NOTES ON RURAL TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3829, 2 August 1927, Page 12

NOTES ON RURAL TOPICS.

Farm Work for August.

Now that good rains have fallen it is possible to harrow grass lands

to advantage and so scatter all droppings and freshen up paddocks generally. One

should sec to all fences and make them

stock proof, clean out watercourses, etc., and finish the carting of farm material, for the serious work of. cultivation will soon be in hand. If any feeding off of forward cereal crops is attempted, one should avoid too long grazing. Once the knots are visible it is time to stop, as there is danger of sheep eating a portion of the immature ears. The burning of rough, tussocky gullies should be finished this month, for, if left until next month, there will be a big risk of burning out the tussock completely Ewes in lamb, if feeding on roots, should have dry camping ground at night, and be provided with hay or some other dry food. A salt lick is worth providing for all stock. One should attend to hoggets, as their teeth are now changing, and they cannot thrive on hard turnips. Feed ail ewes with lambs at foot in a generous mannor, so as to keep up their milk supply, and see that every wet ewe on the farm ■'nurses” a lamb. One of the twins should be mothered on to her sooner than let her go without a lamb. A few hurdles, thatched with straw, lacking other shelter, should be provided for all sick ewes in wet weather. One should feed all team horses some extra foodstuffs, also the weaned foals and old horses, and sec that the pigs and milking cows are kept warm. Any ewe not in lamb should be marked, and if not a two-tooth (a young sheep), fattened off without delay. No ewe flock, however good, can afford to carry boarders. ** A lamb per acre per year ” is not a bad slogan. Early potatoes may be best obtained by putting unripe tubers in shallow boxes, placing them in the light, and planting when the sprouts have greened and toughened. The saving of such seed as onions, parsnips, or mangels from good specimens may at times be undertaken with advantage.

Agricultural Prosperity or Adversity.

A new avenue of thought on the subject of the primary producers’

prosperity or adversity is opened up by a letter in The Times (London) from Mr C. Dampier-Whetham.

He states that it was a fall in the average price of agricultural produce over a long period which brought about the bad times of 1875-1900, or the shorter or more sudden disaster of 1921-23. While commodities i other than agriculture are equally concerned in this general fall of prices, yet it is such that cause the periodic deep depression from which farming suffers rather than in the fluctuation in individual crops, which might be cured by ordinary marketing or controlled imports.” “ The most important factor,” he observes, “in these general changes, is neither agricultural nor economic, but monetary. The general price level depends chiefly on the relation between the amount of currency and credit and the speed at which they circulate on the one* hand, and the volume of business to be financed on the other. After the war of 1870-71 (France-German War), many countries adopted a gold standard. This increased the demand for gold for reserves and currency while the supply .remained about constant. Hence gold became relatively dearer and goods and services relatively cheaper, that is, prices fell. This was tho- cause of a long agricultural depression, and not foreign competition and cheap transport. The depression continued until the South African mines began about 1900 to increase the gold supply available. Owing chiefly to the length of time involved in agricultural operations the farmer suffers more than most men while prices are falling, and at such times agricultural depression is inevitable. Present times closely resemble those of 1874. Many nations arc returning to a gold standard, and India absorbs an increasing amount of gold. The demand for gold is rising, but on the other hand output is little more than stationary; in fact, the supply is likely to decrease as the South African mines begin to become exhausted. A reduction in price due to improved methods of production is gain to the world, but a fall in price due to a contraction in currency and credit is a disaster. It leads to industrial depression and unemployment. The well-being of agriculture and of other unsheltered industries apparently is chiefly dependent on the monetary policy of the principal countries of the world.” >

• ' The Testin’ club.

In Hoard's Dairyman the following ode

by I. A. Kimble will appeal perhaps to dairyfarmers who may be lukewarm in connection with

the testing of their herds. The title is “The Testin’ Club.” A while back in our domain They started up a big campaign To make a testin’ club er two To show us what our cows would do. _ . The country agent give a speel That helped to consummate the deal, And finally some of us give in

And said we'd try it, lose er win '. ’Twas quite a step fer us, I guess, Because they had it in the press, And business men from here and there Commended us on the affair. They got the tester right away. Who guaranteed to come and stay Once every month a day or so, For which we antied up the dough. We got some high falutin’ scales On which to estimate the pails Of m’’k we got from every cow At every bloomin’ milk pow-wow. And then we had to write that in A little book they give us men, And keep it choice agin the day The tester happened round our way. Well, when he got around to us, Mari and I both liked the cuss And thought it pleasant like of him To help us in our dairyin’. He went out to the barn that night And told me what he Towed was right In feed and such to make a cow Produce the most from bin and mow. He weighed the milk and weighed the feed Each special critter. seemed to need, And in the morning did the same Accordin’ to the testin’ game. Well, afterwards he figured how The records stuck on every cow ; Which struck Mari, she’ll always hold The same as gettin’ fortunes told. Well, when I saw my cow display On paper, in the tester’s way, I sorter figured in my head It sure was like Mariar said. For some of them had given back Their feed and quite a little jack ; And others, in the figures failed Producing what their feed entailed. Well, all of this was news to me, But yet it all soaked in, by gee, And I decided then and there I’d put an end to that affair, And since I’ve tried the testin’ way I’ve made the rule, each cow’ll pay So much to me to milk and stew And fuss around her like I do. And when I contemplate the day I doubted testin’ worth its pay, I see I missed the big idee , Because the testin's payin me I

No doubt we have a good deal to learn ere the best method of Top Dressing fertilising grass land Methods. and crops is determined, but one may be assured that the efficacy of artificials rests largely upon the seasonableness of their application. It is unwise to wait until the season gets late, or delay applying fertilisers until the plants are. so to speak, “on their last legs.” Stimulating manures naturally enough should be applied while the nlapts are strong enough to make good use' of such treatment. Why wait until the plants have become enfeebled or stunted in consequence of their efforts to flourish in an impoverished soil? Your money is spent to some advantage if the fertilising is done early in the season and before the weather is too favourable for top growth. No time should be lost. Late manuring may at times be beneficial and economical, but not usually; and it is more prudent to apply both the mechanical and manorial treatment early enough Jin order that the crops may be ready to benefit thereby as soon as the weather conditions arc favourable. AGRTCOLA.

CLEARING SALE AT TOIRO. The National Mortgage and Agency Company report having held a highlysatisfactory clearing sale at Toiro on Tuesday, on behalf of Mr J. A. Murdoch. There was a large attendance of buyers from Southland, Strath Taieri, and surrounding districts. The sheep were exhibited in good condition, and elicited spirited bidding, resulting in a first-class sale. The following are the principal sales:- —• Stud Sheep.-—lO two-shear Romney ewes 3jgns, 10 one-shear. 3Jgns, 10 oneshear 3§gns, 20 three-shear 3igns, 10 two and three-shear 3gns, 10 one and twoshear 3gns, 10 four and five-shear 24gns, 5 Romney ram hoggets 4Jgns, 5 4Jgns, 5 33gns, 5 Signs, 5 3gns, 4 _2Jgns, 3 2gns, 10 Romney ewe hoggets- 2§gns, 10 2Jgns, 20 2ggns, 8 2gns, lb one and two-shear Corricdaie ewes 4gns, 10 one-shear 3ggns, 9 three and four-shear 34gns, 7 three and four-shear 2-Jgns, 10 four and five-shear 2-|gns, 7 one and two-shear 2gns, 5 Corriedale ram hoggets 4Jgns, 5 4§gns. 5 4Jgns, 5 SJgns, 5 2jgns, 6 one-shear Corriedale rams 4igns, 10 Corriedale ewe hoggets 2.]gns, 7 2gns, 7 I jgns. The flock sheep also met with keen competition at the following prices: — Two-tooth Romney cross ewes 39s 3d, ewe hoggets 295, six and eivht-tooth Corriedale ewes 37s 9d, full-mouth Corriedale ewes 30s 6d. •The horses sold at this sale on account of Mr 11. Couston realised satisfactory prices also, the principal sales being:— Six-year-old gelding £34 lbs. eight-year-old gelding £3l, three-year-old colt £3l, aged geldings from £l5 to £l9 10s. Implements realised current values.