NOTES ON RURAL TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2811, 29 January 1908, Page 7

NOTES ON RURAL TOPICS.

Working up the quality of the wool in a breeding flock is a most imBaisinf the portan* matter, and is not Stamford. • attempted nearly so much as it might be by email flock-owners. The general idea seems to be that any ram which shows fattening - proclivities is good enough to breed a few lambs with, which will be sold as soon, as they ara fat enough. Sufficient consideration is not given to the fact that some of these ewe lambs will never be fat enough to reach the butcher, and will be kept on to carry on the flock, "and that they will ' certainly have inferior fleeces. As a matter of fact, they have been bred for' the butcher instead of the breeding flock, and have not only' failed to fatten themselves, but remain to pass on this tendency to their offspring. Any farmer who carries a. Breeding flock of grade ewes should never sell a hoof untl' he has selected all the ewe lambs he requires to keep up his numbers. In selecting his ewes- he will be well advised to select nothing" but thoroughly sound 1 and- healthy aheep. In. working a purebred flock there may be perfectly valid reasons for retaining old ewes, but in the ordinary Sock it. is ■wiser not to retain any crossbred ewe after her third lamb — that is to say, a full-mouthed sheep. After that age, m order to dip a full fleece, special pasture is required- The sheep are sold before deterioration seter in ; full value is obtained and the standard flock is kept young. These cast ewes are not by any means played out — in fact, they are just exactly what the small farmer wants for breeding a. few lambs for early market, and fattening them and their mothers off. They are more likely to give- him .a large percentage of lambs than younger sheep, and, if well selected, make grand, mothers. . Bui _in order' to carry a fuIL fleece, the. breeding flock must be kept young. The usual method of- running all the rams and ewes together may be -.good if ,the selection on both "sides has been rigid, but flock rams have good points and deficiencies. Simi-TWi-ij^ -fcli-a ewes wigVj-.' lj&_ <slas&&&. with gome oßataeteristic peculiarity in. common. Where it is. possible tfie division of the flock into sections when mating. lends itself to improveirent, and enables the owner to get greater service* from his rams without, the c&«Bce- of i*»«i* beine hMf lulled in- tbas

process. It enables the flock-owner to breed better and more uniform lambs, and if he desires it to record their breeding. With greater care in classing out the ewe 3 in this way -and selecting rams, which will make up" any deficiency in the ewe flock, an evener fleece will be obtained, and a better price got for the clip. The amount of Iceep involved does not vary, but the account sales may- *be considerably supplemented by care in selection.

There is no more suitable time than immediately before and after Implore the woof sales to review i the Fleece. our year's work in growing I wool, and to determine whether we have exhausted- the possibilities with the knowledge at our command to secure the- greatest profit that, can be earned. We have had an opportunity of examining and comparing our product with that of other flockmasters exposed in" the saleroom, we have noted the price received for each lot, and subsequently had an opportunity of closer examination with the value realised in hand. This may explain why our neighbour has secured perhaps Id per Lb more than we have. Our flockmasters have had no difficulty during the last two or three years in making the production of wool pay handsomely. They have been securing such high prices for their wool, mutton, and lamb that Id 1 or 2d per lb shortage in wool value does not appeal as strongly as it did when the highest price offering was 6d for fine halfbred. The tendency is to get careless in breeding instead of taking greater care by selection to improve the- fleece. It requires careful management over a number of years to secure a lot of. evenly-woolled high-class ewes, and ix> keep them true to type. Complaints reach us now and again of too much jute and vegetable matter in the wool, and anyone who by careless farming and manipulation allows that to occur certainly does not do all he ought to secure the highest value" for his wool, which- forms a very considerable portion of the income derived from sheep. There ■is room forimprovement ia the manner in which the clip is prepared for market, but there is also room for care in breeding an even fleece and an approved, type. Our Agricultural Society might do worse than encourage farmers to breed with greater care, and get up their wool better for sale. Prizes might be given for* individual fleeces, as at present, * and, -in -addition, for the clip best nrepared for market. This would prove an instructive award to any breeder anxious to improve his work. The published award and reasons for giving the same, made by a practical wool buyer fully acquainted with his business, would 1 provide a valuable lesson, and help to improve the grower's income. Indifference as to how the wool is prepared for market or as- to what quality is grown is a national loss. There is no set of buyers who differentiate between the qualities on offer so rapidly a^s the wool buyers. Anyone breeding with care and turning out "a first-class article may be assured of receiving proporI tipnate value contingent on the equality of his wool The improvement he is able, to effect annually will be found monay to j him.

"Of all the securities banked in the human brain no security has aThe greater multiplying power Bonliaff than that of cheerfulness." Tournament. Professor Bickford_ might -■ hav.e- been witnessing- the ecene on any of the city greens during^ last week when he penned those words. Nearly 400 bowlers bent on having a real good time and enjoying themselves socially for a whole week exhibit their cheerfulness in many ways. The atmosphere on. the gieen and, in meeting assembled, ia ■ charged with human, electricity : it tnigles in the handshake of goodwill and charity, it . vibrates in the- "chaff" flung about promiscuously, it ripples in the laughter so frequently heard, and it shimmera- in the sedate smile of the weary business man seeking for a time to forget his ledgers. Bowling must be- crowned king of all games when its votaries- are so numerous : its democratic nature eels it on c throne. The cheerful bowler, whatever his rank, is welcomed anywhere and everywhere a green exists. "Actions speak louder than, words," and in the case of bowlers "mat* to. man the 1 world, o'er will brithera be and. a.' that." The morality of the green, generally speaking, cannot be taken- exception, to- The representative of the centre who was sent, out to a recent opening, of a new green preached us a. sermon on clean sport and keeping, the game free from the influence of the betting ring and. the drinking saloon. The. first person, T met at that opening was a. minister of the Presbyterian Church.; <*the next three- I shook hands, with, were elders from a neighbouring' congregation; when another elder opened the green it looked at first as iP we had" struck a "pro re nata." meeting- of 1 the Presbytery ; but when the good" lady who had: honoured the club- in question' by* becoming v its president for the first yearr of its- existence ■asked one to take a. hand' in the opening ceremony, which my modesfiy lurfoTttmatels-pirero^ntfed-' me fronr doing, all" doubt in- the- matter were set. aside, and' without loafr of time skips- were selected and* drawn- for places. So long as bowling is countenanced and lsupported* by such men there, is- no- ques*ionv will ffcurisb. a» it shouldi

Any country district where 30 or 4-0 members can be gathered together from a treasonable distance would* derive much pleasure for themselves and those connected with them by- establishing a 'bowling green in their midst. The old German, saying "that only a God and a brute can dwell in •solitude"' must "be generally appreciated: Men and women are- all' the better for congenial -companionship. It ;s; s also a mistaken idea for • young" peopla to isolate themselves, even, if they wish, to live a retired life : a- few agreeable friends should' be' cultivated, and few Better opportunities_ present themselves than a weekly picnic on the bowling- green, on. match> days. This is somewhat of a digression from- my usual : notes-,. But the fact that tEeT© are- plenty of farmers keen devotees of'the pleasures of bowling is sufficient ezouse for this slight lapse from matters purely agricultural. It ia very amusing sometimes when travelling by train in and out- of AdTisiag town to hear various town the occupants of- the smoking Farmer. carriage discussing the condition of agriculture in the country, and holding forth learnedly on the shortcomings of. the farmer and what they would do in his place v It is amazing to witness the amount of knowledge of agriculture possessed by these people, who never threw a leg over a horse in their lives, and would run away from a dairy cow. The only association they have ever had with a- farm is the receipt of their daily milk supply. If a farmer went into their offices in town and laid down the la.wfrom his point of view about their > business he would probably get locked- up ac a lunatic or kicked out for his pains. Every Tom; Dick, and Harry assumes the right to teach the farmer his business. Fortunately, these observations have no more -effect upon- him- than water has on a duck's back. Ido not hold a brief^ for the"faraier, but I know 1 that if 'he is to be successful on his farm he requires a considerable amount 01 training and experience, and the presumption is that he has Had that training when- he is -occupying s land, and consequently knows what he is about. It is no wonder he kicks a bit. at times when men of all professions dictate to him ; but sometimes these /exceedingly clever instructors take up. farming themselves, and invariably make a mess of it. If the farmer -cannot make a living he has himself to thank for it; if he can he is doing as'ovell as anybody else, and his position is not improved, by gratuitous advice.^ A moment's consideration should make, it plain to tnese novices that in nine casee out of ten they are

endeavouring to teach a. .professional man how to do that work in which he is already expert.

TO CORRESPONDENT.

B.eply to "Long Subscriber." — The common buttercup is> so bitter in taste that cows take very little of it, but when forced by stai'vattion to eat large quanta ties in a green state it taints the milk. The probability is that a large proportion of these plants in the hayc would also have that tendency; but a moderate mixture of

the plant in the hay with other herbage

is advantageous — their acridity is lost in drying; an<s they act as a. condiment. Some of the ranunculus family, to which the buttercup belongs, are poisonous to cattle, but your stock would have, to eat large quantities- off them before they would- be" affected- in that way. You may conclude, if it IB- the common meadow buttercup you have and the hay is only portion > of the- ration given, that your cows will thriveon it. If' there is any doubt' aboufc. the variety you had' better send in. a sample

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