ON THE LAND

Taranaki Daily News, 25 July 1931, Page 24 (Supplement)

ON THE LAND

STORAGE OF POTATOES. INJURIES VVHICH OCCUR. A statement recently published 'by the Canadian Department _of Agriculture describes two specific injuries that are caused to potatoes when placed m storage at low temperature too soon after being taken from the field, and outlined a method 'by which this may be avoided. The first of these injuries is caused by skinning. The potato, either in digging, or handling, is bruised or scratched,°thc skin being broken, and when placed in cold storage at about 32 degrees F., shrivelling around the wounded area takes place. In extreme cases the entire tuber may shrink to a mere mummy, and a considerable gro*wth of mould makes its appearance over the wounded surface. The second type of injury is of a different nature, the killing of all or part of the eyes or buds taking place. In addition, the lenticles darken and blacken, and may also become pitted. Not only does this injury detract from the appearance and sale value of the potato stock affected, ■but, what is more important, renders these potatoes virtually worthless as seed. ....

Investigation shows that both these injuries occur when potatoes are placed in cold storage within three or four days of harvesting. The injuries occur to a great extent at 32 degrees F., and also at temperatures ranging up to 40 degrees F. Insufficient curing of the potatoes before placing them in the cold storage is stated to be the principal cause. These injuries may be overcome by the simple expedient of proper curing. When taken from the field potatoes should be placed in a preliminary storage at a temperature of from CO to 70 degrees I’., for a period of six days, thus allowing them a chance to cure properly. According to the Canadian experiments, potatoes may be held for periods of three months or longer without these injuries becoming particularly apparent. BREEDING PROBLEMS. QUESTION OF FECUNDITY. Experiments extending over a number of years on the fecundity of sheep are proposed by Dr. J. A. Gi truth, head of the Division of Animal Health, Council for Scientific' and Industrial Research in Australia. “There is a number of flocks in which, irrespective of seasoiial influences, the lambing percentage is much below the average, and cannot 'be fully accounted for,” said Dr. Gilruth, in a recent letter to the Australian Pastoral Research Trust. “From ray own personal observations and enquiries there seems strong reason to believe in the operation of an hereditary influence. In one flock, where the lambing percentage had diminished to about 50, I have been informed by the manager that this percentage was gradually improved until it was nearly doubled, by a system of drastic culling of ewes, which failed to conceive after first or second service.”

Such an experiment would mean the careful marking by tattoo of a large number of maiden ewes, 500 to 1000, Dr. Gilruth added, and the careful recording of the number of services, with dates of cervices, dates of lambing, marking of lambs, and so on, and the raddling of rams with distinctive colours periodically, to be certain that more than one service had occurred before conception. ■Such experiments should be conducted preferably on . a property easily reached by motor-car or train for effective supervision. It would mean subdivision, probably, for some existing paddocks, so that the lots could be handled with ease and without excessive disturbance to the sheep, which would 'be in the charge of a competent man.

“I need not stress the importance of such an experiment,” said Dr. Gilruth. “It would be preferable to have it conducted on some property owned by or leased by the council or the committee, and on their own sheep, when other problems connected with breeding, such as the causes of infertility of certain rams, could be investigated. But funds are not likely to permit of this. Hence other arrangements, such as I have indicated, are necessary.” LONDON DAIRY SHOW. IS IT ANTIQUATED! The London Dairy Show needs modernising and enlarging. It must be made to attract London’s milk-consum-ing public. To do this it will be necessary to ensure that there is an air of greater cleanliness by the constant clearing away of dung in covered handcarts. The poultry and pigeon section should be done away with, for poultry is no more an essential part of dairying than are fat cattle. The present methods of advertising the show are antiquated, writes the associate editor of the Farmer and Stock Breeder. Then better facilities must be provided for judging. The present system is hard work for the judge, of no consolation to the exhibitor, and' certainly of no educational value to the person who goes to the dairy show in the hope of learning something. ( Much more space is needed for machinery and appliances, and more classes and more liberal money prizes must be given for roots.

Smithfield Show has also long outgrown the available accommodation. In the newer countries, where vast breeding industries have been built up by the judicious use of stock imported from us, judging at shows is carried on under much 'better conditions than obtain at Smithfield. Few people can view the judging owing to the limited space. ERADICATING DANDELION. PREVENTION OF SEEDING. The dandelion is one of the commonest weeds of grass land. If a dandelion plant is examined it will be observed that the dense mass of leaves lies almost flat on the ground, covers a comparatively large area, and tends to smother out good grasses and clovers. Sulphate of ammonia is 'believed to be particularly helpful against the dandelion. Experiments conducted by Dr. A. B. Frank 30 years ago showed, that when full grown with a 15 per cent, solution of sulphate of iron (601 b. in 40 gallons of water) they became quite black and were killed. Experiments conducted about the same period in both the United States and Germany showed that a five per cent, solution of copper sulphate, applied as a. spray at a rate of 160 gallons per acre, largely destroyed the leaves and flowering stem of dandelions, preventing them from seeding.

WOOL INDUSTRY. RESEARCH PROJECTS., The wool research projects now being conducted at the Massey Agricultural College at Palmerston North were dealt with 'by Messrs. K. Waters and B. L. Elphick, before a large attendance of farmers at the Wanganui Winter Show lately. . . Medulatted wool or hairiness in the fleece was the subject dealt with at length by Mr. Elphick, who described the benzol test for the detection of han recently evolved by the college experts. He said the study of genetics of the various fibres of the New Zealand Romney Marsh sheep was being pursued with a view to the possible forecast of the nature of an adult fleece from the study of the lamb's fleece. When the lamb was born the fleece often contained a large percentage of kemp: As the lamb became older these keinps, which fell out, were frequently, but not always, followed by further crops .of kemps, and experiments were now being carried out at Massey College which it was hoped would lead to the safe methods of forecasting the nature of the growing fleece. The problems surrounding wool production were of a most extensive nature, said Mr. Waters when relating some of the work which was being carried out at the college. They could not be attempted by two or three men. At the Massey ' College there was a team of ten men engaged in different research projects and the work of each interlocked. They were now well started and already certain discoveries had been made. On the SOO acres at Massey. College there were several flocks of sheep which were 'being used for experimental purposes iii the research work in wool. One man was experimenting with foot-rot and endeavouring to ascertain whether or not there was such a thing as susceptibility to this complaint.' Another was engaged in the study of the tick and their effects on the animal and the wool. In order to measure the growth of the wools different dyes had been selected which would not bleach or wash oil. The speaker showed a lock of wool which was dyed in this manner, the dyeing enabled the change in growth rate in response to certain feeding and other conditions to be accurately gauged. . One of the experiments earned out was to ascertain whether shearing had a detrimental effect • on the . fleece, whether it helped to produce hairy tip, or otherwise modified the growth. Several sheep had been shorn fore and hind leaving a band of double fleece round the centre of the body. Thus it was hoped to show what were the effects of shearing by comparison with the result when the fleece has not been shorn. Specimens of wool affected •by the “pink’’ rot of wool were shown. This was definitely a rot which set in on the backs of living sheep. Microscopic preparations thrown on the screen showed clearly how the fibres of the fleece were disintegrating into their constituent cells. Bacteria 'had been found associated in enormous numbers with this condition.

Another wool defect, “cakey yolk,” had also received considerable attention. There again bacteria seemed to be playing a prominent part. The outstanding trouble in this case was that the wool became stained so deeply that it was impossible to remove the discolouration by ordinary industrial methods. A successful scouring method had been devised and this was shortly to be tried out on commercial lines. THE FREEZING INDUSTRY. GROWTH IN SOUTHLAND. During recent years the production of fat lambs in Southland has , shown remarkable progress, and the number of lambs and other classes of sheep killed for export have increased to a marked extent. The present season is now practically at a close, and it is possible to make a reliable estimate of the numbers handled within the province. These show an increase in comparison with last year of approximately 20 per cent., while the rise in the numbers killed at the local freezing works, is almost 300 per cent, in comparison with killings in Southland four seasons ago. To some extent the pronounced increase in the killings within the province may be attributed to the fact that in the 1028 season the local companies adopted for the first time the policy of offering a price similar to that offered by the Canterbury operators. The great improvement shown in the quality of Southland lambs enabled the companies operating within the province to secure a return on the London market equal to that of the Canterbury exporters, and in the 192 S season it was announced that the schedule rates for the Southland companies would be equal to those operating in the north. Producers were thus in the position that no advantage could be gained from railing their lambs and sheep north, and they were quick to support the local companies in their endeavour to secure a greater proportion of the stock grown within the province. For the 1928 season, killings at the three Southland freezing works showed an increase on the previous year by 34 per cent., and this rate of progress has been steadily maintained. The killings at the three works for the present season are estimated to total 982,000 head, of which a very large majority are lambs. This represents an increase of about 20 per cent, on the previous season’s killings, despite the low prices which ruled throughout the season. The fat lamb industry will return to producers in Southland approximately £700,000, which is an indication of the fact that more and more farmers are turning their attention to the production of fat lambs. AMMONIA AND NITRATE. MODERN FERTILISERS. The farm-made mixture of nitrate of soda with sulphate of ammonia for topdressing purposes has been in use for many years. The idea underlying this has found expression again in a series of modern fertilisers containing nitrogen in the animoniacal and nitric forms. In England there is nitro-chalk (154 per cent, nitrogen), half-nitrate and half-ammonia, based on ammonium nitrate and sent out in mixture with chalk. Leunasalpeter, containing 26 per cent, nitrogen, derived partly from ammonium nitrate and partly from sul-

phate of ammonia, has been in use on the Continent for some years. A quarter of the total nitrogen is in this case in the nitrate form. France produces similar fertilisers. Ammonitre, per cent, nitrogen, and uitrammo, 20 per cent, nitrogen, each have half their nitrogen in the nitric form and the remainder as ammonia. Manures such as these have certain valuable features either for seed-bed should the weather turn out unusually application' or' for top-dressings, for wet following application the ammoniacal nitrogen will at any rate withstand loss, whereas should conditions be abnormally cold or dry there will be some nitrate present for immediate action.