FARM NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2358, 4 May 1899, Page 7

FARM NOTES.

RAPE FOR PIGS.

An experiment in pig-feeding, designed to test the lelali/e merits of clover and rape for tVio purpose, ban been carried out at the Wiaron?m Agiicultural_Expe r i."r.Cl7t Station, and • i;- TepoKeu upon in the fifteenth annual repoit recently issued. One set of pigs was pastured on clover and the other hurdled on rape, both receiving similar treatment and feeding in every other way. The result, points to rape as being the superior feed, although it is explained tbat the drynees of the season and consequent want of succuleuce in the clover may have contributed in some degree to this result. The rape loL in nine weeks gained 54-.891b per head as against 49.521b by the clover lot, or .871b per head daily against .7Slb. The pigs were about six months old, and the additional feed consisted of a mis lure of Indian corn meal and shorts, in the proportion of two parts -of tho forniei to one of the latter. TUBERCULOSIS IK DAIRY HERDS. At a meeting of the Melbourne Board of Public Health, held March 22, the secretary announced the receipt of a report from 'Mr S. S. Cameron, M.R.O.V.S , on the results of his use of tuberculin in cattle in Victoria. ■ Mr Cameron for 18 months prior to September last subjected a number pf dairy cattle — constituting the whole of the milking cows in nine herds in widely-separated parts ol the colony — to the tuberculin test; Two hundred and sixty seven cows in all were dealt with. Although the?e were not numerous enough to JurnisH a sufficient basis foi estimating the extent of the disease in the colony, Mr Cameron thinks that there is ercry likelihood that, the proportion of tuberculous animals found in the nine herds tested — viz., 9 per cent., is not in excess of that for dairy cows in the colony at large. Of the 267 cow? tested. 24gave definite reaction and 23 were slaughtered. Of 51 from. Leongiitha, five were killed ; of 20 from Kyneton, 1 : of 25 from Tatura, 4- ; of 58 from Terang, 3 , of 39 from War-mam - bool, 9. la evciy care the animals were apparently iii a fairly healthy condition. The mopi striking feature in connection with the tests wae the large percentage of cases in which tho udder was affected — 21 7 per cent, of the animals that were slaughtered, and actually 1.87 per cent, of the whole of the milking cows tested. This according to Mr Cameron, is especially interesting, because, ' while the percentage of cows found to be tuberculous in any form is far below what has been demonstrated by many observers in other countries, the percentage of diseased animals with tubercular udders is higher than has been recorded elsewhere. It was somewhat difficult to account for this inordinately hUjh proportion ot diseased udders in the herds examined, and in this connection il- was significant that comparatively Jitllc attention was paid by the dairy fanners hero to ordinary inflammation, chills', or coli?s o fthe udder, and that the loss of a quarter was regarded as of little moment. The results of the experiments had been tc force the conclusion that when, as a result of the injection of tuberculin, a definite reaction was obtained the animal was affected with tuberculosis. Cases did occur iv which tuberculin failed to indicate the difeaee when it was present, but so rarely that for practical purposes the reliability of- tuberculin, in a. negative as well as an affirmative sense, might be definitely affirmed. In conclusion, Air Cameron considered that there was substantial ground for the formulation of the axiom, " Tuberculin cannot lie."

In commenting on the report Dr Grecswell said : — Tho result goes far towards demonstrating the game important, truths regarding bovine tuberculosis in th ; s country as has been found by some observers elsewhere, and it may well serve as a source of eucourasjement for pre=Miig forward the work that has been commenced, though some change should be made in the conditions under which State ajd shall in future be provided foi the elimination of Hie bovine diseabc.

Tho report, was received, and further oction deferred until the next meeting of the board. — Australasian. COLOUR AND QUALITY OP BUTTER.

Mr Ernest Matthews, the well-known judge of the Channel Island cattle at the London Dairy Show, writes as follows to The Times, London: — " The Minister for Agriculture having f-tated that he hopes to introduce in the next session of Parliament a bill dealing with the adulteration of dairy produce, 1 venture to offer a few remarks on the colouring of butter, which will, I conclude, be mentioned in the bill. To most people the ad mixture of colouring material with butter appears harmless, as it is generally supposed that this is only done to make pale butter more presentable to the eye. To this I cannot subscribe, for the following reasons : During the past few years I have tested at vario'is agricultural shows over 850 . cows separately for butter production by the churn. At every trial notes were made on the colour and quality of the butler produced, and from these notes certain conclusions have forced themselves upon my mind which would not in ordinary course present themselves to those *rho have not been in the habit of teatiuiz

their cows individually. One of such conclusions is that butter made 'from milk contain ing uniformly large fat globules is invariably of deeper colour and of finer quality than.' that made from milk containing- small and irfegu-lar-sized fat globule?. The natural ' colour of butter is affected by various causes, such as the season of the year and injudicious feeding, but it will be almost always founcl'that the paler the butler the poorer the quality. To summarise, colour and quality in butter go hand in hand. To colour butter artificially therefore is a means of passing off an inferior article, although it may not be so intended by the parjty using the colouring material,and on this ground alone, if, the colouring "of !" butter and margarine cannot equally be proI hibited, at leapt such coloured produce should i be labelled and sold as ' coloured.' " ! HOW THE FEEDING VALUE OF OIL-

CAKE WAS DISCOVERED.

The value of linseed cake as a food for 'farm stock is said to have been discov sred in a very curious manner. A Kentish farnier who was in the habit of feeding a large stock of sheep annually applied to hi 3 laud a- dressing of oil-mill refuse as a manure. On one occasion he noticed that the sheep, -fh addition to eating the grass very close, also licked up the material applied as a fertiliser, and did so well on it that they increased m iiosh ai a much more rapid rate than' a number of others kept on a field to which the dressing ■\vas not applied. Experiments subsequently made showed that the cake possessed considerable feeding value, and hei*e it was that it

first came to be used as a feed for stock, instead of being employed, as was "up to then the fashion, in the form of manure.

THE MILK OF THE DOMESTIC

ANIMALS.

The milk of the sheep is far the richest, of that of the domestic animals. I 1 ; contains considerably less water, and very much move fat and albuminoids than that of any of the other animals of the farm. As against, the 124 per cent, of " total solids "• found in the milk of the cow, that of the ewe con-

tains over 13 per cent, of Bolids. Tho milk of the ewe also contains practically doublo the amount of fat .and albuminoids tlif>i. is found in the milk of th» cow. The milk of tlie mare is known to be by far the " thinnest " of that of any of our domistic animals. It contains on an average about 90 per cent, of

of solids.

water and les>s than 10 per cent,

It consequently presents a striking contrast, to" the milk of the sheep, which contains only a little over 80 per cent, of water, and yields on an average fiver 18 per cent, of total solids. The milk of the mare bears a closer relationphip in regard to its chemical composition to that of the human being than that of any of our farm animals. It is very rich in milksugar, of which it contains about 6i per cent., a* against the 4-=J per cent, found in the milk of the cow. Human milk contains about 7 per ctnt. of milk' sugar. GRASSES AND WOOL.

Some time ago, writes " Lana," in the Sydney Mail, I listened to a discussion between two graziers on the possible influence on the growth of wool possessed by certain fodder plants. It was stated by one of the speakers that, finding the feed getting rather short in ft paddock wherein some 2000 sheep were running,, he took 500 of them away and put them in a small river paddock. The grasses growing in 1 the large paddock , we're tussock ai>U otter plain grasses, with a little wild barley and a small patch of wild clover. The rivei* paddock contained for the greater part wild clever and barley grass, and patches of variegated and sow thistles. When the sheep were divided their condition was first-class, the growth of wool was close on six months, the quality of the wool tending more towards fine than mediums The sheep were dry fourtooth ewep, and were left in their respective

paddocks until shearing time. In the meantime the rainfall had not been large, but sufficient to give the sheep plenty of feed. When the sheep were being shorn it was found that while the fleeces of the sheep running in the large paddock had kept. up the quality of the staple, those of the sheep running in the river paddock had to be classed as fairly strong wool.

The question then arose as to which grass or : other feed growing in that paddock wae actually responsible for the change in the quality of the wool. Now, it is a well-known fact that lucerne does exercise a great influence on the fleeces of sheer that have been fed on it i for a length of time, the staple losing a good j deal of its lustre and becoming straighter. j On the other hand, it increases the weight of i fleece. Lucerne is considered the grossest of j feeders. Wild clover, known better as the undesirable burr clover, is allied to the lucerne, and sheep will fatten oi* it quickly. There must have been a great flush of this I clover in the river paddock, and to this only can the change in quality be attributed. Of ! native grosses the fine needle gra,°s of the Ri1 verine plains and of English grasses perennial rye grass -may be considered the best grasses to ensure quality of the fleece. . This j depends, however, on the state of the padj clock. Tf there is a flush of feed and sheep ' gee too fat, the quality will be afFected ; if jusl ! iUiTtcicnr, the wool will be bright and lustrous, : and even what is known as strong wool will ' have its fibre considerably softened. HIRING SOCIETIES. Some very interesting references to the ! Scotch system of hiring stallions have recently j ppppared in the Enylish agricultural press. I A writer who lately reviewed the progress of j the Rhiro Horse Society, which has been estabi lished 21 years, proceeds as follows: — "That j the social y has done a large amount of good j fince it was established 20 years ago in raisI ing the standard of the shire horse as regards • character and quality is very generally ad- ! mitted. But a further step of progress has ; to be made, and that must lie iv the formulation of some competitive hiring pyfilfin on the Scotch line*, by which we shall Bee a genuine • spirit of emulation working out in the rlirec- ; lion of giving the most enterprising breeders i the best horse in the open or unreserved mar- . ket. When at Merry ton dispersal sale Mr HiddeH gave 850gs for the then 15-year-old Prince of Wales, a few shook their heads as to : the wisdom of the bargain. His new owner ! knew the pulse of the breeders well, -and had him booked for fees to considerably more than half his price that very year, and well up for I subsequent seasons. At next shire horse show ■ it is to be hoped some 20 or 30 premiums of j £50 each or more, privately subscribed, will . be announced, the names of the travelling disi tricts stated, with other conditions and parti- ; culars, and let an exchange ring be formed I under the clock at a certain hour to let owners j and hiring parties come to terms. If the business is to be carried out by auction, let the | horse be put in, and bids made at so much per | mare, the owner of the horse reserving the ; right to refuse bhotild he think the district 1 too remote, too hard to travel, or one not j likely to give a good young horse of promise i a chance of getting such stock as would enhance his- reputation at the coming summer shows. Every endeavour should be made to get up these initial or neat-egg premiums, for once the hiring system takes hold in England j the fees will rise quite as readily aa have the prices at the sales."

Mr J. M. Ritchie on Frozen Mutton* i 'TO THE EDITOB. - - m S,ib, — I have just read Mr Ritchie's, letter ol 30th December in the -Witness^ in which, "among othei things, he- characterises your London correspondent's work as " re&earsed ancient history," which, he declares, '* everybody^ knew," and he also allucjes to "my belting the dead horse again " and " supplying freshly done up copy for belated correspondentis." The funny thing about Mr . Ritchie's letter is that no sooner has he demolished (?) tho despised London contributors than he forthwith, proceeds to . occupy the greater, part of a column, of- your .valuable space in recapitulating -wiiai he^skys- " everybody is faihiliar' with," together v wjth some < treasured ideas of his own, which he placed before an unappreciative public some two years previously^, and to which, with characteristic pertinaoity r he again pledges his faith, although he tells ua ' that the only harvest which' his ideas' yielded was "'sarcastic disagreement."- That, contends Mr Ritobie, was all that could be hoped for for the present — not, of oouree,- <; the sarcastic disagreement, bub the realisation of the reforms .he named.

Now, one would suppose that if reforms are necessary, the oftener your correspondent or any other competent person emphasises abuses I the greater are the chances pf reforih ; and Mr llitchie, in his triple position of shipper, farmer's agent, and insurance director,- should hail with delight every attack on these' abuses. It is no reflection "on Mr Ritschie to say that I there are. many practices carried oi» here with I which he capnot be familiar. Many New Zealanders coming home try to master the intricacies of Smithfield. Bvit that cannot be done by merely devoting a morning to Hhe market during a. pleasant London holiday. In your London correspondent's dotes abuses are dealt with which Mr Ritchie does not even I allude to, especially the present scandalous [ system of iiseessments, abuses which have largely sprung up since Mr Ritchie's previous letter. And in this connection it would be ; interesting to know whether', if he was aware of such abuses, he has ever carried out,, through his London representatives, any tangible reforms or seciired any practical rei euKs, such as disco.verinff_ .that awards for I damage had been made and paid foi where j no' damage existed, and, if so, whether they have compelled a refund of such wrongful _oxactments. But the fact is that muoh of the material sent out by your correspondent, with which my name is connected, is original, and, so far as I am aware, has never -before been placed before the public. If it were not bo, would the notes be so extensively copied by other papers from the Witness, not only by the press in New Zealand, but also in Australia; and I-may add that copious notes are also taken here by the trade, insurance, and shipping comjftinieß for reference in comparing "when the Witness comes Home.

With your permission I will discuss one of Mr Ritchie's paragraphs. He writes: "Mr Maokenzie's ' remedies ' are truly 'simple ' — (1) Sell the meal f.o.b. in New Zealand. What about the price? The sellers must concede a sufficient margin to balance the above and other contingencies. If they do, they can always sell in the colony. (2) Sell after it lands and is ptorcd in London — which is just what most people do, and still are not satisfied.' 1 Tho sellers, sagely remarks Mr R., must 'concede pufficient margin to pay costs." of selling in. London. Of course' th'ey "must, ami th l e New Zealand farmers are undoubtedly willing to pay all they Bhould pay — namely, freight for conveying their meat Home and reasonable .insurance lates; but not what they require to pay- now in costs, such as several sellers,' commissions, abnormal insurance rates, lo's3 through cost and results of assessments other than for damage claims, and sometimes loss in weights. Let us take some of these items in detail.

Selling commissions. Very frequently the office to which the meat is consigned employs an agent to sell, the meat, and both get; their pickings, and the selling agent very frequently has a much keener eye on the commission he is going to secure than on the price he 13 likely to obtain, and some of them are not at all reluctant in assisting bogus insurance claims to help to make up returns. This causes insurance rates to be 65s instead of about 255. The insurance companies do not concern themselves much about it, inasmuch as they raise rates as damage claims increase. Mr Ritchie is in error in saying that tnosfc people sell in stores now. Many of Mr Ritchie's suggestions, valuable as they are and useful up to a point, fall short of what 18 wanted. There are methods which he has nob dreamed of which must be corrected, otherwise you may exercise all the care imaginable in freezing, grading, and shipping," and yefc your labour %vill largely be in vain. The selling in New Zealand is one of my plans. There are others which may yet be nlaced before the New Zealand producers. During my two and a-half years' eoiourn iv London I have given the question of handling our meat ray closest attention. I have discovered much, and thought out much in that connection. Mine has not been theoretical, kid-glove work: it has been arduous, and at limes disagreeable and risky work. When I return to New Zealand, should a constituency accept of my services, it ia my intention to go thoroughly into the whole question, in Parliament, and give the colony the benefit of 6U> experience as I have gained. — I am etc., Thomas Mackenzie Dominion House, London, March 4, 1399.