FARM CHAT.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 144855, 6 December 1915, Page 8

FARM CHAT.

Colonel Cosgrove, Dominion Chief Seoul, who has recently visited the country around the Auckland province, writes "to the Canterbury -Press that the farms at Dukekoho and Waiuku are not surpassed in condition in any parts of the Doiimion. Though many of the roads are in a shocking state, land is vorv dear. One small farm at I'ukckoho is valued at £IOO Iter acre for potato growing, as two errors a year can bo grown on it. On tho banks of the Wairoa Diver, north of Dargavillo, there arc now hundreds of small dairy farms. Tho colonel believes there is a goodly competence ahead of the man who "takes up land there and is not ’afraid of a strenuous time for a few f years. i ’ Owing to the lack of rain in tho spring the greater part of tho crop of wheat planted for commercial purposes by tho New South Wales Government has proved a financial failure. Over 12,000 acres wore sown at Woodlands, and at one period a yield of a 20-btishel average was anticipated. Owing to tho absence of rain, and several frosts occurring, tho crops wont off. A correspondent writes to a Southern paper;—During tho past ten days or so round about Christchurch we have iiad some phenomenal llights of grass grub beetles, worse than have occurred for several years now. It scorns to me that it is more than probable that the miid season or two which we have had lias given this pest a splendid chance to multiply, and there is a probability of them being a worse nuisance than nsual in the season or two to come.

The dairy season promises to bo a record one in the Auckland province. It is declared that up to November G there has boon an increase of 6 per cent, in the amount of butter passing through J»bo cool stores, and an increase in cheese for tho same period of no less than 122 per cent. The butter figures are 155,570 boxes, against 141,264 boxes last year, and tho cheeso figures 0657 crates, against 28tio last season.

In guessing the weight of a hack at tho Ilangiora show, Mr. G. Dabdol, of ttangiora, was first, his guess bomg 10201 b., and the correct weight of tho •horso 10221 b. Air. E. K. Vorrall, Swannanoa, recorded tho exact weight of tbo fat bullock, viz., 21841 b. In one or the most important dairies in Denmark, where everything possible is done to produce milk of an irreproachable character, it was noticed that the milk acquired a most unpleasant flavour after tho cows had received supplies of green fodder lucerne mixed with meadow grass (Poa trivialis). It was. however, observed that this peculiar flavour did not arise when the green fodder was given after the milking instead of before. When a large proportion of hay'was given with the gjrocu fodder tlio milk was all right, and it was found that when tho sesame cake was omitted from the ration the nasty odour disappeared altogether. An English exchange reports that a similar caso occurred rooenilv in Switzerland. Tho milk gave off an offensive smell, and upon investigation tho milk in question was found to come from two cows that received green fodder anixod with cottonseed meal. When [tho meal was stopped tho offensive m’icil also stepped. Tho causo would appear lo bo that tho mixture of green fodder and cako sots up iu the digestive organs cf the cow the formation of gases, ‘which are given off by eructation with very offensive odours, and that tho gases' are absorbed tho milk. Such examples afford a fresh proof of tho great susceptibility of milk and tbo necessity of care in tho selection of fodders.

A great demand exists in Britain consequent on tho war. A yearling Clydesdale cult was sold for 4GO guineas, and a uvo-year-old realised 700 guineas. The best price of the day was 5000 guineas paid for the noted stallion, Bonnie Buchyvic, which has an unbeaten show-ring record. A Holstein fancier in this district lost a snip tho other day when ho did not accept an offer of tho Holstein cow, “Miss Wood/* at 40 guineas (says tho Otautau Standard). This cow was ono of a herd of 10 animals, tho property of Air. Maitland Leith, of Woodlands, which that gentleman, who is a recognised breeder of tho Holstein-Friosian tvpo of cow, took to the Palmerston North Show recently, and disposed of the herd at auction for 706 guineas. Mr. teith previously took two firsts, two seconds, and four h.c.*s at tho Palmerston Show, and his bull was reserve champion in what is practically the championship of New Zealand, and afterwards brought 116 guineas. Tho cow, “Miss Wood/’ brrught SO guineas, honco the local man’s luck when he refused her at half that money. This cow produced £45 worth of butter-fat last year in tho Government semi-official test and her worth in tbo greatest dairying district in New Zealand would not be over-estimated.