NOTES ON RURAL TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3016, 3 January 1912, Page 15

NOTES ON RURAL TOPICS.

Tho persistent rain* of the past two months have prevented farm work from proceeding in its usual course in tho south, but only supplied what both crops and land needed locally, while further north in the South Island the farmers have uteo been deluged with overmuch rain. The routine of farm work foi January deals mainly with the turnip crop and the hay crop, and tho overhauling ot machinery for tho approaching harvest must not be neglected. The prospects for the coming harvest are not too good. There has been so much wet, cold weather that growth has been somewhat slow, and the grub has played havoc with a good deal of earlier-sown grain, and it is too much to expect that the general average vield of cither wheat or oats will be high. In January the horse work is not of a strenuous nature. Thinning

Farm Wo k for January.

Turnips.

will soon bo over, and the drill grubbers will be kept

going in the drills as long as a horse cun got a passage through them. this loosening of the ground stimulates tho roots of the plant, and provides more root space by keeping down weeds. Late sowings will still be made of tho earlier varieties, and although growth generally has been slow and irregular in the case oi turnips, there is lots of time for recovery if we get some summer weather. Mangolcb, carrots, and potatoes are now well forward, and pretty well covering the ground. If any of them require stimulating after all the'cold weather tills may b© done on tho surface just as well as in the drill. If potatoes have been sprayed they may bo top-drcesod after hand hoeing and before tho final earthing up. The hay crop does not appear to build up heavily this year, and will require good curing. The watery nature of tho grass will need some sun before it can bo successfully dealt with, and the claims of ensilage might be seriously weighed in the balance. Weeds —lt lias been almost impossible to get into the drills this year; but no chance should be l«st. All the large weeds should be spaded out before seeding, and the formation of burs, which got into the wool and reduo© its value. Bare Fallows.—When bare fallows are necessary advantage is taken of the dry weather this month to cross-plough and scarify. Weeds are collected and burnt, or a flock of sheep may bo turned on to clean thorn up if tho ground will carry them. The system of bare-fallowing has not much I to commend it, unless tho circumstances are very special. This Is particularly the case on light soils which drain easily. A continuous covering crop of any kind prevents tho loss of nitrogen from the ground, and with judicious manuring to force the growth, is much more profitable. Lambs are weaned towards the end of the month or during the first week in February. This leaves the ewes seven or eight weeks to pull themselves together before the rams are sent out. They should not bo put on succulent food immediately after weaning till the milk dries up Dairy worlc will now be in fnll swing and cows in full profit. They have not reoovorod from getting iun down in oondi-

(ion last year yet, and provision for April next, if not attended to already, should bo attended to at once. Oats and. vetches can hardly be beaten for this purpose, and an abundant supply of good clover bay, which will be found much superior to ryegrass hay for milk-producing purposes. In reference to cow-testing asociations, tho annual report of Mr

Cowtesting.

Cuddie, head of the Dairying Division of the Department of Agriculture, states

that the movement in this direction has warranted is inception, and he is quite satisfied that the system will justify its extension to the dairying districts. Begun in the North Island under the supervision of the officers of the department, who demonstrated its economic value, individual cow-testing has caught on, and quite a number of the several associations have cooperated vary well with the officers of the department, and the work now goes on smoothly. The majority of tho dairymen have carried out their portion of the work creditably, and are rapidly becoming enthusiastic as to the benefits to bo derived from tho expenditure involved. It is stated that a northern Dairy Company has been so impressed with the advantages accruing from cow-testing that it has started an association on its own account without official assistance, and, judging by present indications, it would appear that more associations will bo started next season on the basis of each movement being self-supporting. Progressive dairymen are realising that this co-operative cow-testing movement is a payable investment and a necessary adjunct to successful dairying. Thanks to the demonstrations given by the

Department of Agriculture, tho system of pasteurisation during tho past year has been introduced into 70 cheese factories and 28

Pmteurh atlon of Factory By-products.

creameries, and has been attended with gratifying success. The work at Glen Oroua is still going on under official direction, and 3437 gallons of milk per day were treated at the height of the The milk war. delivered from the pasteuriser at tho rate of 1250 gallons per hour. The very strictest attention was paid to keeping the milk at the correct temperature of 176d?g, and it was rarely allowed to fall below that height. Tho destruction of disease germs in the milk has increased its value as a pig food, and farmers who have used it claim that stock thrives better on it than on milk not so treated. It has, however, seme drawbacks, one of which is handling in its hot state, and some cooling system will be necessary, and another drawback is that the system will require increased boiler-power. Many of the factories run on a close margin of power, and the alteration becomes expensive; but the issues arc important, and it is well worth the increased outlay—in fact, tho increased outlay is a necessity in self-preservation, as it is the only moans of keeping up the supply of healthy cows. It is (dated that this difficulty in many cases is likely to be overcome as tho result of several new machines being placed on the market. With whey th© cost of pasteurisation is lower, and it can be treated in a simpler manner. All factory directors pow realise the necessity far pasteurisation, and Mr Cuddie thinks that a largo majority of tho dairy companies 'will be pasteurising their by-pro-ducts during the earning season. At any late, he is more than pleased with the progress that has been made in this direction. At a meeting of the council of the Central and Associated Cliam-

Condeuaed Milk.

hers of Agriculture in Irondon the regulations in

regard to tho manufacture of condensed milk were considered. It was suggested that there should bo an implied contract between the seller and tho local authority that such milk should contain at least 3 per cent, of milk fat and 8.5 per cent, of solids not fat. A committee of the council had previously reported that every tin of condensed machine-skimmed milk should have printed across it in large type the label. ” Unfit for invalids and infants,” and proceeded to point out that this resolution was forwarded to the Local Government Board, and immediately afterwards the Minister directed an inquiry, the result of which corroborated previous adverse reports, and endorsed the council's resolution. Tho suggestion that new regulations bo made was strongly opposed, as they aimed at an absolute standard for the safe of an article which could not be established by cast iron rules. But tho inquiry has don© gcod in that it has drawn irointed attention to the danger of feeding infants on food entirely unfitted for them. Attention was also drawn to tho point that if a fixed standard was set for milk it would have to refer to all milk, and instead of the usual supplies being standardised up, its butter-fat content would be reduced to a sot standard, and a lower quality of milk supplied to the public. What a wonderful variety of Christmas toys children have the

Xros* Toys and Dinners.

privilege of selecting from nowadays! A few years' ago they considered themselves

lucky if they got 6d or Is to spend at Christmas time; but now tho aesthetic taste may bo gratified to the extent of seven or eight guineas. Then there is tho trades-

man’s boy, Who hands in a printed card with his order, “ Please remember tho boy’s Christmas.” The domestics must have a Christmas box as well as their fortnight's holiday, and all relatives and friends cannot be forgotten. The provision of tho Christmas dinner is a most serious matter, involving several trips to tho shops, and the success of the day largely depends on the abilities of the cook. This is rather a mortifying admission to have to make, yet none the less it is a (get that everyone expects a good dinner on Christmas Day, and great trouble arises when the oven will not heat properly or the turkey is only half cooked. It is a hackneyed phrase that the straightent way to a man’s heart is down his threat; but there is a good deal of truth in it, and the happiness of a lifetime may depend on proriding him regularly with digestible fcod. In these days of slipshod and high-minded domestic service, the possession of a fair amount of culinary skill is an absolute necessity in any girl’s education. AGRICOLA.