ON THE LAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18296, 12 January 1923, Page 10

ON THE LAND.

" ; '*'-.v:' ..__. 'v;-' V: '.- —;... " «»■■- — ■ ENGLISH POLO PONIES. A writer in the Live Stock Journal Annual for 1922 gives away the formula of how to raise polo ponies. He states that:— war completely crippled the resources of English breeders of the polo pony; they lost- their mares, and the good work which was being accomplished in bringing into .the breed playing mares with the correct polo temperament was suddenly stopped by the exigencies of and the length of the European conflict. Polo nony' breeding has not yet got back to where it was in 1914. It will not be quite there until 1924; for, in the meantime, the numbers of mares which have been played, and-have been proved to have the temperament for the gamo. have still to be trained,' played and retired to their natural duties at the- stud." WAR AGAINST SCRUB BULLS. Death warrants are being issued daily by the United States Dairy Dm? . »on for scrub bulls. In one day recently the division received 182 such blanks signed by farmers in Rockingham' County, >»Virginia; 39 came :[rom Green County, Ohio; and 37 from Guernsey County, Ohio. Many counties have more than 100 live stock owners " emoUed in the Better Sire, Better Stock , movement, with'" the result that the local live stock associations are greatly stimulated. No better work can be done than replacing the scrub bull with the purebred and by eliminating the scrub cow. CANADIAN . WOOL. The first determined attempt on the part of, Canadian wool growers to compete •on . the overseas market with the wool of Australia, New Zealand, South Africa,. and South . America, is being made by actual sales in the London wool market. ' The first shipments of some seven different types of Canadian wool have been mads *to England by the Canadian Co-operative \V\>ol Growers, . these representing some of the best wools grown -in Eastern Canada and the range | area of the West. A factor in hastening this movement has been the closing of the United States market by the Emergency Tariff, which .provides for a duty of 15 cents, rendering export from Canada absolutely prohibitive. A NEW MOWER. There has recently been invented in England a double sickle for moving machines, and several demonstrations have been held near Sheffield. The "Double Sickle'' consists, of two complete sickle blades, working one above the other from one pitman. No finger plates are used," for all the cutting is done between tha two sharp edges coming together, instead of the cut being made-.against a stationary plate, as is now the case on all mowing machines. The knives are slid to run a much longer time than a single knife; for they are, to a certain extent, self-sharpening. Other claims for this invention are that it will cut? cleaner and closer to the ground on account of having two cutting edges, and that it will not choke or clog up. ; It is also said -: to reduce the horse power at least one-third, and to eliminate most of the side draught. Furthermore, the "Double Sickle" does not need a high speed gear, as both knives cut. It * is said by the Agricultural Gazette that the "Double Sickle" can be attached to _. any mower, binder, or reaper by a proper adjustment. _________

AMERICAN FARM CROPS. The 20 leading crops of the United States, in 1919, according to the census, were corn, hay and forage, cotton, wheat,. oats, potatoes" tobacco, apples, barley, sweet potatoes, rye, rough rice, grapes, peaches;, kaffir and milo, oranges, sugar "beets, peanuts, dry edible beans, and sugar cane. The total value of these 20 crops was 13,754.290,926 dollars, which represents : more ; than tenths of the total value of crops shown by the fourteenth census. Corn heads the list, with a value of 3,507,797,102 dollars, or almost 1,000,000 dollars more than hay and forage, which stands second on the list with a value of 2,523,050.224 dollars. Cotton ranked third, with a value (including cotton seed) of 2,355,165,365 dollars, and wheat ranked fourth, with a value of 2.074,078,801 dollars. These four crops combined represented a value amounting to 10.460,095,492 dollars, or 70.9 per cent. ' 'of the total value of air crops harvested in 1919. ' The next, four crops in order were oats, with a value of 855.255,468 dollars; potatoes (white), with a value of 639,440,£21; tobacco, with a value of 444,047/181 dollars; and apples, the leading fruit crop, with a value of 241,573,577 dollars. • '■";••" NOSE PRINTS FOR COWS. Finger print identification of criminal* and suspects has been in use for more " ':* than twenty years. It has taken a long time for anyone to think of applying the principle to the identification of dairy cows. This, however, is now being worked oust ; with every prospect •of success in the Division of Dairy 'Husbandry at the Uni- ': versity of Minnesota. The cow's nose is traversed by innumerable ridges similar to those of the human hand, and from the patterns of these a solution has *een indicated of tha problem of positively identifying individual cows. This has always been a very real difficulty. In registering and selling highpriced animals, and in conducting official milk tests over a period of several months, the greatest care-roust' be taken against : intentional or accidental substitution oi animals. With the broken-coloured breeds like the Holsteins and Guernseys, a «ketch of the markings is required, but it is found that many farmers, are unable to make a sufficiently accurate drawing to avoid dispute, when the question of identity arises- In the solid-coloured breeds like the Jerseys the situation is even wore*; tattoo marks may always be imitated, and two-thirds of the Jersey cattle .answer: to"the official description "*olid colour, black tongue, black switch." With unregistered breeds the owner's word! must be- taken without reserve for - the animal's identity. Even when there is no intent to deceive, mistakes of identity, it is believed, are frequent. Experiments in taking and classifying nose-prints were begun in October, 1921. As wit finger-prints, two important \ points must be considered. Is the cow's nose-print different from that of every' other cow? And does the pattern remain the same at all ages?. As with the human finger, both these questions must be answered in the affirmative before the nose-print will be of value in identification. •

The prints of more than 350 animals have been taken and carefully scrutinised. So far no two have been found even sufficiently alike to cause any uncertainty as to their being from difletent animals. And both growing calves and older animals have been nose-printed for five consecutive mouths without, indicating any change of design. A careful study of the prints indicates that while there is enlargement of the nose, the arrangement of the ridges remains fixed. It is simple and easy to take the prints and to instruct others in doing so, by mail. One man does the trick, holding the cow's head under his arm and working wit-h his free hand. The nose is wiped dry with a flannel cloth, because the cow sweats freely through the nose. A common stamping; pad is than rubbed back and forth or pressed against the nose until the ridges are well inked. Then the print- is taken by pressing firmly against, the inked nose a sheet ot soft paper fastened to a board, beginning " with the lower edge of the paper, at the base of the : upper lip, and rolling upward toward the . face. Ordinary black stamp-ing-pad ink is the most satisfactory, with printers' or mimeograph ink a second choice. ,

■'< The system is being given a practical test in connection with various official Vests in Minnesota. Already its value has ieen manifest, - and it has straightened out several cases .. of disputed or mistaken identity. Perhaps its greatest value will be to the live-stock insurance companies-

BREEDING FOIBLES. American breeders -are setting their faces very strongly against the cramping effects of "fashionable" breeding. Mr. E. H. TiUaon, writing in the Breeders' Gazette (Chicago), says «omo very caustic—but Live Stock Journal) none the less true—things about fashion generally, and as applied to stock-raising in particular. Same of us, says Mr. Tillson, can remember when a white bull calf was hurried out of sight as soon as it was dropped, and a roan was disposed of almost as quickly. Both of these decrees were set aside because they were erroneous, in that they did not follow the laws of.heredity of the breed; the first because no one strain has had, ana never did have, a corner in our monopoly of all the best blood of the breed the" second because the Hereditary colours of the breed are, and have been for generations (of men, not cattle), red, white, and roan, or some combination of these colours. Later, Fashion . espoused the cause ox Scotch blood, and because some Scotch blood wrought a great improvement in many herds, she, fickle, capricious, and illogical jade that she is, jumped to Cue conclusion that all Scotch would be better: and therefore, without due consideration of the facts to determine whether or not her conclusion was correct, found that the "straight" oT "pure" Scotch to be the only strain to breed, and- as to the "lopped" or "mixed" and all other strains, according to her eminent council, she otherwise." This decree, continues Mr. Tillson, if allowed to stand, will be just as harmful as were the other two, because it is equally erroneous.

INOCULATION. Inoculation as a preventive against diseases of various kinds is proving a great blessing to mankind, and there is no doubt that it will be equally as great a blessing to live-stock in course of time. At present (writes " Salopian," in London Live Stock Journal) it may be said to be in its infancy as a treatment for animals, inasmuch as it is only in some of the most valuable studs and herds that inoculation against sepecific diseases is adopted. It is, Of course, a subject on which a member of the -veterinary profession could writ© -with--a .-far greater knowledge of its efficacy; but the object of these few words is to point out what an enormous boon,will be conferred on the live stock interest in Great Britain when the process of inoculation is cheapened and perfected so that every breeder of stock, be it pedigreed or otherwise, will be in a position to make himself secure against the many heavy losses which, unfortunately, occur, and which, under ordinary treatment and management cannot be "prevented. As regards horses, let us take, for instance, the case of joint evil' in' foals, which is one of the most dreaded scourges which worry the horse breeder. The old theory was that joint ill, or navel ill, was caused by the taking into the system of a germ through the navel at birth, and that the only means of prevention was the dressing of the navel with an antiseptic at birth, taking all precautions, of course, as regards cleanliness in the box, the use of disinfectants, and so forth; but it was found that in spite of all these precautions the disease would s appoar, and now the modern theory is that the only means of prevention is" through the inoculation of the mare during pregnancy, and if this j theory is sound it is.to be hoped that the j system of inoculation will be given every j chance and brought within the means and j reach of horse breeders of every class. e AGRICULTURAL ITEMS. Lucerne is one of the best crops to put in,for pig-feeding; then come mixed grasses and clovers, then ordinary pasture and such crops as rape of rape mixtures. Although pigs' like to wallow in slush in warm weather, they require a dry sleeping place to keep them in good health, and as they feel the cold acutely, it is absolutly necessary that they should be protected from cold and damp. It must be remembered that feeding with greenstuff alone is not profitable, except up to a certain period of growth. Grain or concentrated food must also be provided and, with lucerne, crushed vellow maize or maize meal, is very useful.

In Denmark they look upon barley as the best food for .bacon. The grain is cooked by steaming and fed with roots and an occasional ration of uncooked barley given to sharpen the appetite. The young pigs are given plenty of room for exercise.

It may interest dairymen to learn that Denmark's best cow for last season yielded during the twelve months 20,7681b. of milk, making 9581b. of butter. She is a big, well-developed cow of the 'red Danish race of milkers, and weighed nearly 180016. before her last calving.

The number of people employed son farms in the Dominion last year is given by the statistics just published as follow: —Agricultural, 15,114 males and 3295 females; dairying, 47,293 and 21,363;_ pastoral and unspecified, 39,427 and 28,398. This gives totals of 101,839 males and 2i3,556 females.

Milk is a vital human food. It is a food for both young and old. A quart- of milk a day for a child is not too much, and each should have at least a pint. Plenty of milk gives the children the chance for health they ought to have. / It helps them to grow, keep well, and to build strong, vigorous bodies.

A cow wa3 put under observation for two years" at a United States experimental station. During the first she was restricted to pasture, hay and silage, and yielded 4701b. fat, but in the following year she gave 8231b. fat (25,4991b. milk), when she wis fed 4 tons of grain in addition to the isame feeding in the previous year. _ '■■ Where pig-breeding is carried on, the land needs frequent liming, unless the ioil naturally contains this substance in an available" state. Nearly all the best crops for pig: feeding are lime-loving plants, and thV practice of liming and feeding off by pigs,- or carting to -them, is one of the best means of improving poor land. Since the first of ■ the year Canada has received 2222 immigrants from Ireland, of whom 1029 have been adult agriculturists,- according to information available at the Department of Immigratios. The total immigration to Canada this year by months was:—January 23, February 55, March 117, April 205, May 626, .June 486, Julv 402, and August 308. '

Red Poll cattle from the herd of the late Lord Man ton were sold in England at the end of August, and fetched high prices. The 10-year-old cow Rendlesha'm Royal Quaker Girl, which yeilded nearly 11,0001b. milk in 52 weeks at the age of 9, brought 300 guineas. This cow comes from one of the original herds of the breed, and from one which is represented by several descendants in Australia. At the same sale a heifer under 3 years old sold for 310 guineas. It will probably come as a surprise to learn that there are only a few over 3,000,000 sheep in the Dominion of Canada. The Government recognises that this is an absurdly small number, and with the object zi encouraging breeding is prepared to give free 12 ewes and one ram to any suitable landholder. The recipient is expected, after five years, to return the Government 12 yearlings. No Jess than 350 small flocks were distributed last autumn on this understanding, says the Canadian Government .wool expert, in the course of a recent lecture.

Founder most frequently affects the hind feet in cattle, although all four feet may be affected. In those cases in which all feet are affected, the animal will extend the feet forward and support the weight on the heels. When the hind feet only are affected, they are extended far forward, the front feet being kept in their normal position. There will be a constant shifting from one foot to the other. The effected animal will stand with arched-back and will not -chew' its cud, and usually., refuses to cat. Founder produces a wrinkled hoof and a turning up of the toe.