NOTES ON RURAL TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3102, 27 August 1913, Page 14

NOTES ON RURAL TOPICS.

Higher prices the world over arc predicted for pig- products, and every inducement appears to offer to enter more extensively into the pig-roaring industry and ttic export of bacon than is done at present. Denmark killed 2.085,266 pigs in 1912, and Ireland killed 1,416,765, and exported alive an additional 321,828, and received from 6s to 7s per cvvt more for them than the Danish Co-operative Societies pay, A writer in the Farmers’ Gazette says: “Denmark has nearly reached the limits of economical production, and that if the Liberal party in Germany succeed—which might happen any day—in removing import duties, and opening their doors to Danish produce, not one side of the bacon from these two millions of pigs need cross the sea, but would find a. ready and hungry market across the frontier. The stationary production of pigs in the United States, the principal pig-raising country in the world, and its growing population tend in the same direction. The number of pigs does not show any well-marked increase when the number of people grows one million and a-half yearly. The surplus for export has fallen from 20,000 boxes weekly to 5000 boxes, equivalent to, say, 75,000 pigs weekly. The revised tariff will also cheapen living considerably in the States, and the people will have more money to spend on food. It is but a few years ago when enormous quantities of butter and* cheese wore exported from Atlantic porta to the United Kingdom. To-day the trade is dead, for butter and cheese are dearer in New York than in London. Something similar is happening in American flour, and it is admitted by all who know that a very short time will see American bacon unknown on this side of the Atlantic.” This extract loads one to ask where Great Britain is to get her supplies from? Why should we not seize our chance and establish profitable trade in this lino. Pasteurisation of the factory by-products has made the venture a safe one, and every factory should turn out hundreds of pigs. There never was a time in the Dominion when the profit of pig-feeding was greater than at present, and the chance of getting 70s per cwt for an indefinite number should bo seized. It would leave a handsome margin after paying all charges. Great Britain sends away some 18a million pounds sterling for bacon, hams, salt and fresh pork, more than half of which went to the United States and Canada, which have been until recently the chief source of supply. If these countries are to have loss and less annually to export, why should we not make the attempt to secure some of these millions? Russian developments have been disappointing. and China has enough to do with internal troubles. England and Ireland could probably very largely increase home eupplies, but the former will not do so till swino fever restrictions arc removed and the chance of serious lose is lessened. Bacon and pig products aro a daily necessity to the British nation. There seems to'be almost a famine in regard to them, and yet cur Department of Agriculture is silent on the question, which should be

Piprea lug. n n /I /iwi/M

iaken up by every Farmers’ Lnion and organisation in the land. It is only by co-operation that bacon-curing factories can bo established, and the chance of securing a good footing in the wor'd’s market should not be lost.

In flood-time every burn is a torrent, and every underrunner a series of geysers emitting daywater. During normal periods they are as a rule enclosed in a 2in pipe,— but during flood ranis such as were cx perienced last week two 12in pipes would cot have contained the water which flowed down through them. The amount of work they compress into a few days in shifting country and cutting out huge holes in their course has to be seen to be believed. Tin caverns washed out on route noticeable after the water subsides are sufficiently convincing evidence. In summer they always carry a small amount of gravel and silt, which in the course of three years perhaps ia Quito sufficient in a burn coming from a height of 700 ft to SOOft to fill a reservoir in their course which would contain 3000 or 4000 gallons. In a flood rain the same thing is done in a night. Tons of gravel and silt travel to the first flat of any dimensions met with, and are there deposited to form in time valuable soil. The grey mud left behind flood water has not an inviting appearance, but it is astonishing how soon the rain washes it in, and the grass comes through it and grows so much better the following spring. Naturally, the amount of silt carried down by subsiding streams is only a small fraction of that lodged by a flooded river coming straight to a lower level from an alluvial mining district. Iho deposits from such a source might be anything from iin to 2ft in depth or more. On this account tho floods resulting from local rains leave cleaner grass and very much less silt behind them than these resulting from heavy rains or warm rains melting snow up country. V> ithout endeavouring to minimise the resulting .osa of recent floods, it is probable that the grass this year will bo as good as ever m two or three weeks’ time. Many farmers who have been taxed out of existence almost to pay for heavy protective work are inclined to think that they were better off and could feed a heavier head of stock when the flood water periodically top-do tsed their grass with silt. This may possibly be the ease, but the unrestricted flow of water carried everything before it fences, hedges, stacks, and stock, and frequently washed the soil away down to the mark made by tho sole-plate of the plough. Such farmers may well regard their immunity from such disaster, and consider their oppressive rates an insurance against calamity compared with which back-water and the silt resulting from it are a more circumstance. On this occasion they should not be too hasty in concluding that because works designed to carry off local water have failed to do so, they should be condemned as useless, and require remodelling. There never has been such an expcr-cnco locally before or so large a flood from heavy, persistent local rains.

After-effect of Flooi hains.

Numbers of early lambs may bo soon already, and fat iambs are new so valuable that the most skilful shepherding is well repaid. As a rule, the less a lambing owe is handled and bothered when about to lamb the bettor; but there arc a few precautions to bo taken which will ensure their safety hnd increase the number of fat lambs sold. The first of those, and "one from which a good deal of trouble arises, is the use of just ordinary dogs in the ewe flock. Many ewes become exceedingly nervous at lamb-ing-time. and a sudden turn with a dog full of life or even a loud bark may excite them so much as to cause abortion. If for anv reason a owe aborts, she should bo removed at once from the others. Sometimes abortion appears in the flock in epidemic form. The dead foetus and all trace of it should be destroyed by fire. Another source of preventable loss is is the wool-ball, which results from the lamb sucking locks of wool around the udder, but generally between the udder and the breech, instead of the ewe’s teat. Unobstructed access to tho teats, secured by shearing away these locks, may save a small proportion of tho flock. Gentle handling at every stage should Invariably bo the rule at this time. Any rough treatment would probably result in the loss of both ewe and lamb. When it is found necessary to assist a owe in lambing—and that should not be until she is pretty well exhausted in her endeavours. — ono requires patience and plenty of time, or more harm than enough may be done. There should be no pulling unless in sympathy with tho ewe’s attempt to expo! the foetus. When it is found necessary to assist the ewe the hands should be disinfected with carbolic oil before operating, and afterwards washed and disinfected again before assisting another owe. In case a ewe disowns her lamb or refuses to allow it to rack her, a little salt and aniseed may bo rubbed over the back and shoulders of the lamb. Tin's will often induce the mother to lick it. and affect a reconciliation, while it docs the lamb no barm. When lambs are Dorn at this time of year some succulent ration will, no doubt, have boon provided for the ewes. It that has not been done, there may be trouble with constipation, especially among the lambs, If not attended to thoro ■will be a heavy death rate from this cause. I«ambs that have been chilled at birth are

Some Wilts for Amatrnr Flock-owncis.

very liable to this trouble. An injection of soapy water or raw linseed oil will give temporary relief, and this should bo followed by some castor oil. The trouble is often brought about by feeding too much concentrated food during the first few days after lambing. Even turnips in quantity are dangerous immediately after lambing. Sometimes lambs will thrive several days before showing the characteristic listlessness resulting from constipation, and if not promptly treated its existence is, then, a very short one. When a lamb 's found chilled, unable to move or swallow, and with jaws set no amount of rubbing or wrapping in a blanket is sufficient to bring it round. More active measures arc necessary without loss of time. It should either bo placed in water as hot as one can boar the hand comfortably in or placed in a heated oven. A tcaspoonful of gin or whisky, with twice os much tea or coffee added, will frequently save a chilled lamb’s life when prohibition methods would lose it, and that, too, when it looks as if its race had been run.

Botanists define weeds as plants growing in the wrong place, but the tanner can improve on that definition. According to his version a tvecd is a lusty plant growing where he tvaiiu) nuxiiu uLiiCr plants to glow. In plant life it is a case of the survival of the fittest. The struggle for existence has given weeds robust constitutions, and in the struggle between the fanner and native plants the latter frequently win. Every Hood gives a fresh seeding, and they cost a lot of money before their eradication is complete. They are tenacious of life, and rob the ground of its moisture and the crop of its air and light. Ouder these c.rcumstancca farmers can afford to study their life history with a view of determining the best means of battling with them. The most conspicuous one at present in the turnip brakes is spurrey. In a moist season like the present one this dangerous weed springs up very rapidly long after all the hoeing and scuifl ng which can he given has been ' finished. Its narrow, sticky leaves grow in a whorl—i.o., with its loaves m a circle round the stems, and it has tiny white flowers which only open in the sun. Its growth js so rapid that it frequently covers the drill, and has proved to be accountable for the death of many sheep folded on turnips. It may bo got rid cf by spraying early with a 4 per cent, solution of sulphate of copper. But where did the seed come from? And if the ground vas full of it why did it not spring up earlier and give the implements a chance? It cannot be possible that weed seeds have a charmed life, or as many lives as q cat. They arc usually deposited on tue surface of the ground, while the seeds of cultivation arc mainly covered bv the soil, but they are also partly left on the surface and like the weeds, buried deeply. Why shou.d they rot spring up again when brought to the' air and light? Is the burial of weed seeds for 20 years a myth or a true bi. . Wo know that' small birds collect rapid.y round freshly-turncd-up ground. Is it not possible that thoy provide a fresh ecoduisr. Those points arc of interest to the farmer, and demand study. A common post in some of our alluvial flats and elsewhere is wild mustard or charlock. Its cross-like arrangement of stamens indicates that it belongs to the cruciferce fami'y—the same as the turnip and cabbage. It forms a host plant for the turnip fly before that plant is ready for its attack. Can the turnip seed bo buried for any length of time and survive? It is to be presumed that they arc as capable of resisting destruction when buried as the charlock seed. Then, why do wo not find turnips coming up freely in the crops that succeed them? The charlock seed is small and hard, and said to be protected by an oily covering which protects them when the ground is cultivated, and they spring un again when the ground is stirred, and fight and air get. through it. Is the turnip seed of the same order not protected in the same way? Spraying with a 4 per cent, solution of sulphate of copper at the rate of 70 gallons per acre, or a 15 per cent solution of sulphate of iron after (he plant ha a pot into the second leaf will kill 90 per cent, cf them, and so relieve an oat crop that it wfll yield an additional 20 bushels per acre of fairly clean grain. Then there is sorrel, which takes possession of poverty-stricken ground, and it appearance is almost the first indication that the crops are not being supplied with a. fair amount of plant food, fit is of two kinds the common sorrel with its arrow-shaped leaf, and sheep’s sorrel with spear-shaped leaves. Either of them : s inclined to turn to the characteristic reddish tinge tonsp.chops when the plant takes possession of any field. Feeding the soil, better rotations, and bettor cultivation generally is the prescription for these daylight robbers.

The Weeds Hut are i. oubhsomi.

| A correspondent writes from in 1 " tlie Pi.ako district, and states that “tire country is old hush Land, foiled, burned, and eurI face sown. The fern has i crown up after the bush-burning by prej vious neglect. A {rood portion has boon ' ploughed, and wo have over 30 acres in crop and food, and much more can bo ploughed. The fern ie very obstinate _ and persevering. The best way to treat, it is to plough and put on grass and let the stock do the rest. We have a splendid example of the value of stock for tramping and gradually killing out fern. One paddock was bad with fern, but had a good

Krartlentlnir Braden.

deal of food through it—pretty rough, of course, but still quite palatable. It was eaten down once and a great difference made to the paddock, and about six weeks later another folding was made on it. The fern is now very sickly, and will not take much more to kill it. A great mistake has been made hero by too much burning. The fern burns very well, and this seems to be an easy method of disposing of it, but unless sown down properly in good grass after the first burn it is very difficult to handle unless a plough can bo got through it. The trouble is that the heat of the fires destroys a certain amount of humus in the soil, and this presents a difficulty in gettmg a good strike after a burn. That is our great trouble. One block of about 100 acres is under tall fern—great differences may be seen in the growth in different localities. On the plains where the land is very poor the fern is short, seldom more than 2ft high, and ti-tree also grows poorly. On old bush land the fern is very luxuriant, and grows to a tremendous height. I have ridden through it, and in some places it was up to the horse’s cars, and she is a big horse. Cattle getting into it cannot be seen, but they do not go in much, as there is little feed. The fern very quickly takes possess'on, and chokes out all growth. The land covered with fern Bft high when grassed down makes splendid carrying country. The soil is characteristic of the pumice lands up here, being light in most places, with a good portion hero and there. It is very variable, but easily broken down to a fine seed-bed after ploughing. The surface soils set very hard after a slight shower, but the lower surface and upper subsoil arc not packed to any great extent. There is this disadvantage in ploughing the fern under, that it takes a tremendous ttirno to decompose, and is springy in the ground, keeping it too open at the surface. The method of treating the land that I would recommend would bo as follows: —Out the fern with a mower, and rake'up and born; then plough, and leave for aeration for some time. The changes and exposure to air are simply remarkable. The land should then bo cultivated to bring the fern roots to the surface. If these roots are left behind and cut up by discs each, part will sprout and grow strongly, although in course of time it will bn greatly weakened. The- land could then be put into turnips or clover. These crops do wonderfully with one ploughing, but all tins country needs manuring. I had a samnlo analysed, and it shows that the soil is deficient in potash and phosphates, which may be top-dressed. Nitrogen a'so is low. but legumes grow well and may ho ploughed in. Humus also is deficient, and may be supplied bv the same moans. A portion of one field had rano ploughed in, and it has been prominently defined over since.” This may possibly prove useful to some farmers work'ng punrco land in the North Island or light country in the South. AGRICOLA. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. “ Farmer ” writes: ‘‘My sheep have been suffering from bad colds (as I think) this year. Their eyes have been running a lot, and some of them have gone nearly blind, and one totally blind. The eyes of the one that lias gone blind have turned a pink colour, while over Hie pupil is a white (or it appears to mo to be a small ball of) matter. 1 have boon feeding them on mangolds and hay every day. The mangolds wore in the nit for about a month before T used any of them. I have shifted them from one paddock to another, thus giving them shelter in rough weather. What is the cause of the eyes turning the colour they are. and what is the remedy'?” Air T’.lair. M.R.C.V.S., veterinary supervisor of the Department of Agriculture, and Mr Gossage. stock inspector, on being consulted, advise that the sheep suffered from onhthai min. fomot mes known as ‘‘ the blinds,” a trouble which is fronuent and sometimes assumes an epizootic character. The causes are colds, exposure after dipping or shearing, changes of weather, over-fatigue, and long journeys on dusty roads. Treatment ; Keen parts dean and atiply zinc lotion (4 grains sulphate of zinc, distilled water loz).

STUD SHEEP. DEMAND FROM THE ARGENTINE. PALMERSTON N., August 22. Because of the foot-and-mouth disease in Britain tho Argentine shut iier ports against the importation of stud sheep from, that country, and in some instances Argentine breeders turned to New Zealand. It was predicted that as soon us the embargo was removed New Zealand would lose that trade, but it seems that this is not so. The embargo has been removed, and yesterday Mr E. Short, of Parorangi, received an order from Messrs Gibson Bros., of Buenos Aires, on behalf of a client, for 50 stud Romney ewes and shearlings, and a shearling Romney ram. The prices paid for the ewes is 7gs a head and for the ram lOOgs.

These most satisfactory prices are an indication of the high opinions held abroad of Mr Short’s champion Romney strain. It shows also that New Zealand is able to compete off the level with Britain in stud sheep. Mr Short has also received inquiries for another line for the Argentine, which ha expects to place.