FARM NOTES.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 145, 25 July 1914, Page 10

FARM NOTES.

~~ Excluding all but whole carcases, the following figures give the exportation of mutton and lamb for the past six years. The increase in'the year ending March 13, 1914, is substantial over any previous year :^1909V mutton (carcases) 1,899,446, lamb 2,910,358; 1910, mutton, 1,979,534, lamb 3,708,468; 1912 mutton 1,918,119, lamb 3,035,783; 1913 mutton -2,133,226, lamb' 3,181991; 1914, mutton 2,630,962, lamb 3,808,006. At the Agricultural and Pastoral Societies ' Conference, to be held in Wellington next week, addresses will be given by Mr J. A. Pond, F.C.S., on "The Grassing of the Taupo Plains ; Mr C. J. Eeakes, D.V.Sc, on "New Zealand Live Stock in Health and Disease"; Mr W. Perry, on "Sheep-Breed-ing in England and New Zealand." The Prime Minister (Hon. W. F. Massey) will speak at the of the conference. Travellers in the Taranaki district have been attempting to push margarine in the land where the cow reigns supreme of late. In his address to the Dominion Conference of the New Zealand Farmers' Union yesterday, Mr J. G. Wilson, the president* regretted that the ' growing of pork and bacon was not more largely entered into. He mentioned the case of a farmer in Victoria lately who found his barley was discoloured and worth only 1/6* a bushel. He determined to convert it into meat. He bought pigs .at an average of about £2—fattened them on crushed barley, made a profit of £1 a head, after all expenses were paid; in other words he sold his barley at 3/6, instead of 2/-, which was 1 the prevailing price, although he did not consider he could have got more, than 1/6 for his. "Such a result here, in our climate,'' said the speaker, «' could not be obtained without yexpenditure of some capital in the way of buildings, for the feeding of pigs in. an enclosure of mud, as is too often seen on dairy farms, is not conducive to profit, but I am certain there is a large and profitable business in pig farming if it were extended.''

"The farm of the future will undoubtedly be small in area, necessitating the application of the . most, intensive methods, so that every part of each acre will produce' the utmost possible under the circumstances. In no branch of the farming industry' is there a brighter prospect than in fat-lamb raising, and I feel certain, that no other branch will yield a greater profit if carried out on approved intensive lines. Further, it is a branch of farming which is pleasant as well as profitable," Mr P. "McConnell, of the Raukura Farm of Instruction, to a meeting of farmers. The value and benefit of pasteurisation of milk as a preventive of the spread of disease in stock, is shown by a return available from Uongotea. Of 413 pigs sold to the Feilding Bacon Factory through their agent . (Mi; X Valleridge), during the pasfe two months, only one was condemned. The pigs came from thq, Eongotea and Glen Oroua districts. — :rt Standard,-**