NOTES FROM THE NORTH.

Otago Witness, Issue 2309, 2 June 1898, Page 6

NOTES FROM THE NORTH.

By Forbes Burn, F.H.A.S.

I have had opportunities of seeing the tuberculin

test applied to some hundreds Tuberculin of cattle, and can therefore Test. spßak with confidence, on the

reliability of the test and the great boon that this scientific discovery is to the public at large, and also to the cattle-owners of tho colony. As much has besn written on the danger to health proceeding from the use of milk obtained from cows suffering from tuberculosis, no remarks from me are required on that subject. Dairymen are now fully alive to the value of keeping cows suffering from tuberculosis out of their herds, not ouly for the direct benefit which accrues, but also than tbe fact of clean herds oqlt being the producers cf our large quantity of export butter gives thot commodity a souuder commercial value in foreign markel s. Previous to the discovery of the tuberculin test certain outward indications known to experts enabled correct diagnoses to be arrived at, but there were many aniuwls suffering from tuberculosis that were to all outward appearance healthy and were passed over even by the most experienced cattle-owner?. Now we have the means of &scerfeaiuing without doubt whether or not animals are suffering from this great bovine affliction. This being so, I am certain that an impetus will be given to the breediug of purebred cattie ; and men will embark moDey in the speculation who otherwise would have steered clear of the venture. To the enthusiast ia cattle-breeding and the student of " line " breeding, the te6t is invaluable, aa much has been said oi the effects of "in-breeding" iv developing tuberculosis. Startiug with a herd free from this disease breeders have a safeguard in tie teat at any time ; and in combining the bloods of good families and tribes have a check on their experiments as to the length it can safely be carried out without developing hereditary diseaee. As it is now, sales have been effected of highly bred shorthorn bulls afc long prices on the understanding that the animals ehould successfully withstand the tuberculin test. All these things being taken into consideration, the tuberculin test should be fully appreciated by cattle-owners, who are really the parties who desire the benefit of a discovery perhaps unequalled in veterinary science.

In the North Island I have observed that coarse-

ness of wool on the bipa or Coarseness of " breech" of purebred Lincoln " Breech " in sheep seems in ho way to Liucolns. affect the value of animah in

the eyes of breeders who are supposed to know their business. la old sheep a coarseness or a hairy tendency of the wool on those parts is allowable, but in young sheep I oannot understand why those showing indications of thjs should not be culled. It is a characteristic of Lincoln sheep to^get hairy or coarse on the hips, and by successful breeders in other parts of the world it has been the endeavour to blot out this fault. EJo argument that I have ever heard put forward, either to the flockmaster's interest as a sheep owner or as a vendor of wool, can convince me that to breed from sheep which are faulty in the parts described is conducive to. the interests of our most valaable breeds or sheep.

Ifc seems a pity that the sugar-beet Industry In the North Island should not Th« have long before now become Sugar Beet an established fact. It is Industry. many years iince proposals were first made to grow this valuable root as a commercial produofc, and now and again fresh outbursts of commendable zeal ton the part of a few energetic and speculative agriculturists and others have kept the flickering flame from dying out completely. Surely the reports from Victoria as to crops grown by the Maffra farmers should be an inducement to owners of good land In the North Island to associate themselves for th« purpose

of embarking iv a Birnilar enterprise. -. Msffra is the centre of a good agricultural district ia Norfch GippsJancl, where tbe climate is similar to that; of the North Island. The infers factory will have the produce of ,1600 acres this season to operate on, and the quality ot the roots is excellent.

So much has been written and so much discussion has ensued of late as to the Irrigation. desirability of form'iDg irriga-

tion trusts in various parts of bhe South Island, more particularly in Canterbury*, and all parties seem so unanimous as to the necessity for such undertakings, that anyfchiug said in the slightest to retard the irrigation movement will prooabiy be anything but popular. 1 have no wish to throw cold water on the movement, but it is desirable to point out that irrigation has nofbeen proved the success ia the Australian colonies that many of the Canterbury people flatter themselves their enterprise would be. I have had bp. portunities of seeing many irrigation schemes in Australia and elsewhere in which the results did not justify the outlay. There are very few exceptions to the rule Shat to make irrigation a success you first of all must provide a thorough system of underground drainage. The reasons are so obvious to any intelligent agriculturist that it is hardly worth while for me to enter into them ia detail. We are so liable to get "accustomed to long-scandiug evils that " their^existence is forgotten ; but when a Dew evil arises in our midst we rush impetuously to suppress it. New Zealand suffers far more from the want of drainage theu she does from the want of irrigation. We are more than half a century behind British agriculture in this respect, aud drainage is the first step towards the improvement of land. In Hawko'e Bay I regret that runholdei's have not gone in for irrigation on their hillsides. Thou?ands of springs are allowed to run into gullies and form small nooraspes that could be utilised for irrigation at very little cost. Many acres of permanent grass could be made to carry six times the stock if supplied by tho water that is at present going to waste.

The action of the New Soithh Wales Govern.

ment in purchasing high-class New Sonth Wales cattle of different breeds is x Government commendable one, and their and example might be followed by Pure Stock. New Zealand. The struggling settler has not the means to purchase or secure the services of a good sire to improve his herd, and any Government that can improTe tbe breeds of either cattle or sheep in the way proposed by New South Wales is a national benefactor. The fact is that in this colony twe-thirds of the cows in the dairy herds are Lot deserving of thra name, and are unprofitable to their owners. The intention of the New South W&lss Government is to place' purebred uaifclo at their different State farms, and publish results as to the returns made by each breed. Useful lessons will follow which will educate many who, although making a livelihood at dairyiDg, are totally ignorant as to the most ptofi table animal for their local surroundings. There are two breeds of cattle that the New Zealand dairymen would profit by were they placed within their command — viz., the red-polled Norfolk and the Holstein. The Holstein we h%ye in this hands of a few, who aok prices prohibitive to the majority of the dairying community. The introduction of a few choice dairy cattle would be of-, infinitely more value to the dairying-industry than any other assistance previously given by the State.

In conversation with a well-known . Hawke's Bay runholder who bad reCalifornian cenfcly been touring the Soafcb Thistles. Island, I was astonished at

two rt marks he made in regsrd to farming in the Boufch. The first was the careless way iv which straw was stacked, or, as he remarked, not stacked at all ; and the second was the alarming extent to which the Californian thistle was in some districts allowed to spread without any apparent means being used to check its growth. The Mataura district was spscial'iy mentioned ?.s a locality where this obcoxious weed was luxuriantly growing undisturbed. * South Island farmers look upou their northern brethren' as behind tho times ; but; evidently visitors to the south can notice neglect and carelessness in some things which are not observable here.