THE RURAL WORLD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22956, 11 August 1936, Page 3

THE RURAL WORLD

FARM AND.STATION NEWS

By RU3TICUS.

lltmi •! IntcrMt to thosa engaged in agricultural and P"torai puwulU. with a Tiow to their publication in these columns, will be welcomaa. Thay should b« addrwed to Ruaticm, Otago Daily Timet, Dunedl*.

ANSWER TO CORRESPONDENT "Farmer" (Waiwera South).—With reference to your inquiry in connection with the wet pickling of cereals to prevent smut, the quantities of material to use are as follows:—Bluestone 1 pound to 10 gallons of water; or formalin: 1 pint of commercial formalin to 40 gallons of water. The bags are filled about one-third with grain and dipped In the solution so that all grains are wetted. Sprinkling with the solution is also effective. It has been found, however, that wet pickling, especially with bluestone, depresses the germination and early growth, and instances have been recorded of depressed yields from this cause. Dry dusting is now strongly recommended with organic-mercury dusts (ceresan, agrosan G., etc.), as this treatment is more effective, and more easily carried out with no ill aftereffects to the crop. Dusting at the rate of 1J to 2 ounces per bushel is recommended. YOUNG FARMERS' CLUB NOTES A meeting of the Hilderthorpe-Wai-taki branch, Young Farmers' Club, was held in the Waitaki Hall on July 28, when there was a fair attendance of members, After routine business had been disposed of, Mr 1. Stringer gave a very interesting talk on his recent trip to the Old Country, The.speaker dealt with some of the latest work on the various experimental stations throughout England, and recounted some of his impressions in connection with agriculture generally overseas. * $ * The fortnightly meeting of the Hampden Young Farmers' Club was held on July 23. when two bulletins issued by the Canterbury Agricultural College in connection with pig farming were read and discussed. It was arranged for Mr D, J. Ross tp attend the next meeting to be held on August 13 to give an address on some aspects of cattle farming. ** ' * The membership of the HilderthorpeWaitaki Young Farmsrs* Club now stands at 17. * * tf Mr J. O. Wallace, of the Department of Agriculture, will deliver a lecture on " Lucerne*" at the next meeting of the Palmerston Young Farmers' Club to be held on August 20. The monthly meeting of the Clinton \oung Farmers' Club was held on July 21, when there was a good attendance. The two members who had attended the Educational Week in Dunedin gave their Impressions of the course and outlined what they had seen and heard. After a general discussion supper was handed round. * * * Some matters in connection with grass seed are to be discussed by the Moa Flat Club at their meeting at Dunrobin on August 18, when Mr S. H. Saxby, instructor in agriculture, will visit the club. Various seed samples will be used as the basis of the discussions, and an extremely interesting evening should result. * ¥ * At the next meeting of the Clinton Club, to be held on August 18, the speaker will be Mr J. O. Wallace. * • * ■•• A matter of interest to members of the Young Farmers' Clubs is the control of brown heart in swedes, and after a year's experimental and research work in 'this connection the Department of Agriculture has been able to make the following recommendations:— . „,„ 1. That the addition, of 2ilb of borax to 1001 b of fertiliser effects a reasonable degree of control, where such fertiliser is being used at the rate of 2cwt to 3cwt per acre. 2. That no free lime should be mixed with such fertiliser. , This does not preclude the use of properlyreverted super in which no free lime is present. _ , 3. The borax used should be finely ground and evenly mixed to ensure no damage, to germination. In some districts brown heart is of no importance, the disease not having developed to any extent, but the farm competitions revealed the fact that in some districts this disease seriously affected the feeding value of the crops. FARMING IN NORTH OTAGO GOOD WINTER WEATHER A WELCOME RAIN It looks as though we are going to get more rain than we usually get in North Otago this year, for already we have had 17 inches, and the usual is 23 inches. We can do with it all. The last fall brought us a few points over 21 inches, plus some snow, which did a lot of good in sweetening the soil, even though it caused both man and beast some discomfort. The fall of snow was only a light one, and all traces of it soon disappeared under the influence of the light wind by which it was followed. Certainly some traces of it remained for a few days on back faces, but wherever the sun got at it the snow soon melted. We like to get a good rain before spring sets in, and though we have had some, for which we are thankful, it will not be long before we will want some more. Already there are distinct signs of spring in the paddocks, especially on sunny faces, and now that the back of winter has been broken we feel once more in easy street. A DRY WINTER

A dry winter has many compensations. Cattle and sheep seem to thrive on about half the rations they need in a wet winter; all types of fiold work can be pushed on in a dry time, and, most important, farm yards are free from slush and mud. , . What looked like a very promising rain at the latter end of June and in the early days of July turned out to be? to the words of the radio report, only passing showem. These showers were very welcome, but were not nearly enough to satisfy. our needs. The coastal area, where ram was least required, received most, . but we greater part of North Otago, from Kauru Hill to Kurow, including Ngapara, Windsor, Tokarahi, and Duntroon, 'only received a tithe of their requirements, and some farmers were considering a reduction of stock while prices were good. The weather broke m late July, and aClcr two or three hard frosts a change set in, and up to

August 2 we had received a total of 2| inches. Falling gently as it did, every drop soaked in and caused the maximum benefit. HARROWING THE PASTURES Every opportunity should be taken to harrow the grass paddocks before spring. It is simply wonderful the extra feed that is obtained as a result of loosening up the grass and breaking and scattering the manure in the fields. And there are always odd days that can be found on every farm for this important work. Sp reliable an authority as the Journal of Agriculture tells us that in a year the excreta of a cow of 10001 b live weight (a cow giving 3501 b butter-fat) is estimated to contain the equivalent of about one standard-size sack of 44 per cent, superphosphate, 7cwt of sulphate of ammonia, lewt of carbonate of lime, and 3cwt to 4cwt of 30 per cent, potash salt. This being so, it should certainly pay to Jet the sun and air into our pastures, and scatter the manure. Even if we had to hire horse-power and labour, it would pay. THE EWE FLOCK The dry, sunny weather suited the ewes to perfection. Most farmers have large r&serves of turnips still unbut we all realise that this is the most trying month of the year so far as feed is concerned. There are larger reserves of turnips now than has been the case for years past, due to the fact that the grass continued to grow so far into the winter. Two months ago turnips were selling at 4d to 5d per sheep a week, but the price has steadily declined, and now good turnips can be bought for 3d per sheep a week, which is a fair price for both buyer and seller, Shepherds of old had a maxim: A good turnip year is a bad lamb year. This is especially true where m have a straight diet of turnips, and ;he only run-off for the sheep is a bare paddock. Under these conditions the sheep simply hang about the gateway, and as soon as the gate is opened in the mornings crowd on to the turnips in unseemly haste and gorge themselves to. repletion on turnips containing over 85 per cent, of moisture, returning to the same bare paddock at night. If there is a gorse hedge or a few old stacks they do get a little bit of change, but it is pretty poor and very limited. How often do we see this? Far too often, I'm afraid. No wonder sheep die of ante-partum paralysis under such conditions. This complaint does not manifest itself as soon as the sheep has It, but it takes some time to develop. The ewe, instead of gaining weight, week by week, as the unborn Jamb develops as it should normally, loses weight or barely holds her own. This late of affairs may go on for a few weeks when the climax arrives, generally as a result of rough weather, which the sheep is unable to stand, If this ewe is immediately put on green feed she generally recovers, and in nine cases out of ten has twin lambs. If not put on green feed, she will generally linger a few days and then die. Prevention is better than cure, and to keep ewes healthy they should be given a balanced ration. Hay, oatensheaf chaff, or oaten sheaves just spread out are excellent; failing these, the ewes should be put in a different paddock every night, even if this does make necessary a good drive every night; the walking exercise will do a lot of good. Under present farming conditions, a paddock of green ieed is a necessity, Ten days on green feed before lambing is the best corrective after a long period on turnips. THE TEAM WORK The dry, open winter has enabled the teams and tractors to get well ahead with the winter work. On most farms the ploughing for root crops is well advanced. It does not appear as though there is as much wheat sown this year as usual, and the area prepared for spring sowing also seems much less. This is very important, for with, a threatened shortage in the northern hemisphere the export price of wheat will probably be better than the Government's guaranteed prjee, If this turns out to be so wheatgrowers are sure to complain. Most, If not all wheatgrowers, consider the price of wheat is too low when everything is taken into consideration. If not already done the deep ploughing for mangels should be got on witn as soon as possible. The best manure comes from the farm yard, and, failing that, stack bottoms should be spread over the mangel patch, One acre put in properly, heavily manured and kept free from weeds, will yield more and at less expense than four acres mdltferently treated, The mangel is the only root crop in North Otago that we are sure will not take any blight. Breeding Sheep

Owing to the extreme prices good two-tooth ewes realised in the autumn, and the difficulty of getting even lines of well-woolled sheep an increasing number of farmers are Keeping selected ewe lambs. This is becoming more noticeable every year. On the better class of land farmers find it more profitable to buy rather than breed. By the use of Southdown rams a much higher percentage of lambs can be obtained, and through their early maturing propensity very large drafts are sent away fat in December and January. By giving his farm a spell for two or three months and buying good stuff in March and April (often at less money than he obtained in December and January), the farmer can build up a good flock comparatively cheaply. Farmers on land that does not lend itself to fattening should. go in for ewe lamb breeding by using good woolled rams (either Corriedale, Romney, or English Leicester breeds). With Southland using black faces, the demands for ewe hoggets is bound to increase. In the autumn ewe hoggets were bringing 22s to 235, and these same sheep are worth from -48 s to 3is to-day. After the rain there is sure to be a keener demand than before. Prices Canterbury buyers have been in the market lately for good ewe hoggets, and there is sure to be a very keen inquiry from now on. The owe market is always very quiet in June and July, and this year was no exception to the rule. In August and early September a few sales are generally made, but in seasons of good rainfall farmers generally have all the stock they want and are neither buyers nor sellers. Already there is talk of forward buying of lambs for delivery next February, but the few lines sold come from where the dealer gets them every season. , , , Fat cattle are in keen demand and the presence of a Dunedin buyer has strengthened and keyed up the local market. North Otago has not got too many fat cattle, and the presence of an outside buyer has caused prices to