THE DAIRYING INDUSTRY.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1013, 31 July 1891, Page 23

THE DAIRYING INDUSTRY.

WHAT IS DOING, AND WHAT OUGHT

TO RE DONE

By lluia

One of the most profitable appointments to tho Colony, perhaps, ever made by any Government, was that of tho dairy expert, Mr Sawers, who lias in the three years during which he has held office increased the value of the dairy exports of the Colony by many thousands of pounds per annum. Originally trained under Professor Harris, the Canadian expert, who was

' brought over from Canada to teach the almost lost art of dairying to the farmers of Scotland, Mr Sawers had every opportunity of becoming thoroughly master of the improved methods of factory dairying in use in the factories of the Dominion. The result of the aid given to the dairy industry in the few years during which the fostering hand of the Government lias been held out to the farmers—not more than a dozen years ago—is that Canada is now the rival from which most competition with New Zealand has to be feared. The great desideratum of uniformity, for which the English buyer is so persistently agitating, Mr Sawers has been

endeavouring to secure from tlie time of his appointment by securing factory managers who belong to the same ‘school,’and this, though necessarily the work of years, first began to show signs of beneficial influence on the dairy produce market in the world’s metropolis last year, when the best brands of New Zealand butter reached the very satisfactory price of 138 s per cwt.

Some twenty-eight factories were dragging out a feeble, flickering existence when Mr Sawers was appointed, and the number actually in work last summer had reached G2, or an increase of over 100 per cent. Besides these, two new factories will be in working order in time for next season in the Taranaki province—one at Stratford, and the second at Cardiff. These teachings show satisfactory and practical progress, and theoretical teaching by means of lectures has not been neglected by Mr Sawers, who gave twenty-three lectures during last season; but, of course, there is a limit to the achievements of any one individual, and this limit has been reached in tho case of tlie dairy instructor. Commencing below Riverton in September, and working thence northwards to the north of Auckland, and spending a minimum of from two days to a week at each factory visited—correcting, teaching, regulating, and inspecting as occasion requires—no one will deny that this entails quite sufficient—if not more than sufficient—work for one person. And the ‘off’ season, too, he finds scarcely less busy, for plans and specifications for new factories, and much clerical work, now requires attention, And here it is worthy of note that factories that cost £3OOO under the old order of things are now erected and fitted up for £7OO, capable of dealing with the same or even a larger quantity of milk. What is now required from the Government is the establishment of travelling dairies of instruction—one in the North Island, working between Wellington and New Plymouth on the one coast, and Wellington and Napier on the other ; and the second on the whole length north and south of the Hurunui Bluff Railway. This plan has been successfully carried out for years in Victoria and New South Wales, and the benefits to the industry in those colonies has been enormous, even when only the legitimate market of the world, for the sale of butter as ‘ butter ’ lias been availed of; but the recent visit to the Colony of Mr Clement, of the great Scotch provision firm of that name in Glasgow, in search of our summer grass-made butter for tlie purpose of flavouring tho artificial article known as butterine, or margarine, and for

which he said his firm would go as high as 130 s per cwt, has opened up another outlet for the produce of the New Zealand dairy farmers, and the demand for this purpose is considerable. Among the members of the present house are a number representing districts in which the dairying industry holds a most important position—• Dr Newman, Messrs Rolleston, Kelly, Carncross, Hogg, W. C. Smith, E. M. Smith, McGuire, Valentine, and many others, and in the interests of a large number of the most valuable portion of the population —the yeomanry of the Colony, we trust steps will be taken to secure the adoption of the plan suggested above, viz., the fitting up and regular working during the season of the most improved dairying appliances obtainable, under the management of the best teachers in eaeli branch of tlie industry that can be secured.

SHEEP SHEARING. "We are sending a large number of our capable sheep shearers. to the neighbouring colonies to assist them in their busy times. In a few months the men will be back in time for our own shearing, when the following remarks upon how careful shearing should be done may be of interest. The wool is best off the sheep when the yolk is well up. The ticks are troublesome, and irritate the animals so that they cannot rest, and they feel the heat so much that they cannot do as they should. Tiio risk of loss of life from casting that the Long-woolled breeders experience can hardly be realised by those whose knowledge is limited to the Down breeds ; for while the latter have narrow backs and little wool, the former have flat, fat backs with long wool, which prevent their turning, so they lie and soon get suffocated if help is not at hand. It is quite as anxious a time on uneven pastures fed by "Lincolns as is the lambing season ; since, unless someone is constantly about to put them on their feet again, great losses must occur. If there is any advantage in not washing, there are certainly great advantages derived from having a clean skin to work at. Smart work cannot be done on a dirty back. The shears do not cut; and instead of fat sheep being turned out in an attractive manner, they are turned out untidy, and do not sell so well. It is no fancy that well-turned-out sheep sell better than those less neatly clipped ; it is a fact that may be proved in almost any market where good and bad work are found together. There is much more in first-class shearing than some people realise. Take, for instance, a few- of the leading points: —Ist, a neat stroke, every stroke of the same width, and all running parallel, finishing up with a definite line along the spine; these must set off the animal, as they give ir the appearance of belter feeding,/ while the straight line along the spine, cut flat, fakes away the appearance of a ridoe, and therefore makes it look more pleasing to the eye, which is an optical delusion, causing it to look of better quality and better fed. The next point is that the stroke should be low so as to take off all the wool, but not to scratch the sheep, or raze it, as it is called in some districts ; a razed sheep is made irritable, and a mild inflammation sets up, vvLicb becomes positively painful in hot weather. There are several styles of shearing which are more or lees peculiar to different districts. Of these we prefer the from-belly-to-spine stroke, where the whole stroke is made so as to meet the fall of the wool, for if the fall is mot it is easier to get under it, and the cut is lower. Another advantage is that the stroke is at light angles to the spine, and this gives the sheep’s back a much broader appearance, which is a decided advantage over ihe style of cutting upwards from the belly in the same manner, except that instead of the blow being made exactly at right angles, it slightly curves forward, so that the two strokes meet at the top in a point, which has the effect of making tho sheep look narrow along the spine. It is a rather more easy stroke, as tho early part is made at a more natural angle, but it may soon be overcome. When the stroke is made along the back, which of course does not allow the fall of the wool to be met, and one side of the blow is higher than tho other, and no pains are taken to trim the sheep up smartly. All this results from the fact that they are Bhorn to be sent back on to the downs, where no one will see them, whereas, when they are to be sent to market as they are, as fat legs or wethers, smart work has to be insisted upon, therefore the sheep-keepers in the fattening districts pay more attention to the work.

CARE OP TOOLS. Tools and implements are damaged more bv rust and exposure to alternate rain and sunshine than by actual ueage. Rain and dew will rust the bright journal bearings of farm imulements on one side, perhaps, rendering that side rough. Then that side of the bearing will begin to ‘ cut ’ or wear away ; and as soon as one side of a journal begins to wear it will wear faster and faster until the bearing is damaged beyond repair, requiring the substitution of a new journal. Rain and dew wili expand the woodwork of implements, and soften the grain of the surface, after which the heat of the sun will dry and crack the wood, making numerous small fiasures for water to (liter. Plow-handles and

many other parts of implements that have been bout after they have beon exposed to the influences of rain and sunshine lose their desired form and shape* Shovel-handles, scythe-snath?, cradle-fingers, and some other bent portions of band tools and hoisa implements are often ruined by exposure to storms and sunshino. Let it be an inflexible rule of the farm that tools and implements must not be left, outdoors, exposed to tho damaging influences of wet and dry weather. Let every helper understand that he must clean hoes, shovels, and spades, wipe the blades dry, and put them under shelter as soon as they are not in actual use. A man will accomplish just as much per day if he is required to clean his tools and put them in a dry place as he will to throw them down where they were used last, covered with dirt, and exposed to the weather.

CARRIER PIGEONS. THE ANTWERP. Our illustration this week gives a capital idea of tho shape ami plumage of the Antwerp Carrier Pigeon. There has of late years been what may be termed an awakening in regard to the value of homing pigeons, more especially as war messengers ; and, in consequence, numerous interesting ex-

periments have taken place with the view of finding out the rateß of speed at which they can course the air. ‘ Homers ’ have for years been instruments ot an innocent pastime to the thousands of persons who take delight in pigeon-racing, miners in particular being very partial to that sort of recreation. In pre-telegraphic days homers were in constant use for the carriage of important messages, when speed was the factor of the event communicated. It has beon often told that the news of the Duke of Wellington’s famona victory over Napoleon on the field of Waterloo was brought to the Messrs Rothschild in London under the wiDg of a pigeon, this priority of such important intelligence enabling the firm, by making use of it on the Stock Exchange, to lay the foundation of a gigantic fortune. In the little kingdom of Beiguira, pigeon-flying is the sport par excellence. What horse racing or football is to Great Britain, the carrier is to Belguim. Everyone, from the lovvess to the highest, takes interest in the national pastime, and many of the pigeon matches which take place there excite quite as much excitement as the races for tfce Derby and the St. Leger do in this country. The Belgians have one or more newspapers devoted to the sport, and from the Queen upon her throne to tho women

who labour in the fields there are none who do not regard tho feats of their flying pigeons with a vast amount of iuforest. Races are decided annually in Belguim iu which tho stakes amount to thousands of pounds, and to these the members of the Royal .Family and the wealthier residents in the kingdom are invariably liberal subscribers. There are many persons in the * little kingdom ’ who have never in the course of their lives known any other business than the training of these racing pigeous. It is perhaps needless to say that a good deal of money changes hands throughout Belgium in connection with the annual flying matches.

By means of a series of well planned experiments, the speed of theso birds has been calculated to a nicety. It is in connection with war messages that this has been done, and it has been found that the normal velocity of a carrier pigeon may bo set down as being one thousand yards in a minute, during a period of calm ; by having the aid of a moderate wind the speed may incrofxsG to fittoeu iimniroti yards and in a strongisli gale nearly two thousand yards a minute has boeu obtain'd. Tneae rates of speed are calculated for short-distance flights. Immense distances have beon covered atvarious times by homers; thegreatest

result yet recorded being from a place in Corsica to a locality iu Belguim, distant from each other 5G5 miles, a feat which was accomplished in twentyseven hours, or at a rate of 610 yards to the minuto. On the occasion referred to as many as Gl9 pigeons took flight fer their home in Belguim, but some of them never came to hand, although it is believed that tho whole of them crossed the 91 miles of sea. As will readily be supposed, there was a considerable lapse of time between the first bird and those which were lost in the flight. In conclusion, it is interesting to know as regards the height which homing pigeons take in flying that it ranges in fine weather at from - 130 to 168 yards, but iu rainy weather they fly much nearer the ground, in very calm and clear days the birds fly at a height of from 2G5 to 350 yards.

FEEDING OATS FOR SHEEP. A Winton sheep farmer writes to the Southland Times with reference to feeding sheep with chaff or oaten sheaves as follows :—I hope some of my brother farmers will take notes and give results as to which pays them best. Some farmers maintain that a sheep, being a cud-chewing animal does not require its food cut up, and that sheep fed on oaten sheaves thrive

better and givo better results than those fed on chaff. With my own flock I find ewes in lamb aro more contented and give a larger percentage of lambs, if fed on oaten sheaves, but for sheep for tho market I prefer the cut chaff. The appliance required is a 10ft chaff box —or a 12ft hay rack would cost about the same price. I paid 35s for mine. So that the teat will rest with the feeding alone. I see some of my brother farmers aro using the open chaff box; complaining that they always find the same sheep feodiug, and giving the weaker animals no chance to get near. If they would get shorter boxes and more of them, they would find, like myself, that the sheep would fesd better. I reckon a covered sheep feeder saves 100 per cent, on the open box feeding. I had some of my feeders cut in halves ; about 10ft is long enough for any feeder. I note a new style of sheep feeder, the shape of which stops tho sheep from getting into tho trough, and being much lower does not got turned over by the wind. I understand it holds about tho same au.antity as tho old stylo and is much cheaper.

THE NATURAL AGE OF OUR PASTORAL GRASSESA writer in the Agricultural Gazette of May 18th gives the following results of his practical experience in

determining the natural ago of our pastoral grasses. He says * Although much has been written of late years regarding pasture grasses, little has been said of the natural age of the various Bpeeies which are included as being worthy of being used in the formation of pastures, or as composing old, or, if we may U3e the term, natural or naturalised pastures.

On theplots of grasses which I sowed in May, 1836, a very small percentage of the original plants now remain ; so that I have no doubt but grasses, as a rule, do not live so long as is generally supposed. In cases where the geological conditions suited the species of grasses, these showed the greatest percentage ot deaths after reaching their best form of development, which would (in most cases) have been in 1889.

In the spring of 1890 I was astonished at the number of plants that had either fallen off or had become so enfeebled as not to be able to again yield an average crop. Among these I would include vernal grass, crested dog’s tail, meadow fescue, yellow oat grass, red, hard, and sheep's fescues in so far, but these three last named have a tendency to produce strong woody roots, and thus seem, when iu that form, to live a larger number of years. Xhere are other two distinct forms,

which seems na far as my experiments show, to live longer, viz., those grasses which are growing under conditions which are not quite favourable though not so unfavourable but that the plants will struggle on year after year to reach their normal dimensions, and those that form bulbs or creepers. Of the former we may mention rough stalked meadow grass, meadow fox tail, red canary grass. Sirooth-stalked meadow grass, sends out creepers, probably on account of tho ground being unsuited for it, several of the plants on the plots died before 1890, but many young plants of it have appeared among the other grasses in the neighbouring grass plots. Of the latter we may mention timothy, which forms bulbs when the conditions are not quite favourable for its development. Cocksfoot forms roots of a very wiry character in a cold climate, such as is experienced here and Beenn to be longlived.

In the case of rye grass while the most considerable number of the plants had succumbed from the time that they were sown in ISSG up to the present time, those which still remain have very strong roots embedded pretty deeply in the soil. Italian rye-grass had quite disappeared by 1890. I believe that these observations have some value, inasmuch as they appear to show that grasses, as a rule, do not live many years upon pastures. Of course I mean individual grasses, and that our permanent pastures are in a large measure maintained, iu fact, more than has been anticipated, by repeated seedings of the plants. There would, evidently, in the case of most of the grasses, be some seeds allowed to ripen, and these apparently form new plants to maintain the pastures. Probably there is a great variation in tho age to which the different grasses live in different climates and under other varying conditions. It yields information which tends to equalise the age of perennial rye grass with the other pasture grasses, as well as to rather favour the idea that our pastures are not very generally composed of the grasses which are best adapted for giving the heaviest returns, as those plants which grow under, in so far, disadvantageous conditions, if we are to be guided by our experment, live longer than those which are growing under conditions quite favourable for them. The balance, nevertheless, must also be brought up so that it would depend on how those requiring new plants pretty often to maintain their numbers managed to produce seed sufficient for that purpose. There is little doubt but that experiment serves to demonstrate that the herbage to be found on pastures does not quite (even on the best of these pastures) prove that the plants growing there are either the best that could be grown, or that they growing in the best proportions. FEEDING HORSES. Most every farmer has his own ideas in reference to feeding horses. I know men who feed oats and hay only the whole jmar ; others feed cut feed, some use straw, others cut hay and mix bran or rye chop with it. My opinion is, that horses, as well as any other class of stock, not only relish a variety of food but need an occasional change. On April 8, ISBI, I bought a spirited little bay mare, weigh, ing 810 pounds • she was four and a half years old. I used her on my 50 acre farm to do all the hauling and ploughing; besides that, she had to do all the driving. My trips were from 20 to 40 miles a a day. Occasionally I had 50 miles. During the last four years I worked her at nothing except driving. This mare I have driven now nearly 12,000 miles, and she was never sick one minute,

I will try to describe bow I feed my horses. Change their feed as often as posible is my plan. I don’t feed quite as much grain as some men do, but perhaps more hay. One meal I give oats and hay, next meal chaff or cut hay mixed with meal of some kind, then I give a mess of corn ; perhaps the next meal, if the horses don’t work hard, I give nothing but clean and good hay; the next time I give small potatoes, chopped up, with a little bran or cake meal on. During the winter I gave them several times during a week corn fodder; about once a week I give them meadow hay, once a month I feed Boaked rye, I give one-feurth ounce

of Fftlfe daily. Hock salt is best and handiest for horses, but it is twice as expensive as other salt; I always water my horses before I feed them ; this plan I think is much better than to water after feeding.—Practical Farmer. AGRICULTURAL JOTTINGS. Potatoes are being bought up at Hastings at £1 a ton for shipment to Sydney. The block of land south of the Manawatu Gorge, consisting of about 7000 acres, is to bo thrown open for settlement in sections of 200 acres. It has, however, been been applied for by two special Settlements. The Minister for Lands thinks that £IOO,OOO a year would not cover the loss suffered by farmers and fruit growers through the ravages of sparrows and other small birds.

A joint committee of both Houses of Parliament is to be Bet up to consider how the nuisance of noxious weeds, gorse, briars, &c., can best be dealt with.

Says the Examiner: —The Land Board have decided to open up as much land as possible behind Maharaliara instead of limiting the area to 1200 acres as formerly decided on. Surveyors will be sent on to the ground at once to ascertain how much is available.

Grass is exceedingly plentiful in all parts of the Wairarapa district at the present time, and as a result sheep and cattle are unusually fat.

Hawks are very numerous on the various stations surrounding Hastorton at the present time, and as a result the mortality amongst young lambs is great.

Experiments with lime as manure for various crops are not confined to the Waikato. At Ruapuke (says the Waikato Times), Mr E. B. Hill used lime —which by the way, was burnt upon his own farm—as the principal manure for a crop of turnips, and the splendid results have satisfied him as to the efficacy of lime for root crops. Not only will its application result in heavier yields, but what is of equal importance, the quality of the turnips for feeding purposes will be considerably improved.

A cow eats lOOlbs of green food every 24 hours. Four sheep live on an acre of moderate land in summer and two in winter. A horse consumes the produce of 5 or 6 acres in oats and hay, and in farming every horse consumes l-6th of what he cultivates.

The bush at the Tamaki Company’s mill is pretty thick with weasels (says the Bush Advocate). The little vermin have found an enemy in the morepork. A day or two ago Mr Baker, the locomotive driver there, caught one of these birds with a young weasel in its mouth.

An instance of precocity among fruit trees came under our notico at Halcombe lately (says the Advocate). On one of Mr White’s fruit trees there is a very forward bunch of apples which look first rate. One would think that the very cold weather experienced the last month or two would have effectually prevented any growth such as this.

Perplexed station-owner of the future to gorgeous new arrival in lavender kid gloves : ‘ Can Ido anything for you, sir V Gorgeous new arrival: 4 Yes; you can conduct me to the shearers’ drawing-room. I have been appointed by the Government bureau to operate in your shed. I trust your sheep are clean and gentle.’

A Yorkshire breeder of Shorthorns, whose lands lies at least twenty miles inland from Scarborough and Whitby coast, says that when the wind blows from the sea accompanied by a little hoar or mist there is such a marked change in the character of the grass that the appetites of the cattle improve in an extraordinary degree. Weakly animals become immediately convalescent, and strong ones put on ' condition ’ with a rapidity which would hardly be credited.

The experience in the horse car stables of Paris and New York, is to the effect that grey horses live longest and give the greatest amount of service, although in these particulars the roans are said to bo a close second. Bays are declared to bo about an average as to longevity and endurance, while cream-coloured horses are discounted as lacking staying ability, especially in the hot weather. Black-hoofed horses are pronounced tougher and stronger than those with lighter coloured feet. According to tbis showiig a good horse can be a bad colour despite the common saying to the contrary.

The crusade against the imports of American meat would appear to have flooded the markets of the United States with immense Bupplies of Chicago dressed beef, which would otherwise have been shipped to Europe. In all the States east of Indiana and north of the Ohio river the competition of this product is said to have brought about a great decrease in the number of young cattle kept for fattening, it being maintained that the western meat can be Bold lower than the actual cost of the home-grown article. This form of competition, which at first only affected the large cities, has been gradually extended until the towns and villages are now being supplied with refrigerator beet, and in some rural districts even the farmers themselves are served by itinerant peddlers with Chicago beef. It is complained that not only does this product compete disastrously with the local butchery by underselling homegrown meat, but growers of stock are given but one market in which to sell, and then only in keen competition with range and herd cattle fattened on public domains, or on cheap lands which recently formed part of it.—-Live Stock Journal.

A ewe belonging to Mr P. Woodman, of Grange Court, lately gave birth to a couple of lambs. One was dead, and the other had eight legs, two tails, one head, and two tongues,- all of which are fully developed and perfect.

A Leicester ewo belonging to Mr William Wilson, Hill of Pechel, Aberdeenshire, has dropped four fine lambs, all of which are doing well. The same ewe, which is only 3 years old, had four in the beginning of April last year, and all did well.

A crossbred ewe (Exmoor and Devon long wool), the property of Mr Charles Norman, East Withey Farm, Winclescomb, England, is remarkably fecund. She has yeaned in seven consecutivo years the large aggregate number of twenty-seven lambs, and brought them all up. This year the old ewe had four lambs.

The Dutch consul in London reports that the importation of Dutch cattle into Britain has gone down greatly since 1875, the United States, Canada and Australia being able to supply the markets to better advantage. The importation of sheep still is considerable, though the British imports of Dutch cheoso bave declined.

Gardeners and farmers are plagued by no more troublesome and hungry pest than this graminaceous weed, which is known almost indifferently as couch, cutclij or twitch grass. Its botanical name is Agropyrum repens. It increases rapidly by means of the creeping root stock as well as by seed, and occasionally by natural layers above ground. Liko the shark, its rapacity is only equalled by its extraordinary vitality and tenacity of life. The best way to get rid of it is to fork out the creeping roots persistently and burn them ; but if the growth is frequently chopped off with the hoe, the plants will dwindle and dio away.

The sale of grain by weight was discussed at a meeting of the Central and Associated Chambers of Agriculture, when Mr Williams (Monmouthshire) moved a resolution affirming the desirability of sale by weight, and asking the president of the Board of Agriculture to receive a deputation on the subject. Mr Jasper More, M.P., said it was perfectly clear that there was a strong majority of Opinion among farmers in favour of a uniform weight, but he had carefully avoided the recommending of any particular weight in his Bill. It would be open to the Parliamentary committee to consider what weight should be used. Mr Clark said the light land farmers of Cambridgeshire and Norfolk were opposed to the sale of barley by weignt ; such a mode of weight would prejudice them to the extent of at least 71b in the coomb, and tho great bsrley growing districts in the country would be prejudiced to the extent of Is a quarter. Major Rankin said that- at present there were about 32 different weights and measures used for the sale of weight. Mr Jasper More thought there were at least 150. Mr Tebutt (Cambridgeshire) protested against tho attempt to get legislation on this subject, as be believed it was altogether unnecessary; almost all the farmers were coming to sale of weight voluntarily, aiid in the market which he attended the practice was general. He protested against punishing a man because he chose to sell seed corn by the bushel instead of weighing it. Captain Loder-Symonds pointed out that different weights were used in different places. Eventually it was agreed ‘ That in view of the repeated affirmation by the council of the principle that it is desirable that corn should be sold by weight, the president of the Board of Agriculture bo asked to move for a select committee of tho House of Commons to inquire into the whole subject.’

Oamarix, July 24.

At a meeting of the Agricultural and Pastoral Association to-day, called to consider the recommendation to tho Minister of Agriculture, it was decided to take no action regarding the land tax proposals of the Government, as it would bring the Society into the discussion of politics, the members holding that the proper place for that would be a publio meeting. CiIHXSTCHnB.cn, July 24.

The Minister of Agriculture has written to the Agricultural and Pastoral Association that ho will not take steps to declare the Colony free from sheep scab till after tho next harvest.