THE FARMERS' COLUMN.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXIX, Issue 10959, 27 December 1911, Page 8

THE FARMERS' COLUMN.

(BY "HUSBANDMAN.")

FORTHCOMING AGRICULTURAL " EVENTS.

December 5-s—Gore Summer Show. December 12-13—Southland Metropolitan Show.

JROZEN MEAT AND CONTINENTAL MARKETS.

The- cabled news that the Government of Fran.c« is about to consider the question of reducing by 70 per cent, the duty upon meat from the Dominion and Australia suggests that at last some definite response is L-eing made to the numerous representations oi the High Comiuiss'.oJj/s and the State Agents-General. There eon baldly he an over-estimate of the advantage to New Zealand that will accrue it the active opposition of the European agrarnil party is checked by such a legislative p< hey. The persistent fight that has been j.ut up against the introduction o£ frozen n.<-at ini<j France, Germany, and Austria, curing recent years has made it pra-jti _ully impossible to do any business in those countries with frozen meat, and tne reduction ox the duty in France will \*-iy 1 kely be followed by similar action on the part of the Governments of .the two cohcr countries. The-exorbitaj.it prices that :.:e nov being paid for meat oil the Continent cannot continue much longer. ilreatly . the people are clamouring lor something more reasonable, and the Governments will perforce have to accede to the jemands that are being made for a cheaper and more plentiful supply of good meat. International business in such j.reduce is becoming more and more necessary, and it is not likely that the .ipuositiau engendered by the agrarian party c.l Furope will continue to rule the f-osit.io:i. 'iiie flocks and herds of the Continent iiie totally inadequate for the growing reuuireincnts of thß people, and the increasing hostility of the inhabitants io lie u: fairly conservative attitude of vested interests must sooner or later produce satisfactory results. The injustice to the multitude, of insufficient supplies and iamine ] iices, will not be tolerated when it become* generally known that immense supplies of cheap and splendid meat are procurable fitm outside sources. This knowledge is at last filtering iuto Europe, livery obstacle J has been placed in the way of li o_e oliicialb by people oil tue Continent whose interests it is that the meat trade should be controlled by them, and not by outsiders.- The exhibition at Houbaix a few montiis ago w;:s the means of drawing special pubi.e atten.ion in France to the advantages that would be derived by the admission under reaconable conditions of frozen meat into the counity. New Zealand and Argenuna, who were particularly prominent during the exhibition in drawing attention to these advantages, did splendid service in the. m- j tercsis of the frozen meat trade witii their fine exhibits. The French newspapeio, j during the exhibition, gave con.-i%..era.vuc j promitunce to these exhibits, and voiced j the llow universal cry lor the cheap meat | which these countries are üb.e m supply, i That there slxmld be such i;:>...-:ence for i •this can be understood when it is remem- j bered tiat beef and jnutton in France are j as high as Is fed and 2s per lb". Here in j Xew Zealand, where plenty abounds, and i B prices for all foodstutis are "consequently ! comparatively low, and where the. prts.sure ! of poverty and inadequate supplies has i ne\er been fe;t, the tragedy oi >he fi.0.l j riots that are constantly taking place :n ! Fiance and other countries are scarcely i understood. 'i'lie seriousness of it all, ! however, will be the lever that will uhi- j maiely open the jKjrtci o£ Klirope to frozen ! meat. When this occurs there will be such | an impetus given to our frozen meat trade as wi.l provide a splendid outlet for the great gu»vih of the Hocks and herds of the Dominion, But to take full advantage of such a desirable state of affairs, it is highly essential tiiat New' Zealand should concentrate attention upon the maintenance of good breeding in her fiocks and herds, li is just the observance of thjs very point which enables Argentina to do £0 much with Iter frozen meat trade. She «x>res right;along the line, not\bel cause she peeresses better country or better conditions tlian Xew Zealand, but because she knows what the- trade requires, and is prepared to pay the price lor it. Xew Zealand has everything in her favour for .the carrying on of this magnificent industry, and if we exercise reasonable care and watch vital details there should be nothing to prevent this country occupying 1 tho rirat pesition in the markets of the world in connection with the frozen meat trade. > The collar is tho harness; see to it that the collar "fits. The hands 'and person of the milker should be'clean. Don't accept a favour unless you expect to pay interest on it. A tyrant never ta6teth of true friendsliip nor of perfect liberty. Better to be occasionally deceived than to be always distrustful. A man may have more money than brains without having ' much money. Failures often teach more than the success that comes without effort. Good water and plenty of it should be the unfailing rule for the horse. Enthusiasm generates' energy as naturally as the sun gives forth heat. The idle currycomb and the fat horse seldom live in the same stable. Exercise is as essential to the health ol your horse as rest or good feed. Of all advantaged which come to anj young man, poverty is the greatest. Habits are the crystallisation of mental, and physical experience by repetition. A variety of feed is always beneficial All hay should be well forked and shaken. Fruit to the value of nearly £10,000,00( sterling is consumed in England erverj year. Carving a turkey at a social dinnei may be as essential to a young man as manipulating a. plough. - To show ourselves ungrateful for kindness is to wound the one who has helped or served us. j .To secure the best returns ■ for feeding I make the lots of fat sheep as evenly trood : a.! possible. J [ i When a steer is fit for the market there j is. always a ready sale, but a. horse is not i so easily sold. A watering trough filled_'with. fresh j water will help, to increase the comfort | and weight of the pig. No one is really polite till his courtesy acts automatically, -without the prompting of deliberate choice. It has been truly said that the proper management of a. daily herd may .be well summed up in breeding and weeding. Pigs like a change, but the chajige should not be made too quickly, and the whole ration should not be changed at one ti inc. Bi sides feed, the supply of water should ! bo abundant. Cows drink an enormous amount of it. It aids digestion, and | make things run easily. They should i have warm, comfortable places to shelter j in in bleak weather. A: tho Dunedin Show four owners had a out in for the champion ribbon for the be»t harness . horso driver;—viz., Mossts Meek'ft Lady Far, Mr R. H. Bissot's Fuiir.e*. i

LATEST NEWS AND DOINGS.

Mr James Patrick's gig mare, and Mr J. A. Johnstone's cob. ltiey made a handsome quartet. Mr Mackellur, the judge, picked L;.'iy Fan, who, though seven years old, showed nice action as handled b\ Ml Jerry O'Brien, and commended herself to the judge by her indubitable soundness and fe\el conformation.

A large proportion of simple cuis and wour.-ds in steok may be successfully treated by I lie application of •a.rbolised oil, in Uie proportion of one in 25 or 30, or any oi the recognised antiseptics. Bound up in cotton wool or soft old rag saturated with this lotion, very few woonos will give trouble afterwards.

Judging at agricultural shows is always a topic on whicn there is much discussion. The system of the judging is open to much argument. At the .Melbourne .Royal- Show voting cards were distributed to exhibitors of live stock "with a view of obtaining their opinions as to the systems of judging. The voting Was on three systems—namely, one judge, two judges and a referee, and three j uuges. The decision was by a .large majority in favour of two judges and a referee.

Following was the Duke of Northumberland's recioe for "linseed milk," the food which he in 1/62 suggested might be advantageously used for rearing caives as less expensive than rearing on pure milk Take one gallon of skimmed milk, and in ?.bout a pint of it add ioz of common treacle, stirring it until it is well mixed. Then take loz of linseed oilcake finely pulverised, and with t-lio hand let it fail gradually, in very small quantities, into the mil It, stirring it in the meantime with a tiwoii or ladle until it be thoroughly incorporated. Then let the mixture be piu into the other part of the milk, and ii.> whole be made nearly as warm as i.ei. milk when it i.- first taken from the eon. and in that state it is lit for use.

There was an impeding turnout iii thv trad.es display at uie ijunedin Sho-<., headed uy liion.iMii and Co.'s (Wairongo.., motor waggon, watch was followed by &U two-noius \ans an-.i night single-horse van., all Leloiiging to' thj samo nrni. All Li. nurse* uoris "bcjk© Lirovii." £>uccc€-J... this line display of grey, red, and g-.. were nve ot uaidcii- vanii, vj<<. Itiroe ci Hunter and ;'-;lier:dge's, and ... teen T. and f. van*. Ihe awards w.ci. l'lion:>ou and (Jo. yj, T. and I'. Go:npi-_., yo, Warden BlUi. oU. Uite of the jau (Mr Smith) sai-j : Ti:c l ist display l'ha. . Seen anywi.ere. It .u a credit to the to»vi.. 1L w:.o a eli.se competition between J hu.:.eeii and tile Uairy company. The t'orn.i. got full poiu'.s (oO) lor tueir horses an< 4o points for their men and carlo. Th> dairy company got la.l p.iints for their men, who wue white coats, but the cart. Wcc<; •■J diflerent eolunro."

According to the "Keviow of the River Plate-.' there is no slackening in the determination of the American Beef Trust to capture the meat trade of the Argentine. 1 lie organisation in question tius just acquired tile sr.ladero at the Cerio, .»ioni.: \ ideo, ior the jiirn or £20,000.- A short time ago it purchased the Cibils saiudero. Ine trust now owns, the La Plata told ."storage, the La lilanca and the above-mentioned, which are to be converted into modern ttet&ing works. Now that loreign eoiii-rol of tin; 'meat industry ot.. Argeiuma is only & matter oi time, .itiier nau\e ciiterpr.se* aie aiLiactn.g the attention oi American capitalists. it is stated jnat the iouacco 1 iust' oi America and' ixindou is negotiatmg for the fornuitioa oi a trust oi tobacco and cigarette maiiulacturers in Aigeiitina. The trust has a capital of available lor this object. In Buenos Ayres there are sixteen imi>oriant factories, arid of these eleven have accei!tcd the conditions, wliich is half cash ana half shares.

A good harness blacking is composed of 4oz ot glue or yclatihe, 3oz of gum arable, aiy.l tnree-quarters oi a pin: of water. Dissolve these by heat, and add to/, ot treacle iuid ooz of ivory black in very fine powder. 'Gently evaporate with constant stirring until a proper consistency whe.ii cold. Bottle and cork securely when nearly cold. . Wann the bottle to'thin the composition, if nececsoiy, before use. This does not reeict t.he wet-, but the following composition does: Take 2oz of mutton suet and 6oz of purified beeswax, melt and add to" it toz of sugar candy in fine powder, 2oz of soft soap, 2£oz of lamp-black, and joz of indigo in hue powder. When the ingredients have, been thoroughly incorporated, add' a quarter of a pint of turpentine, and pour tho mixture mto pots or tins. These blackings are -used by' evenlyspreading a little over the leather, and then polishing by gentle friction with a brush oi- soft rubber. . A good polish for brown leather is made as follows: loz beeswax, loz white wax, joz of castile soap. Scrape all these ingredients very finely, and.put all together into a basin, and add half a pint of best turpentine. Let it stand for- 24 hours, then stir in a, pin.fc of boiling water, ajid stir one way until. oold. then bottle.