NOTES ON RURAL TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3383, 15 January 1919, Page 8

NOTES ON RURAL TOPICS.

"Do you know that right now there are 5,000,000 motor vehicles in Motor Vehicles use in the United States, or and the Farmer, one to every 20 persons? In these cars 25,000,000 people, one-fourth of the population, could be transported 100 miles or more in a single day. This remarkable statement was made as a result of a, recent analysis of the 1917 sales of a certain make of cars. The investigation showed that 90 per, cent, of the automobile use was for business purposes. It also disclosed the fact that the the American farmer, who comprises 33 per cent, of the population, bought 53 per cent, of the automobiles sold last, year, In explanation why ihe farmer has taken to the

motor, it may be pointed out that they lighten labour and have changed his model ot living and doing business more than any other invention since the harvesting machine. In harvest time repairs can be quickly put in hand. Any member of the family can slip away and get the necessary gear, and the time lost is negligible. Then what an opportunity they provide in the marketing of" perishable products, like butter, eggs, etc. Land even has appreciated in value, and the farm 30 miles distant from a large town has become as valuable as the one five miles out that depends upon the horse only. One has only to note as the various show functions the number of motors in use by farmers and the comparative absence of the horsed vehicle. Th« farmer has outstripped the city man, and naturally so, as he has practical use for his car, and can make use of it for both business and pleasure.

Dhe importance of grassland to New Zealand agriculture and to the Grassing country as a whole has full Problems. recognition by both farmer* and students of agrostology, remarks Dr A. H. Cockayne in the Journal of Agriculture. Such being the case, one is naturally astonished at the dearth of literature both on the science and practice of our grassland production and management. Until recently all text-books on the subject were of foreign origin, and in many particulars were quite for New Zealand requirements. Dr Cockayne sets out the chief "grass" problems as follows: —The profitable increase in produo tion of the tussock grasslands; the substitution of long-rotation for short-rotation grassland on light arable lands; the control of succession on the surface-sown grasslands; the increasing of permanent clovers on long rotation and permanent pasture; the profitable grassing of the soils of the central volcanio plateau; the profitable grassing of gum-land heaths; the permanent grassing of inferior swamp and peat lands; the economic position of paspalum and its proper management.

This is the title of a news item in one of the commercial journals Is Cow Milk published it* Chicago. The Doomed. article goes on to say that the chemical laboratories of A. W. Little (Inc.) have announced the discovery of a process by which an ample supply of fresh milk can be assured to a city “without a cow within 10.000 miles. This product is made from cocoanut oil ana powdered skim-milk. The process has been patented, but, as announced, has not been worked on a commercial scale. It is also stated: “We can get type Is wanted: thin milk, rich milk, half , cream, full cream, or even thick, clotted Devonshire cream. It tastes like milk and cream, contains substantially the same i? slightly more digestible than the original cow product, while its keeping qualities are fully as good if not better.' If this new discovery should turn out _ practical it will play havoc with our dairies, the incomes of the dairy papers, and the advertising of milk products, condensed milks, etc.” For a long time scientists have b§en attempting to manufacture a product which will take the place of cow’s iftilk. They have not yet been successful. While their product may show about the same chemical composition, yet some essential elements are lacking. Several ’ scientifists have demonstrated that milk contains certain substances necessary for growth, and that when butter-fat is eliminated from the millc children are subject to certain forms of disease, such as sore eyelids, skin eruptions, eto. This was prevalent in Denmark, where a large amount of skim-nulk liad been consumed and butter substitute* used for milk fat. Doctors.found that when the children were fed-milk fat the sor© eyelids and skin eruptions _ disappeared. Iben the use of cows to provide the skimmilk is a necessity, so dairymen the world over may breathe again. To say thjf such a synthetic product is equivalent to milk is not stating facts, and we may rest assured that they will have to compete in. the markets on their merits and be relegated hy all intelligent _ people to the top shelves of the distributing agents

A most ingenious and useful little machine ■was recently tested in the A Tree-felling Grunewald Forest before Machine. representatives of the Fpreej Department of the • city of Berlin, etc. It was a handy motor saw designed to fell in a minimum of time the very thickest trees. Not only does it save time and labour, but wood as well. The machine will cut _ clean through a truck 30in in diameter in a couple of minutes, and split it in bits on the spot. The Scientific American says: “The machine is made up of two parts—the motor and the saw proper. The motor (about 901 bin weight) has an output of five horse-power; it is air-cooled, and the fact that it_ doe! not require any water for cooling is an especial advantage in winter. The noise, of the motor is reduced to a minimum by a muffler. The motor further comprises __ a safety device against the risk of fire, so that the exhaust flame will not endanger the forest. Gasoline’ or benzol is used as fuel. The fuel consumption with 10 hours working is little more than half a quart The machine is, however, eventually to cje designed with electro-motor drive, which x* thought to afford advantages in a_ number of cases. The saw proper is designed In three sizes—for tree's 80. 60, and 40 centimetres (51. Sin, 23.6 in, 15.7 in) in maximum diameter. It is a chain saw, with links of six teeth each, which are readily exchanged. The saw runs in a frame over four roller! with ball bearings, one of which _is set lit motion by a flexible conical pinion shaft. The hollow handle is designed as a reservoir for oil.” AGRICOLA.

ANSWER TO CORRESPONDENT. By Aghicola. M. H., Gore, sent grasses for identification. etc. (1) Tho large specimen is Yorkshire fog (Helens lanatus), a woolly, soft grass, widely distributed. It might be termed a weed grass. 'lt should be discouraged in favour' of better grasses, but it has a certain value on swamp lands. (2) Apparently one of the Bent grassel (Agrostis). It thrives on spongy soil, and on undrained land provides an early bite in the spring and late in autumn. Cattle eat it, however, only fi-hen therfl is nothing better. It is invariably in evidence in a rainy season. THE MEAT TRUST. EXPORTERS’ LICENSES. WELLINGTON, Japuary 10. The Slaughtering and Inspection Amen* ment Act of last year was passed for

purpose of placing checks on the operations of the Meat Trust. Regulations under the Act were gazetted to-night. They set out the form of the meat export licenses, which will have a currenoy of one year, unless previously revoked, and will be issued on the following ■ conditions:: —(a) That the licensee will at all times during the currency of the license supply to the Minister of Agriculture all such information as_ the Minister shall require regarding the > business in respect of which the license is in force, and will, if so required by the_ Minister, cause any information so supplied to be verified by a statutory declaration. _(b) That the licensee will at all times during the currency of the license, when so required by the Minister of Agriculture, afford to the Minister,, or to an officer of the New Zealand Government appointed by him in that behalf, reasonable facilities for examining all books, correspondence, or other documents relating. to the said business.