NOTES ON RURAL TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3337, 27 February 1918, Page 8

NOTES ON RURAL TOPICS.

The managing director of Goldsbrough, Mort, and Co. (Ltd. ), in an ntorview granted to the Australasian in connection with the statement made by Mr Hagelthorn M.L.C.. on Australia’s future in agriculture, and the relative merits of wheat and meat, stated that many considerations had to be taken into account in dealing with the question. He could conceive that the man who would have to borrow money to buy stock at present prices might hesitate and decide to continue under wheat, thus lessening his risk He agreed with Mr Hagelthorn to the extent that to the present owner of stock the outlook appeared more favourable to continue breeding and 'stock-raising, largely owing to the decimation of all flocks and herds in Europe; but he feared that action such as that gentleman had suggested would lead to undue inflation of prices of breeding stock. Equally, he thought that the proposal to abandon or reduce farming operations, and change over into stock, to a greater or less extent, might present •an insuperable problem to many persons at the present time. “In such articles as I have read,” said Mr Niall, “"fhe question of freight is one which has been urged as governing the question ; but no one, so far as I have seen, has considered the extremely important question of refrigerated freight as against ordinary freight._ Admitting that the latter is scarce, the insulated space is proportionately much scarcer, and in dealing with the question that factor has to be considered. Generally, I think the matter may be left to the good sense, aided by practical knowledge of 'the land-owner’, and that no permanently good result will be secured by Government interference or control. A subject which bears more directly and weightily on the question of primary production is one for which our political parties are mainly responsible. During long periods, when borrowing money abroad was comparatively easy, the tendency has been to expend these moneys mainly in a manner which attracted or induced people to concentrate in the towns, with the result that labour is practically unprocurable in the country districts. If the minds and energies of our political representatives could be concentrated on the question of decentralisation, and the inducing of a larger proportion of labour 'to employ itself in production of . exportable products, the benefits to Australia would be incalculable.”

Australia’s Problem.

Writing in a genera! way in a recent issue of this paper on methods pertaining to the dehorning of cattle has served to bring to light the following communication from “ Polcy ” which may prove of interest: —“ The proper time and place to dehorn is in winter, and it is a simple .matter. In America hornless Holsteins, and Durham® are being bred. There are hornless Herefords in Australia and New Zealand, in the latter case absolutely pure, starting from a polled heifer calf dropped in one of our oldest herds. But commencing with red Polled or Polled Angus, it would not" take long to produce polled cattle of any breed sufficiently pure for all practical purposes. But the same stupid conservatism which disqualifies an Ayrshire with teats you can get hold of would stand aghast at the sight of cattle naturally devoid of horns, which serve no useful purpose, but are an unmitigated nuisance, a. source of continual pain and suffering to the animals, and of loss and annoyance to their owners. I do not share your views

Dehorning Cattle According to “Poley.”

as to the saw.” [The views expressed were, as stated, those of Veterinarian Young-, not the writer’s, who had experience only of the machine.] “It savours too much of prolonged torture. • The machine is instantaneous, and out of probably 1000 I have not lost one nor seen any cases of slowhealing. The main thing is to' get well down, so as to lead the skin to grow across the horn. Use Stockholm tar and avoid frost. But a polled bull is the best appliance for dehorning. Why should we breed horned cattle and then go to the and expense of dehorning? Surely that ii’ a rank absurdity.” In a note in this column in the previous issue reference was made to a suggestion by a wellknown southern gentleman in connection with commercial farms as possibly being of some educative advantage to settlers if established throughout the provinces. It is possible that unnanimity on the specific lines to run such farms might not be attainable, and there is, too, the question of the yearly money profit to be achieved hampering operations. Rather, one would think, • commendation and attention should be awarded to such movements as the Hawke’s Bay Farming Development Association report' on - the Waipukurau County endeavours be made to do some work on similar lines. It appears that aMr A. F Cook offered 28 acres of land overrun with vernal and florin for experimental purposes in top-dressing. The idea seems to have been to ascertain whether by top-dressing the better grasses would be stimulated and beat the florin; also to learn whether the cost of the top-dressing was warranted by the increased carrying capacity of the treated lands. The paddock was divided into two areas of 14 acres each (A and B), the former being top-dressed and the latter untreated. The number of sheep needed to keep the grass down in each area was to constitute the record, and details kept as to the condition of sheep and pastures. Results would turn on the number of sheep carried per acre and the cost of the top-dressing; The fertilisers used were as follows: —Japanese super, 1351 b; ephds, 1161 b; bonedust, 291b;' dried blood, 291b —- viz., 3091 b mixture per acre. The following shows the cost at per acre: —Three hundred and nine pounds fertiliser, £1 4s 6d; freight. Is; cartage. Is sd; harrowing. Is 6d; drilling, per acre —£1 10s sd, Before the top-dressing all the pasture was heavily grazed and the rough stuff eaten off. According to Mr Cook, on October 1, after the same stock (excepting those added later) had been kept continuously on the plots without any change of pasture, those on the undressed plot, while'' in healthy store condition, were not to bo compared with those on the top-dressed plot. The feed on the undressed plot is much barer and more eaten off. The stock in the dressed plot are in good forward condition, and there is also a good covering of grass, white clover being particularly good. The actual cost of the fertiliser used wag £1 4s 6d per acre. At normal prices tho same mixture -should be obtainable for about 17s 6d per acre, if not for less. __ So far the , trial has given good results. Tho questions .that remain to be determined are for how long does such a dressing increase ’the carrying capacity of pasture-so treated, and the comparative cost of carrying sheep on land treated and on land -unfertilised? Light and mixed soils are often poor in lime content. Certain weeds are frequently clear indications of poverty in lime. Clovers are usually lacking where lime is in short supply, as they require a lot, while oats or rye may get along fairly well when the supply is short enough. Just where lime and chalk are concerned in agriculture may best be told in the words of the Earl of Suffolk’s agricultural organiser: “Light-land farmers who wish to increase the production of their land should test the effect of applying a dressing of lime or chalk, say, to land on which they propose to eow turnips next year. If the land really needs lime they will be likely to see the effect- in the turnips, in 'the barley following, and perhaps to an even greater extent in the clover following the barley. A. portion of the field should be left undressed. The writer has seen some very remarkable results following the application of chalk in East Suffolk. Thus on a farm at Hemley. a heavy dressing of chalk w-as applied to part of a field some years ago. The clover was inspected in 19i6, and the difference was so remarkable that it was decided to * weigh the produce of a square rod of chalked and unchalkcd land. The chalked plot gave ‘lst 4£lb of stover, chiefly con-, sisting of clover, whilst the unchalked plot gave 101 b of stover, consisting chiefly of sorrel. It may be explained that chalk and limestone are really lime combined with the carbon dioxide of the air. One ton of chalk or limestone contains roughly lOcwt of Jime, It > will be easily seen that to / obtain the same effects double quantities of limestone or chalk niust be used. Both chalk and limestone —materials which are chemically identical—may now be obtained in the ground form, and may be distributed with a manure distributor. In this finelydivided form a dressing of one ton per acre would be likely to benefit poor light lands very much. If quicklime is used, lOcwt per acre is a useful dressing. Of course, these small quantities will no't prove as lasting as the old-fashioned heavy dressing of chalk; but at the present time we have not tho labour available for heavy dressing, whilst the lighter dressing may greatly increase the productivity of our light land for several years.” AGRICOLA.

State Commercial Farms.

Lime and Chalk in Agriculture.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. By Agricola. "Curious" asks (1) whether the ash of carbide is of any use or value? (2) Is it to shear sheep with horse-clippers worked by hand ? (13 The carbide residue in the early stages is not unlike gas lime, and its effect, on land or vegetation is very similar in the early stages—that is, it is harmful, but might possibly prove use 1 - ful on weedy paths. If kept "weathered" and frequently air aerated, etc., there is no reason why 'the injurious sulphide of calcium should not be eliminated, and the residue be useful for its lime-content. (2) Yes. H. K., Lumsden.—You could secure poisoned grain from _ any reputable seed merchants for destroying small birds. The Department of Agriculture puts up poisoned oats for rabbits, obtainable at depots through the Fields Inspector, at 2d a lb, tin extra, in 71b, 141 b, and 281 b lots. "Stockman," Pareora, sends two grasses for identification, and questions their feeding value. Mr Green, of the Education Department, has kindly furnished us with the following information in the above

connection:—(l) Sea Lyme grass (Elzimis Aronarius) grows on sandy shores and has a certain, small amount of feeding value. (2) A variety of Tall Oat grass (Avena Elatlor), and known variously as false oat grass," "onion" twitch, or couch, from its bulbous appearance'. Stock eat it. Both grasses are perennial and have probably been introduced from England. Grows tall under congenial conditions. JW.H., Port Chalmers.—The grass sent in to be named, etc., last week, is known as False Oat grass, onion couch, or onion twitch, and is a variety or sport, possibly of tall oat grass (Avena Elatior). Is a perennial and one of the bulbous varieties of grasses. Grows tall and feathery, and is of moderate feeding value.