THE FARM

Patea Mail, Volume XLVIII, 29 December 1926, Page 3

THE FARM

Diseased tubers of potatoes should be burnt, and must never bo employed for seed. Sick animals should be kept clean and put ou fresh pastures well sheltered from the prevailing winds, A soil which is unable to throw oil an excess of water becomes cold and uamp. Calves should always bo fed at regular intervals. This is an important tac tor in the promotion of rapid growth. Culling, selection, elimination kept constantly in mind and continually practised will mean healthier fowls, stronger chicks, earlier pullets, and eggs when they are most wanted. A South Auckland school has made £otl a year from hedge cuttings propagation in the school garden plots. This money was used for improving the school grounds. In .North Auckland there are over a quarter of a million acres of unfilled ami unimproved country, and in South Auckland there arc over three million acres in the same condition. In view of tho severe foreign competition on the Loudon butter and cheese markets, the need for greater output and economy of production is 11101 c pressing than ever.

Such, u thing as scaly leg should never be seen on any purebred fowls, f requent examinations with an occasional treatment will usually bo sufficient to ward off the trouble.

Sweet cream butter must sometimes be made in order to meet the demand of a certain district. For the general market ripened cream butter is almost always required.

If every man on the land was in a position to top-dress his country, it would help to largely minimise the evils of noxious weeds, increase production, and add to the general prosperity of the country.

By the removal of much of the superfluous growth from trees, the sap is naturally directed to the development of more perfect fruit, while the centres of the trees, being thrown more open to light and sun, must result in more highly coloured fruit.

When catching sheep for any purpose they should never be gripped by the wool, as this causes considerable damage, especially to fat sheep and lambs. The carcase of a freshly-killed animal that has been grasped by the wool reveals an inflamed and congested area resembling a bruise.

Even with reasonable care the use of lucerne us a pasture will inevitably lessen the life of the plants. Lucerne fed off by stock will probably require to be sown after a very short period —perhaps as short a* four years. Whenever possible, a cut for hay or green feed should be taken.

The .greatest success in fruit-growing can only be attained when the trees have been properly treated in all their various stages of growth, and then not so much by winter pruning, as by shortening back many of the young growths during the growing season.

“Possession of a large tract of valuable land does not, necessarily mean that a man is wealthy in New Zealand nowadays,’’ remarked Mr. Justice Ostler. “A man may be quite wealthy on paper and yet perilously close to the bankruptcy ■» court under our present system.” _

Hay and ensilage forms, a,s it were, the sinking fund in a farmer’s business, to be drawn on in time of scarcity and want. Such periods are always to bo met with, and it is the wise farmer who harvests his surplus crops in time of plenty and stores them foi use during the lean mouths.

The United States is the largest user of calf-skins such as New Zealand produces. New- Zealand -skins mostly weigh from 41b to 61b, with a percentage of 01b to 81b. Germany has recently been buying skins Blb and upward and has ■also been taking a percentage of 01b to 81b.

Mr. W. Jones, M.P., told a meeting of the agricultural committee of the Canterbury branch. of the Farmers’ Union that he had received assurance from the Minister that all farm tractors would be exempt from tax this year except those which did belt work (says the “Lyttelton Times”.). Fanners who had previously paid the tax would be able to get a refund. “I am not satisfied yet about these tractors doing belt iwork, ’’ added Mr. Jones.