ON THE LAND

Taranaki Daily News, 15 October 1930, Page 15

ON THE LAND

ATMOSPHERIC influences.

THUNDER AND THE DAIRY.

The action Of thundery ait upon milk appears very similar to that of rennet or vinegar, which, added to milk of a certain temperature, divides the component parts chiefly into curds and whey, and there is rid milk or cream left behind. The-remedies writes “0.0.” in the London Live Stock Journal, are not many, nor are they always reliable. If the niilk can be kept cold enough it will not “turn,” as the term goes. The cheesemaker knows he must have his milk warm for renneting, and in making curds for young turkeys, from skim milk it is necessary to heat the milk a little before adding the Vinegar to .'turn , : t. Therefore, as this turiiing appears in some degree a niatter of temperature, if milk can be panned in a cold enough apartment the thundery aiif will not have much, if any, influence oh it. A dairy -with a whitewashed roof, properly used ventilators, shaded windows, nofth aspect (in the Northern Hemisphere) and a cold stream of water all go towards making the apartriient cold, and are means that every farmer may use, at least rill save the water, which depends on the supply from springs found about. , Of course, by the use of the separator all the milk may be saved from “turning. b The iriilk is* separated tidin''the cream as soonjas it comes ffoiii the milk shed, and the’ former may be served to calves an hour after hulking. Thus, however, hot and thundery the weather, it can have no influence oh tlie iriilk which is used up with stick dispatch, while the cream friay be set by in a jar in the cool dairy, and will be none the wofse for souring or ripening a bit, as it is termed, before being churned. The cold water systems, too, are safeguards against iriilk “turning,” brit to work these properly needs a supply of spring water, which may be got on most fatms With a little contrivance. Milk will always keep better if tlie cows are brought quietly to their sheds—cool tiiilkirig. instead of driven in all hot and flurried, as .they are. more often than not in busy times.'' If a ipow is hot in body it stands’ to re'ason that lief milk is heated also. . Such ..iriilk is sure to keep 'badly, even iffro thunder is-in the air, rind cream taken from it makes but bad butter, ; ’

NITROGEN AND LEGUMES; '

EFFECTS ON LUGEWL-'

There is a gehefril iffipfpssloh in -this ffifliiiti-y t'lfiit it i® uiiriecesbriry fb -apply nitrogen in ths form of. artificial fertilisers to leguffiipous crops such; As? lucerne, the assumption being that these crops obtiliii all their iiitrogSh. fequiremeiits frdffi the Aif by 'means of "the nodules oil their foots. It ha® been

found, however, in Very carefully conducted experiments that nodule formation, and therefore the fixation of nitrogen from the atmosphere; data itfit begin until two or three months after Sowing.

In tho first year, luiierrid can Utilise a relatively large amount of applied nitrogen, because the . protein fir, nitrogen•content of the seed is not large enoiign to keep it over the so-called hunger stage, and is tillable to provide a slifflcient development of the root system for nitrogen fixation. ' Applied nitrogen is also helpful at the 'beginning of the first production year. It is obvious .fiat._ unles4 the plant produces a fairly large root-system 'there can be lio large development of noddles, since 1 there will ■only be a small number Of rootlets on which the nodules can form. ’NitroghhOjis fertilisers are extremely valuable in tho early stages of development of- -plants such as lucerne -and beans.' This has been confirmed repeatedly in practice by farmers who apply a small quantity of sulphate'-of -animo’ftia or nltro-chalk td thus giving them a good start in life ■and helping them to produce an- extensive root system. Even in the later years of its development an appreciable amount of nitrogen is necessSry'fd- en- • able lucerne to produce its maximum yield, and this is. especially the -case if the crop receives any injury in the early stages of growth. .

ISOLATION PADDOCKS,

NOT FAVOURED BY MINISTER.

Replying to a letter from the Matamata branch of tho New Zealand Farmers’ Union, which suggested that regulations be framed prohibiting stock suffering from contagious abortion from being mixed with healthy cattle in saleyards and urging that isolation paddocks be provided, the Minister of Agriculture replied to tho communication as follows:—•“! regret that; I cannot agree to make the provision of Such accommodation compulsory, as io do so would tend to encourage oWiiers to take diseased stock to the saleyards. Such a practice should be strongly discouraged as the driving of diseased stock along the public highways is likely to constitute a source of danger to other stock being driven ' thereon, In several instances, the farming community has entered protests against the practice of sending diseased stock to saleyards, and it has been suggested that all owners placing obviously diseased stock in such yards should be prosecuted. . Abortion is not a disease under the Act, but seeing that all animals suffering from the disease do not abort, and that those animals suffering, from tho disease, although they may not abort, are just as great a source of danger after calving as those that dp abort, the provision of isolation paddocks at ealeyards would not be of material benefit in- this respect. The risk of infection . in., this disease is not from contact ..of' one cow with another, but ip . grazing over pastures in which affected animals have been kept.” .. • ... .

ECONOMICAL WINTERING. The satisfactory feeding of growing pigs in this country during flic winter, when skim-milk or whey is not available, has up to the present been vtify difficult—so much so, indeed, that many farmers avoid autumn fatroWing .or make nd effort to carry store pigs through the winter, states an article by K. W. Goriinge, Instructor in Swine Husbandry, iii the Jonraiil of Agriculture. The unsatisfactory position of the autumn litter in New Zealand is well shown by the average number of pigs marketed per sow. There are in . the Dominion about 70,000. breeding-sows, and the total number of pigs killed per year approximates 500,000 or seven pigs per sow. Of this number less than 100,000 represent pigs that are brought through the winter, the remainder being derived from spring litters. In order to put pig-rearing on a satisfactory basis, it .is essential that the number of pigs marketed per sow should be increased to at least twelve, by making tile production from lute slimmer and autumn farrowing as efficient as is spring farrowing. The only way that this can be done is to carry’.through

the Winter all autumn litters in a healthy and thriving condition, so that when dairy by-products become available they can be rapidly and profitably converted into pork or bacon. Dairy-flirmei'S can provide at it cheap rate an abundance of roots—particularly mangels—for the feeding of store pigs. Mangels, by themselves, can be viewed as practically Useless for the wintering of young pigs, but when supplemented with a flesh-forming food they are quite satisfactory for efficient use from the weaner stage onwards.

Up till quite recently aii efficient and reasonably priced flesh-forming food for winter feeding was not available to the pig-raiser, and this was the prime reason why the unsatisfactory position of the wintering of store pigs arose. Fortunately the pig-fArffier has ndW at his command ah excelleht food in the shape of meat-meal, which at the price being charged—about £ll to. £l'2 per ton —• may be regarded in combination with roots such as mhiigOls as sufficiently cheap to make the wintering of young pigs effective and profitable. A recent experiment at Canterbury Agricultural College, conducted by Mr. M. J. Scott, deniofisti’itted that with meat-meal fed at the rate of IJlb. per day in conjunction with mangels young pigs made satisfactory and profitable winter gains. The result of this experiment was viewed 'by tile Depaftineiit of Agriculture as so important .that the Department decided to carry out a series of trials in co-operation with farmers, in order to rind out exactly what live-weight increases took place when youiig pigs were fed through the winter simply with farm-grown roots supplemented with of ffieat-meal per pig per day, and under ordinary, fafffi conditions.

Trials With mangels alid meat-meal have been cat-tied out oh eleven farms', nearly two hundred pigs being placed Ufidef test. In these trials it has beeii shbWn that pigs from the Wearier stage oriwatds, Wiritet-fed with mangels supplemented with 41b, of meat-ffieal per day, put on just Over 41b. of live-weight iriefeuse per ddy. lit other wOfds, lib. Of meat-meal produced lib. JiVe-wcight Ificfease. As iheat-itiedl costs a little dvet id per .poiihd, afid 11b. of live l Weight increase can bd put down as worth not less than 4d, feeding with maiigels arid riieat ffiedl can' be viewed Us highly satisfactory, arid provides an efficient method Whereby profitable Wintering of stole pigs hart bo uudeftakeii. The ge'iiei-al adoption of Wintering store pigs on meat-ffiedl and roots (phtticularly mangels, as they can be produced on smalj farms cheaper than any other rdbt-Orop) is likely to revolutionise pig-raising in this country by enabling autumn litters to be as profitable if not more so than those spring farrowed. Every £1 spent on meat-meal for the wintering of pigs would appear to be capable of returning £4, provided adequate quantities of farm-grown roots are available and management conditions are reasonably good.

FILM DEMONSTRATIONS.'

NEW MODE OF INSTRUCTION.

Last winter in Britain .more than 100 film demonstrations were given to branches: of the National Farmers’ Union,- agricultural discussion societies and kindred bodies by the agricultural staff of the United Potash Company, Limited. Retarding this fact the Fertiliser Journal says that the demonstrations aroused considerable interest among farmers in the correct use of fertilisers. ...

Tlip principal' lessoh ' taiiglit: by . the film was" tfie impbrtaiipc of using fertilisers,whether .on grass or arable land, in a properly balanced fashion. The tendency of. manuring in many parts is ptill to supply only one of the three essentials, instead of giving a judiciously" balanced dressing of the three. Another direction in which fertilisers are often wrongly used; is in giving to a crop an excessive amount of one constituent and no sufficient of the other constituents which may be even more inietituents which may be even more important for the crop, For instance, today it is still easy to find farmers treating their, mangold and sugarbeet crops much in tho same Way as they do their turnips and swedes, although the former crops are generally lota responsive to phosphates and/more responsive to nitrogen arid potash than the latter. Further, there is a good deal of evidence to show that in maiiy cases of grassland, especially oii the • lighter types of soil, the constituents .which, are required most to push the land up to a higher level of productivity are not more phosphates, but nitrogen or potash, and very often both. It is Interesting, in this connection, to fiiid that much land which has beOn repeatedly dressed with phosphates, is now showing a critically low amount of available potash. This explains why the third or fourth dressing, bf phosphates on some land, without a simultaneous application of potash, is not giving the promised result. Another lesson, which the film is designed to drive home, is the fundamental significance of the clover plant in arable farming of the clover plant in in arable farming, adds the Fertiliser Journal. ThbTe is no doubt that the young “seeds” or tho nurse crop is one of tlie best crops .to . treat With artificials,' because the establishment and proper development of the clover plant in the leys is not only important for the yield and quality of the llay crop, but it reacts beneficially on the subsequent crops iii tlie rotation. ThO/ supply of mineral fertilisers to the nurse crop, whether the land is to be put down to a short of a long ley, is one of the most productive expenditures on fertilisers which can be incurred..

VALUE 'OF SEED-TESTING.

DAY OF MODERN METHODS.

Owing to the extent of the development of world-wide competition in agricultural production during the past few ’ years, the farmer has to eliminate every ' element of chance in farming practices to strengthen his position in this struggle, writes Mr. H. G. Elliott, assis- ’ taut plant pathologist, Western Australia. The modern farmer cannot use the out-of-date methods which were excusable in the early days, for then the Coat of production was less while coiiipetition was negligible. Those obsolete methods should no longer be practised—conditions are different, prices of seed higher and labour more expensive; in fact, the cost of production is greater in almost every respect, and consequently profits tend to diminish. An important factor in ensuring an increase of profits is the use of agricultural seeds of only good quality. This implies seed testing previous to buying or sowing. The testing of seeds before sowing is by no means an innovation in the history of agricultural progress. As early as 1869 the first Seed Control Station was initiated by Dr. Hjvbbe in Siixony, and since that time similar, stations li have gradually extended over Europe.

Two Of the most outstanding are at Zurich (Switzerland) and Copenhagen (Denmark). These are regarded as the world’s leading establishments in seed testing and much valuable research work has been done at both. Great Britain, Ireland, Canada, the United States, New Zealand and Australia have also been testing seed to a greater or le-s extent for many years. They each have established one of more seed testing stations. Before the iiitroduetion of seed testing, farmers knew very little about the quality of the seed they bought for sowing. Scientific methods for ascertaining their value Were uiikfioWn, consequently they had to rely on simple unorthodox tests, such as appedfiinpe, smell, size and taste. These doubtful means of discrimination did not however, satisfactorily demonstrate their value, as that call orily be accurately determined by scientific testlrig.

It is essential for the farmer to understand that a good Sample of seed should contain the largest possible quantity of the seed of the plant desired for sowing, and consequently freedom from seeds of Undesirable plants and.inert matter such as chaff, soil particles, etc. —in other Words as high a percentage of purity as call be obtained; combined with this the seed should be capable Of vigorous growth, i.e., should haVe a high percentage Of germination.

It frequently occurs (Arid the explanation often troubles the farmers) that, after spending mticli time and money they obtain vefy disappointing crops, accompanied by a good stand of weeds many of which may be new to their areas. They do not always realise that the fdiilt may be ih the seed sowii, and that the only way to safeguard against this is ; to littVe all thd seed which is bought tested, Of Ohly to buy guaranteed tefited samples. The introduction of new Weeds on to a farm is. serious.

sheep ANd WHEAT.

BenEficient COMBINATION.

Sheep are indispensable Oil the Whdat farm. In the control of weeds, in improving the fertility of the land, and in many other ways, their indirect value is often of gfdatdf importance than the cash return from the wool and mutton, says, an Australian paper. Briefly the points in favour Of Combining sheep with wheat are as follows: (1*) They consume the straw left after the harvest. (2) They turfi. the weeds to profit, and prevent them frbffi seeding at a tiitie when the fitrffier is unable to deal with them owing to pressure of other work. (3) Tlieif irittnitfe improves the fertility of tlib lartd. (4) When the season is so bad that ihb crops fail to produce graiii, sheep tilth them to profitable account. (5) 'file income of the farm is i'eildcfed ffioi'e certain as the’ farmer is licit entirely dependent upon a crop which may be destroyed by fire Or hail. (0) Sheep necessitate the adoption of a rotation, which tends to improve tile fertility of the land, check crop diseases, and increase the yield of-crops. (7) They 6d.il be use 4, to feed off crops that need such a check. (8) They give it supply of cheap mutton for the ftirnief’S 6Wii household. (9) To the above' may bfi' added the pi-ide and pleasure derived by the farmer from the possession of h good flock, ACIDITY in the soil.

TEE FIRST SYMPTOMS.

One of the first symptoms of soil acidity, is the failure to secure h gf,oWtli of clover, shys an English agficultfal writer. Of course, this ihay be due alsb to lack of inoculation, but if we do not get a stand of clover We- begirt to wonder if the soil is itot acid. Clovers are plants which are heavy feeders on lime, so heavy that if lifilc is lacking they fill to do well. Other crops, such as cabbage, spiuri!, peas, beans, etc. are also heavy feeders oil limo. Most crops require it too, but not as much. Lack of lime,- then, means that plants stiffer from lime starvation. It is not a question of the lack of liffifi alone, either. The acid soil gffOctS the cell sap—the blood of the plants. Each plant has a certain d&greo of acidity in its sap, and if this is disturbed—made moi’e acid—it causes the plant to Stiffer—to become ill. The acid condition of the soil also allows compounds of aluminium,manganese, rtiid ifdn to dissolve, and these are absorbed by plants and poison them. Under proper conditions, where no acidity is present, these substances are. insoluble and Cannot do any harm.

DOSING SICK CATTLE.

CARE NEEDED WITH LIQUIDS.

Liquid medicines are usually administered to cattle by means of a bottle, unless tho dose is such as may be given in a bfan niaSli, ol‘ In a small pail of luke-warm water with a handful of mea,! or bran 01/ top. There is less danger in giving a cow a bottle Of linseed. oil, as a rille, titan a bottle of dissolved salts, because the oil runs more slowly. Too hasty action on tile part of the man who is administering the dose is always liable to choke the animal. The cow is taken by the nose, the head Ijeld up, and the iieek of the bottle inserted at the side bf tile mouth, and as far back its possible, taking Cate that the mouth of the bottle is fiot obstructed by the animal’s tongue. The tongue, of course, should be free, foi* it’’ is mainly by the muscular movements of. this organ that the entrance to the windpipe is closed during the passage of food or liquid into the giillCt. If the medicine is bf an irritant character, the introduction of tlie smallest quantity into the air passage my result in serious injury. If coughing % is started, the animal must be allowed io clear its throat and Windpipe before tile rest of the dose is giveii. Some medicines may be given in the form of a ball or tube, as to a. horse. In this case the operator should wear a leather* glove on the hand put into the animal’s mouth to avoid scratches from the teeth. If the ball is well coated with linseed oil, and put well back on the root of the tongue, it Will be swallowed with little trouble.

VALUE OF ENSILAGE.

INCREASED MILK YIELD.

A German professor, has obtained increased milk production from the use of ensilage. He fed fourteen dairy cows for thirty days on ensilated fodder, and compared their yield ditrilig this timii with that of fifteen preceding and fifteen following days, during which’ the C6WS received ordinary food. He found an avefftgd daily increase during that period of ensilage feeding of 6.88 to 7.56 litres per head,- but in this experiment .lie did not investigate the influence of ensilage Upon the fat content of the milk. Another experiment Was made oil three .eoWs Which were separately fed and kept tiridOr observation. These three Animals received, in addition to a known feed of oil-cake, bran, beetroot and husks, during the first ten days of the experiment, a known quantity of dried ma : ze stalks; during thfe next eleven days ensilaged maize strawthen for nine days ensilated meadow hay of.medium quality; and during the last nine days ordinary luty. The professor shows that tile yield and fat content of the milk are noticeably increased by feeding with enisildted

fodder, and that each is again lowbred by a return to feeding without . ensilage. MEAT FOR BRITAIN. NEW ZEALAND’S SHARE. For the first six months of 1930 NeW Zealand exported to Great Britain 055 tons of beef Uhd Veal compared with 928 tons for the same period of 1929. The quantity of mutton and lamb shipped this year was 33,924 tons, compared with 30,252 tons last year; while the figures for perk aiid bacon were 1092 tons and 1302 tons respectively, a decrease of 210 tons. New Zealand wat one of two countries to increase het" tonnage of beef and veal up to June 30 last, but Brazil lias increased her export for the peri .1 by 1944 tons, compared With NeW Zealand's 28 tons in-

crease. On the other hand the quantity sent by Argentine has decreased' by 3062 tons in comparison with that ex- ■ ported to London for the same period last year. In regard to iiiUttbn arid lamb, the New Zealand increase has b&Cn accompanied by increases of 43a tons from Argentine, 970 tons frontUruguay and 81 tons from- Brazil, while Canada and South' Africa have this I '< year SCiit sliipnielits aggregating 25 | tons. The United States of America, the Argentine, Brazil and Denmark have all gent increased quantities of pork and bagon to Britain this year.. : SUBTERRANEAN CLOVER. A WEED CONTROLLER. ‘ Experiments that were lately made near TumbCrUmba, New South Wales, indicate that subterranean clover is about to play a big part in the control I 1

of St. John’s wort,,one of the most persistent weeds, according to a writer in the Melbourne Leader. Last year, Mr. ri. C. Bartlett, agricultural instructor for the district, established a two-hcre plot, of clover on the property of. Mt. R. V. Savage, on the Manus area, Which has long been a centre of heavy infestation. The plot, which carried a thick growth of the Weed, waS ploughed and harrowed, and thou sown on March 13, with 81b of clover per acre. A hundredweight of superphosphate per acre was sown With the Seed.- Where the subterranean clover has taken a good hold there is scarcely a plant of wort to ,be f Plunk