AGRICULTURAL ITEMS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20925, 15 July 1931, Page 3

AGRICULTURAL ITEMS.

Ninety-two pedigree Friesian cows in Canada have produced over 25,0001b. milk in a year, and there are 220 Friesian cows holding yearly official records for production exceeding 8001b. No fewer than 613 cows have produced over 20,0001b. milk in a year. The use of vanishing creams, furniture polish, varnish, and other such materials to improve the complexion, of _ grain kernels, will not -be tolerated in the competitive classes of the world's grain exhibition to be held at Eegina, Canada, from July 25 to August 6, 1932. The foundations for success are laid on the farm, and there is to-day a real danger that over-emphasis on marketing, cooperation, and so on, may distract attention from economies that .may be effected on the individual farm by the individual farmer. —Live. Stock Journal. No improvement can bo expected in a milking herd unless the milk records v of the bull's dam and granddam are considerably higher than the herd average. The bull is half the herd, and therefore, a farmer should be prepared to pay as much for a bull as for two or three cows. . iThe King's Red Poll cattle at Saridringh'am include eighty cows and heifers, bred upon dual-purpose lines. The chief stock bull is Hatton Faber, whose dam, Fable, averaged over 900 gallons of milk for six years. 'During the past twelve years the ' King's Red Poll herd has won 183 prizes amApecial awards to the value of £I4OO. The famous Scottish Ayrshire cow MilJantae Mayflower, bred and owned by Mr. John Johnstone, Millantae, Lockerbie, dropped her fifteenth calf on March 28. Although now fourteen years old, having been born in April, 1917, it is said that she is still fresh and active, and could still put a good fight in the show ring. Keen interest in tho exhibits at the National Dairy Show in Palmerston North was shown by Mr. Julian Foster, United States Trade Commissioner, who classed tho show a? one of the best he had seen in New Zealand. The standard of the show was tho more remarkable in view of the general economic conditions ruling at present, Mr. Foster said. The stock exhibits were of a high order, and tho speaker was also impressed with the trade display. The Government Statistician for West Australia (Mr. Bennett) has issued a preliminary statement relative to cereal crop results for Hie season. ' The wheat crop vielded 52.891,492 bushels of grain from, 3.958,313 acres, the average being 13.3 bushels per acre. The production is a record for the State, and tho average yield has only once been higher. In 1903-1904 it was 13.6 bushels per acre o%'er an area, of 137,946 acres. The area stripped for oats was 275,161 acres for a production of 3,295.890 bushels, the average per acre being 12 bushels. Tha total hay crop produced was 491,677 tons from 398,438 acres. One of tho advantages claimed for the " dry" system of pig feeding is that where this method is adopted the pig is able to take just as much or just as little liquid as it sound argument, for the pig itself must bo the best judge as to the measurement of its thirst. After having taken as much solid food as it, requires the pig goes off to the drinking trough, and drinks as much as it likes and no more On the other hand, when pigs are fed on slop there is the possibility that on certain occasions the food may be too liquid, while at other times i& may not be liquid enough. This is he th ug , about which every pig breeder must exercise care if he feeds on slop. _ If thtae be too big a percentage of liquid mthe food the pig is forced to take more than it if it ft to get the whole of the solid matter, and to make pigs drink more than ia necessary to their well-being ia no gain at