NOTES ON RURAL TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3853, 17 January 1928, Page 12

NOTES ON RURAL TOPICS.

Young or Old Ewes.

Recent investigations at Cracow (Ireland)

designed to determine which are the most reliable breeding ewes

(young or old) - bear out the experience of local breeders. A flock of purebred Southdowns was used for the experiment, and the ewes were served by the same ram. The offspring were divided into two separate lots—(1) those from young ewes and (2) those from ewes of some age. It was proved that the weight of the new-born lambs of the young ewes was much inferior to that of the new-born lambs of old ewes. The increase in the weight of the lambs up to the time of weaning remained greater in the progeny of the latter, but that difference afterwards disappeared, for, as soon as the lambs became independent of their dams and started grazing, the offspring of the young ewes developed more quickly and overtook the lambs from the old ewes. Hence, according to the authorities at the Government Farm Institute at Cracow, it is considered highly probable that up to weaning time the lambs from older ewes are more forward than the others owing to the fact that the milk glands of their mothers are better developed.

Freemartins and Twins.

It is unusual that a heifer twinned with

a bull will breed, and she is ordinarily termed -a freemartin (says a

Home journal). Now, a freemartin is a female in which the reproductive organs have failed to develop properly, and this animal is not only sterile, but tends to develop many of the characteristics of a steer. Investigators tell us that this condition is due to the union with one another of the membranes which surround the male and the female twins. If these membranes join, the circulatory system of these two indivi .uals also join. In consequence «the blood of one is enabled to circulate through the body of the other. Occasionally when i. male and female are twins the female develops in a normal way. When this occurs it can only be attributed to the fact that the. union of the two membranes has not taken place, or, if it has occurred, this has only taken place at a late stage in the development. The female in this case is not a freemartin, as a freemartin never proves to be a breeder. The evidence thus far is that in the great majority of cases in which twin calves are reported as being male and female the so-called female in reality is a freemartin and not a true female. It is rather difficult for the ordinary observer to distinguish between a freemartin and a heifer at the time of birth, although the distinction will become more apparent with age. Where both twins ar e females they will breed, and twin bulls will breed, also a male twinned with a female will breed. It is so unusual that a so-called heifer twinned with a bull will breed that it is considered unwise to raise such an animal for the small chance that she may reproduce.

Fruits of Milk Propaganda.

In answer to a question in the House of

Commons recently the Minister of Agriculture stated that the supply of liquid milk sent to London by rail had in-

creased during the past five years by 62 per cent., actually from 72,000,000 gallons to 117,000,000 gallons a year. It is further estimated that at least gallons annually are now brought to London by road. This implies an enormous increase in the milk-drinking habit if these figures of supplies cairried by the railway companies are \ imensurate with liquid milk consumption. No doubt some proportion of the milk sent to London is manufactured and is not sold as liquid milk, but it should not be a large proportion, because it is f obviously the most economical policy to restrict carriage charges on mijk and manufacture products on the spot in the chief pr during areas. Chief credit for the increase in milk consumption is due to the Milk Publicity Council, a propaganda body, which is supported by the dairy farmers, manufacturers, and distributors The consumption of milk in Britain is still far below that of most other countries, and so there is a good field of development waiting.. The more milk consumed in liquid form the 'better for producers. In connection with the distribution of milk, it is of interest to note the use of glass tanks by one English company. “ Within the next few weeks two complete daily services for the bulk transport of milk on the railways in glass-lined tanks will be in operation for the first time in this country.” This official announcement was made by the chairman at the annual meeting of shareholders of the United Dairies, Ltd. These tanks,” he went on to explain, have been built for us to cur own design, and are of 3000 gallons capacity. They are adequately insulated for the maintenance: of constant temperatures during - traiisiti Milk vessels require very different treatment from . vessels constructed to contain other liquids, and special attention has been given to easy dismantlement, of the fittings for the washing and sterilisation which will take

place after each journey. The tanks, therefore, have a beautifully finished interior, and can be easily washed; incidentally they are sterilised daily by steam at a pressure of 301 b to the square inch.” During th past fortnight an experimental service, he added, had been in daily operation. The first journey from the United Dairies creamery at Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire, to their depot at Willesden—the world’s largest bottling plant—was made with a 3000-gallon load of water. This was a complete success, and milk had now been 'ubstituted. “We believe,” continued the chairman, ‘ that this new mode of milk transport is a big step in - supplying the com”any’s customers with an even better product. Developments of this kind can only be ' l tained by the close co-operation of the parties engaged in the production, distribution, and transportation of milk.”

Ida Valley Drainage.

Settlers interested in irrigation outside of Central Otago

will have lead intently the letter sent by the

Ida Valley residents regarding the lack of adequate drainage. It is questionable if it was ever thought otherwise than that the Public Works Department should provide a drainage scheme out of the original estimate. As pointed out in a letter to the editor of the Otago. Daily Times by J. C. Smith, ot Lovell’s Flat, Messrs Tennent and Marks in their treatise on drainage (New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, October 20, 1924) write: “It is recognised as the business. of the irrigation engineer to satisfy himself as to the natural drainage facilities of the soil, and where these are not adequate to make provision for a system of main drainage canals.” Further on they state: “A drainage system for the valley was laid out several years ago, but th e owners of the low-lying lands were afraid of being over-drained. It is only now, after a few years of irrigation, that these farmers are likely to view the question of drainage eye to eye with the Government, and thus facilitate the installation of adequate drainage canals.” Previous to this UnU ~ ago Daily Times of July 18, Av “ en replying to a leading article 30 an< l t° °tl lcr letters) Mr F. W. Furkert, engineer in chief, said as a salient point regarding the irrigation ot Ida valley: “The necessity for a drainage scheme was recognised before any work was done on the plain, and a sam , F the cutting of drains was included in the original estimate about the Je.ar 1909 or 1910. Later on, this was laid out in detail when the irrigation commenced and would have been done long since but for the lack of appreciation on the part of the freeholds in the lower .part of the valley (not the irrigators). Mr Smith continues: “ I should imagine that this was proof positive that a drainage system was inaugurated at the outset and that an allowance was made m the rental charges for drainage purposes. A paragraph taken from the same treatise on drainage by Messrs Tennent and Marks refers to the destruction of land m America when a thorough drainage system was not provided in the original estimate. It savs: ‘Many f , Am ® ri . can “’ligation projects were developed by companies for speculative purposes without full enough investigation. of the natural drainage facilities ot the soil. The result was that allowance was not made in the rental charges to settlers to cover the cost of unanticipated drainage systems. When drainage troubles arose, requiring extenwonl./^T’f 1 m ®, asures ’ companies ui Li” ot face t!le position.’ Presumably this statement was placed in the New Zealand Journal of Agriculture for the sole purpose of gaining the confidence sion 11 J nt +K- d ’ ne i lrri s ators - An expression of this description would, howVw i ‘t VC Printed in the R 'ft an< i, Jourl ? al of Agriculture had Public w n i th< L original intention of the 1 üblie V orks Department to avoid such mistakes, but there is no doubt that the of a H.p le p t hr el s? tS i th -£ P rese nt attitude ?i -‘ le B u hhe Works Department towards the settlers of Ida Valley.”

AGRICOLA