NOTES ON RURAL TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3017, 10 January 1912, Page 14

NOTES ON RURAL TOPICS.

Tho grain crops as a rule from one end of this country to tho Ain ro other are looking well; but Winter Food, such reports as the following are too frequent:— “Farmers in tho Western District are getting anxious about tho turnip crop, which, owing to the continuance of wet weather, it is impossible to get in. Fields prepared some weeks ago are now literally covered with sorrel.’’ Green-top yellow and purpletop yellow turnips may still be put in with every chance of growing into useful crops, and the soft varieties may be utilised long after there is any hope of tho green-tope doing well. Tho mammoth purple-top and Devonshire grevstono are about the best of them, and they yield an abundance of valuable nutriment, which, however, will not keep after it has matured like the green-top, but ought to help to fill a gap in a difficult season. Tho success of late crops depends mainly on tho season experienced and tho growth made before the frost begins. In any of thorn the growth may or may not l:o good ; ft< r that. Unfortunately, there is no other cron which docs so well in Southland as the turnip; but the position may bo fortified by growing some suitable fodder to supply the expected deficiency. There is a wido range of them for the purpose, and the selection made will depend on the class of stock carried. Such arrangements may still bo made that tho usual number of winter stock fattened will not be reduced, and the land and future crops will got tho benefit of tho manure resulting. Sometimes the importance of this point is not appreciated so much as it deserves to be. Tho whole thing hangs together like clockwork, and short stock fattened will mean short crops reaped later on. The green and fodder crops must be turned to some purpose, end f d along with tho hay and straw to maintain the profitable routine of the rotation.

In some respects high prioss.for hay and straw and oats militate atrainst keeping np the fertility cf the soil to the proper mark. When highlypayable prices are current the temptation to" realise is too strong to resist, and crops are converted into money, which should, first of all. have been converted into manure for the benefit of iho farm, even if no additional immediate return is thereby secured. Short crops of fodder and partial failures of the turnip crop make it impracticable to keep full •winter stocks, and lead to such high prices that produce available is sold instead of l>oing fed on the farm. Farmers justify

Things arn \ot Always What They Seem.

this course by determining to replace - crop removed by the purchase of artilicia manure, or simply pocket the money wit out considering the manner in which they are treating their farms. But this will be found to be a suicidal policy eventually ; and tho carrying capacity of the soil will suffer. There is far too much of this carpet-bagging done in New Zealand. As soon as a property gets worth a few pounds more than was given for it, a change is made, and the process attempted elsewhere. More stability and hotter farming would accrue from a more earnest consideration of tho needs of tho farm. The experienced farmer has groat faith in the emcacy of farmyard manure, and although scientific writers may show that all the ingredients of farmyard manure may bo supplied in a much mere concentrated state, the practical farmer knows better than that, and swears by his own experience and observation. His experience teccnes him that the desired psysical conditon of the ©oil is only imparted by farmyard manure, and that there is and can be no comparison between - tho two. He rightly regards with serious misgiving any system which reduces tho midden heap to small proportions, or, what i-9 its equivalent, reduces the amount of stock carried on the farm summer and winter.

When £l2 an acre is offered for swedes and £5 a ton for hay. they

Circunufanres Alter Cases.

arc worth too much for home cor sumption, and it is possible the farmer may be

in such a financial position that the benefit, he would derive from the ersh wcu d nioio than outweigh the loss of the roil by basing such crops removed. If they were fed on his own ground and not removed there would bo no less in this respect. It is not his concern whether the buyer can make money over the transact’on or n't. A buyer is very often not a free agent in the matter. When bo offers prices like that he probably "has fattening stock in hand which ho hopes to carry on to grass, or got a higher price for later on. But ho can always realise if rece.s’tv arises. In the care of the owner of da.'ry cows, which muse bo kept going, or breeding stock of any kind, which must bo kept thriving, their number cannot be reduced w.thout incurring serious sacrifice, and the purchase at high prices of adequate suppliis is more than jus.ified to avoid subsequent loss. AVben taxed with' a short-sighted policy in selling foed stuffs that shoulJ have been available for winter feeding, a farmer remarked: ‘‘lts all very well for peonle to tell us to < o this, that, and the other. It’s the weather that boats ns, and we have t:> do the bc't •WO cun.” When turnips cannot bo got in at all or got n under conditons that go to the heart of the careful farmer, rnd have to take their chance,, such farmers are entitled to sympathy. They have made their calculations carefully, and been repeatedly thwarted by the weather.

According to the law of this country, which is similar to that of Great

The "Water Content ot Butter.

Britain, the maximum quantity of water tiiat pure butter ” may contain is lb

per cent. Any excess over that quantity amounts to adulteration, and at Home is liable to prosecution. All sorts of care is therefore necessary to see that none of that class is allowed to leave our shores. Mr Cuddio found it necessary on this account to prevent some creamery butter being shipped this year, although he found that most of the factory brands exhibited a safe margin. In bis opinion there is absolutely no need or excuse for having as much as 16 per cent, of water in the butter, and in case of factory butter, when it is discovered, it is invariably the result of gross carelessness, and neglect of tho churning temperature and the time of working In home-made dairy butter where no means exist for controiiing the temperature of tho cream, the circumstances are entirely different, and the establishment of a depot in Taranaki for reworking this class of produce has been much appreciated by tho farmers. In the Kingston Etiiry School in Canada an attempt was made to control the water content of butter with the least injury to tho quality, and some of the observations made were as follow: A churn of largo diameter has a tendency to expel more moisture tha?i ono of small diameter. The more nearly tho churn is operated at its full capacity the more moisture its retained, and vice versa. Butter made from rich cream usually contains more moisture than that mado from cream having a smaller fat content. Tho length of time taken to gather the butter into granules of sufficient size after their first appearance affects tho moisture content Tho longer the lime tho less moisture, and the shorter the time the more will the butter retain. Anything, therefore, which affects the length of time in churning at this particular stage will affect the moisture content. High churning temperatures tend to increase the moisture. Additional moisture may be added to the butter by working it in the presence of water. The longer the working, especially at high temperatures, the more is incorporated. In this connection it was found that the maximum amount of 16 per cent, could be incorporated by working tho 1 mttor in water at tho ordinary washing temperature without in anv wav injuring I ho texture and body; while if high temperatures were emploved those qualities of the butter were noariv always adversely affected. It waa found that the amount of salt used had to

ba clianged whon giving butter the foregoing treatment. As all the excess water had been expelled very little salt was loc+t in brine as formerly, and it was possible to incorporate all the salt, and thus havo more perfect control of the percentage of salt it was wished to incorporate.

To grow lucerne successfully requires a soil capable of being culti-

Tjurernfgro iring.

vated to a good depth, thoroughly cleaned, and which i© well clear of the

permanent water level. Its roots penetrate t.o such a depth that if they strike stagnant water the plant will not thrive. And in addition the surface must also bo well drained so that the ground can be worked into a sweet state before attempting to grow lucerne. There io no uso attempting to grow this plant on a sour, water-logged soil, while the'most luxurious growth will ho obtained from porous soils such as loams or gravelly alluvium, yet welldrained clay soils arc producing some of the beet growths of lucerne in the United States. If cultivation for some years is necessary to work the ground into this desirable state, it would bo well repaid, and is worth doing, because a good take of the plant will be serviceable for yeans, and is worth going to a lot of trouble to secure. When worked into a fine state of subdivision a turn with the roller is advisable before cowing to consolidate the ground and get the seed in shallow and at an even depth; 81b to 101 bof high-class seed sown on the flat through the 9in coulters of an ordinary grain drill giv«> an opportunity of weeding with the horse boo if necessary, and if the ground is not quite free from weeds before sowing the plant will soon give place to weeds. In Queensland rns’lngo and lucerne are the standby crops for dry seasons, and they are used along with bush hay—that ie, hay made from the native tall oat grass, which gives an enormous bulk of rough feed. Lucerne is cut for hay before the flower is in full bloom and when the bottom leaf begins to wither and drops off. In dry, hot climates it can bo cured fast, and 1 is not troublesome when handled with dexterity, and will not beat so readily as i\-;1 clover. In such localities it is chaffed for immodiato use the day after it is cut; when used in small farms it is cut one day and chafiVxl the next, and bagged un for uoe through the week following. Such climatic conditions do not exist with us, hut where clover can be worked lucerne can. be as easily saved in hay. Sometimes it heats a little, hut this does little harm beyond making the colour dull; but the horses rather like it in tin’s state. One great advantage possessed by lucerne is that grubs cannot hurt a well-established plant—it is grub free.

It if) of finch vital importance to have clean ground to sow lucerne Clean In« 1 on that a fitart to clean the Necessary. ground has to bo made with the previous crop. If it is well cultivated and manured for or.o green crop, which ha i boon thoroughly weeded and kept clean, it ought to bo in good order the following spring, provided that the ground has been periodically worked after the crop was removed til! the lucerne was sown at the end of November, But if there is anv doubt about th'> land not being sufficiently clean it would be better to grow a. second green crop before attempting to establish this plant. The d'sc and grubber will manage all the weeds that spring up rapidly in Septemlrer and October, and give the tender plant a chance to establish itself. It is a bad weed fighter until it covers the ground, and is very ant to be smothered with weeds, but the extra labour in clearing the ground thoroughly will more than repay itself many times over. As it is verv susceptible to frost, the end of November will he soon enough for sowing it. A small phtch close to the homestead and doing well would have been invaluable any time during the last five years. AGRIOOLA.

tune. The unfavourable season is bound to effect the quantity turned out; but the higher price received will more than compensate the dairymen. And if an equal quantity is sent away a very much better return than last year will result. FEEDING FIRST, TESTING AFTER. A writer in the Weekly Times takes _a different view from that usually accepted in reference to weeding out the “ boarders from the herd, but admits that the full effect of the system becomes apparent when cows are bred from the best milkers. _He says: “Many advocates of the establishment of oow-testinfj associations in New South Wales and Victoria quote the average yield from Danish cows and Australian oowa, and attribute the difference to the result of testing. They were unquestionably wrong. Denmark’s average is just double that of Australia. Breeding Management. — “The average yield of a Danish cow ie over 650 gallons a year, while an Australian cow yields juet a fraction over 300 gallons. But this is not solely or even mainly the result of fe ting—it is the outcome of good breeding and intelligent management. It is as a guide to breeding that tiie records are invaluable. Cow-test-ing associations in Victoria, for instance, are not of themselves going to exert a good influence. The best cow in the world will not yield heavily unless it is well fed, and 60 good feeding must precede testing if Denmark’s example is to be emulated. The benefits of testing arc more marked in a well-fed herd than in one where the animals are half the year on short rations, and figures show that the average on some farms has been increased by 40 or 50 gallons per cow, while tho percentage of butter-fat has also increased. The point is this, that Denmark’s average was Just about double that of Australia before cow-testing was introduced ; but sinoa its introduction, so it is estimated, tho average yield per cow in those herds tho owners of which are members of testing •associations, has increased from 40 to 50 gallons. The full effect of the system becomes apparent when the owner has commenced to breed '-attle selected from hia best milkers, and has had time to reject those that were returning but little profit.” SELECTING COWS BY TEST. I The Victorian Jersey Society is to be congratulated on having taken the first step inwards securing an official and authenticated test of pure cows, so that breeders and buyers may be guided in their purchases or either bulls or cows. It ia to be hoped that the Ayishire-breeders will follow suit, and then all the others come into line. But this is not tho only movement needed to improve the average output of milk. j FROZEN MEAT TRADE. Mr Kidman, the cattle king, says that Australia is gradually losing the frozen moat and butter trade with Canada and the United States. The trade, he adds, is going to New Zealand, which enjoys a tariff advantage under a reciprocal arrange- ; ment. “ New Zealand mutton imported into Sri tain is so good that it can be sold as «e locallv-grown article,” states a Tara- | Iraki resident, just returned from the Old Country. “ But its reputation is spoilt by the inferior frozen meat of the Argentine being palmed off as Prime Now Zealand. If people could bo as n red of getting the pure New Zealand a:tide when they ask tor it, there should be an increased demand and sale, but the present methods will need *to bo altered first.” WEALTH IN SKIMMED MILK. Billiard balls, boxes for handkerchiefs, inkwells, combs, etc., are now made from skimmed milk. Milk ‘tone, or “ galalith,” as it is called, is a combination of skimmed milk and formalin, and is made by a simple process (says fctio Technical World), i The equipment of the maim factory consists of a huge tank, into which the milk is pumped; and connected with this by means of an inclined trough is another tank with a wide, souare opening. Over this opening are placet!, one about 2in above another, three wire sieves, varying in fineness, the lowest one being of very close mesh. From a huge vat into which certain chemicals have been poured tho milk is pumped through short pipes into the first tank mentioned, where, it is threshed about by a glass: paddle for minutes. The bungholo of tho tank is then opened, and what was once milk is forced out bv air pressure ! In the form of a yellowish brown powder. , This is called che-micallv-t: oated ‘‘casein.” and it is sent, down the inclined trough, j through the three sieves, to the second tank, i where it is mixed with the formalin and • Fiourcd out on marble slabs to dry. Tho ! ormalin solidifies the powdered ca'cin, I end forms it into a hornlike substance, 1 which has been given the name of “ gala- J Jith.” Galalith can again bo mixed with !

oftiher substances, and w r orked over into a material which forms a substitute for bone, ivory, celluloid, marble, hard rubber, and oven amber. In Austria something like 100.000 quarts of ekirrwr.ed milk are used daily for the purpose of making galalith. Its great strength allows it to be used in place of stone or marble. NORTH OTAGO. Like most of the South Island, North Otago has experienced too much rain this season, and the crops, which are heavy, are beginning to lodge. They are not nearly ready for cutting yet. but the small birds arc threshing out all the early varieties of oats very severely. Potatoes and green crops are looking well, and promise abundant supplies. In a hurried run through the district it would appear that much of the grass i£ going to waste. Some farmers have got rid of their cows, and now that a good dairying year has come along they do not seem to be able to take advantage of it. If the drought ha« left a trail behind it, jt has also enabled all the laud in cultivation to be thoroughly cleaned, and the good effect of that will be lasting. CENTRAL OTAGO.

All the country from Palmerston through the Kvebum and up tho Maniotcto Plains is looking splendid this season. There’ is any amount of grass, and the sheep are in grand order. Very little shearing has been done yet—most of the sheep were in wool, —and although the large stations are endeavouring to get on with this work, the had weather has prevented them from mak-' ing much progress. There is every indication of a good quality cl’p. perhaps not so heavy in condition aa "last year, but better grown and sounder, and the next return should be much the same as last year if the wool market remains steady. High country sheep have come through the winter in splendid order; but the unfavourable weather experienced at lambing time will affect tho tally of lambs materially. There was a heavy death rate right through tho lambing, many of the lambs perishing on the snow as soon as they were drooped. THE LAKES DISTRICT. Round about Queenstown and Arrowtown on the Grown Terraco the crops arc not so far forward as they are in the Ha woa district, and the feed is backward as compared with the Maniototo district. A colei, inclement spring retarded growth, hut with the warmer weather experienced recently it ie rapidly improving. Tho green crops round Tarras and Hawea Flats tire better than they have been for several years. One runholdcr there has a 300-acro field of broadcast turnips covering the ground. Large numbers of forest trecc are being planted out on Malvern Downs, a portion of the old Morven Hills Station and are growing well. The owner of this property is setting a commendable example to h:s neighbours. Future supplies of tim- j bor will be needed, and the occupation ot waste comoi-s along with the provision of I shelter plantations does much to improve any property. THE AMERICAN RING AT SMITHFIELD. In the trade at Smithfield four out of i every five tons of produce passing through the market is reported to he of colonial or foreign origin. The Americans seem to be nuietlv penetrating into the meat trade, probably with the object of controlling the j market for Australian and Argentine meat. I We therefore have a direct interest in’the 1 vandalism which seeks to alienate this ; time-honoured British institution. One cause of dear food is said to be tho excessive production of gold, but another will 1 not be hard lo find if the Americans get a j controlling influence in the Smithfield mar- | ket And it, will not bo hard to under- i stand whose pockets the money will b ■> i extracted from. Mr W. R. Lawson, tho well-known | financial expert, writing in the Outlookon American trusts in British markets. ; points out that tho historical Smithfield is ! rapidly becoming a foreign outpost, of the ; Chicago packers*. Those monopolists buy out the English salesmen one after the ; other, and bring their shops into the trust. : ‘‘As soon a#» they hear of one retiring they are after him with tempting bids for his goodwill. As much as £15.050 has been mid for the goodwill of a single chon.” j Though the trust lias been only a few- : years at work in Smithfield. it has. MV i Lawson assort tv already got tho lion’e share of the business.