ON THE LAND

Taranaki Daily News, 3 May 1930, Page 15

ON THE LAND

FERTILISERS AND GRASS.

EFFECTS ON QUALITY. Mr. H. V. Garner, M.A., B.Sc., of the Rothamsted Experimental Station, says; “In recent years attention has turned to the quality of pasture grass in relation to its content of mineral matter. It has. been shown that there is a close connection between the amount of available ash constituents in the herbage and the growth, fertility and general well-being of the grazing stock. Good productive grassland usually contains a higher percentage of minerals than second-rate pasture, which, in its turn, is richer in ash consSttuen'.s tiian those poor grazings found in some parts of Britain, and in extensive areas abroad, in which the stock suffer to a greater or less extent from a series of diseases now known to be the result of mineral deficiency. If the shortage is less acute, unthriftiness rather than actual disease may be the result. The ash constituents most often present in insufficient amounts to meet the need of grazing animals are lime and phosphoric acid. It might be expected that the richness or otherwise of the soil in the elements of plant food' would be reflected in the composition of the plants themselves. This has been shown to be the ease. Further, the artificial enrichment of the soil in available plant food, by the use of fertilisers, also affects the amount and composition of the ash of the growing crop. The relationship between the manures and the composition of the ash is well shown. Superphosphate almost doubles the percentage of phosphoric acid in the ash. The addition of potash to the phosphate likewise doubles the amount of potash in the ash. Sulphate of ammonia increases the nitrogen in the hay, and so forth. The most striking changes in the composition of the ash of grass brought about by fertilisers occur on very poor soils or on soils exceedingly deficient in some particular constituent.

The use of mineral fertilisers on pastures operates in two directions to increase the mineral content of the herbage. The plants themselves are enriched in ash constituent and the balance of species is shifted in favour of those which can best utilise the added nutrients; - Thus legumes follow the application of phosphates, lime and sometimes potash; and they are on the whole richer than the grasses in mineral matter, particularly in lime, when grown under similar conditions. In addition to considerations of mineral content there is the improvement in quality due to the higher nitrogen content of the leguminous plants. There is also an increase in yield in most cases, which is doubly valuable ,in conjunction with the better quality. ( SOURING OF MILK. ACID FORMING AGENTS. The souring of milk, due to several kinds of acid forming bacteria, is interestingly discussed in Hoard’s Dairyman which says that while the normal souring of milk is commonly ascribed to the. bacteria forming lactic acid, it is not due to these- alone. Other acids are formed by certain bacteria that are frequently associated with sour milk. Even bacteriologists are not agreed on the naming-of the various bacteria involved in the souring of milk, and a discussion of this subject is rather technical. Perhaps the following paragraphs, taken from Russell and Basting's book, “Dairy Bacteriology,” will best answer the questions submitted: — “Other acids than lactic are formed in the acid fermentation, but the entire acid content is referred to as lactic when speaking of the acidity of milk. : When the developing acidity of milk reaches 0.25 to 0.3 per cent., a soar taste becomes evident, and the milk will curdle on heating. When the acidity increases to 0.6 to 0.7- per cent, the milk curdles at ordinary temperatures. The acidity continues, however, to increase until it reaches about 1 per cent., which is the maximum amount that will be produced in milk by the ordinary acid-forming bacteria. “The acid fermentation is not confined to milk, but is common to all sugar-containing materials which are not themselves acid. The juice of the sugar beet, of corn, of cabbage, of cucumbers undergoes an aeid-fermentation because of the growth of bacteria theiein. The production of silage, of sauerkraut, and of cucumber pickles if based on the acid-fermentation of the materials from which they are made. “There are forms of acid-producing bacteria that change milk in odour, taste, and appearance; yet the sour milk is not offensive in any sense bi the word. Other bacteria also sour the milk, but produce offensive odours and • a disagreeable taste. Thus, the acid-foim-hig bacteria may be divided into two main groups, which may be designated as desirable and undesirable. This n ision is of importance to the butter and cheese maker and to the consumer oi milk. ■■■ ■ . „ • “The chief by-product of tun group of desirable acid-forming bacteria, is lactic acid; small amounts of acetic acid and alco'hol, with traces of other compounds are also formed. The agreeable odour, and to some extent the ■ilavoui of milk fermented by these bacterm, is duo to other by-product's than lactic acid, for this has no odour, and only a sour taste. The acid fermentation of milk is often called the lactic >teid termentation. In reality only tne fermentation produced by. the des. a?grown in which , lactic acid is toe most evident' by-pwdiict should be thus called. . . . , ‘•Another group of bacteria which may be classed among the desirable acid-forming organisms is constantly found in milk. The members of thia group have little to do with the ordinary acid fermentation, as they grow very slowly at ordinary temperatures. Organisms ‘belonging, to this group arc used in the prenprsrUbp of the. fermented milk now so, .Kib’P CS and in the making;,of, ; flQni^ < .^Ii,e.WP. J Other . types... foLjloactqriit-. P* ■, ■■ ••••rrm'.?’ —7'l! r l«?»■ ■ 6

forming substances that impart to milk an offensive odour and a disagreeable taste not infrequently appear instead of the desirable group. Instead of producing from the sugar of milk large quantities of lactic acids, these types generate other acids, such as acetic and formic, which impart a sharp taste to the milk. Besides the acids the bacteria of this group form gases from the sugar of tlie milk. Some produce small amounts of gas; others so much that the. curd will be spongy and will float on the surface of the whey. The fermentation caused by them is often called a 'gassy fermentation,’ and is dreaded by -, butter and cheese-makers since the gas is indicative of bad flavours that will appear in the product. “The normal souring of milk is chiefly due to a mixture of these two groups of bacteria. The relative propirt'cms existing between the two in any sample of milk is dependent on a number of factors, most important of which is the degree of cleanliness exercised in the production of the milk. “Where careless conditions obtain under which soil and manure paitie.es hud their way into the milk, it becomes abundantly seeded with gas-generating bacteria, and consequently the type d fermentation is undesirable. If, However, the mdk is drawn into clean utensils, and care is taken to exclude diit, the’ pure lactic acid types are able to control the character of the changes produced and a clean, pleasaiii-tasting liquid results. ’ It will be seen that things are well arranged by nature, one °of. the most important food products undergoes a type of deebmposition that is not offensive, and milk, when produced under clean conditions, is as healthful a food in a fermented condition as when fresh. L'lius, there is every reason for cleanliness in the production of milk, for eleanlinhss’s sake, and because clean milk means better products and greater returns to every one, producer and dealer. “There are other kinds of acid-form-ing bacteria in milk, but they are of small importance compared with those just discussed. Some of the bacteiia derived from'the inside of the udder of the cow form acid. These forms grow very slowly -in milk at ordinary temperatures and have no influence on the keeping quality/’

DISPOSAL OF BULLS.

restrictions on sales.

Some time ago the Te Awamutu Jersey Club decided to restrict the next bull sale entries to animals that had attained a certain standard of constitution and. type:—“That steps be taken to ensure that all bulls sold under the auspices of the club be of a ceitain type, constitution, and-butter-fat backing; to mean that the dam of the bull must reach C.O.R. standard undet C.O.R. or Association. Herd Tests, and the dam of the sire to have also reached a C.O.R. standard. In case of breeding cows with one, two or three quarters only, such cows to bo accepted of butter-fat backing if one or more daughters have reached a C.O.R. standard. Restrictions lor the next sale to be enforced with regard to type and constitution only, and for the following year with regard to type, constitution and butter-fat backing.” The secretary (Mr. J. G. Wynyard), reported te the last meeting of the Te Awamutu Club executive that he had written to many of the other Jersey Breedens' Clubs .seeking support for the motion. The parent body had not favoured its appointing a small committee of experts to determine the standard, pointing out that th© club itself could appolnt° such a committee. Other clubs generally commended the proposal, but were not at present prepared to adopt it themselves. The secretary of the Auckland Metropolitan Jersey Club, in his reply asked: “How can any breed make sound progress when practically every bull calf is registered. I consider that instead o.> adding extra honours by means of classification to our extra good cows, we should spend double the money on examining the bull calves, and none of the weeds should be. allowed to get into the Herd Books. A dud cow may produce 10 or 12 calves, but a'poor weedy bull may sire hundreds.” He added that his club felt the proposal would prove too drastic, though, he was strongly of opinion that an inspector should bo appointed by the New Zealand Jersey Association, who should be vested with power to prevent the sale of undesirable bulls. The Stratford Clpb wrote:— “While in sympathy with any /novement to improve the Jersey breeders’ position, my committee cannot take any action in this particular case.” From the New Plymouth Club came the following: —“Your communication was considered with a great deal oi interest, and the following resolution was passed: That while approving the pnn ci pie of an outside inspection lor ani--male entered for club sales it is the opinion of this committee that the time has hardly arrived to put the other principles into force.” The Thames Valley Club replied:— “This club could not see its way clear to support the scheme as at present put forward. The buying public is. the best judge, and if a man’s stock is poorly done or undersized, so also is the cheque for the bulls.”' The secretary of the Franklin Chib, advised that his chib allows only C.0.R., S.O. or G.O.H.T.'records to be included in its catalogues. “We will not recognise the Herd Testing Association’s tests,” he said. “We recognise that the Herd Testing Association is a fine institution if it is used for the purpose for which it was originally started, namely, to cull dairy cows; but once farmers use it to boost records it is a different proposition, as owing to the Deed of economy in conducting these tests it is impossible to give the supervision required io make records satisfactory. ■ • “As a matter of fact, we have tallied up all the principal sales of Jersey cattle this year. Last September the Franklib Jersey dub held a two days sale and 186 bulls were offered. Forty that had either a C.0.R., a 5.0., or a G.O.H.T. record. .liTlie next best., sal© In the Auckland province showed only 36 per cent, The club feels that the

suggestion your club makes would be somewhat drastic at the present time, and we feel we cannot fall in with your suggestion.” A general discussion followed. Various alternatives were suggested, but .the matter was deferred until next meeting. ENGLISH FARMING. THROUGH CANADIAN EYE'S. Criticism may not always be pleasant. but it may sometimes be useful, states an exchange. At any rate, whether always deserved or not, it can do no particular harm. A Canadian fanner who was over in England remarked that he did not wonder that some British farmers found it difficult to make both ende meet. There were two things, he said, which struck him very forcibly after he got there. The first had to do with the amount of time spent by certain farmers at neighbouring markets. “At different markets,” he said, “you meet the same men time and again. Some of them must spend half the days of the week at markets and,'judging by the amount of tiine they spend talking to one another about things in general, one would imagine that farming to them waa just a sideline, or a hobby instead of their real business in life.” # Carelessness was another point he raised, particularly in regard to implements an buildings. As he went along in the train he had noted the deplorable state of farm buildingfl and also the number of implements —self-binders and what not—left about in the fields just where they were last used weeks or months ago. “There must be a sight of good capital lost that way,” he remarked, “and if any of my men left things lying about ae they seem to be allowed to do over here, there would be some trouble, I can tell you.” ' SCRUB BULL MUST GO.” HANDICAP TO PRODUCTION. “The scrub bull must go,” said the Under-Secretary for Scotland, Mr. Tom Johnston, in the course of a speech he made at Stirling recently, when he was the guest at a farmers’ luncheon, held by the National Farmers’ Union of Scotland. , Mr. Johnston - said that eooner or later , the nation would require to face the fact that agriculture, at least. in some of its phases, was undergoing serious handicaps and. difficulties, and that it was the duty not only of the industry itself, but of elected representatives of the nation, to see that the primary producers had adequate remuneration for their labour and seivices Reviewing • what the Scottish Office had done and. were doing in the interests of agriculture, he said they were pushing the marketing of Home beef; if the Departmental Committee oh Agricultural Co-operation could give them any feasible help in co-operative marketing, the Scottish Office would do everything possible to assist. lie could not promise the date oi the introduction of legislation, but Ji© could say that the old “scrub bull must go. Other countries had turned him out, and •Seotlannd . and England also would have to turn him out.