THE RURAL WORLD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20075, 16 April 1927, Page 23

THE RURAL WORLD.

Rod clover, grown for tho main purpose of seed production, may either bo »own with an oat crop in autumn or in the early spring just before the oats are harrowed. In the latter case the harrowing bervee the double purpose of covering the clover seed and cultivating the cereal crop. Red clover stools better after oats than after barley and wheat. Where it can bo avoided, it is preferable not to sow red clover with barley and wheat, as these crops are frequently too strong to allow of the clover making vigorous growth. If such combination cannot be avoided, however, tho clover should bo sown in the spring. In this case the cereal crop is harvested before tho clover is badly weakened or killed. From 41b to 61b of red clover seed per acre provides an ample seeding. # * The main potato crops will be nearing maturity, but harvesting sljpuld not be carried out until the haulms are properly ripened off, otherwise the keeping quality will be impaired. The land should be dry at time of lifting; if lifted wet trouble is frequently experienced from rotting of tubers. It is advisable to store potatoes intended for table use in an airy, dimly-lighted building. For seed ourposes a well-lighted place is desirable. In* door storing enables the potatoes to bo readily picked over from time to time in bad weather during winter. • * * • The drainage systems on farms should now be examined. It frequently happens that the rank summer growth to a largo extent blocks the outlets. As the ground becomes softened with autumn rains the drainage of any low-lying areas not yet dealt with should be pushed ahead. Make sure of a good outlet—whether it be by Dutch well, creeks, or watercourses —otherwise much labour will be wasted. Plan the scheme first, and do not expect a few drains effectively to drain a large area where the soil type or tall is unfavourable. • • • • One outcome of a series of tests carried out at the Rothamsted Experiment Station, England, is the discovery of a relatively simple means by which the resistance of the soil to the plough can be reduced. It is based on tho scientific fact that soil colloids are clcctro-ncgativo. That, in effect, moans if a negatively charged plate is placed in the ground tho water will pass out of tho colloid and bo deposited on tho plate. As every farmer knows a wot ploughshare will cut through most soils much easier than a dry one. Working on this principle experiments were conducted with negatively charged shares, when it was found the draft was materially reduced. The current was obtained from a dynamo driven by tho tractor.. • • * * The director of the Christchurch Technical College, in asking the executive of the Canterbury Sheopowners’ Union for support of the work of the college for tho ensuing year, reported that the tendency among students of shearing was to take up blade shearing in preference to machines, and that five out of nine machines previously used for tuition purposes had been scrapped. The sum or 20 guineas was voted towards tho cost of tho classes for the current year. • • • • In order to obtain information regarding the average investment and operating cost of farm machinery the Canadian Department of Agriculture recently forwarded a questionnaire to a large number of representative farmers in the Dominion. The replies have been dissected and averaged and the results published- In the Prairie Provinces it was found the average ranged from 8.9 years for motor trucks to 20.1 years for a wagon, but it must be remembered that there farm machinery is nearly always kept under cover when not in use. The following is the reasonable expectation of life of some of the implements:—Walking plough, 19.4 years; disc harrow, 15. C; cultivator, 15.3; spike tooth harrow, 18; grain drill, 1 mower, 14.3; roller, 20; wagon, 20.1; tractor, 11.4; motor truck, 8.9. Tho annual cost of general farm machinery per acre of cultivated land, the average area being 204 acres, is shown to be 5s 8d in the Prairie Provinces, the calculation, including depreciation, interest, reuairs, and housing. Seeing that the cost of producing an average crop cf wheat is approximately 60s 8d per acre, the outlay and upkeep of machinery does not nlay a very important part in the total, so far as Canada is concerned. • • * • A Timaru merchant, with a view to ascertaining the effect on the oat market of the decrease in the number of horses in the Dominion, due to the general adoption of motor transport and the use of tractors, wrote to the Government Statistician asking for details of the “horse census.” In 1911 the horses numbered 404,284; in 10' i the total had fallen to 314,816. The decrease in demand for oats is out of all proportion to the actual decrease in the number of horses, but it has to be remembered that the horses that have gone out of use are chiefly those that were fed seven days in the week on oatsheat chaff. • * • • An order has been placed in Southland for 1000 bulls for putting through the freezing works at Burnside as potters. Recently a mob of 60 ‘ was entrained at Invercargill, the largest lot since the days of the war, when anything in the way of meat was required. All breeds were represented, and all grades from punebreds to the despised scrubs. • • * • The largest yield of oats ever secured from the fields of the Canadian Government Central Experimental Farm at Ottawa was harvested this year, according to a statement issued by farm officials. A one-acre field of Banner oats yielded 95J bushels. These oats were grown on a three-year rotation of corn, oats, and clover. For the corn crop, which preceded the oats, a dressing of farm manure was applied. No manure or fertilisers of any kind were applied for the oats- # . . . "Denmark uses five tons of manure to the 100 acres, while New Zealand uses 12|ewt. Is it any wonder that New Zealand dairymen are frightened of that little country’s competition?” asked Mr J. W. M'Cullbugh at the farm school at tonSIDELIGHTS ON CO-OPERATION. “ ENLIGHTENED SELFISHNESS.” MANAGERS AND DIRECTORS. In the promoting of a co-operative project it is natural to emphasise the necessity and importance of a sufficient sum of money and the ease with which this sum can be made available when many interested people buy stocks and bonds. The general superintendency of all cooperative concerns is placed in a board of directors whoso important duty it is to spend money that is not strictly their own. It is not easy to find men who spend even their own self-earned money wisely. There is a great deal of the element of habit in this matter of spending money. If one is in the habit of looking closely values in spending his own money, he can be expected to do so in spending community money. > j Habit is of no less importance in ! acquiring money. Material acq' isitive- ! ness is a very dominating trait, and it is usually, but not always, nan >wly selfish. Those who have been especially acquisitive in their ow-n affairs are usually thought of first as desirable condidatos f r cooperative directorates. However, this very thing should call for more than ordinary caution, because, if their acquisitive ness is narrowly selfish, they may be good directors only when they can be so without any sacrifice of their narrow personal interests. Directors must be chosen because they are temperamentally socialistic. Granted that boards of directors are chosen who devote themselves to determinin': values for their corporations, there yet remain two distinct classes of values —namely, material values and moral or spiritual values.

FARM AND STATION NEWS.

By Rttsticus. [ltem •! Interert te tboie engage in agricultural and pastoral parsniU, with a view to their publication in these columns, will be welcomed. They should be addiested to “ Rusticus,” Otago Daily Times. Dunedin.]

Material values have to do with building and mechanical equipment. These are standardised commercial products whose qualities and performance can be observed and tested in a cold, calculating, impersonal way. This is to say, if you and I, as directors, have under construction a brick building, and I have reason to suspect that a wall of that building leans out from the perpendicular, and you thiuk my imagination is playing me a trick, we do not have to debate and parley until the wall topples; we can apply the plumb. If it leans, w-e know it will not straighten itself, and we can uocoed to reject or.rebuild it. However, if the rectitude or the capability of a worker or a manager : is under consideration, it is not so simple a matter to apply a test that will be conclusive and final. Even if yve are thoroughly convinced that there ! 13 a serious fault in either the performi a uce or in the purpose of the person in question, we may still be far apart as fo the proper disposal to make of the man. Ho may be efficient in other ways, or he may be so friendly and pleasant that we cannot kick him out; or he may have a family that we do not want to disgrace or distress. In fact, there may be one or many of hundreds of possible complications that will give rise to toleration and indecision on our part, and all the time matters going on from bad to worse. These are facts that apply even to the most individually owned and personally managed concerns. Whether they have multiplied significance under a board of directors or of a co-operation corporation largely rests upon whether the members of that board are devoted to their narrow selfish interests or to their broad and enlightened selfish interests. It is well to understand right from the start, that cooperative concerns have to face the disadvantage of having to vest general superintendency _ in a board of directors whoso personnel is scattered and whose years f devotion to agricultural and mechanical occupations have not contributed greatly to making them quick and decisive actors whore a lack of character or of capability weighs in the balance against human qualities that give rise to strong human attachments. Co-operation is often criticised for parsimony in the employment of managers and helpers. This criticism is based on (ho theory that good management can be insured by paying high salaries. This criticism is made bv those who are inexperienced in employing help. It is doubtless true that those who have already proven their value to a business organisation aro sometimes allowed to go when a more liberal salary would retain them, but in view of the fact that high salaries aro likely to rest upon the element ct brazen self-promotion on the part of the candidate for the job, directors have to to very cautions about employing managers at their face value. True worth is not characterised by the greatest ability for selfpromotion. Co-operation is enlightened selfishness and enlightenment arises through the functioning of the free intelligence of mankind. The “free intelligence” of a community is never corralled into any formal board of directors. Free intelligence is that which expresses itself through the free thought that results from human experience and the free speech and the free press that expresses the observations of all who scrutinise and reflect upon human affairs. This is why it is always the part of wisdom for directing boards, as well as editorial boards, to be composed of men who are broad-minded enough to encourage the expression of “brickbat” opinions as well as “bouquet” opinions. Men who lack this breadth of mind are poorly fitted for such positions. C.O.R. TESTING. DAIRY DIVISION’S WORK. MR SINGLETON’S REPORT. The support accorded to our certificate-of-rooord testing organisation during the calendar year 1926 has been somewhat disappointing says Mr W. M. Singleton, Director of the Dairy Division of the Department of Agriculture) in his report. The zenith of tho testing was attained in 1924, during which year 933 purebred cows and heifers were granted certificates. For 1925 this number decreased to 806, while for the period under review—the calendar year 1926-—only 676 yields were authenticated and certificates of record issued. The fact that the number of cows at present undergoing test is less than for tho corresponding period a year ago would suggest that another season must pass before .we can look for stronger support of this important branch of the Dairy Division's activities. Many reasons for this depression have been advanced, but, while there are doubtless several contributing factors, the major cause can probably be found in the general economic stringency existing of late, which has made it difficult for many breeders to provide tho extra care and feed that cows undergoing C.O.R, test generally require. A few breeders have complained of tho amount of the testing fee, while others have referred to tho drop in tho average sale price of purebred dairy cattle. When selling prices fell so appreciably many breeders began to doubt whether C.O.R. testing was worth tho trouble and expense. Breeders should not lose sight of the fact however, that oven with purebred dairy cattle prices at their lowest the difference in value between tested and untested strains is sufficient to more than recompense the cost and labour of testing. Another reason—and possibly a potent influence —is that for some years C.O.R. tost ing has been entered into h* some breeders as a kind of record-breaking competition, and as time goes on higher records for class and breed leaderships become increasingly difficult to attain. The effect of Una phase is a very far-reaching one. The ordinary breeder with an average herd, and average capital to expend on the handling of his herd, is more or less debarred from the outset, and the larger breeder restricts his tost team to a few specially selected individuals upon which evey care and much expense is bestowed. On the other hand, smaller breeders —that is to say, ordinary farmer breed-**—should be encouraged by the fact that many of our best records have been made by them. And all breeders should remember that construe tion is more desirable than competition, and in this time of stress each must work for the ultimate good of all. The various breeders’ associations with whom we co-operate in conducting the testall breeders libera! assistance by way of subsidies and awards, which still further decreases tho breeders’ share of the cost. Only the highest possible standard of authenticity is desirable, and the necessary service required to assure such authenticity cannot be run at low expend! lure. C.O.R. records stand for all time, and permanent records aro essential to purebred breeding operations. Until die number of cows per breeder is increased tho testing fees cannot bo lowered by the department without further entruonching on tho Consolidated Fund. Breeders can assist tho State, tho country, and themselves by increasing tho size of their test teams. Tho average number of cows tested per breeder is at present about three and ono-third. By increasing this number breeders can matcrally reduce the cost per record. The period through which New Zealand breeders are now passing is much the same as that of those larger countries where similar testing work is carried on more extensively. Notably in the United .Stateof America and in Canada the nurobred cattle business appears to have passed the nadir of its depression and is now on the ascendant. It is hoped that the depression in New Zealand will not bo of longer dura tion than was tho ca c e in those countries Tho total number' of purebred dairy cows which have gained first-class certificates of record has now passed the five thousand mark, the exact figure at the end of 1526 being 5329. During the past year certificates wore issued (o 493 cows on first performance, and to 73 cows on second or subsequent performances, the total being 576 certificates. During 1926. second-elm.* certificates were issued for 23 Jerseys, eight Friesians. and

one Milking Shorthorn. Grouping the cows of each particular breed into one class, the 25 Jersey records averaged 421.271 b butterfat, and the eight Friesians 518.471 b. The Milking Shorthorn, a mature cow, yielded 4891 b butterfat. SHEEP FARMING IN NEW ZEALAND. A TRANSITION STATE, THE QUESTION OF BREEDS. Sheepbreeding in New Zealand for the last 20 yean or so has been in a more or less transition state, and the various opinions expressed as to the most suitable breed for producing fat lambs are evidence of this fact. The sheep in the North Island,' says “Primus,” in the Pastoral Review, being mostly either Romneys or Remney crosses, the Southdown ram upon ewes of such a type naturally gives the best results in fat lamb production. The Ryeland, which not only “nicks” well with the Romney or Romney cross, and is moreover hardy and sound on its feel, besides being one of the best shaped of the mutton breeds, has of late years been steadily advancing in favour for fat lamb production, but in comparison with the Southdown its numbers are small. In the South Island there is not the same definite line of breeding adopted as in the North Island. The conditions are so much more varied and the same sheep will not suit all localities. Fine woollcd sheep are required on the hill country, and on the plains both fine woollcd and coarser woolled sheep are to be found. In the early days of the frozen meat trade, when Merino sheep were the flock sheep on the hill stations, the cull ewes were usually mated with English Leicester rams, and the halfbrods, both wethers and maiden ewes, first gave the name to

“Prime Canterbury” mutton. Another cross of the English Leicester or Border Leicester on the halfbred ewe gave a three-quarter-bred ewe, which was the ideal ewe from which to breed lambs for the frozen meat trade. Either of the Loicestors, a Shropshire or a Southdown ra could bo used, and the results were most satisfactory, hence came the prime Canterbury lambs. Then the Merinos began to go back and Corriodales took their place on the warmer hill country. The Corriedalo owes have not quite taken the place of the first cross ewes, as they ere mostly kept in standing flocks and bred to rams of their own breed, and usually only the cull ewes are disposed of. The Corriedale ewes when not mated with rams of their own breed are used in practically the same way as the first cross or halfbred ewe.

The fact that Canterbury can fatten more sheep than arc available by breeding means that large numbers of breeding ewes are now brought in every year from other provinces. The North Island supplies the largest number, and as these are either Romneys or Romney crosses the Southdown is the ram mos f commonly mated with them for producing fat lambs. Tlu demand now being made for small carcases of lamb and mutton it means that whore big ewes are only available the Southdown will be most in demand f mating purposes, but go long as there is a supply of lighter ewes like halfbreds or Corriedalcs, the English and Border Leicester will be wanted, for it .has to be borne in mind that Down cross ewe lambs arc not worth retaining for breeding purposes, and must be got rid of as fat lamb or mutton, but good threeqiiarterbrcd (longwool) ewe lambs will sell almost as well as good halfbreds. The best breed of ram to use for the production of fat lambs is now governed by two considerations—the size and type of ewe bred from and the weight and quality of carcase required. When there werft not the present more or less hard-and-fast rules regarding weight of lambs and price paid per pound, farmers had more choice in their methods of breeding, and usually considered only what would give the most saleable and earliest maturing lamb. In Otago and Southland there has been little or no change in the methods of sheepbreeding for a number of years past. On the farms Romneys and Border Leicesters and their cross aro the most popular, but while their lambs are first-class, they are now considered too big. Tho Suffolk has been tried in Canterbury, but its crosses are too big for the frozen lamb trade.