AGRICULTURAL ITEMS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18388, 2 May 1923, Page 12

AGRICULTURAL ITEMS.

The United States Department of Agriculture on December 1 estimated the area sovm with winter wheat to be 46,069,000 acres, compared with 47,611,000 acres at ho same date of 1921. "" • ■ •

The official estimate 'of the wheat yield for New Zealand is 8,500,000 bushels, compared 'with-10,656,000 in 1921-22. Oat reduction is put down .at 5,000,000 bushels, against 6,753,000 last s^asom

Unless exceptional conditions exist, the application of a well-balanced manure, in other words, a " complete " fertiliser containing nitrogen, phosphate, and potash, may be expected to yield the most profitable result.

One successful sheep-farmer says he is confident it will pay him handsomely to top-dress 100 acres every year. He has studied this question carefully, and gives this opinion as a result of "his farming practice.

There were 23,916,000 dairy cows in the United States in 1919, and the milk production amounted to 90,058,000,0001b. In 1921 the dairy cows numbered 25,061,000, and the milk production reached 98,862,000,0001b.

Senator Gooding has introduced a Bill in the Senate (U.S.A.), providing 3000,00,000 dollars (nominally £60,000,000) for the Wheat Stabilisation Board for the purpose of guaranteeing a fair price to American farmers by establishing a basic price of 173 cents "(nominally 7s 3£d) a bushel for No. 1 grade "northern spring wheal. :

> Rennet is the substance used either as Kquid or powder in cheese-making to Coagulate the casein in milk. This process of coagulation includes most of the fat globules resulting in the creation of two distinct parts, curd and whey. The active Srinciple of rennet is commonly obtained om the digestive organ of the fourth stomach of the sucking calf.

After the seed is in the ground, the teeth of the harrow should be set slanting and the field gone over once or twice before the _ maize comes up. If the programme is carried out persistently, very little difficulty should be experienced in keeping down the weeds for the rest of the season, and cultivation may be devoted ; largely to the preservation of a soil mulch ,for the conservation of moisture., v