Farm Notes.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 12818, 28 March 1905, Page 8

Farm Notes.

Items of interest from country readers for publication in' this column wilj be w»lc©m.ed. Tlie following liutes are acknowledg ed with thanl-s from a Urenui correspondent :< — "Farmers in this district persist in the foolish practice of pulling ragwort arid throwing the plants, with then blooms 011,' into the middle of tlu road. Mere the blooms mature and j are picked up by the hoofs of driven stock or tho wheels of passing vehicle*to be deposited at widely separate points. All blooms should be care fully cut off and burned in the hou^< hold fireplace. "Lambs do well in the Urenui dis trict. A farmer-has just taken i draft to the freezing works which averaged 44 pounds, the heaviest weight being G2 pounds. They were not fctl on rape, but wore taken straight ol the ewes which were running on ordi nary grass land. "Turnips which struck well do «o( seoni to bo suffering frcum tho dr\ weather, and promise a large amount of feed for tlie winter." Eecognition of the efforts of loca' residents in the interests of farming given in an American paper, a New Zealander giving inforjnation to th« Houstan Post (Texas) to the follow ing effect :•— "There are a number o' men in iNew Zealand . who have mad' fortunes out of butter. Among thou is<Mr Newton King, of Taranaki, wh< has made a million dollars during th* past ten years in this business. Then are two others, Mr J. C. iGeorge am Mr Richard Cock, the latter Mayor o' New -Plymouth. These men, hi states, have erected a numer of creafrn cries throughout the country and pur chase the butter from the settlersand ship it to~ Liverpool. They fur nish the supplies to the settlers, anc carry them through grass and busl seasons, giving them money to pur chase a start in cattle, and then takcare 'of their produce. There is n< natural grass in New Zealand, anc the face of the earth is covered witl bush. The first y.-.-w the settlers pu in bushing their property and sowin; in English grasses, after that the lam is valued at from £20 to £30 pei acre." Owing to the continuous dry woath er, the" Auckland United Dairymen'; Association has resolved to raise thi retail price of milk to 3-^d a quart. Tht Waikeikie district is being devastatec by disastrous fires. Hundreds of acreof imuch-needed feed and standing bush have been swept by fires. Some of the settlers had practically all theifeed burned, and there are the gloom iest of prospects ahead. The Japanese are credited with bemg the most remarkable agricultural nation in the world. They have only 10,000 square miles of arable land. An automobile going 50 miles an houi could skirt this area in 11 hours. Yet it supports an* imperial nation— the rising power in the Far East. Experts admit that the scientific skill of Japanese agriculturists is unapproaohed. "Patient diligence, with knowledge of the chemistry of the soil and the physiology of plants, have yielded results that, have astounded the most advanced agriculturists in Western nations." A conference of butter manufacturers, held at Brisbane recently, decided that the time has arrived to establish a fortnightly service of refrigerated steamers to carry butter to London and South Africa at a half-penny a pound. A committee was appointed to negotiate with the Government and the shipping companies in the matter. The American Board of Agriculture has published an estimate of farmers' takings since, the beginning of the new century. Converting wheat figures and quantities into English money and quarters gives : 1904, 30s 8d per quarter ; 1903, 23s 2d per quarter ; 1902, 21s per quarter; 3901, 2«s 8d per quarter. These prices are indicative of a very well sustained upward tendency. America appears to be likely in the near future to be a strengthening element of the international wheat trade. A slump in Danish butter m Manchester in "January attracted a great deal of attention in trade circles. Tt was the most comfpleto that had been known for thirteen years. The Danish committee altered the method of giving the official quotation, and included in the prices those given by regular buyers for certain dairies of repute. On this scale a "top" quotation was 107s lOd per cwt, equal to 116s delivered in Manchester ; but the attempt to buoy up prices failed, 103s to 106s having to be taken in Manchester for choicest grade. The Danes are warned to heed the increase in quantity and improvement in quality of Australian and New Zealand butters, and alsto the fact that Swedish and Finnish arc competing strongly for buyers' favour. Success is attending the co-operative cheese factory established last year at Rongakokako, in the Eketahuna district. Notwithstanding a return of only £38 per ton for the" first shipment of cheese, and the ordinary initial expenses, an average of 7^d per tb of butter fat was paid, arid it is now proposed to pay B#d. But for the initial and non-recurring expenditure, it is estimated this would be fully Od. All the output ,of the factory has been grading exceptionally well. An endeavour is being made to .secure State assistance towards the experiment which the Dalefield Cheeso Company (Carterton) is desirous of making in regard to the cool curiner of choeKP. The other clay the chairman (Mr Gallon) and tho 'secretary (Mr Moncriefn of tho company, supoorted by Mr Buchanan. M.'H.R., arid Mr J. B. MaoEwan and Mr D. Cuddie, of the Dairy Commissioner's staff., waited upon the Minister of AgriculUire, in order to impress upon him Ihe desirableness of some assistance being given tho company. The answer was that the matter' would be, placed before Cabinet. \ The cost* of insulating the necessary rooms, etc., is estimated at £850, of which sum the Government has been asked for £170. It was pointed out by the deputation

that cool-curing of cheese would mean an improvement in quality of id per Ib, and thus benefit the whole chcesetnaking- oonimun>'.;y . When Mr Buddick was in thi.* oolony he declared that New Zealand cheese-makers had a distinct advantage over Canadian makers in being able to turn out the mild-Havoured cheddar demanded by Home consumers, the Canadian climatic conditions making it very cimcalt to secure this desirable consider ft rion. When Mr Ru'ddiok returned to Canada, he impressed iipon the ruak;rs of that country the necessity ot overcoming their natural Uic-fui vantages by artificial means. The result iieiag that the system of cool-curing— thanks, in the first instance, to Government experimental cool-curing stations— as now being extended. Cool-curing is an advantage in that it will not only mean an improvement in the qual- I ity and uniformity of the cheese, but a saving in shrinkage is also effected. The point, to be proved is— will it pay for the increased cost of production ? A good point made by the deputation was that practically all the rftatc assistance on grading is given to butter, and, therefore, cheese-mak-ers have a claim for some monetary assistance in this matter. .Hints on the handling of heifers should prove of interest to dairynien. In some notes contributed to a Victorian paper on this subject, Mr W. Wilson, an experienced dairy farmer, says he has proved that it will pay well to take a good deal of care of the heifers in their early handling. From the earliest days onward to the time when mating takes place and the first call is being carried, it should be remembered that the treatment meted 6ut to the Heifer will make or mar her as the future milking cow. The best heifer calves froan the best milking cows in the herd should be carefully selected; sound, healthy, and of perfect physical formation they should be in order that the process of grading up to thd standard of perfection, which should be the goal in view. Given these, the highly important matter of proper food and feeding comes next. Pood is the fuel of the body, building up nerves, tissues, muscles, blood, bone and frame, and as it is judiciously or, injudiciously withheld, so is the process of nutrition well and properly, accomplished, or the reverse. The hei-i fers while coming to maturity should" be fed so as to promote growth, to make frame and muscle and good firmi fleslh, but mot fat. There is a point in the feeding of an animal at which the good exactly balances the necessities of the animal for mere support* this is the mere maintenance ratioln,, and to this the feeder who wiould succeed must add as may be found necessary. Too many young animials are fed upon the mere maintenance principle, the great value accruing froim steady growth and well-balanced nutrition being lost sight of at a time when they are of the first importance. The practical .man knows, as the result of experience, that the best feeding of a yottng animal has its effect on all its life, and improves it permanently ; that the progress made by a^. wellnourished heifer during the first and second years continues, and [makes tne foundation for a better cow than a calf that has been indifferently fed^ during its first year of existence. The heifer shoxxld not be mated too soon. If allowed to properly develop there will be less risk of any mishap occuring at calving time. She should never be knocked or Hustled 1 about, but receive kindly treatment arid careful handling- while in calf. The nervous system is easily upset, and it is advisable to avoid this. She should be kept as quiet as possible, and not stalled next to any sick or'calviug cow. Bearing in mind that the heifer is a row in tho making, it will be wise to aid and develop her milking capacities to the utmost after calving. Proper milking is a great factor in this. Manipulation by skilled hands increases the secretion of milk, and extends the capacity of the udder. Milk production beyond natural conditions belongs to the nervous temperament. The milk organs are evcitod by the act of milking, and the supply of the lacteal fluid increased. If you would have a heifer develop ; nlo a good milking cow, let her be regularly and carefully milked. Only a capable milker should '^c allowed to handle a heifer, a poor Land or a learner, never. Whra such are employed, it is a common tliinglfor her to lose a '.qjuarter, or for mischief of some kind, due to improper treatment, to arise. Remember that • she is subject to improvement from the first milkiag of her. It is a mistaken policy to show impatience, or to grudge a little trouble. Th~e cow is a milking machine, and it depends largely upon her owner an<J hjs treatment of her as to what measure she metes out to him. In a first rate dairy cow, bred and fed on dairy lines, the limit is to a great oxtpnt sot by himself. She will go on milking continuously right up to the birth of the next calf, should he wish. But only by the right and proper Handling of her as a heifer are sucK characteristics induced.