NOTES ON RURAL TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2861, 13 January 1909, Page 7

NOTES ON RURAL TOPICS.

According to the Journal of the English Board of Agriculture, a Tests of 3f angtl considerable amount of atV»rietie». tention has lately been - ' devoted in England to determining the most profitable kind of mangel to grow. The results of a - trial conducted by the Esssx Education Committee showed that, under similar conditions- of soil and treatment, yellow globe mangels jt« a yield of 27 tone per aero, long red mangels 25$ tons, and golden tankard mangels 231 tons. In point ot quality, however — which, whether valued on dry matter or sugar content, was, according to the report, decidedly poor — the3e placings were very 6trikingly reversed. Thus, calculating the dry matter and sugar per acre, long reds claimed first place with an average yield of 3 tons dry matter and 1 ton Bcwt sugar; yellow globe produced 2 tons lOcwt dry matter and 1 ton 3cwt 6Ugar ; and golden tankards 2 tons lOcwt dry matter and 1 ton 2cwt sugar. The results here obtained suggest the following problem, which has been engaging the attention of the experimentalists on the trial grounds in connection with the Cambridge University School of Agriculture, and which, in a brief account of the points that have been so far brought out, is stated In these terms: — "While it has been ascertained by analysis that the long Ted mangel contains more dry matter on the average il^an the yellow globe, is the feeding quality of the mangel in direct proportion, to the percentage of dry matter which the roots contain? If, for example, yellow globe mangels contain 10 per cent, of dry matter and long reds 12 per cent., is a 30-ton crop of the latter worth ac 'much to the feeder as a 36-ton crop of the former?" In order lto_ secure information on the point here raised, & series of nine experiments have been carried out by the college authorities at various centres during the past four years. So far it is coiw^ered unwice to tabulate any very definite conclusions, but

1 the results or die trials up to the present furiiiali strong evidence to show tbal long i reel mangels are superior to yellow globes • for the purpose of fattening full-grown ] cattle; but that j-eliow glebe mangeU, > although containing a emaller percentage 1 of dry master than long reds, are equal, ■ or e\en superior, to the latter fox the purpos3* of fattening yearling cattle or for > feeding store stock. For these latter pur- • j poses, the report adds, the dry matter jof ; the yellow mangel, probably because of the ' higher percentage of nitrogenous substance . which it contain?, is apparently better : j adapted than the dry matter of the long • red variety. A writer to the Witness has kindly for- ; warded the following infestroyiug tr-restinsr article on destroySoil Pests. ing soil pests in winter, 1 copied from a Scottish ; journal, which deals with -the new 1 boil fumiganfc and fertiliser "Apterite," and states that ''no one will cultivate ; j land for long without learning that " little can be done <o prevent irreparable damage or to exterminate pests while the soil is under crop. It is when lying fallow or vacant in winter that perfect facilities are afforded for making a clean sweep of all depiedators, and during winter is the time to see about their extermination. That the subject is one of wide and i exceeding interest frequent proof has been j received. The multitude of inquiries made from readers of this journal is most pleasing, and since .mentioning 'Apteritc ' 6ome weeks ago as a champion pest excluder, | correspondence shows how intensely in- ; teresting is the subject." The writer of the | article further says : "I am exceedingly glad that cultivators are so briskly alive to the importance of the matter, as I am fully convinced that pest-free soil is the greatest aid to bountiful and perfect returns that anyone may meet with. We may drain, cultivate to extremes, manure up to th-e hilt, and sow and plant the best .=eeds, but where pests abound success is impossible. Their exclusion ia of all thing's the most desired. There have been innumerable liquids and substances cent under the pretension of being absolute exterminators, but none have really proved so, and, without repeating what I have l~re> iouslj- stated, I can assure my- correspondents that I have the utmost faith, acquired by my own handlings of 'Apterite.' One of the latest good results was. in dressing a field of cabbage. The moist weather experienced, at the time induced crowds of snails, which started eating the crop* voraciously. A dusting of 'Apterito' was applied, which effectually checked the damage that was being done." If this grub-destroyer proves to be as successful as claimed, there h no doubt that considerable benefit will be derived from its use. and fanners in the meantime throughout the country will await with interest tho r^-,ult of further trials with this exterminator which are now being made in Greai Britain. Captain A. W. Pearse, of the Pastoralisls' Review, who has recently Refrictralion returned to Australia, was Conference, the representative of six New Zealand, five Australian, and two South American meat companies at the Refrigeration Conference held in Pari-> lately. The conference was, he says, attended by 2SOO delegates, and a resolution was unanimously passed that the disabilities should be removed from the introduction of frozen prcduce into Francs, e\ei the Frenchmen on the committee I \oting for the resolution. Captain Pcar.^e states that this i*, the tnin edge of a most desirable wedge, as the cost of living in France is very high, and the meat consumed very second-rate. There seems to be a large consumption of meat, however, a great amount of which is hoise flesh. In j his opinion, there is no doubt that the , opening of the doors to frozen meat in i France should bo a eplendid thing for Australia and Xew Zealand. There is the possibility, of ccui'ce, that the Argentin might capture most of the French trade ; but that would tend to remove che rivalry of that country for the trade of Great 1 Britain At the present time the competition of che Argentine is to be met in Ciieat Britain, and she is beating Australia e\ery time. Captain P ear-so states, however, that if tariff reform is brought about — a contingency not quite lukely — it is expected that a tax of id per lb will be laid on meat from the Argentin3 as against that from the British colonies. This would make all the difference between contracts ( coming to Australia or going to {South America. It is understood that tho next conference is to meet in Vienna in Ociober, 191 G. There is a well-known saying that "good fences makes good neighGood bours," and, in many cases, Fences. this has been proved to be true. The gauge for a good wire fence is often the subject of discussion amongst farmers and fheep-owner-, and it Ls surprising how few bettlcrs have any very definite or fixed ideas as to what is a gocd fence, or, if their idea*, are good, they not infrequently fail to carry out the necss6ary details to ensure a good fonce being erected. It js net an uncommon sight lo e-3c mixes of ne.v fencing put up wnh the beat and ruoi-t expenshe matciiol, and

the spacing between the wires altogether Avrong for a sheep-proof fence. Some landowners claim that a permanent fence to be thoroughly sheep-proof should not have less than eight wires ; but this seems to be unnecessary expense, for, with posta spaced about 18ft apart, and with the wires well and tightly strained, a cheep or lamb would have to be very clever and knowing to get through, provided, of course, that the wire? are properly spaced. An illustration of a. good practical gauge, which has proved to be a really reliable fence for sheep and cattle, is shown below. From the sketch it will be seen that the fence consists of 6ix plain and one barbed wire on top. giving a total height of 3ft 9in from the ground, which is sufficient to comply with the provisions of the Fencing Act as a legal fence. Provided that the posts are well sunk and rammed, the wires well strained, with a distance of not less, if possible, than 10 to 15 chains between each straining post, and the battens well stapled on between each post, the fence should prove to be absolutely secure for oattle or sheep, and, what is most important, comparatively cheap to erect/

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