AGRICULTURAL ITEMS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18571, 1 December 1923, Page 18

AGRICULTURAL ITEMS.

Kohl-rabi (turnip-rooted cabbage) is recommended , for dairy cows. The, roots can be stored like turnips. It is reported that an order for 2400 live goats at 5s 3d per head had been received from Singapore by a breeder in the Port Hedland district, Western Australia.; .:.;-j:.'v \ Some horses will rest .comfortably on one substance, but will remain obstinately on their legs for hours on another. Very few withstand the seduction of a good straw bed, but many object to sawdust. The best maize crops are produced on the" deep, rich friable loam of rivers and creeks. It has been found during recent years that payable crops can be also grown on the higher-lying land without irrigation. ■ ,As maize makes its principal growth during the dry weather, it, is manifestly important -that 'every atom of moisture should be made available to the growing plants, and it is only by repeated stirrings of 'the surface of the soil that this can be done. ,-■.■ • •«. • Although chemical analysis shows virtually no difference between white and yellow maize grown on the same land, experiments prove that the -yellow variety is the much better balanced ration. As a matter of fact, white maize alone has comparatively little food value, but if mixed with other fodders is useful. Under the Imperial Wool Purchase Scheme, -the Union • Government 'of "South Africa have' received a sum of £99,855 3s Id, ! being growers' share of the profits. -: After deducting £20,956 12e lid for interests on advances and other expenses, the balance of £78,898 10s- 2d representing 8.41 per cent, of the purchase « price, will be distributed to the participants. ' . •; -. In 1919 there were 3,035,478 cattle in New Zealand, and the numbers have now increased to 3,480,694, distributed as follows: —North Auckland, 481,253 Auckland, 662,409 ;'< Gisborne, . 303,158 ; Hawke's Bay, 259.436; Taranaki, 388,880; Wellington 678,932; Nelson, 64,934; Marlborough 48,01 d;' Westland, 45,359 Canterbury, -215.306 Otago,' 148,y54; Southland, 184,063.. ; Mr. R. H. Harris, the field officer conducting the' tsetse fly investigations in Zululand, South Africa, writing in the South African Journal of the Department of Agriculture, states that by erecting dummy animals and smearing the legs of same with a tenacious and lasting adhesive,- the'tsetse' fly might be attracted, caught" and destroyed, and so reduce the scourge in Zululand. ' Mr. M. P. Durack, M.L.A!, Western Australia, says that stagnation describes the : condition of affairs in the ; Kimberley districts,, arid unless the . settlers there ire given better treatment by the Government, he sees little chance of permanent settlement. Also, he says, that some modification of the White Australia, policy' was necessary to develop and hold this part of Western Auutralia. At the Internation Conference of SheepBreeders held in England the following motion was adopted:—" That this Conference, having had urged upon it by representatives of the Dominions the great desirability of getting rid of eheep scab n this country, desires to call the attention of the Ministry of Agriculture to ;he continued existence of the disease and it's entrance to the export trade in stud sheep, and asks that prompt measures be aken to secure its eradication." A special correspondent of the Daily Express states that the Kentish hop ields reveal strange consequences of Government crop control. , Under the law, the controller alone is 'permitted to purchase hops. Ha estimated his requirements from home growers at 260,000cwt., but unfortunately it was the shortest harvest on record, only i!2o,ooocwt. being available. However, the hop controller will only receive 180;000cwt. This is due to the fact that the hop controller rationed each, grower on the * basis., of his average yield per acre, but some growers harvested more than they expected, others m'ai T j* controller, instead. of making mi.-? cieilci es from the surplus in U ? d^ riE # righto the 'Wa&wed^ot 016 Ws hy * s «• i ■v:, : '-/^;;;;/.\/,;-...;--;--::.^: ;