FARM NOTES

Otago Witness, Issue 1952, 18 April 1889, Page 7

FARM NOTES

Farming in Japan.— The reason why there is practically no demand for agricultural implements in Japan is because the iand is divided into farms which never exceed five tans (one-quarter of an acre). Many of the lots are no larger than an ordinary bedroom. They are divided from each other by a narrow bank about lft high, and just wide enough to walk along. In some places there is a stone wall instead of a mud bank. In the majority ,of the farms there would be hardly room to turn a' horse round without having a plough attached to him ; and a mowing machine or a stripper would more than cover a whole farm. In many cases a family will look after as many as 28 lots, sometimes more than a mile apart ; and a great deal of time must be lost by the workmen walking along the tops of the banks or walls from one lot to another. Recently, the Ministor of Agriculture and Commerce (Count Inonge), urged that some change should be made in the agricultural system, as to keep pace with the wonderful improvements effected in other branches. There are immense plains of splendid soil, which, although highly cultivated, are divided into such small lots as to preclude the introduction of scientific machinery. In another part of his address the Minister deprecated the invitation of European and American manufacturers. He admitted that the Westerns excelled iv brain work. Bufc^ he claimed that in dexterity of manipulation, and in artistic taste, tho Japanese were not surpassed by any people in the world. He asked them to cultivate the artistic instincts and traits which were their own.

Fermented Food for Milch Cows.— The following diet is woifch mentioning for experiment ; M. Auzat, a veterinary practitioner, recommends it in the columns of L'lndustrie Laitiere :— Potatoes are sliced, and a layer of the slices is placed at the bottom of a bin or barrel. Upon these is sprinkled a layer of bran, then another of cut potatoes, continuing the same alternative layers till the receptacle is filled. The latter is then covered and set aside, in not too cold a situation, to ferment. Fermentation is set up in from 48 to 72 hours, and a strong odour is exhaled. The food is now ready for the animals, who devour ifc with avidity. It produces a great improvement in the quality of the milk, and is especially suited for small farms. Vetches foe Daiey Cows. — Mr John Simpson, of Coolkelure, Dunmanway, County Cork, writing to the Mark Lane Express on the use of vetches for dairy cows, says as follows :— " After many years' experience, I look upon vetches as one of the best crops for summer house feeding dairy stock known to modern husbandry. No matter what quantity given to the cattle, no taste is imparted to the butter, the flavour, on the contrary, being all that the most fastidious couia desire, the texture firm, and the general .characteristics of the article so high class that it may be entered for competition at any show with every prospect of success. The quality of the butter will be more especially fine if a fair proportion of oats has bceu sown with the vetches, and the. former in ear ,when supplied to the cattle. The mixtures of oats improves the cream in a marked degiftft and the bufcfcej;

has 'more body 1 , and the flavour exquisite; provided all 1 the operations- connected with its manufacture havel been properly carried out. With liberal treatment and good culture, I know of no crop that gives sttch a , large return of valuable food to the acre as the Vetch or tare, and the farmer who has had the foresight to £ut !n two sowings in autumn and another in spring finds himself in an excellent position during the entire summer. However freshly-cut or damp vetche3 may be when given to cattle, there is no danger of hoven, but a large 'quantity should never be placed before the animals afc once, more particularly if wet, which they mrjst unavoidably be at timesv the attendant 'moving round and giving a little more to each animal, according as they may appear to require it. In this way they will eat with relish, and. there will be no waste of valuable food." '

Transmission op acquired Injuries to Offspring.— ln his lecture on hereditary diseases, before the North of England Veterinary Association, Mr Clement Stephenson gave a remarkable instance of acquired injuries being transmitted to offspring. In August 1880; he bought a lot of Irish heifers to feed off. They were ear marked. *Qne of them proved to be a calf, and produced a calf with ears marked exactly the same as its clam.

Esparoet or Sainfoin.— We have read with interest every article we have been able to procure on this new forage plant, There is no doubt, if what is said of it be true as a forage and hay-producing plant, that it will supersede alfalfa in a great many portions where irrigation is available,, much more so where only winter rains can be depended on. Among the advantages of this plant over alfalfa may be named its non-bloating qualities-, its strength to keep horses fat while working without feeding any J grain k its not growing so weedy, its tioh ' milkJft'oducing qualities, and the natural tenacity of the leaves to the stalk when cured for hay, there also being more leaves on the stalk than on alfalfa. Such qualities as these, if they hold good in this country as they are reported to do in Germany, are sufficient to recommend it to all stock-raisers. Besides these qualities, it has all the advantages that alfalfa has, in being a perennial.. It is eaid in England of the " Giant Sainfoin " that one field has been kept productive for 20 years without resowing. It can be cut the same number of times as alfalfa, and produces heavier crops.. In Germany it has grown 'go a man's chin, and labourers would not cut it without extra wages. The seed must be procured fresh of the last season's growth.— VisaHa Times.

Trust the Good Feeder.— A horse with a good appetite at all times is generally able to stand lots of hard work, and is seldom sick. To be a good feeder is quite a recommendation in the opinion of good judges of horses. Aside from the fact that necessary strength is derived from eating heartily, the fact that a horse has a good appetite indicates that nis digestive organs are in good order, and that he has a good, strong constitution. Curb Wanted for Abortion in Cattle.— At a recent meeting of the Orkney Agricultural Society, Mr Baikie called attention to the prevalence of abortion among cattle in Orkney, especially in the East Mainland, and asked whether it would be within the scope of the society's operations to inquire into the probable cause and possible means of preventing the same. He stated that he himself had 12 cows which had cast their calves this year. Mr Scarth believed that an inquiry was at present being conducted by one of the societies into the question. The secretary observed that the attacks were of two kinds, infectious and non-infectious, and that therefore the first thing to do was to resort to isolation. Mr Scarth agreed with this precaution, remarking that there was an old Orkney tradition to the effect that if the dead calf were taken out by a hole in the wall of the byre, the disease would be abated in that particular place.

Pkofitable Age for Cows.— The best and choicest milk is found to be produced just after growth ceases and while the vitality is the strongest. When a cow has reached that age she begins to lose vital force, her secretions of milk become less perfect, just as her digestion and assimilation do. When cows begin to show the effects of age in this way, they should be replaced by younger and more vigorous animals. Dairymen lose a great deal of money by keeping cows after they have passed their most profitable age.—" Dairy World."

Eobbbr Grasses. — In the current number of the "Agricultural Students' Gazette" (Cirencester) is an interesting paper on grasses. The grass plots in the college botanic garden afford from year to year an unending source of interest and wonder to the student of plant distribution or to the close observer of the ceaseless struggle for existence that goes on among those apparently most peaceful of created beings. Twice a year at least, we read, each plet, if left to itself, will be filled up by migrants from the neighbouring beds or from the fields beyond. Blown by the wind, carried and dropped by birds, brought accidentally with new seeds or potted plants, in one way or another'certain plants settle themselves and crowd, and in many cases oust, the lawful occupant. Another disturber of order, it is strongly suspected, is the small yellow ant (Formica flava), which carries seeds to its nests, usually established in the middle of the grass plcts, and so helps very materially in distributing and interchanging the occupants of the beds. This is particularly the case with Festuca duriuscula, L., which of all the grasses spreads most rapidly in other plots than its own, and it is especially the grass which grows on the nests of the ants. However carefully the beds are cleaned, this grass will turn up in most of them every summer. Other delinquents, that come and establish themselves unbidden, are, in the order of their pertinacy :— Trifcicum repens (couch), Poa pratensis (smooth-stalked meadow grass), Avena flavescens (yellow oat grass), Bromus erectus (erect brome), Agrostisvulgarxs (fine bent). In two or three seasons, if left to themselves, these marauders will choke and exterminate a number of the less strong and hardy grasses that we try to keep with us.

Luck in Breeding.— The Breeders" Gazette, Gbicago, tells a story of a Kansas stockman who bad a valuable sow due to farrow owe Spjc} winter night, and he deter-

"mined to save the litter. - Accordingly he j?ufc ,the sow in a box staltyset a small istove in it with the pipe Out of the window, built a roaring fire, kept midnight vigils.and saved a fine litcer of pigs. A neighbour happened over the next morning, and, astonished at the sight of the new-born litter on such a " cracking " morning* exclaimed, " Deair me I What good luck you do have!" Good luck, forsooth I exclaims ottt contemporary, such luck is nothing more than the absence of indolence and carelessness, and the possession of prudence and a willingness to work. Luck in live stock breeding is generally nine parts work and one part acoident.

Early Maturity in Blackfaces.— A striking instance of the improvement effected within recent years in the breeding of blackfaced sheep was afforded by the exhibits at Smithfield of the Rev. J. Gillespie, of Mouswald. He carried both the prizes in the olass for Cheviot or mountain breeds— the first with the pen of three which occupied the premier position at Glasgow and Dutn< fries, and at i 9 months and 1 week scaled no less than 4cwt 3qr 261b. They were bred by Mrs Mackinlay, Maidencoats, Abington } and are deejp inHowatson blood. The secdnd petty which was also second at (jlasgow> were purchased by, Mr Gillespie from Mr W. M. S. Howason, of Darskeoch, Patna. At 19 months and £ weeks they, turned the scale at Scwt fiqt 81b. A pen in same class belonging to Mr James Watt, of Knowefield, Carlisle, at 18 months weighed 4cwt lqr 251b. We may also add, as showing the partiality, of the London butcher for the Scotch mountain breed, that all the blackfaced sheep exhibited at this year's Smithfield were bought up at highly remunerative figures early on the opening day of the show. — North British Agriculturist* Profitable CoWs.— Matty dairymen and others who milk cows fbr profit believe that when a cow reaches the age of seven or eight her useful years are over, and that she should be replaced by one younger. But other things being equal, this is a mistake. A cow that has been well cared for, with generous rations and proper attention given to her comfort through all seasons of theyear 4 is better and will make a more profitable return at eight years old than at any earlier age ; in other words* she is in her prime, and she will continue in this condition several years, and will not be considered an old Cow until li or 15 years have passed. Cows with first calves — at two or three years— are generally unprofitable in their milk yield, and one really good cow between seven and eight years old will pay a better revenue than two that are performing their first year's duties in the dairy herd, and she will probably consume but a little more food than one of the younger ones. This fact is worthy the consideration of those who are dairying for profit. A prudent dairyman who manages well knows what are his best cows ; these he won't sell, under ordinary circumstances, as long as he continues in the business. It is therefore wise in buying a cow to investigate well the reasons for selling, if from one who is working his herd for the revenue derived from its yield. It is highly essential that a dairy, cow, to be profitable, should be a hearty eater, for just in proportion to her ability to consume and assimilate food will she make returns to her owner for his care and attention. This valuable feature can generally be determined very early in the animal's life. A calf with a dainty appetite is almost .sure to retain this undesirable quality after she becomes a cow, while with a rugged constitution and greedy like Dickens' Oliver Twist, always wanting more, becomes the cow with, power to consume food largely, and if she be bred and constiucted for dairy work, is the kind that will pay largest returns. — Jersey Bulletin.

Rest and Quiet for Miloh Cows. — With reference to a paragraph that had appeared in some paper as to cows requiring exercise, Mrs Kate M. Busick writes in the Jersey Bulletin : " I'll admit, if you wish to make a trotter out of a cow, it would be necessary to begin her education at a very early period and keep it up till late in life. But as the production of milk and butter is what cows are usually kept for, it is superlatively silly to talk about the necessity of giving exercise. Everyone who knows anything at all about cows knows that just as soon as her stomach is comfortably full, down she will lie, and in a state of supreme satisfaction chew her cud for hours. She does not fill herself to repleSion and then take a walk of a mile or two to aid her digestion. Not a bit of it. She is . your true gourmand. She swallows her food while the good taste of it still lingers in her mouth, then seeks a' comfortable place, and throwing up a mouthful at a time, chews it all over again, and with the second swallowing remands it to its place to stay. The greatest trouble with cows is the enforced exercise that many are compelled to take, when the irrepressible boy of the period, with a dog at his heels, is sent to bring the cows up from the pasture, as he usually does with whoop and halloo that would do credit to a Comanche Indian."

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Public Notices

Public Notices.

Li. Taranakl Hawke's Bay ... Marborough ... Nelson Canterbury ... Otago 3,296 7,888 855 2,026 ] 1,271 5,162 4,738 10,291 1,321 3,386 19,974 8,819 3,550 8,216 1,930 3,592 17,983 7,443 5,470 12.581 3,119 4,6 10 28,136 12,844

!aranaki lawke's Bay ... larlborough ... felson Janterbury )tago 356 3,462 6,321 6,383 18,678 7,230 iunx, 11,454 154,307 153,374 231,656 532,150 2 <54,301 248 1,613 4,127 4,322 11,310 5,031 9,178 63,519 115,487 99,047 307,193 130,745

OATS. 'aranaki ... 3,260 128,297 lawke's Bay ... 5,141 147,371 larlborough ... 3,601 114,839 Jelson ... 2,143 82,428 lanterbury ... 133,810 3,631,294 )tagO ... 194,583 6,135,889 2,628 8(5,363 5.155 145,249 3,718 134,900 3,368 91.074 122,941 3,639,354 18O,73& 5,871,702

WHEAT. 1889. 1888. Acres. Bushels. Acres. Bushels. Taranaki ... 2,675 73,753 2,082 60,748 Hawke's Bay ... 965 28,605 712 22,411 Marlborough ... 5,877 124,124 6,485 194,617 Nelson ... 4,625 101,329 5,383 115,074 Canterbury ... 241,621 5,531,560 • 237,551 5,928,773 Ofcago ... 81,398 2,224,254 84,153 2,519,197