THE RURAL WORLD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20039, 4 March 1927, Page 1

THE RURAL WORLD.

FARM AND STATION NEWS.

The South Island Dairy Association advises that the Maiinoa will commence loading dairy produce at I’ort Chalmers about .March 28. This will be her last port of call in New Zealand before leaving *or the United Kingdom, and the quota i f produce supplied by Otago will consist of 10,000 boxes of butter and 6000 crates of cheese. • • » » The New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board has received the following cablegram from its London office dated February 25, advising Smithficld delivered prices at that date as follows (prices for the two previous weeks are also shown): New Zealand Wethers and Maidens. — Canterbury quality selected brands, not quoted. Other brands: 561 b and under. 7d per lb (not quoted) ; 571 b to 641 b, 6]d (not quoted, 6§d) ; 651 b to 721 b, 6d (not quoted, 6d). New Zealand Ewes.—64lb and under, 4d. New Zealand Lambs.—Canterbury quality, 36!b. and under, 421 b, 10jd; 431 b to 501 b, 9Jd; seconds. 9]d; selected brands. 361 b and under, 10Jd: 371 b to 421 b, lOid. Other brands: First quality, 421 b and under, OJd (not quoted, 10^d); seconds, Od (n t quoted, 9d). New Zealand Beef.—Ox fores, 3|d, (3]d, j 3.]d) ; ox hinds. 4d (4d, 4d) ; cows fores, 1 not quoted; cow hinds, not quoted. j Argentine Chilled Beef. —Ox fores, 2]d (4d, 3id) ; ox hinds, 4Jd (6sd, 4Ad). 1 Argentine Frozen Beef.—Ox fores, 3]d • (id, 3|d); ox hinds. 4d (4d, 4d). Frozen Pork.—Bolb to 1201 b, 7LI (7Ad, 8d); 1201b_to 1801 b. 74d (7R 7*d). , Frozen Veal. —Not quoted. All lamb and mutton quotations are new season's. I Lamb. —Market quietly steady through- ; out week with slightly easier tendency towards close owing to larger supplies now available. « • « • The vexed question of too many summer agricultural and pastoral shows is a long ; way from being solved in Otago, and it seemed last week as if a certain section , on the Taieri were going to jeopardise the success of the Dunedin winter show by instituting a similar event on the Taieri under the uspicos of the local Agricultural and Pastoral Society. The decision of the Taieri Society to have nothing to do with such a scheme was a wise one. The metropolitan fixture is far too much in need of support from the Taieri for there to be any wisdom in setting up an opposition show on the plains. • * • • A preliminary estimate of the New South Wales wool clip for the present season assesses it at 451,600,0001 bof greasy wool. This shows a substantial increase over previous years. The correspondin':: figures for last season were: 368,739,0001 b, and for 1924-25 340,956.0001 b. An increase of approximately 25 per cent, with wool selling at excellent prices will make a welcome addition to the receipts of the State. • « ■ • The returns furnished by the Auckland Farmers’ Freezing _ Company of dairy produce graded during the past fortnight indicates that production continues of satisfactory dimensions. Both in respect of butter and cheese the records of last season have been exceeded. Details are as follow: — 1027. 1926. Boxes Crates Boxes Crates of of of of Butter. Cheese. Butter. Cheese. Received to Feb. 23 — 99,658 10,641 93,245 9,788 Delivered to Feb. 23 60,602 2,740 68,951 212 THE SEASON’S TOTAL. Received since July 1 1,372,513 124,448 1,196,721 115,976 Delivered since July 1 — 1,128,387 96,782 1,018,919 83,756 STOCKS ON HAND. On hand 23rd Feb. — 346,332 36,814 222,117 33,814 * * * * The British Agricultural Journal, dealing with the giving of minerals to livestock, says:—“ln the case of salt, the free choice method of allowing access to lump rock salt is the best. In the case of chalk, the following daily maximum doses may prove of value as a general guide:—Lambs, ioz; sheep, pigs, Aoz to |oz; calves, loz; horses, milch cows and bullocks, 2oz to 3oz. In the case of phosphate in the form of steamed bone meal, the maxima are as follows: — Sheep. i?oz to loz; young growing pigs, loz; full-grown pigs, IJoz; calves. 2oz; horsesj milch cows, and bullocks, soz to lOoz. In using these figures as a guide it must be remembered that these figures form maxima, and that the actual amounts required will vary according to the nature of the diet. Under some conditions, the addition of mineral substances may even prove the reverse of beneficial.” • • • • Exports from the Argentine for the first 10 months of 1926 were approximately as follows: —Maize, 3,531.700 tons; oats, 492,800 tons; wheat, 1,942,400 tons,; barley, 102,253 tons; linseed, 1,470,200 tons; rye, 72.900 tons; canary seed. 12,200 tons; flour, 99,950 tons; bran, 252,000 tons; wool, 284,580 bales; preserved meat. 53.370 tons; sheepskins, 20,750 bales; hair, 5630 bales; ox hides, 6,122,700; calfskins, 847,070; horse hides, 19,840; tallow. 41,530 tons; casein, 14,320 tons; butter, 770,625 tons. • • • » The supply of milk to the Stirling dairy factory is keeping up remarkably well, the present intake being 4000 gallons daily. Cheese and a small quantity of whey butter are produced by this factory, which has the support of practically all the dairy farmers of the StLling-Inchdutha district. It is rather a notable achievement that all the cheese produced this season has been graded superfine, a fact which speaks well for the work of the factory manager (Mr Thus. Duncan). The pay-out to suppliers so far this season has been at the rate of Is 2d per lb butter-fat. That, however, is merely regarded as a progress pavment, and in spite of the present rather depressed state of the Home market suppliers are expecting later on to receive returns that will make the pay-out equal to last year’s—viz., Is lb. The Stirling and Inchclutha potato growers are dissatisfied with the market for their product this season so far. and they have reason to be. The embargo on the export to Australia has brought prices down to a lower level than has been reached for many years. Added to this there have been heavy losses from blight. Sales were made this week at as low as £3 10s on truck at Stirling. * * * During 1925-26 the system adopted by the Dairy Division of testing to r moisture content one box of butter from every churning forwarded to the grading stores was continued, a total of 127,755 churnings for export being thus tested. Those showed an average water content of 15.200 per cent., which is slightly higher than the preceding year's average. No complaints were received from Britain regarding excess of water in New Zealand butter. The legal limit is 16 per cent. THE BROOD MARE. SIGNIFICANCE OF DEFECTS. WORN-OUT MARE USELESS QUESTION OF LAMENESS. A correspondent signing himself "West Taieri” writes as follows:—“I have a nice aged mare that has recently pone lame, and she will not be able to do much more work in harness. She has had a good many years of it, and I do not like to destroy her. Would you recommend me to breed from her. I have had one or two good foals from her. . My correspondent does not give any particulars .is to the nature of the lameness, hut Ins nuery resolves itself into a consideration of the advisability of breeding from cither a lame or a worn-out mare.

By IlrsTicus. 'ltems of Interest to those engaged in agricultural and pastors! pursuits, with a view to their publication in these columns, will he welcomed. They should be addressed to “ Rusticus,” Otago Dally Times, Dunedin.]

With regard to the question of lameness in the marc, there mav be con-idorable ditfcrcnce of opinion, and each opinion may quite easily be correct. It depends so much on the cause of the lameness, and whether it is of an hereditary nature or not, but in the case of the old. worn-out mare there can but be one reply, and that is a most decided negative. It stands to reason that when a mare is on the down grade, long in the tooth, stiff in the joints, with every part of her anatomy weakened hy time and use, she cannot bo expected to produce a strong virile foal. She can only reproduce what is in her, and an old mare cannot get elasticity or nervous energy in sufficient amount to transmit these most desirable characteristics to her progeny. Youth, when the physical powers are at their highest, is the time to put mares to the horse. Whilst most men recognise this, there are many who imagine that by putting an old marc to a young stallion. the balance of nature can be re-established, and that the super-abund-ant vigour of the horse will make up for any deficiency in this respect in the mare. This is not believed to be more than a qualified success. The desire to get one more foal out of a particularly good mare is quite understandable and can bo sympathised with, but what must be the thought of a man who deliberately buys an old mare for breeding purposes with no knowledge of her previous history. Many old mares that have never bred have become, through long continence, sterile, and can never he got in foal. Certainly a fair proportion of old mares will not breed. It may seem incredible, but it is nevertheless true, that men have actually sold their young marcs when tempted by a good offer and have bought marcs without any knowledge of their antecedents to replace thoinfor breeding. If such men would give their true experience with these, it '-ould probably prevent others following their example. On the other hand, the man who has a good knowledge of make and shape, and sufficient knowledge of disease to know the hereditary lameness, can often make a good thing by buying unsound young mares to breed from. Such men will often buy a young mare with some, perhaps, obscure foot trouble, or disease of the tendons, and will find after breding her, that the prolonged rest has rendered her quite sound and that he has a foal out of a mare whose value has more than doubled. All hereditary defects should be deemed a sufficient reason for rejecting a young mare for breeding, but more (ban this there are lamenesses that are not strictly hereditary, and yet due to a particular conformation, such as sickle or curly locks, very upright pasterns, and it must always bo remembered that like breeds like. The hereditary unsoundnesses that are always to be avoided in young maros are: Spavin, ringbone, navicular disease, sidebone, and curb. There are others, but those named arc the worst. RECORD SMALL FARM. A GAOLER-DAIRYMAN. ONE BETTER IN RUSSIA. The world’s record for keeping one cow all the year round on a minimum area of land is, I believe, held by an English gaoler. A northern paper has taken this man’s case and held it up as an example to dairymen of the possibilities of production on small areas. The animal lived, moved and had its being, and all its food was produced, inside the walls of the gaol, on an area not exceding a quarter of an acre. . . The marvel of this arresting little story is easily seen in these days when the popular slogan levelled at the heads of our farmers is “more production per acre.’ Such super economy as this is scarcely to be recommended, hut the principle is one that might with advantage bo adopted on many farms in Otago. However, I think I can go one better than our northern contemporary with an example borrowed from Lord Frederic Hamilton’s delightfully interesting book of reminiscences, “The Vanished Pomps of Yesterday.” The writer relates that whan he was attached to the British Embassy at St. Petersburg (now Petrograd) an attempt was made to assassinate Alexander II in his Royal Palace. Fortunately for the Czar something delayed him at breakfast, and the bomb exploded in his absence, hut killed several others. As all the servants of the palace were moujiks (uncouth, uneducated Russian peasants), some of them yvere suspected of being concerned with the plot. An inquiry was held and a general clean-up made of the palace. Lo and behold! on the floor a whole colony of the moujiks relatives were found to be living, their food supply coming from the Royal pantry. Families had actually been roared there. But worse! In one room was found a full-grown dairy cow! It had been smuggled up when a calf, the fodder being stolen from the Royal stables. When found it was in full milk, and a promiscuous collection of infants were depending on its daily flow. Such things happen—in Russia. DAIRYING IN OTAGO. AN IMPROVED OUTPUT. QUANTITY AND QUALITY GOOD. The returns from the dairy industry in Otago this season promise to he considerably in excess of those of last year. The Dairy Division of the local branch of the Department of Agraculturc reports that so far the butter and cheese graded at Dunedin has exceeded that of last season and supplies of both commodities are coming in steadily. The quality of the produce on the whole has been very good and shows no slackening on the part of dairymen in their endeavours to supply a high quality product. The unusual weather conditions obtaining during the past few months have had the effect of not only increasing the volume of production, hut also of lengthening the milking season. It is expected that the period will extend much further into 1927 than was the case in 1926, This will be another factor in the increased quantity of produce handled at Dunedin for the 1926-27 season. The detailed figures of quantity and grading will he available at the end of this month when the division's annual report is compiled. EXPERIMENTAL FARMING. THE CALLOWAY AREA. CROPPING UNDER IRRIGATION. SOME RECENT OPERATIONS. Recent operations at the Galloway experimental area have produced much interesting data for farmers in Central Otago. A comprehensive schedule of work has been carried out, and much useful work is now in hand. The chief crops at Galloway are irrigated grass; and, secondly, irrigated lucerne. Where one can successfully (*row these crops there should be little need to fear that dairying cannot he carried out with success. As has already been pointed out, additional crops for the provision of early spring and early summer feed are to be recommended, hut with good stands of lucerne the dairy farmer has ample provision for his winter feed requirements, and need not unduly worry about the winter mouths. The Galloway farm pastures are of a permanent nature, being chiefly composed of perennial ryegrass and white clover. These two types of pasture plants thrive remarkably well, and should certainly he dominant in the seed mixtures used mi establishing pastures on irrigated country. Very little cured hay or green lucerne is used for feeding cattle or sheep during the summer feed. The average

irrigation farmer usually keeps a small flock of sheep in addition to his dairy cows and horses, and where such is the ease good irrigated pastures are essential. Central Otago is well adapted to the growing of pasture grasses and clovers, for, with a good supply of water, coupled with a soil low in lime requirement, and the presence of almost continuous sunshine, conditions are ideal. In laying down the pastures at Galloway the aim has been to obtain a judicious mixture of grass and clovers, in such a proportion as to produce a palatable sole with a high feeding value. It is recognised that there is no single species having all the characteristics that are looked for in an irrigated pasture. A mixture of several varieties of grasses and clovers is usually desirable. The different grasses have varying time of maximum growth, and since, with the aid of water, the pasture can be maintained in good growing condition throughout the entire irrigation season, it is quite necessary that a mixture should be sown containing some early, medium, and late growing varieties. The main grass seed mixture used on the farm is composed of 161 b perennial ryegrass, 61b cocksfoot, 41b Timothy, lib Poa pratensis, 21h alsike, and 21h white clover, a total of 311 b per acre. hi the steeper hilly faces, which were |;- vated with the disc and tine liar, ~s alone, a simpler mixture was sown, this being made up of 161 b perennial ryegrass. 61b cocksfoot, 21b alsike, and lib white clover, a total of 251 b per acre. The carrying capacity of irrigated pasture; undoubtedly very high. The total grazing stock carried at Galloway during the past season Was 57 head, or one animal to one-fifth of an acre. When the farm is. filly stocked it is anticipated that 50 head of milking cows, 10 young cattle, and six other animals can be successfully carried on tfie 89 acres of irrigated land without recourse to buying feed. If this is realised then the carrying capacity will be one head to one-third of an acre —a very creditable performance, and one which will speak highly of the capabilities of Central Otago. An area of 13 acres is devoted to the growing of lucerne, one field being irrigated hy the border and the other by the contour method. Lucerne, as has already been stated, thrives excellently in Central Otago, and on the Galloway farm very good yields are obtained. Two main types of soil are utilised in the irrowing of lucerne, one a gravelly riverbed soil, and the other a deep eja-y loam. As might bo expected, the yields per acre ore higher on the heavy soil than on the lighter, the loam field yielding five tons of cured hav per acre, against four tons and a-half from the gravelly soil- Weed invasion is guarded against by frequent cultivation of the crop by spring-tooth harrows or a grubber. The cost of labour for harvesting in Central Otago is high, and the cost of conserving lucerne hav when horse drays are used is in the vicinity of £1 5s per ton. Much can be done in the way of investigating cheaper methods of hay conservation, and it is intended during the present season to deal with this aspect of the matter.