TARANAKI AND WEST COAST NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3212, 6 October 1915, Page 19

TARANAKI AND WEST COAST NOTES.

(From Our Wanganui Correspondent.) THE SEASON. Tho season in Taranaki, in fact along tho whole of the West Coast, is opening out splendidly. Gentle showers, and tile absence of irosts and searching winds, are causing tho grass to grow apace, and the flow to the factories is increasing at a very satisfactory rate. The prospects of tho dairy farmer for this season are of the rosiest, provided the difficulties of shipping are overcome. MUTTON FOR EXPORT. The Clan MacTav'sh is taking away a large consignment of mutton from New Zealand; 30,000 carcases from Waitara and 10,000 from Wellington form oart of he? shipment Home. COW-TESTING IN TARANAKI. Tho Warea Cow-testing Association’s returns for the period ending September 13 have been completed by Mr W. Ogle, tester, and show the following:— AVERAGES.

The results of the Kaupokonui cow-test--ing for the period ending September 21 show ; Average association cow gave 8991 b milk, 3.8 tost, 34.761 b butter-fat. Highest individual cow gave 13351 b milk. 6.0 test, 80.101 b butter-fat. Lowest individual cow gave 2551 b milk, 3.5 test, 8.921 b butter-fat. There were 2075 cows tested; the largest number ever tested. FARMERS’ PROSIPECTS IN RANGITTKEI. So far as it is possible to judge, the farmers’ prospects throughout the Rangi-. tikei district, the present indications point' to a good season for general farm work. The ground never became sodden during the winter months, and the soil is now breaking up in excellent condition for crops of all kinds. A large proportion of the land now being ploughed will be devoted to fattening crops for sheep, although a greater area than usual will be used for grain. The indications at present point to the possibility of an increased area being devoted to ryegrass seed than was the case last year, when there was a distinct easing off in that department. Prices promise to be in tho growers’ favour for grass seed particularly, and should the latter part of the season prove favourable for harvesting there will be some very handsome returns. Paddocks of crested dogstail, sown in the autumn are well forward, but there does not appear to be quite the usual acreage under this crop. As regards turnips, the majority of farmers seem to have given up the cultivation of swedes to a very large extent, because of persistent failure in securing what is considered a payable yield. In years gone by swedes flourished remarkably in the Rangitikei and Manawatu, but since tho aphis blight has been so prevalent- the quickergrowing and rough-leaved varieties of soft and intermediate turnips have been more in favour. Yet in opposition to the various pests and varying climatic conditions there are still a few farmers who succeed consistently with swedes on the same class of country where _ the failures are recorded. Last year, for instance, in spite of the extremely dry weather, when even late-sown soft turnips were taken by the aphis, some of the swedes survived, and carried heavy numbers of sheep through the winter and early spring. These individual successes seem to suggest that the procedure employed in preparing the ground, together with manurial mixture, may account for the difference between failure and success When swede-growing was first introduced! in these parts good crops were secured when sown broadcast without manure, probably because the plant food required for producing robust plants was lying in the soil. It is certainly a pity that the cultivation of so valuable a crop, as swedes undoubtedly are, is being abandoned. In these times, when agricultural science is disposing of many old and worn-out. customs in farming, it should not be beyond the resources of experimentalists to produce a variety of plant that will withstand all pests convoyed to foliage, and to correct the soil conditiors so that instead of practically admitting defeat with certain crops farmers will, on the contrary, be enabled to produce bigger and better yields evoi'y year as desired. CO-OPERATIVE BACON COMPANY.

The animal report of the Inglewood Cooperative Bacon Company states: —“The number of pigs received has again increased, and the average price paid has been about the same as for the previous year. Notwithstanding the increased number of pigs received, the company has agaic had to refuse orders for bacon, thus showing that the company’s products continue to hold a satisfactory position on the market. During the 3 ear the company has

paid the shareholders the sum of £13,188 14s 3d, and a further payment of £675 4s Pd. bein'? at the rate of id per ib on all baconers and porkers, has been authorised to bo paid, A refund of 5d per pig out of the Insurance Fund has been authorised, also a dividend of 5 per cent, on share capital. The sum of £360 17s has been written off for depreciation at the same rate ns Inst year, and a not balance of £2 14s 5d is brought forward. The share c ;>,> tal account has been maintained in a s.V.is facto recondition. During the year 647 si,t res have become forfeited, and the amour* paid up on them, £271 7s sd, has been placed to a reserve account. Your dim ?ors have Considered it advisable to make provision for handling a larger number of pigs, and this has entailed the erection of substantial additions to the factory buildings. These additions are now completed-, and when t equipped with added_ plant will enable the i company to cope with a largely 4-hcrq ised I

supply. The outlook for the cpniing season is again good, and high prices are likely to rule.” DAIRYMEN’S CO-OPERATIVE COMPANY. An event of interest to the dairymen of the Wcstmcre district took place on Friday morning, when Mr J. Urquhart Macdonald handed over to the recently-formed Cooperative Dairy Company the cheese factory ho established in 1906. This was the original cheese factory for the Wanganui district. PRODUCTION OF CHEESE. MAY BE COMMANDEERED. WELLINGTON, October 3. When referring to the action of the Government in commandeering meat and the results attending the system, the Prime

Minister to-day hinted at an interesting possibility with regard to the export of cheese. “ Is there any possibility of the Government commandeering dairy produce in New Zealand ?” Mr Massey was asked. “I cannot say definitely,” the Prime Minister replied, "but communications are passing between the New Zealand Government and the Imperial Government in regard to the supply of cheese for the Imperial army.- I will say that it is possible that some arrangement will be made by which the Government will take over our production of cheese in the same way as meat was taken over.”

Milk ib. Test. Pat lb Best herd 883 4.2 37.69 Worst herd 679 3.9 26.561 Best cow . 1305 4.5 58.73 Worst cow . 375 3.8 14.25 Average assn, cow . 719 4.0 30.63