NOTES ON RURAL TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3510, 21 June 1921, Page 10

NOTES ON RURAL TOPICS.

Cash.

Hie following letter, which apeared in the

columns of the Otago Daily Times last week, will appeal

. to farmers. It is written by Mr Jainrs Begg, of Dunedin, to the editor, and comments on barking practice:— Sir, — Your Wellington correspondent, referring to a resolution passed .at a meeting oi the 1« armors’ Union recommending that the banks should pay interest on current account credits, writes that leading bankers, including Mr Beauchamp, assert that this course is quite impracticable in New Zcar land, as there is no market for money at periods of less than tlireo months. He goes on to speak of the practice of commercial companies paying interest on money at call, uiid refers to the recent moratorium as showing that the practice is undesirable. I agree with your correspondent that the latter practice is undesirable; but it proves t.iat there is a market for liionov, and a large one at periods of less than three months. The banks are responsible for the practice. If they paid the current rate ot interest on credit balances the practice W tUi t cease to 11 great extent. '.'hat are the difficulties in tlio way? The banks make very profitable use of these c.cdit balances; witness the profits of the ban /; of . Zealand just published. The profits for the year touched £Boo,ooo—just aooiu double last year’s profit. There seems to be a margin here, and the price of the S™. * mbn ‘ N., m T “Jn ng f V ank man ap:M to pay interest Fr-lflhf , bay ?g'°' aild so did many a h-v i b + k u V b *, re thcre '' s « "' i!l tl’.ere’s a “ J .> bllt . tb<? hanks are not willing ..i. f‘ ny given time the banks have tire u:e n f a laiye sum cf monev free of charge ™,! nt P Twth af k ? d V” 3 m ° 1!0y at rates t.lih tbl i 0 draw attention to the fact that the banks pay no interest on the lar~e focaf hfe ltod T, in th<> B » ccM 5 credit ” dl t s - lhe f c accounts ore ahvavs in edit’, and are not even allowed as ;l A OVC h K!ft OU J ho accounts. A C. nnty council generally has at least four C 1 five accounts with the bank. The law whiY ,el rl thls >,« nd the effect often is that. ,i-(ht t f l"' h ? T ? r ° V ' V accounts is in hh 1 1 I° dy ls Paying heavy interest The v°T raf !i Cf ils ff«ierar account. The b„nks have the use of largo Finns free of charge on which local bodies arc interest to the Government. It is generally t i? at tho . leoer,t moratorium' on money at call was imposed by the Governed Wit? ad '; lee of u -c banking authorities. I,nsound methods of financing naming 88 rnr b t St b< + !lrt ™ nkd b - v th c banks nuoiieva current rates of interest on all monej s entrusted to them, and the larger - sums which would then be left at call tothr ban] 0 ? tbe llulov aticn not unprofitable lhe_ writer might, with good reason, have questioned the wisdom of permitting orgnnisations accepting money possibly far in excess or tneir capital. The amount allowed to he deposited with any concern should, one would think, be restricted bv Jegis.ation and bear some proportion to thg capital of lho company accepting same.

Rabbits and Noxious Weeds.

In view of t-lip “kick :,p'’ in reir.n-f] to

iho rabbit question in Oentrul Otago, it is of interest to learn what is h appen-

t „ i n ° . elsewhere. In Victoria on June 1 the Gain net informed a <!,.nutation that although ii was proposed to intro, duoe a Bill to appoint a central authority to supervise the destruction of vermin and weed.- the idea of appointing divisional counsels to carry out the work would he abandoned. r J he deputation approved of tins announcement:— Resolutions oa>sed at conference on May 31 suggesting that a. board of three should lie unpointed on the lines of the Country Itoads Board, and staring that “no bill will he acceptable unless the Ministry accepts entire responsibility ■wiih rcjrarcl to ilio control of noxi.du* woods and rabbits on Crown lands/’ yea submitted to the Minister. Kxccplion was taken by Mr Oman to the term “entire responsibility.’’ He said that the Ministry could not und< rf ike to clear up all the ( rown areas in the t-i it. . because it would cost £ 1,000/00. lie believed that the central authority should consist of a suoorvisor and Iso chief inspectors. After various speakers hail urged that immediate action was necessary in the interests of the Siah'. the Minister said that he mi-eil that the destruction of vermin and u.-xcus weeds would hen fit ih ■ ci 1 y as well as the country, because- the productive! v of the State would he inert used

Growing Linseed.

Linseed Ims jumped in value.” ?av« a

Christchurch mess.ta<\ "and business has been done at £l6 per ton nt country stations, a lise of 80 per cent..

witliin flip month. It is understood that the position in Calcutta is responsible for

the sudden rise in value. Linseed grows on varying soils, but does best, perhaps, on a medium loam overlying a compact and rather heavy sub-soil. The land must be well drained and clean. Compactness of the seed bod, with a fine tilth on the surface is recommended. This means the soil should be worked deeply and then consolidated, and so avoid anything approaching a loose and friable seed bed. Where farm yard manure has been applied to the previous croo good results may be expected. If a fertiliser is required superphosphate will answer best. Linseed may bo sown from the middle* of September to th© middle of October, either broad-casted or drilled, but the latter method is advised, as seed i 3 6aved, and after cultivation is easier About 501 bof seed per acre is required, sown at a uniform depth of ljin to lin. r li?e seed should be harrowed in with light iron harrows, with close set teeth, and then rolled. The harvesting would take place about January, when the seed is plump and brown in colour. Linseed should l>e cut a little before it is quite ripe, as it matures in ihe shock like wheat. Threshing may be done with an ordinary machine. The straw is too tough for fce%ding, but has a certain use for thatching or for packing purposes. The average produced per acre is about 16 to 20 bushels, and of straw some two tons to the acre.

Broken Wind Horses.

A few weeks aero a querist was in trouble

in respect to what was suspected to bo a case of broken wind in respect 10 one of his horses. The

writer suggested a change of climate and a radical change in the feeding of the animal. Broken .wind has been termed a chronic disease, in which there is a breaking down of the tissues of the air sac 3 of the lungs. causing difficulty in breathing. It may have resulted in carelessness in feeding bulky fodder to a horse doing but little work, or to over v orking, or even to a neglected cough. The breathing is jerky during or after any exertion, and is wheezy and expired in two distinct efforts to comp'ete. The health is affected, and platulence evident. Oases are often impossible to cure, but the change from a coastal to a high inland district and generally to a warmer clime sometimes achieves wonders. 'lhe general treatment advised is to feed carefully, and give mashes fairly often. Linseed oil 4oz, to which is added paregoric loz, in a warm bran mash once or twice a week will help the cough. Crushed oats with a small quantity of chaff makes good feeding. The horse should be watered before feeding, and two hours before going to work. In alternate weeks loz Fowler's solution of arsenic per day should be given. Care should be taken that the animal should not develop a taste for bedding, as not infrequently happens, and generally the horse should be only given easv work. AGRICOLA. ANSWER TO CORRESPONDENT By Agricola. “Retired Farmer,” Lawrence writes: I enclose a sample of grass, and would like you to tell me what is the name of it. It is growing on my property, and it appears to be a great spreader, and the neighbours say it grows all the winter, and that stock can got a bite of it in August. The specimen of grass sent in for indentification is the most valuable of the brorne prasses. A nutritious succulent grass. It is appreciated so much by stock that it is usually eaten out. During the summer months it- docs not show to groat advantage, but once winter approaches its bright green growth is very evident. It is more succulent and growthv than most other pasture grasses, and under anything but very h"avy stocking should prove most useful, and should be invaluable to dairy farmers. It is konwn as prairie grass 4» (Bromus unioioides).