INVESTIGATIONS IN BUST OR MILDEW IN WHEAT CROPS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2055, 13 July 1893, Page 6

INVESTIGATIONS IN BUST OR MILDEW IN WHEAT CROPS.

Although during last season complaints were unusually frequent of caseß of sterility among breeding herds, it does not therefore follow that the occurrences were proportionately more numerous than io preceding seasons, but rather that they were more particularly noted than in previous years, because of the revived interest in cattle-rearing stimulated by the prospect of remunerative values in the future for carefullybred beasts. Previously, in ordinary herds, j barren cows or heifers were quite as profitable to owners as the animals that bred, because the former could be fattened and readily sold, and calf-rearing was at a discount. Now, however, that there is a demand for and scarcity of young animals suitable for dairying or fattening off, a cow designedly kept for breeding that proves barren for tbe season occasions an appreciable loss to the owner, who must yet bear in mind that unfruitfulness is not confined to the female portion of a herd, but is occasionally attributable to the males. In all herds, whether composed of "dairy" or « beef " breeds, there are females so uncertain, or hopelessly barren, as to occasion the owners much disappointment and loss from the failure of the reproductive powers of these animals, and if it be true, as competent authorities assert, that natural defects are rarely the cause of unfruitfulness, there must be to a certain extent the power in the ordering of the management to lessen the risk, or of overcoming it when it is more apparent than real. Usually on farms where a considerable number of cows are kept a ball is permitted the run among them freely. This is an ill-considered error of management, and is a primary cause of the "uncertainty" of impregnation of genuine breeding cows and of their apparent sterility. Under the circumstances, one of the cows desirous of the male is subjected to repeated service, and which is notably inimical to conception. The 'much better plan would be to adopt the practice general on farms where bulls are kept in the Home country. On these there is always a bull paddock, to which he, in company with an in-calf cow ox two or a few young steers, is restricted. He there has needed exercise, and the cow "in season" is brought to him. It iB well known that in general the cow conceives after once taking bull, and this permitted, she should be removed and kept apart from other Cattle for a couple of days until the sexual excitement has ceased. Her loneliness and fretting are regarded as aids towards the accomplishment of the object desired, while the other cows are saved the disquietude and agitation a cow in season occasions among them, and which' to some extent, as dairyfarmeis know, affects the milk-snpply for the time. Some of the most intelligent breeders of cattle in the colony follow the practice suggested, and thus asßure themselves of the correct date of service, and time due to calve of each cow in the herd, while cases of infertility dome but seldom under their notice. Breeders of highly bred stock of the " beef breeds " have frequently extreme difficulty in getting the cows and heifers to breed, and succeed in the object only by subjecting the animals to hardship, stinted food, and other exhaustive'treatment. The cause of the uncertainty or hopeless infertility of such animals was dearly pointed out in a paper contributed to the "Journal of the Royal Agricultural Sooiety of England," vol. 1, second series 1865, by Mr Henry Tanner, Professor of Rural Economy,'' Queen's College, Birmingham, and quoted in Pringle's work "On Live Stock." In the course- of his investigations Mr Tanner examined the ovaries of several heifers which had been condemned and slaughtered as hopelessly barren, and from the facts he observed he formed the conclusion that barrenness in the instances under his notice had been caused by the ovaries being overcharged with fatty matter. This of course arose from injudicious feeding, and has been fully exemplified in the facts that " many animals renowned in their day for the number of showyard honours awarded them have not left a single descendant to perpetuate their fame," and that this has happened alike with balls as with cows and heifers. Various devices have been from time to time resorted to in order to ensure the impregnation of cows in high condition, and all with the view to rid the animals of the superfluous fat existing in the body and impeding generation. As some of the measures suggested for adoption, even if otherwise effective, might impair the constitution of the animal, the safest and most effective measure will be found in a course of gentle work in the plough or harrow, as the following experience will show.—ln 1848 the writer bought two cows at the sale of a noted herd of shorthorns. They and the sire to which they had been put (thfy were catalogued as in calf) were directly de-cecdcd from from the Wiseton herd, and the cows realised stiff prices accordingly. A few days after arrival at their destination, first one, and, after an interval, the other showed unmistakably the deflire for the bull. A claim was immediately Wade for compensation for non-fulfil-ment of warranty, and this being refused an action at law was instituted. The fact iB mentioned, because pending the trial of the case, it was necessary to keep up the condition of the cows, and not to mate them with a bull. On the eve of the trial the defendant paid the damages claimed, and costs, and then the question arose, can tbe cows after so long a period of abstention be again made to breed. It was decided to make the experiment, and during 10 weeks they were kept on poor pasturage, occasionally bled and physicked, and daily forced to swim across a narrow inlet of the sea and back. .Several times they were put to the bull, but failed to bold to the service, and their high condition

was but little impaired. As a last resource it was determined to break them in to work, and this was an easy matter, as there were three teams of bullocks (working in pairs in harness) at work on the farm. With movable nose clips in the nostrils, eaoh cow was yoked alongside a trained bullock and made to do her share in dragging a log. An boar was sufficient to complete the breaking in, and the following day, similarly yoked, they helped to plough stubble for tysouple of hours, but at a very slow pace. After the lapse of a week they were yoked together, and given four hours work daily —two hours in the forenoon and two in the afternoon, at their own crawling pace, for the utmost care was taken not to hurry them. Dnring the time they worked—exactly six weeks —they had & run of only middling pasture, and their condition was effectually lowered. They were then given a spell, and on better grass. Soon they showed a disposition for the bull and were put to him; they held to service, and from that time bred regularly, and were sold with a calf at foot at the clearance sale at the expiration of the lease of the farm, November, 1852. The experience in this case goes to prove that insensibility to natural sexual influences, caused by over-condition, may be remedied by compelled exercise of the animals, and their restriction for a time to stinted food ; but at the same time the treatment must be strictly supervised, for if carried to an extreme it would be more likely than not to impair, the constitutions of naturally delicate and unwieldly beasts. In addition to the unhealthy accumulation of fatty matter on the ovaries, there are frequently other influences existent which prevent impregnation, one of the most frequent of which is unnatural irritation in the organs leading to the ovaries. In his prize eseay on the " Breeding and Management of Cows," published in t1858,t1858, Mr Bowly referred to a remedy that has an effect in allaying the irritable excitement experienced by cowa at the time of service, and which is fatal to impregnation. Mr Bowly says:—"l have for nearly 20 years possessed the knowledge of a remedy which is said to be certain to secure conception in a cow, but fortunately I have never had occasion to use it till last year. It consists in removing I the olittoris from the vulva by caustic or with I the knife; the latter was used in this case. I The cow operated upon produced twins in July 1856, and was served by the bull at the usual time, but did not stand, and became what is called a 'perpetual boiler,' and which is generally considered a hopeless case. She is a very favourite cow, and I was unwilling to subjeot her to what I supposed would be considerable suffering; therefore I delayed the operation till last July, and was glad to find that it caused little pain or inconvenience. It was performed immediately after the cow had been served by the ball. She took the ball again in three weeks, and has since produced a heifer calf -at the proper time." This operation, it I may be stated, was considered effective for the | purpose intended by generations of farmers throughout the south-western counties of Scoti land and the north-eastern counties of Ireland; and where no man incapable of performing the operation expeditiously would be given charge of a bull. With moderately quiet cows there is no difficulty. The head of the animal being secured, the hind and off fore leg are drawn together to prevent kicking, and the operator, with one hand to the vagina, with the other applies the cautery —a heated, round iron about an inch in diameter—to the olittoris or seat of irritation. The writer has seen the heated iron nsed in this way many times, and can affirm that any struggle of the animal is but momentary and that any cowkeeper can safely operate. | I

It appears from agricultural literature that mildew has been common in the old country (Great Britain) for a long while. Hartlib, in his "Legacy of Husbandry," witten in 1655, says : " Our husbandry is deficient in this, that we know not how to remedy the infirmities of our growing corn, especially smut and mildew, which bring great calamities upon our country, the former in wet years, mildew in dry." Jethro Tull, in his "Horse-Hoeing Husbandry," published in 1731, speaks of mildew as causing " a year of blight, the like of which wa3 never before heard of, and whioh I hope may never happen again." It would seem that we do not know more '* how to remedy this infirmity of our growing corn " than when Samuel Hartlip penned his Legacy. Though this has been for so long a persistent " infirmity," there have been only three inquiries of any importance cancerning it, or at least inquiries of an official, or semi-official character. The first is that of Arthur Young, secretary of the Board of Agriculture, made in 1805, and recorded in the Annals of Agriculture; the second was conducted by Sir J. Sinclair, in 1809, also in connection with the Board of Agriculture; and tbe third by MrW. C. Little, in 1883, undertaken for the Royal Agricultural Society of England. These inquiries were conducted pretty much upon the same lines, by means of a schedule of questions forwarded to leading agriculturists in different parts of the country; and although in the first two the results are not particularly conclusive, except, perhaps, as to cold, changeable weather being, to a great extent, the cause of mildew, there are more definite conclusions stated by Mr Little, which may be given here in his own clear words:— "i. It would appear that seasons are the chief cause of mildew, and that sudden changes of temperature and rain, accompanied by close, still weather, are favourable to the spread of the disease.

•' 2. That low-lying soils are most subject to this attack.

"3. That high farming and too generous manuring, particularly with nitrogenous manure, promote mildew. "4, That early sowing is desirable on all land subject to mildew,