NOTES ON RURAL TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2935, 15 June 1910, Page 6

NOTES ON RURAL TOPICS.

The Midland Agricultural and Dairy College, Derby, has given some

Mann ring Pastnrfg for Milk.

interesting particulars of experiments recently carried out in manuring pastures. The investigation is unusual

in that the effects of the manures were tested by the influence on the yield of milk from the cows grazed on the experimental plots. The method carried out was that of measuring the influences of manures by the increase on the animals occupying the pastures, the milk yield being the determining factor. In order to make the conditions as uniform as possible, the two lots of cows changed pastures fortnightly, a proceeding which eliminated the individual element, though it possessed the disadvantage that a cow is not so prompt to respond with an increase in milk as she is with a. reduction. Dairy-farmers know how difficult it is to induce an increase in the yield after there has been a falling off. whatever the cause of the latter. The results of the experiments are interesting and instructive. The two plots of four acres each received a dressing of lOcwt per acre of ground lime on April 10 (equal to October here), and two days later 4cwt superphosphate and liewt sulphate of potash per acre were applied, the pasture previously having been of an inferior nature. The artificial manures soon gave evidence of their beneficent influence by increasing the yield of grass and the proportion of clover and finer grasses. The difference was so marked that half-way through the experimental period the four acres that received the manures were able to carry an extra row without stinting the other two. The figures show a distinct advantage due to the manures, the milk records of the indi-

victual animals varying with unmistakable consistency, falling when the cows were on the unmanured plot and (except in two instances) rising when they were returned to the finer herbage on the manured land. The financial results show a clear advantage for the manured plot. The manure cost 29s per acre',, and, including the yield of the third cow grazed for part of the time, there was a gain of 84 gallons of milk per acre as a set-off. This increase was obtained at a. cost of 4j.d per gallon, or, had it been sold at 6d per gallon, there would have been a. net profit of 15s per acre, or, at 8d per gallon, of 275. Th© quality of the milk does not appear to have been appreciably affected, but so far as the lessons can be interpreted, the economy of judicious artificial manuring seems to be clearly established. An instructive address was recently given

Milk and Infection.

by Professor J. A. Gilruth, of the Melbourne University. on the mammary gland of the cow and some of its

diseases. In the course of his address Professor Gilruth said that evidence showed that tuberculosis was transmitted to human beings and to pigs and; calves in milk from cows suffering from this disease, even when there was no appearance of it in the udder Cancer was rarely found in the mammary glands of cows. Scarlatina and typhoid did not attack dairy cattle. Milk, however, carried the germs of typhoid readily, but they were invariably transmitted to the milk by persons suffering from the disease. This showed the extreme care necesary on the part of attendants in the dairy and on the farm for preserving milk from contamination. In reply to questions. Professor Gilruth said that a safeguard against the transmission of tuberculous germs in milk was heating it to a temperature of 180 deg to 190 deg for 15 minutes; or raising it to the scalding point, and keeping it at that as long as practicable. These methods would be fairly sure of killing germs. Personally, however, he preferred milk uncontaminated, and in its natural condition. He had no faith in, the use of dilating instruments for making “tough” cows milk more freely. If dilation of the teats had to bo secured, it would be better to introduce syphons of gradually increasing diameter. The normal percentage of butterfat in a cow’s milk could not be appreciably increased by feeding. He was in favour of dehorning, and if he owned a dairy herd he would dehorn all the cows. These remarks, coming from Professor Gilruth, who was so long and favourably known in this Dominion as head of the veterinary branch of the Department of Agriculture, will be read with interest by many farmers in New Zealand. Some good advicei was recently given by a practical farmer during an

Finish What Ton Have in Hand.

address to a farmers’ club in Michigan, U.S.A. The speaker said that in a little

farmers’ account book published long ago appeared the motto, “Finish what you have in hand” —an excellent motto for the farmer and every man. While in a. few cases benefit will be derived from a partially completed task, as. for instance, a course of study, or a half-roofed building, more often the half-finished work had bettor never have been begun, as all the energy and labour and material used are wasted if the work is not completed. Instances of undertakings begun and never finished are not rare, and they often remain a long time as reminders of the folly of their projectors. The farmer, said the speaker, is not exempt from this danger, and should ba careful not to undertake more than he can well perform; and not to undertake anything without carefully counting the cost and the value of the expected results. In this connection let us ask how many sit down and carefully figure out the number of days’ work it will probably require to properly produce and care for a proposed crop, and determine whether they have the needed time, before beginning the work. But when once begun, then finish at all hazards, else the labour and effort already expended are partially or wholly lost. Another occasion “to r ' ;ish what one has in hand’ is found wit c oany who waste time and energy by Sitting from one task to another when there is no real need. This is_ not to say that one should always remain by a particular task until it is complete, for often, this is impossible because of the weather- and other conditions, and often a specially favourable time apnears for the performance of some need's,:l work, and other tasks should be left and the opportunity improved. But always the abandoned work should be returned to as opportunity offers until it is completed. Another essential to success _ on the_ farm is being on time; doing all

Be Up to Time.

work in its proper season, or when it should be done.

It would be difficult to name any one thing that is the cause of so much loss of time to farmers as a whole, as thus much. of our work is don© at a time not just best. It is just as much work—usually moi’©, —but the results are not so good. Crops ar© put in a little late and the yield is lessened, the crop becomes a little too ripe, and th© bay is nob so good. Timeliness is essential in th© care of stock. It is generally a safe rule to give attention at once when needed). On too many farms the stock is neglected during the busy season, much to their detriment. It is not only the most profitable way, but humanity demands that constant attention be given to' the comfort and needs of th© animals dependent upon us. The farmer who succeeds in doing all work at the right time gives evidence of possessing a prompt, energetic, decisive character, and must be much better satisfied with himself than he who is always driven by his work. Good management involves a constant effort to stop th© There ar© wastes of time, of labour, of material, of manure, or minor produce that cannot be secured when at their best. The loss by each is considerable, but, combined, th© total amounts to no small item. Whatever is worth doing is worth doing well, because things half-done are seldom satisfactory, and not infrequently have to be done over again. Th© farmer more than almost any other man must do things in advance of thc< time when they must be done. Needs must be seen in advance and met before they come, otherwise h© will often find himself so crowded with work that requires immediate attention that it may be impossible to do nil properly or when it should be done. He will be constantly annoyed

and his attention diverted by calls to attend to this or that, which should have been done long ago, and the following advice by an American judge is sound and to the point“ Above most work labour on the farm is subject to being anticipated, and above most work it has its reasons for crowding when some part of it is certain to be neglected. If all work is left until it becomes insistent, then of very necessity much of it will ba only half-done, and this is the condition of nine farms out of ten in the States.” This is good counsel, and applies equally to many cultivators of the soil in this Dominion. AGRICOLA.