SOUTHLAND AGRICULTURAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, 1 June 1910, Page 20

SOUTHLAND AGRICULTURAL NOTES.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) Farmers have little to complain about so far as regards weather, which is unusually mild for this season of the year. There has only been a comparatively small rainfall during the nresent month, and practically no frost. Could the weather have been, ordered it could not have been better from a farmer's point of view. The result is that ploughing- is well advanced, and turnips are being conserved. "What is rather unusual for this time of year is the areas of potatoes yet undug. Never do I remember seeing so many fields of potatoes untouched at the end of May as is to be seen this year. This is difficult to account for, but must, I think, be attributed in some measure to the state of the markets. Farmers find that it adds to the cost considerably to have to pit potatoes, and subsequently having to bag them. The price offering for potatoes in April was not sufficiently attractive to induce growers to sell, and as there was a possibility of the market improving, they wisely refrained from digging. During the past week a good many farmers have been busy lifting tubers, as a large proportion have sold prior to digging, and are required to give delivery in a fortnight's time. I know of four farmers, who have a hund,red: acres between them, who have disposed of their season's crop under these conditions. The crops generally are turning out fairly well: quite up to expectations in the matter of yield, and, one might almost say, free from disease. It is true one does see traces of blight in some crops, but it is so slight as not to be worth considering.

The Weather and tiie Month's Work.

The principal topic of conversation amongst farmers during the past six weeks- or two months has been noxious weeds. Every country sitting of the Magistrate's Court sees a batch of farmers hailed before the S.M. on a charge of failing to cut Californian thistles at tihe proper season of the year, to the satisfaction of the inspector. In nearly every instance fines have been inflicted, but the magistrate (Mr G. Cruickshank) invariably takes a very common-sense view, and his action generally has met with the approval of inspector and farmer alike. The fines recorded have mostly been for a nominal sum, rarely exceeding £2. The department, however, seems determined to enforce the penal clauses of the act, and in' doing eo they are to be sympathised with. The evidence given by the inspectors shows that in the majority of instances they sympathise with the landowner, but at the same time recognise that they have a duty to perform to the department. The present season has been a particularly unfortunate one for the landowner whose property was infested with thistles. Anyone who has anything to do with this pest knows that if out too early in the season it will flower in the late -autumn, and will require to get attention a second time. This is much too costly for almost any farmer. The result is that the cutting and mowing process is delayed as late in the season as (possible, so as to avoid the necessity of a second cutting. This arrangement worked out unfortunately this season, as, owing to the hot, dry weather which prevailed during January, the ripening of the grain crops wae unduly hastened, and harvesting w'as fully a fortnight earlier than it was the previous year, notwithstanding the fact that the spring had been late. This meant that thistle-cutting, which had been commenced before the binders were taken out of the shed, had to be temporarily postponed pending the cutting and carting in of the grain crops. By the time thistle-cutting had been resumed the heads were ripe and the down blowing, which, of course, constituted an offence within the meaning of the act. Farmers, too, .are year by year finding a greater difficulty in securing the necessary labour to cope with the pest, as the generality of men have an abhorrence of thistle-cutting. For ray own part I would (preferably put in eight hours in a ditch than six cutting thistles _ with a hook. Large areas of the thistle-infested country in Southland is dried river-bed or worked-out sawmill areas, and these classes of land are especially difficult' to cope with. A suggestion has been made that the former, particularly, should be exempt from the operation of the act, and there is HO gainsaying the fact that the idea has a great deal to recommend it. Should the suggestion be given effect to it will re* quire to be ver-y carefully wordetl in the amending act, otherwise I am afraid there are some landowners who would take a4,f vantage of the exemption to the exteflt of nac'lectine to out 'thistles *ti ground

Californian Thistles.

which had the semblance of being rough on the surface.

The methods of breeding and feeding in Jersey is tho subject of a report by tho United States Department of Agriculture. With land for agriculture rented at from £8 to £l4- per acre, the people have been compelled to adopt a very intensified- system of farming. The farms are small, and the most important crop is early potatoes, which are grown for export. Beef animals are not produced' at all. The Jersey cattle predominate, almost to the exclusion of all others. Formerly it was the prevailing custom to have the cows calve in the spring of the year, but now they calve at all periods. So far as breeding stock is concerned, great care is exercised to avoid the over feeding of young animals. The amount of concentrated food given them is very limited, and much dependence 's put on roughage (hay and straw) in winter, w r hils grass constitutes the entire summer ration. Calves are usually on a. ration of whole milk for the first three weeks, after which time it is gradually replaced by skim-milk, while some farmers raise their calves entirely on skim-milk and grass. Others, however, give grain as well. Good results are reported from the use of rice at this time, some farmers feeding nothing but boiled rice gruel. The best practice is to boil one quart of rice to two gallons! of water, which furnishes enough to add to the skim-milk for two feeds for four calves of about four months old. If tho rice has not been previously soaked, it is boiled 10 hours, but if soaked for 12 hours it oan be boiled sufficiently in one hour and a-half. This is a cheap food, costing about $d a lb. As a rule bulls are owneci and maintained by a few of the larger farmers, who receive Government premiums for each bull of merit, provided that the services of such a sire can be had by the smaller farmers at a fixed and very l-eason-able fee. This subsidised system is said to work well.

Jersey Cattle Breeding.