FARM NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2057, 27 July 1893, Page 8

FARM NOTES.

' The Influence: of Imagination in Breeding. — Professor Wallace's newly*issued book on Farm Live Stock has the following passage on the subject of the influence of imagination on breeding, especially with regard to colour: — " One of the most remarkable instances of the -influence of imagination on the colour of cattle has within the last few years been closely studied at Glamis in Lord Strathmof c's polled Angus herd, numbering about 30 cows of the most) highly prized strains of blood. As the results of the experiment are so interesting, and as the facts have not hitherto been published, we give them in detail. The cows with bull calves were annually separated from the cows with heifer calves when turned out in May, -and the herd wa& thus grazed in two 1 divisions of about equal numbers (which, for convenience, we shall term A and*B), but from year to year the cows forming these divisions varied, with the sexes of their calves. It was observed' for a number of 'years that about 20 per cent, of the' calves produced by the cows of division B were 'badly marked' in colour — viz., red or black and white— while the colour of the calves of division A was' uniformly black, as it ought to be. ■ The same wellbred bulls were put to the two divisions, and changed from one to the other from time to time! The field in which division A grazed was located so that no cattle of broken colours could be seen by the animals at pasture in it, while the field in which division B was kept adjoined two other fields, in one of which up till 1890 were pastured black steers, and in the other Ayrshire cows, displaying ,a great variety of broken colours. The black polled cows of division B were within smelling distance and within full view of the cattle in the two fields in question (being separated merely by a wire fence), and, in consequence, from two to four badly-marked calves were born annually. In 1890, both of the fields adjoining division B were occupied by red and white oattle, with the result that six purebred polled Angus calves came badly marked, sohie being black and white, and others red. Some of the cows which • bore badly-marked calves were three or four months gone in calf before they were brought in contact with cattle of other colours than their own, from which it may be inferred that the iniluence of imagination is not confined .to the period of conception. One of the red calves had a black fringe, round his muzzle and a black stripe along the back. This red cilf developed into a pure black bull, with a reddish fringe

round the muzzle and a reddish stripe.alongjihe ,b"ack7~ In "1891 the adjoimng.fields were intentionally stocked with' black cattle' exclusively, and all the calves of 1892 were'fdir the first tjme for several years of pure polled Angus' colour, like the colour of the sires and dams, and of the calves of division A, which bred,always' trueito colour. Only one calf had a' small patch fit white upon it, but this is a common occurrence in the best bred black polled cattle. The fact - that the sires of the badly-marked calves of 1891 were the same as the sires of $he black calves of 1892 makes the results of this interesting experi_ men all the more interesting," Agb Limits- to the Peofit of Dairy. Stock.— Mr J. F. Hall concludes an article on this subject with the following suggestions to dairy farmers :— „ - . _ , 1. To register once a week the.produce in milk of each cow in their herd. „ 2. Not p part lightly with their old cows. 3. To retain for breeding purp6ses the good old milkers, even should their milking, powers begin Jio decline. . . , 4. To replenish their herd with' heifers of their own breeding. . <-' ; ,/: >; :. 5. To select -bulls descended from dams of approved milking quality. * >;■ . - And, -if the farmers are concerned with those branches of dairying which" jrodu'ce milk for cheese, and more especially for putter-making : 6. To give attention to the quality of the milk as well as to,its abundant 'quantity..'/^'!^ 1 •' ' : Selection of a Bull.— Reg^<litig\-tae selection of a bull for a dairy -hercPthV Irish Farmers' Gazette says :■— " Why, before pedigrees (as we now understand^ them) or herdbooks were ever thought- of, when breeders were guided* by the old maxim, 'Like begets like,' the standing rule with dairy farmers both in England and Ireland was to rear a bull calf from the best milker in 'the herd. The men who care nothing about the- bull coming from a milking Btrain are (1) those who' breed for show-yard honours, (2) ' dairymerf who' sell their calves as soon as possible after they are born, caring only to have their cows 'in milk;' In an experience of more than 40 years, with an extensive acquaintance " amongst ■ dairy farmers, we never knew one who, wishing' to " rear a bull for use in a herd; in order to keep up a supply of heifers for the dairy, would, in choosing the dam, ignore her ' milking properties." Microbes on Tree Roots.— "Symbiosis "ia a word used by ■ scientists to describe' the peculiar relations which have been .found to exist between various' microbes and the roots of plants to obtain necessary food. The leguminosce—such as peas, clover, &c. — are well known to be^ assisted very considerably by a microbe which forms tubercules on the roots, - and multiplying exceedingly there little colonies of microbes "manufacture" nitrogen in large quantities. The fungus or microbe feeds upon organic matter, bub. doeß not. make it, whilst \ plants with green leaves make' organic- matter, but do not use it, so that both green-leaved plants and fungus work 0r. ," manufacture" for each other, but not for themselves; It has been - found that soil taken from a very rich paddock and "planted" upon a 'poor one where plants can grow will be much enriched. Lately it has been found that the oak and many other trees and plants are largely dependent upon minute fungi upon their roots for vigorous, growth and luxuriance. Perhaps it may be i found yet" that animals digest their food'' 'chiefly through the aid given by microbes or bacteria. , , ' Butter Fat , Varies, 'with Bbebd and Feed.— l notice that the. question as to whether the per cent, of fat in milk can be increased by feed or breed remains in an unsettled condition in the minds' of some poopl&f-of course, "such as are not acquainted with 1 Jerseys. Let as look at the question and see whether we 1 can settle it. If we refer to Professor B. W. Stewart's in} valuablebook on " Feeding Animals,", we will see that he gives out cow's milk (all breeds) to contain about 3'B percent, butter. A fair average of , Jecsey milk gives a pound of butter from, about 20lb of milk ; that makeiXcountirig'out'the^lS per cent, water in fresh butter) about 4-\3 per cent, butter in Jersey, milk.- This much settles the first part of the question,; that breed wjll cause the amount of butter in milk to vary. \ need not multiply iastances.Jas any one can . see this for himself, by examining the tests' of different breeds of cattle, as given in agricultural college bulletins; in private tests, &o. What) I wiU now bring ,to notice . has more , direct reference, to the second part of; the question, that feed will cause the amount, of butter in milk to vary; „yet" it,\ supplements) what I have adduced with reference to. breed as affecting the amount of butter, iff milk. ..The , Jersey cow Princess 11, in her great test of' 1884, "showed about 7 per cent, .butter in hsti milk ; in'her still greater, test of, 1885; her milk showed about 13 per cent.', butter, .this latter percentage being reached ; after, a year v of con-, stant, judicious, rich, -.heavy, .feeding.. There are records of , Jerseys giving milk .yet richer in butter ; so, then, as these facts stand, we can confidently say that, the per cent/bftfafc,in milk can be increased— -and^alas ! lowered too— by breed and feed.— John E.pARMLt, in Jersey Bulletin. '

Fjbeding Off. — Probably the most expeditious and inexpensive method' of folding sheep upon a forage crop is that adopted by a Southeastern farmer. His paddocks are 16 chains " across, and the whole material for enclosing a section of it can be carried, in a spring dray." Thirty-two stakes of 2in diametetfare required/ each sft long, and these are 'driven in at Bft apart. Three' loops of fencing \wire are fixed upon each stake, top, bottom, and middle. - Wire netting, 4ft wide, is stretched, along the stakes, and the ends, of the' loops' project through the netting, and a piece of Straight fencing wire ispassed through the three loops on each stake. This barrier can be fixed or removed within a. few. minutes.; Strips ;of; the* crop about three chaios wide iare opened up each time.- and the sheep eat the crop clean to' theeround.- -<,<>' ' • ~< ' •"■'

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