LIVE STOCK AND THE FARM

Southland Times, Issue 20963, 21 December 1929, Page 14

LIVE STOCK AND THE FARM

THE ROYAL SHOW. THROUGH NORTHERN EYES. ‘ PROSPECTS FOR THE FUTURE. Commenting on the Royal Show, the Christchurch Presss state*: “The substantial army of exhibitors and breeders who visited the Royal Show at Invercargill during the week have returned well pleased with the quality of the exhibition. In this respect the show was better than some of its predecessors, and quite equal, on an average, to any of them. Naturally, as an all-round sheep exhibition, it did not compare with the Royal at Christchurch in the matter of entries, and in some classes, in quality. The entries of stud sheep, as an instance, totalled about 540 head as against 1000 odd at the Christchurch Royal. Corriedalcs, the strongest, section at both shows, in point, of numbers, amounted to 02 entries as against over 300 at Christchurch. But in the matter of cattle no show yet held held under the Royal Society provided a better all-round display. This was freely admitted by the dairy cattle judges. In addition to this the Clydesdales were the best seen out in any show ring in the Dominion for many years. This might sound an extreme statement when some of the displays of pre-tractor days are recalled, but it has the backing of breeders and judges of past years. The fact, is a notacle one when the miles and miles of country at one time devoted to oats arc now in pasture. And such pasture! But that is another story.

The North Island breeders did very well in the matter of support considering the distance they had to travel. About 45 entries were forwarded from across the Straits. Canterbury exhibitors did extremely well in the support they accorded, and members of the committee expressed gratification that the help was of such a generous nature. In such breeds as the Corriedale. English Leicester, Sbropshires, and Ryeland, and also in pigs, Canterbury actually made the competition. The sheep entries from this province totalled over 150 head.

After decling in detail with the various breeds exhibited the article continues: — “The success attending the holding of the Royal at Invercargill supports the hope that the peripathctic character of the annual exhibition will be continued. To hold the gatherings alternately in Palmerston North and Christchurch entails on the Associations in these centres a good deal of organization that they arc noF keen to undertake so often. On the other hand, the proposal to hold the show permanently in Wellington is strongly disfavoured by breeders, except when Wellington business men have “caught the ear” of a few North Island breeders and Royal Association committeemen. At an official luncheon at Invercargill the other day a Southland spokesman expressed the hope that the Royal Show would be held in Southland again six years hence. This pre-supnoses it being held in Christchurch every third year, as at the moment there is no other southern association with the accomodation to undertake the job. It was reported that the Hawkes Bay Association was anxious to secure next year's Royal. The confidence of this Association to make a success of the function will no doubt be strengthened by Southland's experience. There is no reason whv Hawkes Bay should not hold a successful Royal, and if the Society should select this centre for the 1930 event, with success similar to this week’s gathering at Invercargill, it might achieve the very desirable result of “settling” the Wellington agitation for many years to come—until, at all events, that centre shows its ability first of all to run a purely provincial show.

PLANT FOODS. MINERAL ELEMENTS. INVESTIGATIONS MADE. When the writer of these lines went to an agricultural college to learn the art and mystery of farming he was told a lot about lime, nitrogen, phosphates and potash, as the main food necessities for the growth of plants, but it would appear that since those days the agricultural chemists have found that lesser known elements are, to some extent, also necessary for the 'very best growth, and some of the newer manures contain these constituents, or some of them, says the Christchurch Times.

In fact, much interest has been developed in recent years concerning the necessity of small amounts of a number of elements which heretofore have been considered as non-essential tn the economy of either plants or animals. For a long time it has been taught and accepted in a general way that the ten elements, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen, calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, sulphur and iron are the only ones necessary for the normal growth and maturity of important agricultural crops. It has been a well-known fact, however, among agricultural chemists, that Small quantities of a much larger number of the elements than the ten named, occur in the ash of plants that have grown under natural conditions in a fertile soil.

In the earlier days of agricultural chemistry it was quite natural that the attention of investigators was confined to those elements which occur in the largest amounts in plants and animals. With the development of new and more delicate methods in analytical chemistry, and with their application to the science and art of control, some of the elements which hitherto have been considered as non-essential have been shown to have very important functions in the economy of plants and animals.

The elements which have received the attention of investigators are manganese, copper, zinc, boron, arsenic, barium, strontium, aluminium, silicon, iodine, bromine, chlorine, and fluorine, a goodly list of newcomers! The occurrence in small amounts of the above-mentioned elements in normal plants and animals naturally suggests a question with regard to their source. Experiments with oats grown in purified sand cultures, to which small amounts of compounds of copper,, manganese, zinc, boron and arsenic were added, produced very markedly increased yields in comparison with the check plots, where these elements were not used.

When compared with the manganese treatments, copper and zinc gave additional increases in the yield of grain and straw. The addition of boron gave an increase in the yield of straw, but a decrease in the yield of grain, when compared with the manganese treatment. With the addition of arsenic, an increase in the yield of straw, as compared with the manganese treatment alone, was maintained, but a decided diminution in the yield of grain resulted. A complete mineral analysis of the ash of the straw produced in each of the cultures gave some interesting relations in regard to the assimilation of the different elements. From the results obtained in these experiments jt is to be. assumed that manganese, copper, zinc and possibly boron, are important factors in the growth of oats. It will be very interesting indeed to see what the results of further investigations on these lines will bring out. By letting one’s imagination have a little rein some rather amazing results might be forecasted!

Successful dairymen and feeders of all classes of live stock milk and feed by the clock. Animals are creatures of habit. Even without a timepiece a cow that is milked regularly knows to a few minutes when it is milking time, and some horses will proceed very Reluctantly with the work when the time to stop has arrived.

SOUTHERN DISTRICT. COUNTRY LOOKING WELL. DAIRY FACTORIES BUSY. The fine appearance generally of the Southern District at the present time with its abundance of grass and stock of all kinds “as fat as butter” to use his own words, was commented upon to a Times reporter by Mr T. O’Byrne who returned to Invercargill this week after a comprehensive tour of the district. "What a glorious district Otara is,” he said. “Probably very few people know of its lovely rolling downs. It appears to me that Scotland cannot hold a candle to it.” In the Southern District there was magnificent scenery he said—mountains, ocean and bush. From the boarding house of Mr Innes McKay on the banks of Papatowai a splendid view was obtained of the surrounding countryside and ocean. The beaches at Tautuku and Tahakopa were among the finest he had seen.

Mr O’Byrne said that he was very much impressed with the prosperous appearance of the district farms and the happy and contented looks of the people. In particular he desired to pay especial tribute to the kindness and hospitality of people in that district to travellers of all classes. The Waikawa Valley Dairy Factory was making steady progress, said Mr O’Byrne and the intake of milk was increasing considerably under the capable managership of Mr Houston. The same happy state of affairs existed at the Tokanui factory, where Mr Mortimer was in charge and the Otara factory under the control of Mr Frank Hughey was going at top. This factory was getting a very large intake. Altogether the district was entering upon a new era of prosperity. BULL FOR EXPORT. AUCKLAND FRIESIAN. TO GO TO AUSTRALIA. The Piri Land Co. (Auckland) have sold the la-months-old pedigree Friesian bull lotata uwiuno Anzac, lor export to the Health Department of the New South Wales Government. If his progeny prove as good as his ancestors, Totara Domino Anzac will make a b:g name both for himself and for his stud within- the next few years, as every line of his pedigree combines high production good type and prepotency.

His sire, Dominion Matador Dutch Boy was reserve champion as a two-year-old against the beat of competition at the 1926 isew Zealand Royal Show, this bull combines the blood oi three of the best animals that were ever in the New Zealand Government’s State Friesian stud at Weraroa. His sire is Carnation King Matador Betty (imported), Whose dam has a record of 8021 b. fat, and whose sire is a son of May Echo Sylvia, holder of seven world s records for milk production. The dam of Dutch Boy is Dominion Domino’s Dutch Girl, who is a daughter of those renowned parents, Woodcrest Jo (imp.) and Domino 3rd. The former has 18 c.o.r. daughters with records up to 7331 b fat. and seven proven sons in NewZealand, while he also has several daughters with good records in Australia. Domino 3rd, although not semi-otficially tested, has a farm record of 7571 b fat, milking up to 1131 b milk a day on twice-a-day milking.

The breeding of Totara Domino Anzac on the maternal side of his pedigree is even better than that on the top side. His dam, Bainfield Sylvia Princess 2nd. a record under S.O. test last season at the age of 3 years 291 days of 19,621.71 b. milk and 736.871 b fat, with an average test of 3.7 per cent., and was the senior three-year-old class leader for 1928. This cow is sired by Rosevale King Sylvia (Netherland King of Rosevale —Burkeyje Sylvia Posh), while her dam is Westmere Netherland Princess (Woodcrest Pietje Pontiac —Westmere Princess Pietertje). No detailed account of the performances of any of the above six animals need be repeated here, as their performances are widely known. Rosevale King Sylvia now has 20 c.o.r. daughters, including four with records over 8001 b. fat and four proven sons. Netherland King of Rosevale has eight c.o.r daughters with 10 records over 5001 b fat and five proven sons. Burkeyje Sylvia Posch has seven c.o.r.’s averaging 7261 b. fat, including one of 9831 b., and has five c.o.r. daughters and four proven sons. Westmere Netherland Princess has a record of 8781 b. fat, and is the dam of one of the senior herd sires at Totara Park. Woodcrest Pietje Pontiac (imp.) has 10 c.o.r. daughters and seven proven sons in New Zealand, as well as several daughters in Australia with big records. Westmere Princess Pietertje is the junior four-year-old class leader for all breeds in New Zealand with a record of 939.781 b. fat. From the foregoing it will be seen that the exportation >f Totara Domino Anzac is a loss to New Zealand, but the N.S.W. Government are to be congratulated on their purchase of such a bull to improve the black and white herds across the Tasman. STUD SHEEP. ROMNEYS AND CORRIEDALES. SHIPPED TO ARGENTINE. When the s.s. Port Melbourne left Wellington on October 26 she carried, consigned to Montevideo, to be transhipped to Patagonia, a very valuable consignment of stud sheep from both New Zealand and Australia. These are being forwarded to two of the largest land companies in the Argentine. They were purchased and selected through the agency of Messrs Pine, Gould, Guinness, Ltd., Christchurch, and consist of some very fine specimens of the different breeds. The sheep shipped from New Zealand were. Romney’s and Corriedales. The 50 one-shear Romney ewes were of quite exceptional quality, having been specially selected from the well-known flock of Messrs Jas. Mosley and Son, Riverslea, Clydevale, and Mrs A. S. Elworthy, Holme Station, Tiinaru, 25 from each stud; also two selected rams from each of the above breeders. The Corriedales included were six oneshear Corriedale rams, from the flock of Mr N. D. Campbell, Glendhu, Motunau. The sheep left this country in perfect order and were very favourably commented on by a number of judges and breeders, who saw them on board the ss. Port Melbourne prior to leaving Wellington. The voyage to Montevideo round Cape Horn takes a full three weeks, and it is hoped that these sheep will land in good order, as there is little doubt they will be a splendid advertisement for the breeders of this country and should lead to further business in the near future.

DAIRY PRODUCTION. FRIESIAN MERIT LIST. The Ftiesian merit list for October shows some wonderful production of butter-fat. The two leading 4-year-old cows have each produced over 1001 b fat in a month, Rosevale Sylvia Pirns Keyes (H. North and Sons, Omimi) 3203.41 b milk (an average of over 1031 b daily) with 109.23 lb fat, and Hobson De Koi Pontiad (Hobson Farm, Wharepapa) with 2637.71 b milk and 104.711 b fat. Friesian cows in New Zealand have now on 50 occasions under S.O. test produced over 1001 b fat in a month. In mature cows, Hobson Ashburn Pontiac has 97.12 lb fat, and Hobson Fobes Pontiac, a junior 4-year-old, has 86.881 b. Totara Sylvia Lass (Piri Land Co., Orini )has 89.831 b (3-year-old), and Rosevale Jessica Sylvia, another 3-year-old, has 89.121 b. Totara K.P. Clifden Lady has 83.971 b. A senior 2-year-old, Totara C.R. Buttercup, heads her class with 77.151 b fat with RosevaU Rosie Sylvia next with 70.951 b. Other senior 2-year-old heifers over 601 b are: — Rosevale Queen Daphne Sylvia 68.561 b; Mount View Alcartra Lass, 65.071 b; Totara Veemari Dot, 62,551 b; Glenstuart Magpie Echo Sylvia 62.171 b. Tbree ycar-olds.-—Brookdell Galatea Pontiac Segis, 71.601 b; Hobson Pauline Pontiac, 69.241 b; Hahoe Johanna Currant, 67.131 b. Four-year-olds.—Totara Sylvia Colantha, 77.231 b; Mchoe Duchess Pontiac, 71.381 b. Mature Cows.—Pansy Netherland Pietertje, 75.511 b; Rosevale Sylvia Model Keyes 70.641 b. Some of the best totals to the end of October are:— Junior two-year-olds.

Any spare ground that is not likely to be needed before late summer or autumn sowing should be sown in green crops. The common blue lupin is an excellent crop to sow for this purpose. Green manuring is a simple way of improving soils that are deficient in organic matter or humus. It is turned well under after the crop has attained a height of 18in. to 24in., it returns to the soil much of the material that has been absorbed by the previous crops. In sowing or planting further crops, always endeavour, if practical to arrange a change of soil for the crops. To grow the same crops two or three times in succession upon the same ground requires extra manuring and attention to obtain results as satisfactory as when a change of soil is given, the reason being that the plants soon exhaust the soil of the necessary’ food. Unless these ef®ential elements are returned to the soil before resowing or planting, the same varieties cannot continue to succeed. Certain food properties, however, may remain in the soil and be of assistance to

lb. fat. Days. Murihiku Miss Mierlo . . . . 364.5 193 Rosevale Gipcv Posch Echo 204.5 123 Greenhil! Sylvia Rose 4th .. 603.35 365 Senior Two-year-olds. Roscvale Queen Daphne Slvvia 236.57 108 Totara Veenian Dot . . . . 182.42 95 Rosevale Burkeyje Sylvia Posch 542.10 316 Three-year-olds. Totara Pontiac Ladv .. .. 597.97 278 Hobson Ada Pontiac .. .. 621.09 335 Echo Sylvia Pietertje Topsy 721.58 359 Totara Pontiac Countess .. 610.57 365 Four-year-olds. Rosevale Sylvia Plus Keves 152.58 45 Hobson De Koi Pontiac . . 160.46 53 Hobson Fobes Pontiac . . .. 106.24 41 Totara -Sylvia Colanlha . . 196.98 78 Rosevale Queen Daphne Triumph 691.18 268 Hobeon Nettie Pontiac .. .. 590.46 286 Hobson P.O.M .Queen .. .. 594.61 332 Hobson Zozo Pontiac .. .. 736.68 365 Roaevale Gipsy May Sylvia 631.24 365 Mature Cows. Hobson Ashburn Pontiac . . 132.07 45 Totara K.P. Clifden Lady .. 104.56 41 Pansy Netherland Pietertje 273.07 119 Rosevale Sylvia Model Keves 365.49 155 Nettie Ollie Korndyke De Koi 476 09 216 Rosevale Echo Beets . . .. 400.23 182 Rosevale May Echo Beets .. 495.80 214 Rossland Royal Queen Domino 386 13 192 Rosevale Korndvke Queen .. 534.89 277 Bainfield Princess Daisy Bell 608.07 311 Jewel Valdessa Pontiac .. .. 709.97 318 Dutchland Makanui of Oakview 754.72 365 Cluny Pietje Brundee .. .. 605.78 365