A Farmer’s Note-Book

Southland Times, Issue 23444, 26 February 1938, Page 19

A Farmer’s Note-Book

Pig Breeding

There is a great opportunity for New Zealand to increase its bacon exports which it is hoped the authorities will not miss. The census taken in England and Wales to December 1937 gives the number of pigs in England and Wales at 3,914,000. a decrease of 142,000, including 32,000 breeding sows. It is suggested that an increased allocation will be granted to the United States for the exportation of pig products to the United Kingdom under the AngloAmerican trade agreement, which is to be negotiated very shortly. It is understood that this course will be pressed by the United States in view of the opportunity afforded by the decline in the pig population of several Continental countries. At the present time the United States’s allocation is not being filled, although it is expected that it will be able to do so in the near future. It is also hinted that Canada will be granted an increase in its allocation as Denmark is down by 535,000 and Holland by over 272,000 pigs. r They are finding it very difficult to fulfil their commitments and after the early spring will be considerably short, which will present a golden opportunity, for New Zealand to gain a better footing. Coloured Sheep

At the Alloa and Highland Scottish agricultural shows the following rule was in operation: “The steward of sheep (who can call in assistance if so desired by him) shall have power to disqualify any pen of sheep which he considers coloured other than by the use of ordinary non-bloom dips free of added colouring matter, or when the fleece, face or legs have been dealt with bv use of foreign substances.” This rule could be applied by our own agricultural societies, for the better the artist the greater the chance of winning under the present system. Wool buyers deduct a penny a pound for coloured wool. Foot-and-Mouth Disease

The first outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Jersey since 1923 occurred recently. It came as a great blow, as next month about 200 head of cattle were to be shipped to various parts of the world. A Wonderful Ewe

A ewe born at Walton (England) m February 1924 was reared on the bottle, being one of triplets. She has since had 26 lambs and reared 23. She has never lost a tooth. Berkshires in Germany

Berkshire pigs are still popular in parts of Germany, on account of their usefulness for crossing with the German Improved Landrace and the Edelschwein, the two national breeds of the Reich. Forest Island

Germany is said to be planning to purchase the forest island of Anticosti, in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Canada, in order to be able to meet the increasing demands of her,.staple fibre industry. It is owned at present by the Consolidated Paper Company. Dry Rot of Swedes

According to the Botany Report published in the North of Scotland College annual report dry rot in swedes is seedborne, though very probably spread in other ways. Several different fungicides, it states, have been tried for dressing seed known to be infected. The results have not encouraged the belief that seed treatment will afford much protection against the disease. That being so, an examination of the extensive collection of swede varieties at Craibstone was made, to discover whether there was any innate difference in varietal resistance to the disease. Observations made during last season would seem to suggest that, there are marked differences in susceptibility between the various varieties, and that resistance to the disease is associated with certain well-known colour-shape groups. It would be unwise, however, to stress unduly these findings from one year’s results, and the observations will be continued.

Experience Needed It is said that the camera cannot lie, but owners of prize-winning stock do not require to be told that the camera may flatter or may detract. It requires much care in placing a prize-winner for the cameraman, and it requires skill on his part to do justice to his subject. To the wider public who have to depend on a photo-reproduction in a journal the final task of printing the illustration is all-important. South Island Runs There has been an important development in connection with high country sheep runs in the South Island. Some time ago the lessees of Molesworth Station decided to abandon the run, presumably on account of increasing working costs. Molesworth is said to be the largest sheep station in the Dominion and the bulk of it is in mountainous country within the snow area. When abandoned it carried some 23,000 Merino sheep and 1600 cattle, and the fact that the owners practically walked off the land was taken to indicate that a crisis had been reached in high country sheep farming. Just within the last month or so, however, officials of the Lands Department and members of the Marlborough and Nelson Land Boards have been inspecting Molesworth and other large holdings in the north of the South Island preparatory to reporting to the Government on the prospects of subdividing the runs. Those who know the country say that subdivision will be extremely difficult. On top of this possibility of subdivision comes the official announcement that grazing leases of 58,000 acres of high country, representing the major portion of the Glens of Tekoa Station, owned by Mr W. W. Mcßae, have been cancelled. The area is to revert to a forestry reserve, the Government’s avowed purpose being to check shingle slide. Mr Mcßae, in an interview, said that owing to present heavy costs of working high country grazing areas, he did not much regret the cancellation of the leases, but he was concerned about the Government’s intentions. In his opinion, afforestation would not. check shingle slide; surface sowing was the system he had practised, as had his family before him. Wool From Fish Germany is reported to have scored another important success in its attempt to become independent of important foreign raw materials by the discovery and perfection of a new process by which synthetic wool is made from fish albumen. The inventor of this process, which has. been tested since 1935, is Professor Meecheels, director of a textile industries trade school at Munchen Gladbach, in the Rhineland. A New Fruit Mr N. S. Shirlow, of Hawkesbury Agricultural College, New South Wales, has evolved a fruit that is a cross between a peach and a nectarine. For several years he raised thousands of seedlings and discarded them until he found the perfect cross. The new fruit has the flavour and white flesh of a nectarine, but matures early like a peach. I

World’s Sheep Population According to the provisional estimates of 1936-37 Australia has 112,200,000 sheep; India approximately 50,000,000; Union of South Africa 41,000,000; New Zealand 30,100,000; United Kingdom 25,000,000; Canada 3,400,000; Irish Free State 3,100,000; Kenya 3,200,000; Basutoland 1,300,000, and other Empire countries 14,300,000, making a total estimate of 283,700,000 sheep in. the British Empire. The United States is estimated to have 52,000,000 sheep; the Soviet Union 64,01)0,000; Argentina 40,300,000; Uruguay 22,000,000; Rumania 14,800,000; Brazil 13,000,000; France 9,800,000; Italy 8,900,000; and Germany 4,300,000. Together with the other countries outside the British Empire, the total of 441,400,000 sheep is obtained, making a grand total for the world of 725,100,000 sheep. The Empire output for wool is estimated at 1,853,000,000 pounds for 193637, as follows: Australia, 1,010,000,000 pounds greasy basis; New Zealand 304,000,000 pounds; Union of South Africa 272,000,000 pounds; United Kingdom 108,000,000 pounds; Canada 19,200,000 pounds;' and Irish Free State 17,600,000 pounds; other Empire countries 122,700,000 Rounds.