FARM

Southland Times, Issue 17482, 24 July 1915, Page 2

FARM

AG’SXC'DXTITJtAIj EVENTS POB WEEK ENDING JULY 31. —Tuesday, July 27. Stock sale at Wallacetown. —Thursday, July 29. —• Stock sale at Wyndham. —Friday, July 30. Stock sale at Waikaka. The Edcndale Horse-breeders' Association have this year secured the services of Mr .1. B. Horde's well-known draught stallion Premier Balgarvic, who has a fine record in Southland. Premier Halgarvic continues to leave most promising stock, and the Edendale Association has undoubtedly made a wise choice. The horse is still as sprightly as a two-year-old, and is looking at present perhaps better than he has ever done. Mr John Croshie. of Glenrosc. has just imported from Scotland (through Messrs Wright. Stephenson and Co.) a pedigree Ayrshire bull, a fine type of animal. There is a phenomenal • demand in Canterbury this season for turnips from this district (says the Balclntha Free Press), and for some time past three and four trucks a day have been going away from Balclntha station. At Stirling the export trade is even greater. One Island grower. Mr Win. Weir, has already despatched 350 tons to help to feed the stock of Canterbury. Mr Weir has 60 acres of drilled turnips, and secured an excellent crop. When it is realised that on the fertile flats of Inchclulha turnips have gone as high as 70 tons to the aero, and that the ruling price on trucks this season is trom 2.is to 27s Gd a ton (in exceptional cases 30s ■has been offered) it will be seen that there are less profitable crops than turnips. and that it pay far better to sell by the ton than by the acre. Mr Thos. King, who recently resigned the position of cheesomaker at Otautau D. F.. after several years of successful experience, has been appointed from 1G applicants to a similar billet in Awarua D.F.. near Winton. His successor at Otautau is Mr Thomas Hamilton, who has had both New Zealand and Australian experience as a eheesemaker, and holds a good record. Both of these gentlemen are well-known in Wyndham district —Mr King being the oldest son of Mr ami Mrs Thomas King, of Wyndham, and Mr Hamilton the son-in-law of Miami Mrs John Stinson, also of this town. —Wyndham Farmer. Bainhs are reported to have made their appearance in this district (slates the Tuapeka Times). All- Philip Cranley of Wctherstones, has. it is said, two winch are now three weeks' old, and Mr M. Hart. Tuapeka West, has had some ; dropped. The weather recently has ceri thinly been favourable to the new arri- | vals,'which are all doing well.

There has been a steady rise in the price of all classes of sheep in the Wairarapa district during the last two oi three weeks. A slock export stated that good ewes had jumped from 17s (id to 255. wethers from 1 is to 2.15, and good la nil's from 12s to 16 s. The reason of the increase is said to he due to the mild season and the fact that many farmers are buying now before sheep get too dear in the spring, when it is anticipated prices will reach a very high level. A lot of inquiries for sheep have been received from districts outside of Wairarapa. Hairy cows also are fetching belter prices than they were a few weeks ago. Good averages in selling herds are reported all over the district, and in many cases over £1 a head rise has taken place recently.

In one of the leading Scottish newspapers, including the Scotsman and the Glasgow- Citizens, there recently appeared the following letter, written by Mr P. Jeffrey Mackie, the well-known and'prominent distiller. Xew Zealand Butter, — CTo the Edijor of the Scotsman). Sir. —The other day I was much struck with the fine : quality of the butter which was put he- | fore me, and as I have a small home ; dairy for our ow-n use. I asked if it came from there, and was told no that it was Xew Zealand butter. I found that the price ranked with that of Danish butter. ! which is of a very high grade, and after j two or three days’ trial. I gave orders | that the New Zealand butter should for I the future be served upstairs instead of ' that from our ow-n daily. The moral to he drawn is a serious warning to our home butter - makers to both organise and specialise, or they may he crying out in a few years about having lost the trade, not through the Germans, hut through our own colonies. I do not grudge New Zealand the trade, especially when she has won it by quality, and I think that now- those who buy Danish and other foreign butters might to their advantage patronise New- Zealand butter. The dealings of Denmark with Germany in the past have not been quite satisfactory to US. while Xew Zealand has nobly come to our aid, both with her Navy and her men, and patriotism is entitled to a reward in these times. Yours, etc., (signed), P. Jeffrey Mackie. Symington. Kilmarnock, Scotland, March 16, 1915.

The bonus decided upon at a meeting of the directors of the Whenuakimi factory will bring the total pay-out for the season mi to 3s Gipl (says the Haw-area Star). In addition to this the company has allowed for a depreciation of 10 per cent, and carried forward £350.

It is a well-known fact that certain combinations of feed give better results than others (remarks Hoard's Dairyman). It is not well to feed a cow entirely upon dry feed or upon concentrates. Although concentrates may be far more valuable than a roughage, yet to have a cow do her best work, twothirds of the ration should he supplied in roughage. Succulent feed is not as valuable, pound for pound, as dry feed, but the influence it has upon the animals Is such that some value may he attached to its succulence. In other words, it Is plain that the physical condition of a fedd, regardless of the nutrients it contains, has value.

The Board of Agriculture is of (lie opinion that the proposed bill for the control of the sale of seeds would not he satisfactory if it did not provide for the examination of all seeds imported into the dominion and for the prohibition of imported seeds containing deleterious weeds and worthless seeds.

The Stratford Dairy Factory will pay out on July :>n for the June milk supply £155 and a bonus of £14.05, making a total of £3 5,063. For the year (he payment to suppliers was £63,697 13s 6d, and the butter sales realised £R5,377 Ss sd.

According to Mark Bane Express the starling has become as great a pest in England as it is in Australia. That paper says: “Down in the West of England the Berkeley Hunt Agricultural Society has voiced the wishes of a good many farmers in Gloacestershire by asking the County Councils to deprive starlings of protection under the Wild Birds Protection Acts. In the debate that took place evidence was brought forward to show the damage done by starlings, both to corn crops and fruit, but there was no desire to go to extremes in persecution, as the usefulness of starlings was generally admitted so long as there were not too many of them, but it w-as when the birds got too plentiful that their habits overwhelmed any benefits they bestowed on the farmer. The end of the discussion was the sending of an application to the Home Secretary to alter the existing order so that starlings might be de-

prived of protection for a period of two years. It will be for the farmers to decide -what measures shall be adopted during the above period to reduce the starling fraternity to proportions that will in accordance with the balance of Nature that is desired, and for the moment In the west country where starlings are concerned it is a question of saving us from our friends. It is not unlikely that the mild winters experienced of late are to some extent responsible for the groat increase in starlings, but the birds wore always fairly plentiful, and the charge is up against them that they have actually .acquired the injurious habits complained of. In short, there are farmers about who will tell you the time when starlings began to damage wheat crops, and the habit lias apparently grown with the increase of the birds.”

As showing what can he taken out of hind by intense cultivation, the experience during the past year of Mr Samuel Sparks, of Cashmere, is worth giving (says the Nelson Mail). His land is, without question, of a high class, having cost £6O an acre: but in this respect it is not markedly distinguished from the whole area in the same neighbourhood. Mr Sparks is an old settler, and, consequently. knows the capacity of the land, and works it to the host advantage. This year, from a single acre, ho secured 100 tons of mangels, and these he sold for 27s per ton certainly an excellent return since, as Mr Sparks states, the cost of production. Including interest of capital Invested in (he land, would not amount to more than £lO. From an area of 52 acres Dir Sparks sold 100 tons of hay at £4 10s and from two acres of potatoes he sold 30 tons of eating tubers at £4 5s 5d per ton. In the North Island there is a strong demand for store sheep.

After consultation with Hr Reakos. the Board of Agriculture decided at its last meeting to recommend the Minister to make contagious mammitis a notifiable disease under the Stock Act, and that before a proved affected animal he allowed to leave the owner's property it should he branded by an inspector, so that it cannot he sold as a milker.

There is every reason to believe that the South Tlillend well-equipped factory will re-open next season. A number of farmers interviewed by Messrs W. Watson and J. Kirkwood, have already

agreed to become suppliers in t liespring. There is nothing surer than that high prices for cheese will rule next season, and it would have been a great pity if the plant were to remain idle for another term.

The Drummond correspondent of the Winton Record states that farming operations in this district are well advanced, and a large area has. and will Vie sown iii oats, this year. There are not many good crops of turnips; nevertheless winter feed is holding out remarkably well.

The Bullet- County Council is to raise a loan of £2OOO for the erection of a lime kiln at Cape Foulwind with subsidiary kilns in different parts of the country.

Plenty of superphosphate supplied to the cultivated crops enables them to ■suppress the weeds.

Our “wool barons,” as they used to lie called, the lords of tens of thousands of acres and flocks scattered over the area, of the country, sire objects of envy to the landless man. but they are really small fry in comparison with some Australian pastoralists of which we read now- and again. For instance there is Sir Samuel McCaughey, M.8.C.. of NewSouth Wales, who celebrated his ROth birthday lately, and whose landed possessions and colossal land deals have been catalogued admiringly, by the Sydney Morning Herald. Sir Samuel came out from his native Ballymena, in Antrim, in ISSG. and began his life on a sheep station as a “jackeroo.” He did not remain such very long for he had well-off relatives who had preceded him, and year by year lie added to his acres. To-day he owns only a small portion of his one-time properties, for within the last few years ho has disposed of one big run after another, hut the figures he gave his Herald interviewer when he 1 allied land and sheep were something amazing.

These are some items from the veteran wool monarch’s little list of buyings and sellings and sheep shearings:—“ln ISSO Sir Samuel ‘Wilson loft Australia to reside in England, and he induced me to buy Toorale and Dunlop which at that time comprised about 3.000,000 acres. Of this area about a million acres were sold to several holders, and Toorale and Dunlop proper were disposed of in 3 912 to Messrs Robinson and Vincent. I was also interested in several stations in Queensland, which I have sold out of— Rockwood. Tower Hill. Barenya, and Antrim —besides Bonus Downs, which I owned and sold to Robinson and Vincent last year. I still have an interest in several other stations in that State. Det me see, . . . I .suppose I have disposed of a dozen different stations in recent years. I sold several stations in the Xarrnndera district yes. and Yanco, which (lie Government has resumed. How many sheep did I shear? Veil, for a number of pears I shore about a million. The clips often reached £200.000 in value. In my operations T spent from £100.001) to £130,000 a year in wages and working expenses, I speak of the firm of McCaughey and Go. Euralie and Dunlop cost me £400,000. All the water had to be put on. and rabbit netting erected. . . - Those three pro-

perties (Etiralie. Dunlop and X'ocolecho) totalled 2.500.000 acres quite a bit of land. When I bad all the properties I used to tell my friends that it was quite possible for them to get lost on this area .—an area which if it could be cut up into lengths of three-quarters of a mile and pieced together end on end would stretch from hero to England, a distance of 3 2.000 miles.” It was of course only the peculiar conditions in Australia and the fewness of men for the huge areas (hat made possible such land-grasping us this conraegons and hard-headed and acquisitive old North of Ireland sheepman displayed. Probably outside the is-land-continent only South America could have given such opportunities as NewSouth Vales and Queensland afforded for the squatters who aspired to count their steers and their shoe)) by (he million. and the reprehensible Socialistic Governmfmts are sadly discouraging their ambitions in Hi e Comonwculth those, days.

A cow, believed to be 2S years old. died last month at Bake Gowal Station. Marsden (Australia). This cow- w-as first broken to milk just 26 years ago. and during her life produced 23 calves, the first 22 of which were dropped in successive years. The recent IS months’ drought in the district proved too much for her.

On the one hand (from worker sources) comes assertions that Canterbury farmers lately reduced wages by substantial amounts, so that many workers migrated to the towns. And, on the other hand, per medium of the North Canterbury Farmers' Union, it is declared that the existing supply of rural labour is inadequate, and must be reinforced from the towns. —Mr Horrell. speaking on the subject from the hitter point of view, told the Farmers’ Union last month that farmers could not proceed with the sowing of large wheat fields unless the uncertainty of the labour supply was at once removed. The country, he said, needs the co-operation of the towns. He moved that steps be

taken to ensure a guarantee of labour from the towns in the event of a scarcity of workers.—Mr .T. W. Patchell seconded, and referred to a similar movement at New Plymouth.—The motion was carried to take steps as suggested, and the members were generally of opinion that if a shortage of labour arose the towns would promptly come to the rescue.

Some horses have tender skins, and, when this is known, scalding should be guarded against by applying astringent lotions, such as salt-water, permanganate of jiotash. or a mixture of powdered alum, luz; sulphuric acid, 1 drachm: water, 1A pints (says the Christchurch Sun). Lining the collar with oil-cloth has proved a preventive. In most cases, scalds are caused by carelessness. Kvcry farmer will see that the collars fit, but not many clean and scrape them regularly. The shoulders, too, should be sponged with cold water every day after work. At periodical stops the collars should be lifted forward to cool the shoulders; at meal times the collars should be removed; and when putting on the harness the mane should not be allowed to work between collar and shoulder. The haines should be evenly and tightly buckled on; traces of equal length, and tugs properly placed, high or low to suit the horse and the line of draught. The line of draught is usually too low, which throws the pressure on to the point of the shoulder. Some owners clip the shoulders, as long hair, when wet with perspiration, will mat together, and create an uneven surface. "When a scald has developed, careful attention will soon heal it. especially if the horse can he rested. If work is continued. a cloth pad about sin square and lin thick should be lied on the collar above or below the sore. Washing with horaeic acid, dusing with boraclo powder, bathing with a lotion of ioz sulphate of zinc, loz acetate of lead, and I pint water; applying oxide of zinc ointment are nil good remedies. This and other troubles should drive home to owners the necessity for possessing a medicine chest. Kvery veterinary firm advertises them, and the remedies are safe and efficacious. With means ready to hand a scald can he arrested at once.

As from July 1, Mr John Brown, B.SC. (AKr.l, X.D.A., has taken charge of the Fields and Bxperimental Division of the Department of Agriculture as Divisional Director. The scope of the Division remains as hitherto, hut for the sake of convenience the official designation lias been abbreviated to ‘'Director of the Fields Division,” and that form of address should bo used in future. The Secretary of the Department (Mr F. S. Pope), in thanking Mr J. Duncan, who has carried out the duties of acting-di-rectoi. in addition to his own work as Assistant Director, during the past 18 months, states the fact that Mr Duncan’s qualifications do not include a special education in the science of agriculture, which prevented his continuing in the capacity of Director but his wide practical knowledge lias enabled him to act as locum tenens with great satisfaction to the •Department. As shown by the Kothamsled experiments it is possible to grow cereals year after year over a long period and if the crops arc nourished by the application of fertilisers, the yield remains as abundant as ever, But witli lucerne and clovers it is quite otherwise. After a few successive crops the plant sickens, and no matter what fertilisers tire applied the crop fails, the soil having become what is known as "sick.”

AVI ■at: is Uio cau.sc of the difference of tlio action of the plants on the soil?— According to a note presented to I'Academio clos Sciences, the reason is to be found in the fact that the Leguminosae plants excrete a certain amount of toxic matter, which accmnulates in the soil and poisons it for the plant. Hence the necessity for waiting before re-sowing the same field with lucerne, and of subjecting the Held to tillage in order to thoroughly expose the soil to the influence of air and sunchine.

A Holstein cow, Findernc Holingcn Huy no. lias broken all records for fat (stales tile American Agriculturist 1 by producing ;!65 consecutive days 24.612.8 pounds milk, containing 1116 pounds of fat. She freshened at ilie age of three years and four months. Her sire is ing Hengcrveld Aaggic l-'ayne and bet dam. Mutual Holingcn Faync. She was bred by Bernhard Meyer, of Somerset County, Xew .Jersey.

A farm property recently changed bands at Ashburton at £BS per aero. The area was G4 acres.

The establishment of an up-to-date factory for (he manufacture of superphosphate and sulphuric acid is being considered by the dominion executive of the Wellington Farmers’ Union. At a recent meeting a conference took place with an engineer who has inquired very fully into the proposel. The latter pointed nut that in Australia, where the facilities were not so good, a similar wactory had boon paying dividends of 2.0 per cent., and is still selling at lower rates than those which the farmers are paying in Xew Zealand. Options have beer; obtained over sites and sources of supply of phosphate rock

Good animals, kept clean, comfortable, and free from excitement, will yield the best possible results in milk. On the oilier hand, whore cows are in ill-health, or unduly excited, the milk is immediately affected. Hspecially is this noticeable in the case of cows taken long distances to shows, and in such cases the fat percentage may fall as low as 2 per cent, or even less, whereas at home it would be normal in quality.

Mr H. Mclntosh (Kaiapoi) has sold a lino of 500 wethers at -5s per head to a graaier to go on turnips.

Mr M. 7’rasor (Government Statistician) placed figures before the Board of Agriculture at its last meeting setting out the position as to tiie approximate stocks of wheat and the estimated yield of oats for the present season. This made it clear that so far as the wheat supply was concerned the position, owing to tlie greater yield being threshed than was anticipated, was a good deal more satisfactory than was firest expected, the returns made up from figures supplied by threshing mill owners giving the total amount available as about (11 million bushels, instead of 5 millions as estimated at first. With regard to oats the position was not; so satisfactory, there being a shortage this year of 1.0007 acres as compared with last year. After discussion it was decided that from tiie evidence given to the Board in the matter it was of opinion that there was considerable danger that there will not he enough to meet the requirements of the country. FELDWICK NOTES. (From Our Own Correspondent.) The snow which fell here on the 19th of last month, covered the ground to a depth of about fin. and, as this was followed by a severe frost, it remained covered with a coat of frozen snow for a fortnight. During that period all farmwork was suspended, and stock of every kind had to be hand-fed. Since the thaw cleared away this uncomfortable and expensive state of affairs, the weather has been fairly good and farm work is progressing satisfactorily. A much larger area than usual will this year be devoted to grain growing. Belgian Relief. A most successful bazaar and sale of work was held in the. Orawia Coronation Hall on Ifilrd and ;Mth ulto. Though the weather was

most unfavourable, our settlers determined to make the affair a financial success, and turned out In a praiseworthy manner. The substantial amount raised (over £100) for the unfortunate Belgians, demonstrates what can be done even amongst a small community when everyone cheerfully puts his shoulder to the wheel. To the ladles especially is credit due for their noble and unselfish effort in raising funds for such a worthy object.

Tlie schoolbuilcling and surroundings, which form such a conspicuous landmark in this locality, had for 20 years or more been allowed to go to utter decay. This state of affairs, however, is now entirely changed and the whole place has assumed an aspect of beauty and comfort. Through the representations and energy of the school committee, the school buildings, playshed. and all outbuildings have been thoroughly repaired, renovated, and nicely painted by the Education Board’s staff; -while the committee have generously and efficiently attended to the necessary drainage and gravelling. They also contemplate extra fencing and the layingout of hj plantation of suitable trees. The committee fully recognises that a comfortable. neat building, with attractive surroundings, is a great incentive to regular attendance and a cheerful, happy school life, and that only under such circumstances can the best results be attained. FAIRFAX NOTES. (From Our Own Correspondent.) The present weather could hardly be improved upon for all farming purposes, and in sheltered places a slight spring in the grass is quite visible. It is quite cheery to see the ploughs in full swing on every farm, indicating that a large acreage is to he sown and that a great harvest together witli high prices may be expected. On many farms the double furrow has been discarded and the digger or swamp plough is being used instead. ' Either of the last-mentioned give a good deep furrow, and they also drain, and now that so much lime is being used drainage is imperative. 'With five or six horses in these ploughs the soil can be moved to a good depth and the rootlets can reach down and get the full substance of the moisture. On leas that have been laid aside for a few years artificial manures should not be required and in such cases the benefit of liming leas is returned twofold in promoting the growth of grass and also cereals when the paddock if ploughed. All braird that has been sown extra early is looking all that can be desired. The snow acted as a top-dressing to the wheat. There is a good demand fetr chaff at fairly payable prices, but farmers are too busy to cut and cart it. This weather must he taken advantage of in preparing for seed time which should commence next month. Now that the dairy season is coming on. the question of killing calves ana thereby adding to the already high price of cattle for consumption is to be considered. If calves do not get a certain amount of milk for two or three weeks they will become stunted, and all the artificial feed will not build them up afterwards. The best feed next to milk is boiled oatmeal, which just at present is much too dear. Of course, if a dairyman intends keeping only a few calves they can be properly fed and attended to. Although he may get 30s a head for 12-months-old calves, the dairyman begrudges the. milk at the time, and he very often allows the calf to develop into a stunted miserable animal that must be sold for a few shillings. Now that both oats and chaff are selling at extra high values farmers should conserve the feed as much as possible. The writer finds a good plan is to fill a kerosene tin with molasses, melt tvith hot water, and empty into a cask of cold water. At feeding time dilute the feed with the molasses, and not only will the mixture put a polish on the horses but they will not leave nor waste a vestage of the feed. It also serves as a splendid laxative, which horses require at this season of the year when there is no green grass. The country looks very well and the people'are cheerful. GERMANY’S HARVEST. THE SUPPLY OF PHOSPHATES. The Germans have announced that they expect a bumper harvest, though later we had news that the drought had .seriously interfered with the prospects of the yields; hut again bountiful rains have fallen, and prospects are good. One point that might be forgotten is that they may be short of phosphatic manures. Wall Street Journal points out that neither Germany or Austria have any phosphate rock in their territory. In 101::. Germany imported a million tons of this rock, of which 400,000 tons were from the United States, and the remainder from Tunis. Algiers, and certain island of the Pacific, formerly owned by Germany. The only country left that Germany might draw her supply of rock from is the United Slates, but the British blockade prevents that. Lately the Germans have climbed down in relation to the States, and now we may expect, various demands being made by President "Wilson to allow American journal forgets that Germany into Germany. We feel sure Britain will never do that. At the same time the American journal forgets that Germany has a great source of phosphates in the basic slag which hitherto we have taken from them to a small extent, and there lias been considerable export to Britain. Tlie quality of the manure is. however, not so good as the English: the German ore being low in phosphorus and therefore the percentage of phosphoric acid in the slag is often very low indeed. Tlie journal in question considers that from the absence of this importation of phosphates, Germany's cereal crop will show a shrinkage of from 25 to 55 per cent. This probably is over-estimated, but in an old country like Germany some sort of manure is absolutely necessary before any crop can be grown. Potash they have in large quantities, in fact hold at Strasfurth mines of this salt (kainiti. which is the world’s main supply-, hut an extra supply of potasli will not make up for tlie absence of phosphates. We have road; “For want of a nail the battle was lost.’’ If the war is lost to Germany for want of phosphates, it shows how intimately connected the whole world is by trade. Germany's motto is: “Trade follows the sword’; ours is: “Trade follows the flag.” TURNIP DISEASE. Dry rot in Swede turnips (in particular') is a serious menace to fanners interests, as it affects the provision of winter feed for stock, so necessary in Southland, says tlie Wyndliam Herald, in this climate nothing seems to equal turnips (and straw) witli a suitable runoff for keeping stock in the off-season of grass. Thai is the conclusion alter many experiments have been made witli all manner of crops, including cabbage, silver beet, show moeller, etc. Tlie globular shape of tlie roots throws oft the rain, whereas in other cases the wet enters the heads of hearting plants, and succeeding frost and thaw cause decay. • For 50 to 40 years turnips have been the Southland farmers’ sheet anchor. Nothing has been found to equal them tor foeding-off oi* carting out to stock. Therefore, when disease attacks them in a wholesale way. there is cause for alarm. Farmers are completely baffled to account for the cause of Hie disease, and any attempts to correct it have so far quite failed. Liming. complete changes of paddocks, early sowing and late sowing, niunurial experiments, etc., have been resultless. Borne liave thought artificial manuring might. be a factor: but among tlie worst crops have been those receiving stable manure. We have not beard of the seed being treated with formalin, nor have we known the effect of suhsoiling a splendid means for increasing the yield in clay soils, tlie plant being a deep-rooting one. Tlie disease makes its appearance at different stages and sometimes tlie disease sets in when the bulbs have attained to nearly their full size, and then the whole crop may become infected. It is a fungoid disease of course. Of it cause there has been no scientific or systematic investifation. The discovery of the cause would therefore afford the officers of the Africultural Department an opportunity to prove their practical utility. If the turnip crop failed, the dairying industry as well as beef-raising would receive a great set-back. We have been reliably informed that the disease has this season appeared among the semi-hard varieties of turnips. The opinion lias been given.to us that the disease lias not been so bad this vear as last year: but that may be due to the fact that a great many farmers have discontinued growing swedes on account of the disease. If therefore the substitutes are also to be affected the outlook is had. The Farmers’ Vnion should press the Department to make an investigation at once.