THE TESTING OF HERBS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18459, 24 July 1923, Page 8

THE TESTING OF HERBS.

CALIFORNIA!* DAIRYING. ;FRIESTAN: BREED FAVOURED. [by telegraph.— correspondent.] I- -j " • . ■WELLINGTON. Monday. : 'There has been a great development in dairying in California," said Professor Shaw, of California University, who is; in Wellington on his way, back to the United ;States. "One of the'most optimistic features of our dairy industry is the testing of the herds and weeding oat what "we call the 'boarders'— is, cows that do not give enough milk for the food they eat. Herd-testing haß : enormously improved the output. In one herd of 40 we weeded out 12 'boarders.' . "Herd-testing is • a co-operative arrangement subscribed to by the farmers On a herd basis and individual cow basis. The association hires a tester, who is appointed by the Agricultural College or the Agriculture Department, whichever they wish. He is thoroughly certificated. : "Butter is by far our first product. Then there is evaporated and condensed milk and cheese. ! Our butter goes east to New York, where we can compete successfully with Eastern butter, despite tjie cost of railway freight for 3000 . miles. We don't need tho large dairy barns that they require away east, for our dairy herds can stay, out in the weather ' for' 10 and 12 months in the* year. V • "Our colonieß*have adopted the Friesian breed of daily cattle. . Breeders of thoroughbred dairy, stock are giving to these land. settlements high-grade bulls at ridiculously low prices £1000 bull for ' £100 —to promote the . breeding of thoroughbred cattle and improve • the strain of daily cattle generally. ' * ; ' ';• -"It might sound typically. American to you, but we are quite serious in the belief that in 50 years the world will look to us for ,quality dairy cattle- • . Remember we have the world's record milker, Tilly _of Alcatara,- .the Frieaian champion, 7dairy cow.,; Hep 'grandson Vas. sold at' a very low price indeed to on# of ; tiw .settle., rnsatk^