though with tho de"mobilisation of the army, many male testers will be available for their old line of work, it is quito probable (remarks the Queenslander) that because woman testers have done so well they will continue I to 'no employed. j

WHALE MEAT. According to American papers whale meat is coming into general use throughout North Ameica, as it already is in Japan. There are on the Pacific Coast of America seven whaling stations in active operation belonging mostly to United States and Canadian concerns. Tho Norwegians own a plant at Akitan, Aleutian Islands. There aro two stations on Vancouver Island, two on Queen Charlotte Island, one at Bay City, Washington, one at Port Armstrong, and another on tho Alaskan Coast. Two of these have ample cold storage ' plants and the others have been developing them as the meat industry enlarged. The same two have big canning equipments, which the other are in progress of duplicating. The nearest supply station at Bay City Washington, put over 300 tons of whale meat on the American and foreign "markets last season, including the canned outputThese seven stations have reported the capture of 659 whales in 1917, and were expected at the close of 1918 to have reached tho 1000-whale mark. Whale meat in its preparation is treated the same as other fresh foods, that is, after butchering, is placed in ice in vessel holds, taken to railway ports, and forwarded over tho country in refrigerator ears. The meat extends in great masses from tho base of the skull to tho tail fin and downwards to the middle line. This meat all of it of tho samo quality, amounts' roughly, to ten tons for each 50ft in length of the mammal. Seeing that, a whale will go up to 75ft in length, there may be 15 tons of solid meat, available on one carcase. Even a 50ft whale, will prodnce as much flesh as 100 average steers or 500 sheep. > Whale flesh has a similar appearance to that of beef. It is a little coarser in texture, and has a slight flavour of venison. It is usually served in tba form of roasts and steaks in America, and it is said that when on the table is very difficult to distinguish from- beef. One of the best, eating parts is tho heart, which weight a matter of one and a-half tons -The tongue will go up to 30001b, but it

is much tougher than ox tongue, and is not looked on as such a delicacy. Whale flesh has a great advantago over that of cattle, sheep, or pigs in that it is discaseless. At all events It is said to be. Then, again, the meat is in a solid lump of uniform quality and without bone. Whether it can be put on the market cheaply enough, and in sufficient quantities to successfully compete with beef, remains to be proved. Certainly whales cost nothing for their keep while growing and relatively little for killing and dressing, but there is nothing to indicate that the supply is inexhaustible. If the meat is too cheap there may be a danger of the mammal becoming exterminated in a short period. It will bo remembered that it did not take long to exterminate the American bison.

s HOME SOAP MAKING. " Thn following recipe is recommended for [ i thti manufacture ol a soap without boils ing:—Take exactly 101b of double refined r 98 per cent, caustic soda powder, put it in a can or jar, with 481b (4$ gallons) of water. Stir it once or twice, when it will dissolve immediately and become quite hot. Let it stand until the lye 1 thus made is cold. Weigh out, and place 1 in any convenient vessel for mixing, 1 exactly 751b of clean grease, tallow, or oil (not mineral oil). If grease or tallow bo used, melt it slowly over the tire, until it is liquid, and just warm, say, temperature, not more than lOOdeg. K. If oil be used, no heating is required. 1 Pour the lyo slowly into the melted i grease or oil in a small stream continuous, ! at the same time stirring with a flat , wooden stirrer about three inches broad. Continue gently stirring until the lye and | I grease are thoroughly combined and in ap-1 1 pearanco like honey. Do not stir too : long, or the mixture will separate itself | again. The time required varies with the weather, and the kind of tallow, grease, or oil used. From 15 to 20 minutes will j bo enough. When the mixing is completed pour off the liquid soap into any old square box for a mould, sufficiently largo to hold it, previously damping the j sides with water, so as to prevent the soap sticking. Wrap up the box with old blankets, or, better still, put it in a warm place till the next day, when the box will contain a box of 1301b of soap. ■ Remember the chief points in the above I directions, which must be exactly fol-1 lowed. The lye must be allowed to cool. If melted tallow or grease be used it must j not be more than warm. The exact, weight of double refined 98 per cent. I caustic soda and tallow, or oil, must be taken, also the lye must be stirred into the grease, not grease or oil added to the lye. If the grease or tallow used be not clean, or contains salt, it must be rendered or purified previous to use; that j is to say, boiled with water, and allowed to become hard again to throw out the impurities. Any salt present will spoil the whole operation entirely, but discoloured or rancid grease or tallow is just as good as the finest for soap-making purposes.

I •j PRODUCTION PER ACRE. 3 ! A very absorbing and valuable bulletin .' I lias been prepared by .Morton 0. Cooper ' ' and W. J. Spillmau of the United I States Department of Agriculture entitled, ;j" Human Food from an Acre of Staple ; Farm Products." This bulletin shows that j maize will produce more human food per i aero than any crop grown on American farms; that is, it will supply more energy, [heat building material. Navy beans and J soy beans produce more tissue building [material. This bulletin shows that the ! dairy xjw is the most efficient farm animal in the production of human food and that i the bog is the most efficient in the conversion of grain into meat, producing five . times as much per acre as does any other j animal. It is well known that if'we desire to get the highest amount of human ! food par acre that it should not be fed bo animals and converted into animal products, but we can not expect to build a strong, robust people on grain alone. Milk, cheese, and meat are important articles of diet and are necessary to our wel- ' fare. We were astounded, says Hoard's Dairyman, commenting on this bulletin, by the small .amount of milk credited to ear-h acre. According to these authorities, an average aero will produce but 21901b of mi!k which will contain 72.31b protein | and 711,750 calories, (heat units). Two j thousand, one hundred and ninety pounds of milk testing four per cent, which is a little above the average, contains 98.551b fat. A good dairy cow should produce three times as much fat as this. At this rate it would require three acres of land, | a? it is ordinarily handled, to produce j enough feed for one good dairy cow. Wo cannot expect dairy farmers to advance [ very rapidly in their business on such | low average yields. We know that those who understand dairy farming, and follow right principles and practices, are producing more than 21901b of milk per aero and that it does not require three acres to support a good cow. It is held by many that no farmer should be satisfied unless his field produce an average of 100 bushels of corn per acre, or feed enough to produce 10.0001b of milk. We have met farmors who are in hopes that the time will come when they will be capable of so handling their acres that they will average at least 10,000'b of milk. This we appreciate is a splendid average and that it is going to take years of careful breed- I ing to secure a class of cows capable of such work and it is going to take time to

prepare the land so th.it it will product feed in sufficient amount to care for' thehigh powered cows. There are several encouraging things about this report. It shows that the dairy cow is the most economical producer of human food, and that even with low production dairy-far-mers have made progress in this country. With just a little effort twice as much milk could be produced per acre and would bring a tremendous increase in the profits of the dairy-farmers. It is discouraging to not the average low production " per acre of milk, but when we view it in another way, we can appreciate that if is very easy to double the production. This should be encouraging.

AMERICANS IN SERVIA. Several thousand acres of American winter wheat have been seeded in the Monastir Valley, Servia, as a result of the efforts of an agricultural unit of the American Red Cross that arrived there last spring. The land has been ploughed and cultivated with American 20-horse-power tractors drawing American gang ploughs and harrows. The grain will bo harvested by American harvesters and made into flour for tho hungry Servians in two American flour mills, 'last April when the mission of allure experts left for the Balkans they took with them 249,000d01. worth of farm tools and seeds. The machinery included 25 American 20-horse-power tractors, 45 mowers, 25 drills, 25 harvesting machines, 2 threshing machines,, and thousands of smaller implements and took. Two flouu mills aro now on their way over. In addition the unit took with it two complete sawmills for turning trees into building material, and the most complete gasoline shop ever seen in tho Balkans.

The Servian Government permitted the Red Cross men to use on tho farm and in the shop any men not fitted for fighting in the army. Tho Servian authorities collected a group of the best mechanics and farm workers to be found among the sick and wounded. They then assigned to the Americans the old 'bandit town ol Kremljani, which had been deserted anco 1912. This town was the stronghold of a bandit organisation that held many people for ransom and so terrified the country as to stop the development of the fertile Monastir Valley In 1912 the Servians attacked tho place and a pitched battle ensued which ended in tho death of many of the robbers and in the flight of the rest to the Turkish arm v. K orU alld belonging to the village, some oU.UOO acres, was confiscated. This land was turned over to the American Bed Cross with permission to cultivate as much of it as they could handle. The Red Cross farmeqs announced that they would plant as many thousand acres to winter wheat during the fall or rainv season as could bo ploughed. The Servians said that not many acres could be put under crop, as it required six people by their methods to work an acre and they had only 40,000 men in their entire array. The Americans replied that with their modem machinery only 150 men would be needed to raie 200,000 bushels of wheat.