THE WHITE GRUB.

Otago Witness, Issue 1596, 24 June 1882, Page 8

THE WHITE GRUB.

Bringing my remarks on this subject to a conclusion, I would say that the remedy suggested by Mr M'Gregor will assuredly be infallible. Either saltor kerosene, singly or combined, will kill the grub. So will they plants, not, however, if administered in the proportions recommended ; but all of us know that salt is UHed by gardeners on walka to kill weeds, and kerosene is used for the same purpose. The sand in the compound could only be used for facility in spreading the other potent ingredients in the mixture, as of itself it woula be innocuous. During the past two weeks in the piece of ground which is in my possession, extending to about 25 acres, I have had abundant proof as to one remedy for the pest. Some seven years ago the land was in its natural state, and was a perfect hotbed for the grub. On every tussock or bunch of grass pulled out, the roots would ejepose a small crowd of the creatures in every state of development, busily engaged in fossicking for their 'grub.' About that time the land was let for a vegetable garden, and has since been so occupied. Of course to make the land pay two or three crops were taken off in each year, necessitating several turnings over and stirring. What has been the result ? I have seai'ched in vain to obtain specimens of the pest. This year a portion of the ground is under field turnips, and in pulling about ten tons in different places not a grub could be found, proving conclusively that the mode of I husbandry and the presence of insectivorous ' birds by the thousands has cleared me. But can such a method' be adopted over a large acreage ? Not so effectually, unless a constant system of green cropping is adopted, and to present appearance, this may prove the most profitable mode the farmer can adopt. Stallleerliug will yet be the order of the day. The question has been put very appropriately if these grub are native to New Zealand why wore their ravages not noticed before the introduction of British insectivorous birds ? The answer is simple. In 1875, Mr R. W. Fereday, of Canterbury, pointed out the destructive habit of the grub, and also the reason why it was becoming a serious evil. The reason was the native destroyers of the grub were being indiscriminately slaughtered whilst the pest itself was secretly but surely working on. Mr Fereday plainly points out the destroyer of the grub tobe the indigenous insectivorous and insect destroying animals already existing, classifying these as bats, entirely insectivorous, larks one species, blight birds, lizards, spiders, dragon flies, beetles of the Carabidce family whose habits, according to Dr Carpenter, is to prowl about on the surface of the ground and under stones in search of their prey, which consists chiefly of herbivorous species of their own order. The ichneumons, a parasitic insect, is the most valuable of all, for scarcely an insect exists which is not exposed to the attachment of one or other species of this order. And another writer says regarding the ichneumon that however strange it may appear it is nevertheless an indisputable fact, that if it were not for these inseqts there would soon cease to be any vegetation on the face of tho globe. In applying remedies it therefore appears thatindiscrimate destruction of insect life is far from advisable, friends as well as foes may be killed, and sequentially it may be said, have a care what remedies are applied.

I. M. I.

tfOTE 5 * A*D COMMRNTS

A subject, certainly not now, but nevertheless particularly interesting not only to horseownerp, but to huuuuufcu ians, came, on for discussion at the Royal Agricultural and Horli cultural Society's committee meeting, at Adelaide, on May 26th. According to the Observer, Mr C. J. Valentine sent a letter stronglj urging that steps shoxild be taken to improve, the system of shoeing horses, and he urged th< ineffectiveness of the present mode adopted, besides pointing ouj. that it was opposed to principles of humanity, inasmuch as the ani mal shod was not uufrequently cruelly crippled, or, at any rate, cramped in his movements. Tic strongly condemned the common practice _ oi paring away the horn of the hoof and reducing the frog of the foot when shoeing horses. Ho argur-d that nature provided a proper protection to the hoof, and man foolishly cut it away, putting tho animal in much tho flame position as a human being would bo in if the skin o-'

his toot were removed and replaced by a hard rim of leather, A good deal was said about faulty shoes, bad handling, and over-rasping. The letter provoked a short discussion, in which it was pretty generally conceded that the system of shoeing horses at present adopted was faulty and injurious, but it was also argued that the remedy rested with the owners of the animals themselves. They could have their horses shod as they pleased. There was a proposal that the well-known work by Commissioner Hamilton on horse-shoeing should be republished if the consent of the author could be obtained. After some conversation it was decided that a prize of £5 should be put upon the Society's award list for the best shod horse on the ground at the Society s Show.

The Lands Department of Victoria are taking action in several cases where children of both sexes have obtained selections by falsely declaring themselves to be over IS years of age. Cases of this nature have principally occured in the North-eastern districts. The leases and moneys paid have been forfeited, and the matter reported to the Crown law officer. It is probable that proceedings will be instituted for perjury.

The Minister of Agriculture, Victoria, is taking steps to plant areas in various suitable localities in the colony with wattle.

Mr Thomas Chalwin, M.R.C.V.S., England, writes to the Adelaide Observer m reference to a fatal disease among horses at present running the Northern Territory. Mr Chalwin says in its course in his letter:— 'l have bet>n kindly favoured by Mr H. S. Price, representing Dr Browne in South Australia, with a portion of a letter which ho lately received from those in charge of horses in the Northern Territory relating to a disease which affects the animals (details as below) ; and as the ironstone specimens are sent it is my intention to submit them to my colleagues of tho Australasian Veterinary Journal, with a view of inviting discussion from professional brethren and others who may have observed similar cases and and are interested in arriving at a conclusion whether means cannot be taken to obviate the mortality which at present seems to exist.'— The following is the letter referred to.— ' There is a disease among the horses here for which Tarn afraid there is no cure. They waste away slowly to a mere shadow, sometimes three months before they die. Four have died at Delanore and throe here, and there is now a fine mare and a colt on tho station here going the same way. One mare at Delanore was four years old, heavy draught, rolling fat two months ago, and now a skeleton. I shot one that was tottering about here for the purpose of examination, and found in her stomach more than a large shovelful of ironstone pebbles and sand— some of these stones nearly as large as almonds. (Sample forwarded.) The cause of this is a habit they have of licking the ground on the bare flats in search of salt, which some of the soil, I suppose, contains, although in a very slight degree. The only preventive is an unlimited supply of salt, forwhioh purpose I must muster the horses more frequently, that they may all obtain it ; but it would, I think, be worth while consulting Mr Chalwin or some other vet. to see if there is any cure, whether by clyster or otherwise.'

Professor Shelton, of the Kansas State Agricultural College, says that the increase of the wheat 'crop on the collage fafcm in past seasons, on account of harrowing and rolling, amounted to two and a half bushels per acre. This work he advises to be done after the wheat has started, but before it has attained too great a growth. A correspondent in Sydney forwards us the following cable message :— -" .New Zealand ex« porters injure themselves glutting Sydney with oats and potatoes; misled By quotations. Prime oats to-day withdrawn at 2a 8d per bushel."

At a meeting held at Christchurch on the 16th it was resolved to establish a European Flax, Eibre, and Linseed Oil Company, the capital to be £10,000 in £5 shares.

During the year 1881 8,514,685 rabbitskins, of the declared value of L 84,774, were exported from New Zealand, and yet, we believe, the number of rabbits remaining shows no appreciable diminution, though besides those skinned vast numbers must have been destroyed by poison. Assuming the number of skins exported to represent a twelfthof the total number of rabbits in the Colony, we have the amazing result that a hundred millions yet remain to be destroyed ! How many ferrets, polecats, and other " natural enemies" will it take to clear off an army like this, or even keep down its enormous natural increase?

The Government have sent for 250 polecats from Tasmania, and have arranged to receive 50 ferrets by each ship leaving England for a time. These animals are being introduced with a view to help the destruction of rabbits.

The Mount Ida Chronicle reports two cases under the Rabbit Nuisance Act which came before Major Keddell, R.M. In the first, Allan Boyd, proprietor of Rocklands Station, was charged by Inspector Miles with neglecting to take effective measures to exterminate the rabbits. In summing up the evidence taken, Major Keddell said Mr Miles had failed to prove that the notice issued by him to Mr Boyd had reached its destination. It was not a good, nor yet a legal, way to send a notice to a landholder in tho form of a registered letter; more especially as the Eabbit Nuisance Act distinctly provided for the manner in which notices of that nature should be dealt with. The rabbit inspector then asked for an adjournment of the case for a month, to enable him to prove that the notice had been received by Mr Boyd in pood time, and the case was adjourned accordingly. The second charge was against Alexander Brown, of the Beaumont Run. The evidence for the defence showed that Mr Brown had two men engaged killing rabbits; but Major Keddell said that, in his opinion, poisoning was the most efficient method for exterminating the pest, and he thought that Mr Brown had committed a breach of the Raljbit Nuisance Ace. He inflicted upon defendant a fine of £5 and costs of case (9s).

At a meeting of the Southland branch (if the New Zealand Scientific Institute, Mr D. M' Arthur read a paper on tree-planting. This paper consisted mainly of an account of the plantations made by the Dukes of Athol on their estates in Scotland. The trees used were for the most part lurch, which was found to be the hardiest, quickest of growth, and most profitable. The. difficulties that had to be overcome, first in obtaining a su lndent supply of plants, and then in protecting them while tender, were brought under notice. By tree planting, land not worth more than a few shillings an aero becaino worth many pounds. "Rocky land, apparently good for nothing, rosf in value after planting had been effected, to over £n an acre. It had been supposed that tho larch would not grow at an altitude greatei than 000 feet, but experiment had proved thai, it would thrive at even a greater height. The cost of planting varied from £1 17s to £2 10s par acre, Incidentally tho writer referred

to the beauty imparted to the landscape by the cultivation of suitable trees, and aptly quoted some verses from Burns. The larch would flourish in Southland. A discussion followed, in which most of the members present took part. Mr J. T. Thomson regarded the pinua insignis and.the ciqyi'es&iis onacrocarpa as the trees that throve best in Southland. Mr Mehaffey gave some account of Victorian forests. Mr Paterson spoke of the advantages that must accrue from tree-planting in such a town as Invercargill. Mr Cuthbertson alluded to the hardy nature of the pinus insiynis, and instanced the recovery of that tree from severe attacks of blight. Mr Scandrett thought the Government should take steps to remedy the destruction of forests that was going on so extensively. The president stated that near Lake Wakatipu thirteen square miles of forest had been destroyed in a few years. The greatest wantonness was displayed by some sawmillers. Mr M' Arthur, in reply to remarks made, expressed his opinion that if remedial measures were not passed by Parliament tbe country would suffer materially. He looked upon the planting of used-up saw-milling areas with young trees as a thoroughly feasible project.

A correspondent of the London Live Stock Journal doubts the possibility of any living Shorthorn bull weighing 2 tons. He says :— •The live weight of the Bates bull Duke of Northumberland 1940, was Iton3cwt The dead weight of Quintus 29,705, was 19cwt 81bs ; and speaking from memory, I believe the live weight of the Booth bull, Duke of Buckingham 14,428, was 21cwt. Between the years 1828 and 1838 the heaviest animal at the Smithfi eld Show was the late Lord Spencer's Durham ox; his dead weight was 16cwt. 3qrs. 121bs. Since that date an ox shown by Mr Harris in Scotland weighed 153 stones, dead weight.'

It ia stated that, owing to the deficient harvest, there will not be sufficient wheat in South Australia to keep the mills employed till the end of the year. An old-established Port Adelaide firm has given notice that they will, probably, suspend grinding two months hence.

The committee for the conservation of forests in South Australia have promised 10,000 trees for planting the park lands ; 2000 more are required.

A COOPERATIVE EXPERIMENT

(Sydney Mail).

Tho first annual report of the South Coast and West Camden Co-operative Company (Limited), which was submitted last Wednesday to a meeting of shareholders at Kiama, is worthy of something more than the share of attention which ordinarily is accorded to the statement usually submitted by companies engaged in commercial pursuits. It is a succinct account of the result of that which was twelve months ago regarded as a rather risky experiment—that of farmers selling their own pro duce in Sydney, instead of trusting as had been the custom for many years to agents. The report shows very clearly that the risks were not so great as apprehended, and that after a trial of ten months the company i« in a much better position than when the capital was first subscribed. The report contains the following passage :—' The company has sold for its constituents consignments to the amount of £125,000 ; have 743 regular shippers, and occasional shippers making over 800. . The director have to report a steadily increasing business, embracing the shippers from new localities, both south from Bega and north to Richmond River, which has necessitated the securing of the present premises, with large additions and improvements, at an increased rental for five years.' By this it is clear the business done has been both extensive and widespread, and perhaps the best proof of its being satisfactory is that the directors have thought it judicious to materially extend the company's operations. The balance-sheet affordß many interesting details. With only 5074 shares subscribed the company started to work, the capital being represented by £1 per share ; but as the sum called for was but one-half that amount, the paid-up capital was not more than £2543 casn, and certain papers representing £293 10s — the amount of unpaid calls. This was not much to start with, but the directors did start. They knew, as the shares were held in lots from one to three by farmers, that customers were almost certain to come, and the result justified their anticipation. Ten months' work closed, and after providing for all expenses of management, directors' fees, bad and doubtful debts, and preliminary expenses on formation of company, there is a profit of £1421 14s 7d. The primary object of the company was not to make a mere pecuniary profit. It was to provide a better market for dairy produce. When the Municipal Council broke their promise in the matter of supplying the dairy farmers with a proper market building in this city, the farmers formed the company now under notice. They had for years tried a system of sale by agents, and the majority of them were not satisfied with the way in which the agents performed the work. The producers could not understand the extraordinary vagaries to which the butter market was subject. The quotations were of a zigzag character. One day 6d per lb, the next i)d, the next Is ; then a fall would come, to be followed by other extraordinary variations. It need npt be explained that this system was unpleasing to the producers. They could at no time rely upon the market for a certain return or price. The farmer might ship butter of first quality, but although the voyage was short and the market not overstocked, he could not form an accurate idea as to the price the butter would command. Such was the system followed m this market for years, and as many of the farmers thought something better might be dono if their own employees conducted the metropolitan sales the South Coast Company started with many friends. The experiment, therefore, was to ascertain by a small outlay of capital whether it was possible to bring about certain measures of reform in the market for dairy produce. The result of a trial of ten months unmistakably is that the proposed work was possible. Since the company occupied premises ia Sussex street and commenced to sell for producers in a plain unostentatious way, the price of the principal product— butter—/; as not been subject to any remarkable fluctuations. The dryness of the weather since the commencement of the year has limited production, and there has been a gradual rise in price. In January best butter was sold at 8d per lb, in April it brought nearly thrice that sum, but the changes have not been sudden. A reahon has been forthcoming foi each rise, and each fall has been to some extent anticipated. Thus generally it may be conceded that the operations of the company have served to steady the market, and possibly they have rendered the work of agents more agreeable and pleasant than it was before the, South Coast farmers initiated their little experiment. Looking to tho future, it would ".oem thai the company is likely to do good .service in the ennuing year. We are informed that it is the intention of itr< director 1.0 provide cold storage to meet th? increase of summer production. They also auggoat the. encouragement of tho export trade. They have tested tho English market, and they now know that in future it

will not be necessary to allow the price of good butter to sink in Sydney below 7d per lb. When it reaches that point shipments in the refrigerating rooms of vessels bound for England may be profitably made. This conclusion must undubitably be satisfactory to producers, many of whom have known good butter to be sold here at 5d or less per lb. Doubtless it is encouraging to them to learn that the future of the trade is not likely to be so hazardous as the past. Certain improvements may be made on the farms, certain contracts entered into, and without discounting the promised returns to any prejudicial extent many matters likely to advance dairy husbandry may be entertained.

IMPROVIDENT FARMING In travelling from the Bluff to Cook's Straits, either by road or rail, any tolerable observer must have noticed in summer the almost entire want of shelter from the heat in the fields either by trees or fences, the greater number of the paddocks being surrounded by a skeleton iron fence. No belts of trees are to be seen, and it is rare to see any shed erected for protection from the rays of the sun. In the case of both feeding cattle and dairy stock it is essential that in fields of contracted area there should be not only a full supply of good water, but sufficient shelter, if either is to give the best remunerative returns. How often does it occur that where there is no natural supply of water, the poor animals are inadequately supplied with drink, although in most cases there should be no difficulty in providing it by pumping from wells, the diversion of a water course, or by artificial reservoirs. It must frequently have been observed that there are seasons of the year when an undue degree of heat with dry scorching winds or a long continued drought, such as prevailed during the past summer, wither up the pastures. The young cattle are deprived of sufficient food and become stunted in growth, the feed cattle lose flesh and condition, and the dairy stock fall off in their yield of milk, which is rarely restored, even after better and more succulent food is forthcoming. Where sheep are kept upon farms (and I notice with satisfaction that this class of stock is becoming more general) these remarks are almost equally applicable. To be prepared for such seasons is the duty of every prudent farmer, and when it is considered how easily and economically such provision can be made, the neglectful farmer is left without excuse, I know of a remarkable case that occurred a few months ago in North Otago, where a farmer was prosecuted for allowing his cattle and sheep to die from want of food — and after the evidence, which went to show that he entirely depended on his dried up pastures— he was heavily fined. The quantity of stock which would in ordinary grass have been to more than his land would carry, was too large for the season of drought. It will therefore be seen that improvidence in this respect has liabilities attached to it of an unpleasant character. On every farm there should be a portion of the fallow land, or that set apart for root-growing, sown with some kind of forage crop, such as rye, Cape barley, maize, &c, so that in the event of droughts recourse could be had to them to supplement the scanty herbage. If this cannot be conveniently done there should be some proportion of the' land that is laid down in grass, sown chiefly with red clover to be saved for soiling purposes if required. Or perhaps it may •on some farms having a deep fertile soil be expedient and deairable to have a piece of ground permanently laid down with lucerne— a forage plant of rare excellence and one that is far too seldom cultivated on small farms. It will bear cutting several times during the summer, and is relished by all kinds of stock. If not needed to be used in its green state it can readily be made into hay of excellent quality— hay that could be judiciously cut along with straw into chaff for the winter use of the dairycows and horses. During the past summer I met with two or three farmers who had ploughed up such patches of lucerne, and they bewailed their action in so doing, for at the height of the drought they were compelled to part with several of their cows because of the scarcity of grass, and which their former supply of green lucerne would have enabled them to retain. I have been assured by them that the lots of ground in lucerne were the best paying portions of their farms. I could show many other omissions of requisite forethought during the summer season, but I must pass on to consider the deficient preparations for the winter months. The statistics published by the Government with respect to land under the various kinds of crops are not strictly accurate, but they are sufficiently so to prove how very small an area of cultivated farms is annually used for root and other restorative crops. This in itself indicates what a general want of prudence there is amongst the farmers, for considering the limited extent of arable land there is in the colony, it means the speedy exhaustion of the soil from the constant robbery of its fertilising ingredients. This is the most serious charge that can be brought forward, for it includes in it all other subordinate charges of disregard for the future. It is satisfactory to note, however, that gradually by the influence of example and the teachings of experience this evil habit_ of destroying their capital— the land— is being abandoned, and the more judicious system of maintaining the fertility of the soil is coming to be recognised as both necessary and desirable. But apart from the direful results attending the undue cropping of land with cereals, there is in the want of a sufficiency of root crops during winter the risk of semi-starvation to the cattle and other stock on the farms. Although gennerally there is in the warmer portions of the colony no imperative necessity for providing artificial food for winter, if only due care is taken not to over stock the pastures towards the close of summer and autumn— a practice too common,— yet there are seasons when a farmer without a supply of roots, &c, will experience serious losses. I have observed this again and again on several estates otherwise well managed. Should the stock, however, be able to survive in a kind of way on the ordinary pastures in seasons normally temperate, yet even then the loss indirectly is veryconsiderable. If cattle or stock are allowed to deteriorate, every practical grazier knows hoy difficult it is to restore the loss of flesh, and it. sometimes happens that it is far into summer before such cattle attain the good condition they had before tho previous winter. It fe pitiable to notice in many fields lots of miserable cows vainly endeavouring to fill the.r capacious paunches on a pasture so bare avft thin that one might easily chase a inoubo over its whole extent, without once losing sight of i/Men guilty of such practices are often loud in complaint that the dairy won't pay, but how can it wilh such management? for thero is wisdom and truth in the pro veibinl question -'What js a coo, but hto mou'?' 1 would olrongly advocate a much larger and more riroful attoni ion to supplying stock with food beyond Uio mere pjstures-in the form of turnips, mangolds, &c.,and good sound clover or lucerne hay. The silo plan ot preserving forage grown in summer for winter uho U becoming practice in Auuuicn and on tho continent of Europe, and tlwo is no re;iw why it should not bo adopted 1.0 some extontin Now Zealand., As I approach tho consider

tion of harvest time, the grand crucial test of the realization of the farmers' year, it is difficult how to characterise the reckless disregard of ruinous consequences so markedly the unaccountable practice of so many farmers. When their whole year's labour and profit are at stake it would appear only reasonable that nothing possible should be left undone, so as to avoid the risk of losing even a partial portion of the fruits of their labour. But it is far otherwise. When harvest comes on, what alack of preparation there is; the reaper or reaper and binder combined has to be hunted up and repaired, and probably in many cases, those machines of so delicate a construction, costing so much money, may after the lapse of 12 months be found covered over with weeds and grass in the same position as when they were done with in the previous harvest. Such an exhibition of folly has not unfrequently come under the observation of tho writer, however incredible it may appear. Then how often is a mean and false economy practised in employing an insufficient number of good hands so as to retard the speedy and safe terminaI tion to the gathering in of the crops under 'thackand rope.' The practice of threshing' from the stock is under some circumstances both desirable and economical, although at all times it is risky, should sudden and adverse changes in the weather take place. _ The culminating point of extreme folly is reached when farmers resolve to stack their grain for some time when they are not assured at what definite period they can get a thrasher, and when they never can be certain of fine, dry weather, and yet take not the slightest precautions to protect their stacks from exposure to rain. It is quit© possible that if stacks are well built by a skilful, experienced, and painstaking; stacker, who will be sure to have them 'well hearted,' there may be no very serious injury to the grain should rain fall barring that some of the exposed heads may get blackened and sprouted, to the detriment^ of the appearance of the sample. In the building of stacks, however, there is fearful carelessness, and many of those men employed by farmers have had no experience in the operation, and besides they are utterly thoughtless of the important interests involved in their work. The farmer, if he is a farmer, should be able to, detect unsound and unsafe work, and should, never permit a continuance of it unless he is prepared to take some solid precautions afterwards to thoroughly cover his stacks from the weather. Ido not exaggerate one iota when I maintain that thousands of pounds are annually lost to the colony from this cause of bad stacking and uncovered stacks. I have seen in my travels through some of the finest agricultural districts in the colony, stacks of grain while, being threshed, so thoroughly spoilt by the rain penetrating from the top to the bottom, that it was necessary to separate the sheaves that had absolutely grown together. Grain under such circumstances was only fit food for pigs. In laying the foundation of stacks, again, there ip often no provision made to raise them from the ground so as to protect them against the damp from the soil. In saving the expense of thatching stacks, the verification of the old proyerj> of ' losing the ship for a pennyworth of tar' is clearly exemplified. If it should be thought ..too expensive and slow a work to properly thatch with straw and ropes as is done at Home, there is the simple alternative of pro-viding-tarpaulins to ;be used ,if necesfarv. These coverings, although costly at first, woula last several years with ordinary care. There are several other examples of negligence on the part of fanners to their own interests, such: as the careless storing of grain in bags in the fields instead of being granaried, within overaight, &c, that I would have liked to refer to, but I have extended my remarks to such a length that another opportunity must be^ taken to discuss the important subject. Having no interest to serve save the benefit of the farming community, I trust the severity and fidelity of my ' strictures will be accepted in the spirit in which they have been written.—' Agricultural Clods,' by An Old Farmer, in the N. Z. Industrial Gazette.