ON THE LAND.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 6311, 11 September 1907, Page 3

ON THE LAND.

ANSWERS TO 'CORRESPONDENTS. fWe .hall bo glad to answer, aa |« JJ possible, all questions relating to pastoral, agricultural. arid “; ar J^ in " duntries. bee-culture, horticulture, potil try-raiaing. etc. Inquirers niuat ***** their tail name and address. a« a puaran t« of (rood faith but may also nom <ie plume for purposes of replyReaders are also invited to forward comment or personal experience on any points raised in these answers in this pace. £d. Land Pace. “N.Z. Times. J p p._lt is not much use blistering windcalls. These enlargements are rell ' l . to an cxceauive quantity of joint-oil bein« present ia the fetlock joint. The beat forms of # treatment entail coiumlcrabie trouble if any good result is to be looked for. The continued application or com water, followed by cold-water bandage*, la useful; or dry pressure may bo tried. St being applied by placing a &mtUi maw of cotton-wool or tow over the BweliiufcS and bandaging tightly over them. lOLKEii.—Tho sudden diarrhoea suggests that the cow has some indigestible material in her bowels. Give her a pint of castor oil, and follow this by a feed of crushed oats onoo daily for a lew days. STOCK SALES. Wednesday.—H. E. Leighton, Lower Hutt. Thursday.—Abraham ami Williams, N.A.L. and 31 .A. Co.. Lalgcty and Co.. Palmerston. DqJgcty and Co., Upper HuttIhriday.—Daigety and Co.. I eliding. HORSES. Wednesday.—DaJgcty and Co.. Wellington. September 23 to 28.—N.Z.L. and M.A. Co-, and Williams and Kettle, Waipukurau. SHOW}>. Manawatu A. and P. Association’s Spring Show.—October 50. 31, and November 1. THE CHEESE MARKET A WARNING TO CHEESE PRODUCERS. THE DANGER TN HIGH ADVANCES. Tho statement in the High Commissioner's last market cable —that one speculator is endeavouring to comer tho choose market—is of special signi-

ficance to New Zealand producers. If all we hear he true, the speculator in question has 'made heavy forward contracts, and must- secure supplies to meet his engagements. Naturally, he will be anrdous to obtain these at as low a figure as possible. He is now assiduously at work among New Zealand factories, and, rumour has it, that, as E reducers’ ideas of values are not his, e is obtaining supplies in the shape df consignments by the bait of a high advance. Of course, factories who may consign to the speculator have practically sold their outputs at the advance, . for the produce will be going to complete his own contracts, and at his own price. Should cheese realise great prices at Home, which is hardly likely, the factories may receive some profit over the advance, but under ordinary circumstances their advance will be their first and final payment. It is just this nefarious method of business which lias lea one dairy company to stipulate in its consignment agreement that the contract may be terminated at a month’s notice. The company had good reason for surmising that a liome firm which conducts a consignment and a speculative business at the one time cannot do justice to the former, and that if an opportunity occurs for making a good forward contract, it may be tempted to sell produce consigned to it, and so rob the consignor of his duo profits. It would bo thought, with the lessons New Zealand producers have paid so well for in the past, that they would have learnt by now that the only safe policy is to deal consistently with one reputable firm and never consign to an agent who takes up the contradictory position of purchasing outright and at the same time conducting a consignment business. PURCHASING SEED ■PENNY "WISE AND POUND FOOLISH METHOD. It-,is generally considered that the most short-sighted of men is he who places cheapness before quality in the purchase of a sire, but, as a matter of fact, he plays a bad second fiddle to the farmer who buys his seed in the cheapest market. This wretched policy brings -in its train the same disastrous results whatever the seed. Now that planting time is at_ hand, wo, would draw special attention to the poor economy of using cheap turnip and rape seed. The cheap article, of ■which, unfortunately, there is too much on the market, not only gives a smaller return per acre, hut it is prolific in foreign weeds. The latter take the place of valuable food plants and deplete the soil fertility. Much •of the inferior seed is old season’s, shipped by unscrupulous Homo agents to vendors in this country who have no repufation to lose. Again," it is an adulterated seed prepared by unprincipled colonial seedsmen. Some of these low-grade seeds have a germinating power as low as 70 per cent., whereas the seed supplied by agents of reputable Home firms has a germinating power of from 95 to 100 per cent. When it is stated that the difference in value between the inferior seed and that of the best quality is only one or two pence per acre, it appears incredible that any farmer of ordinary intelligence would consider price in the matter. But extraordinary as it is, the fact is too well known that many farmers, and farmers of wealth and standing, go from firm to firm for quotations, and buy where they can purchase at tho lowest price. Purity of seed and guaranteed germinating power do not enter into the calculation. Thus there is to bo 4

witnessed from season to season heavy expenditure in preparing and manuring land for turnip and rape cultivation, and the results rendered disappointing bv the stupid policy of saving a few pence in buying seed. We would impress upon those of our readers who are about to plant to prove the comparative difference between good and bad seed lor themselves. Use the best seed procurable for the whole area to bo sown, excepting, say, an acre, on which plant a cheap seed. Then note the difference in yield and, later on, the difference in the after growth. The lesson conveyed would quite settle the question. A cheap article is a poor purchase whatever the line of business, but a cheap seed occasions a loss which may have no end. BEESWAX adulterated wax ox the MARKET. HOW TO DETECT IT. Adulterated beeswax is being retailed in the colony, apparently a mixture of the genuine article and paraffin wax. Beekeepers and others interested should keep a sharp look out for tho spurious article, and whore an instance of it being sold is discovered tho matter should be at once reported to the authorities. A bogus beeswax was once imported from Australia. The nature of this article could bo at once detected, owing to the strong smell of the adulterant resin, but with tho paraffin mixture nothing but a test will disclose its true nature. Tho simplest tost is to compare its degree of specific gravity with that of the pure article. Make a solution of water and alcohol, and placo in it particles of pure wax and tho suspected wax. Ihe pure wax will slowly sink and remain for a time a little below the surface. If colophony, or resin, is the adulterant, the particle will rapidly sink to the Iwttom. but if paraffin is the foreign substance the particle will float. lo cheat the test fraudulent dealers have

combined th© resin and paraffin. In this cose a quantitative analysis alone will discover the adulteration. TARANAKI DAIRYING BUTTER AND CHEESE FACTORIES HOLDING ON. (From Our Own Correspondent.) PALMERSTON, September 10. A partner in a well-known Palmerston dairy firm has just returned from a trip" through Taranaki, and had some interesting things to say to the "Times” representative to-day respecting the pre'sent position of the dairying industry in that province- Ilis remarks are the /more interesting as it is generally conceded that Taranaki usually sets the market in this colony, as the season begins there earlier than in other localities. The result of careful inquiries satisfied him that the Taranaki butter factories just-now have got bigger ideas‘ regarding values than have the buyers, and that as a result very little business has been done. The majority of the factories seem to be expecting to get IOJd per pound for the season, though tin biggest offer made so far has been per pound. ,Thia price has already been accepted by three factories. The offers made by consignment houses present better prospects to factories than do those made by buyers, especially in view of the improving outlook in the London butter market. This latter seems to point to better returns being given to factories consigning than in the last two or three years. Cheese factories are also looking for much bigger prices_ than Home buyers are prepared to give, the idea being apparently that as high prices ■"’ere riven last year it must necessarily follow that the same state 1 of affairs will hold good for the present season. This, however, is not the case, as the causes which led to the high, prices ruling for cheeso last season do not prevail at the present time. The shortage of supplies from other sources and the effects of the Chicago meat scandals undoubtedly caused last year’s high rates. This year, however, there promises to be a very considerable increase in tbe supplies of obeese going into Great Britain, while the scare created by the exposures at Chicago is rapidly dying out, so that the consumption of tinned meats is on the increase again. _ Another fact to be borne m mind is that buvers dealing in cheese last year were barely able to clear themselves at the prices,'and, as was also the case in regard to butter, they arc not disposed a continuance of more or less heavy losses. Although both butter and cheese factories are delaying to make arrangements for the coming season, it looks as though they must make up their minds to accept the somewhat lower prices offering, or else send their products Home on consignment. GLEANINGS High lambing averages are reported from the Carterton district. It is stated that the Moa Farmers’ Co-operative Hairy Company has sold its output of butter at lOld. The Mangorei Company has also sold, but the price has not been disclosed. The Cardiff and Lowgarth cheese factories are consigning. At a clearing sale in Taranaki last week springing cows made .£7 to .£l2, late calvers X 3 15s to XS 10s, others from X2 10s to .£3 7s 6d, heifers in milk X 5 5s to XS. springing heifers XI 10s to Xfi 10s, heifers in calf X 3 to X 6, sows with litters .£6. Large quantities of eggs are being received at the Government Poultry Depot at Auckland (says a Press Association telegram), keeping nine hands constantly employed. 'This time last year only three were engaged at the depot. During August 21,800 dozen eggs were

graded, while last week COO dozen received attention. Thr? Taranaki Agricultural Society, which is displaying a very commendable interest in educative movements, has asked the Chief Veterinarian, Mr J. A. Gil ruth, to lecture at New Plymouth on tho 2Cth inst. The subject of the lecture is lo bo “Diseases of Dairy Stock— Their Prevention and Cure/' At Messrs Gillies and Nalder’s horse fair at llasvora last Saturday the pedigree Taiori mams offered on behalf of Slcssrs TToult attracted a lot of attention. and one realised the highest price of tho day, 77 guineas being given for a rising 5-year-old. Others made 118 to 40 guineas. Kearns Pros.* 7-year-old bay mare bv Ivanhoe brought GO guineas, and a. 3-year Pride of Windermere gelding fetched JM6. Some of the settlers in the Waiwera block (says tho “Wairarapa Standard"), near the Mangahao river, on tho border of the Eketahunu ami Pahiatua counties, complain that, although only four miles from a railway station, they have to either sledge or pack their food and merchandise all through the winter months, as the storekeeper cannot cart their stores through tho mud. They are asking assistance in getting their road metalled.

A local shcep-breedcr. in conversation with a “Wairarapa Daily Times" reporter, whilst admitting that over-feeding has certainly in part caused mortality among breeding ewes, considers that .the wet season has also contributed in no snfall measure to the same result. Ewes in lamb have had to depasture in fields soddened with persistent rain, and the result has been to materially weaken them, and has thus caused an abnormal percentage to fail to survive lambing. It is estimated that the eighteen months' drought at Oamaru has cost the district not far short of a million sterling. On the last grain harvest, as compared with previous averages, there was a loss of *£200,000, and the loss on the decreased output of butter ran into nearly another *£50,000. It has been carefully computed that about 75 per cent, of cattle and 50 per cent, of sheep that were in the district twelve months ago have been potted or exported to more favoured districts. A rather remarkable horticultural experience is recorded by a Featherston resident. About a fortnight ago Inplanted some seed potatoes, and as many of them were fairly large, they were cutin half, for setts. Owing to an unforeseen circumstance, he found it necessary to dig them up, as ho was not desirous that they should grow where they were. On carrying out this work, to his surprise, he found that the major portion of them had rotted, and of the half hundredweight planted, only enough to fill a kerosene tin were taken up sound, and these were mostly those that had I?, sown whole. The cultivator is at • loss to understand the cause, but attributes it to planting early, and to the cold damp ground.

There has been issued by Messrs Murray, Roberts and Co., agents for Fi&on's fertilisers, a highly attractive brochure telling of the merits of Fison's special turnip manure, several of tho testimonials being supported by actual photographs of the resulting crops. It is entitled "Is the Price of Land too High?” and tho introductory notice Remarks that while many old settlers are amazed at the figures now being paid for country land, it- is noticeable that shrewd and successful men are increasing their holidings at the prices now ruling. How this is done is by greater wealth being drawn from tho soil by means of supplying tho necessary plant food, for during the past few years, it is pointed out, growers have realised the advantage of using a special fertiliser prepared upon scientific lines. Steam ploughing in the Ashburton district, (says the "Lyttelton Times”) is yearly coming into greater prominence. There are eight steam plants engaged on the Rangitata Plains in ploughing up stiff, virgin soil. Each plant has three three-furrow ploughs, and a good day's work is between fifteen and twenty acres. A Taranaki farmer has succeeded in laying hold (with both hands, so to speak) of Time's forelock in the following manner :—He had a small paddock and he wanted it planted with potatoes, He had no time to dig it, and could get no one to plough the ground. But in odd moments he managed to dig trenches about two fee,, apart. Here he placed his seed potatoes, and then little by little ho turned over the ground between the rows. The result (says the "Taranaki Herald”)' was one of the heaviest crops he hns ever secured. Tho Government fruit-canning export, Mr Jacques, will give an interesting demonstration at tho Mauawatu A. and P. Association's coming spring show of the best methods of preserving fruits for home use. Another demonstration will be given by Mr I. Hopkins, the expert Apiarist, who will show tho approved way of handling bees. He will have a special enclosure 20ft square. Mr Brash, late manager to the Waverley Dairy Company, has been appointed manager of the Kairanga Cooperative Dairy Company's factory, to bo erected shortly at Longburn. Mr Brash was at one time on tho Government Dairy Staff. It is reported that the stock along the Manawatu line are in a very backward condition,, some having almost a starved appearance. This is held to- be due to the lack t of a proper supply of hay, etc., during'the winter months. A Cheltenham farmer considers that he has good grounds for expecting a 110 per cent, lambing return, with a loss of ewes equal to about 11 per cent. At last Saturday’s meeting of tho Foilding A. and P. Association a committee was set up to define the boundaries within which farmers might compete for the two five-guinea cups presented by tho "New Zealand Times” Company. Tho committee has now decided to wait to see the boundaries decided on by the Manawatu A. and P, Association *in respect to a similar competition, and to be guided by such definition. BIG PRICE FOB A RAM. PRESS ASSOCIATION, MELBOURNE, September 10. A four-tooth' Lincoln ram realised 166 guineas, which is an Australian recoid for a sheep of British breed. DUCKS IN COMPETITION. ‘ CHRISTCHURCH, September 10. Following are the returns for the duck egg-laying competition for last week:— Knight 24, Williams 26, Ruben 34. Spiers’ 25, Cuff 27, Smithers 25, Hitching 6, Kearns 17, Lucy 21, Gage j-, Dowthwaite 42, Hahn 21, Woodward 23, Gibbons 40, Scott 20, Penberthy 31, West 36, Knight 16, Savage 26. Butler 17, Highest, totals —Lucy 323, Knight 321, Ruben 309.