AGRICULTURAL.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIC, Issue 13462, 7 December 1907, Page 2 (Supplement)

AGRICULTURAL.

A mob of 1,000 merino wethers on Lcetield Station, Marlborough, yielded 12.5791b5. of wool. This is said to be ;i record yield for ;i JiilL run in that province. "In conversatlon with a recent- arrival from Denmark. 1 learnt that cows in New Zealand test far higher than the average cow in Denmark; further, that cows there do not give the same quantities of milk that- the colonial cows do. For instance, one -herd my informant told me of only nulked oolbs of milk per day, but dairymen received Is ljd for butterfat last " season. That worked out at about £l7 per eow. It took, however, I was told, all that £l7 to pay for the cost of feed and labour, aud all the owner had for profit- was the manure from the cow, which, on account of the high feeding was of considerable commercial value."—Mr. - T. Lang at the opening of the Kairanca. Dairy Factory (Manawatu Evening Standard's report.) A correspondent a of the " Otago Daily Times," states that child labour ?s in as bad a .condition in Otago as it is in Taranaki. He says that, some dairymen show more consideration for their cattle than for their children. He describes the practice of liiring out industrial school children to South Island dairymen as disgraceful. In 'Same instances, although these children may be worked very long hours, they are otherwise well-treated; but in many cases, hei believes, their plight ds a sad one, and requires a rigorous system of inspection, a much more thorough inspection than is carried out at present. " If the dairymen wish their children to remain on the farms," he adds, " they will have to make them some recompense for their long hours of labour. Up-to-Date dairy farmers who know how to manage their stocks are doing very well, and can well afford to pay their children something for their help. Unless stringent legislation is .passed Xew Zealand and child slavery will become as well known as the Congo and its atrocities.'' One has'heard a good deal at different times about the accommodation provided for shearers on stations mainly from the shearers' or labour agitators' [K>int nf view. A newspaper correspondent - of Christchurch. who signs himself " Worker," gives us a little of the other side. He agree® that on a few stations there is room for improvement, both as regards food and accommodation, but in the big majority of cases there is little cause of complaint. As for the accommodation, he says, " As one who has 4 had years of experience with shearers and station workers generally I 'have come to the conclusion that if every station owner in Xew Zealand built palaces for their workers, nine in ©very ten workers would allow their premises to become filthy in less than a week's time. A very big majority of Xew Zealand workers, through ignorance are opposed to fresh air in their sleeping rooms or whares. Very many shepherds allow their dogs to sleep in their ■ whares and in some instances in their own bunks. Xot one shearer in ten trill put his blankets out to air. Surely workingmen cannot expect their employers to come down to their" diningroom and wash it out and then.go in and wash out their sleeping rooms and put out their mattrssand nket blaqh?-t eofh and put out their mattresses and blankets to air. I have w orflet- Intn sn kets to air. I have worked five years, on" stations in Xew Zealand, but I always have my tent and plenty of fresh air and splendid health. Let the working inen do their part by keeping their premises clean and 'then they can demand justice from their employers."' HARVESTING : PAST AND PRESENT. In these days* when tln.- mechanical devices for the saving of labour are everywhere adopted (says a Scots writer), it is difficult to realise how tedious was the work of harvesting in the days of onr forefathers when crops were cut with hooks. This part of the harvesting operations was entrlruly in the hands of women, each working in her own particular rig, and being paid so much the "tbraiye," which consisted of two stooks of twenty-four sheaves. To cut from seven to eij'ht thriares' per day was consiffeted pood workmanship, though when "kempin" was prevalent this quantity was often exceeded. .Between thirty and forty shearers were often engaged on a single farm, the harvesting work being done by contract, while a nmnber of men were engaged looking after tire binding and stroking operations. Xot only single "but married women took p.irt in the harvest work, the children playing themselves on the shorn rig while the friothers plied the .hook. i-tbout tlt- year 1820 the scythe was introduced, and cutting operations were subsequently carried on by men. while the women undertook the gathering of the crop. In those days hundreds of persons, set out for the Loth.an "" hairst," the cutter usually ttaking his gatherer and binder along with him. Little respect- was . paid to the accommodation of men and women—English, Scots, and Irish workers being huddled together in small bothies with little regard to decency, and yet, knowing little of the comforts of home life, thece persons were quite happy in leading such a life. Then came the introduction of the reaper, which at first' was of somewhat crude construction, and heavy to drag. Two men required to work it. one driving the horses, while the other pushed the sheaf off the sheaf-board as it filled up. Improvements followed improvements,. and machines which were self-act-ing, gathering and throwing off the iiheaves without the aid of man. were placed on the market. The first of these machines were known as side deliverers, rakes passing round and round in a, circle and pushing off the corn as it. accumulated to a sheaf on the sheaf-board of the machine. Here the combined labour of women and man were still necessary. the women lifting the sheaf and placing it on the band, followed by the men whose business it. was to bind and stook the sheaves. Another change dispensed almost entirely with female labour on the. harvest field. A reaping machine has been invented not only to cut and gather the sheaf but also to bind itt. Thus the stooking is all that is required to be done by man. Much of the pleasure of the work has departed with the introduction of machinery, and now that profits have to be made, and made speedily, there is no time as in former years for jesting on the harvest rig. Thus has the work of harvesting changed until not a, single old-time custom prevails. AMALGAMATING THE SHOWS. The Ashburton. " Guardian." after drawing attention to the diminishing value and imoprtance of local Agricultural Shows, indicated bv the falling off in entries, and the pressure that has to be put on people to m;ike entries, goes on to say : Notwithstanding all this. it would surely be a great mistake to let local shows die off: and does not a natural and efficient- remedy lie quite conveniently at hand rn amalgamation or cooperative association? By the amalgamation of any two institutions, the prize monev would be doubled, and so. praeticallv. would also be the means of attracting exhibitors and sightseers, who, in that case, would probably be drawn, too; from places beyond the boundaries

of the amalgamated areas. If for instance all the local shows in (Southland were to coalesce with that of Invercargill, anil thoso of. Waikouaiti and Waimate with tlw North Otago show, two very largo shows, not less important and attractive than those of Dimedin and Christchurch, would, in all probability, be the residt. By the same or similar process, MidCanterbury and South Canterbury, between them in co-oepration, might set up the very best agricultural and pastoral show in all Xew Zealand. Why then, should the Ashburton. Agricultural and Pastoral Association and the South Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association not join forces, with that end in view? In this case there are obvious opportunities not likely to exist in collection with any other similar case in the colony. The comparative nearness of Ashburton to Timaru, and vice versa, would make it not only desirable, but temptingly convenient to hold the' annual show alternately at the two towns;and the year it was at Ashburton it could be called the Ashburton-Timaru show,, and when at Timaru, the Timaru-Ash-burton show. The direct and indirect advantages which wpuld thus be mutually gained by Ashburton and Timaru would be very great indeed; and we hope to see the matter taken up in earnest by energetic and intelligent men in both Timaru and Ashburton, and throughout the whole of Mid-Canterbury and South Canterbury. EXPERIMENTS WITH GRASSES. Liucoin College has been experimenting along instructive lines with, grasses. In describing the results, Mr. W. Lowrie, of the college, said it was found on the college soil profitable to manure (very lightly) with every crop sown. This -was found to give better results than the usual practice in the old country of 'heavily manuring, say, only the forage crops. Even in sowing out grasses with oats, the cost of manuring is returned by the oats themselves, bub it is also much more returned by the grass. " I have," said Mr. Lowrie, "been using basic slg with superphosphate chiefly, and find the basic slag very suitable for much of the college farm. I tried it with a view to recovering permanent pasture that had been dowu for 18 to 20years, giving atopdressing of scwt. of slag to one half of the paddock. Tlh? result was most markedly apparent —apparent in the way it came into growth in the' spring," apparent in its richer greenness, in the increase of the leguminous herbage, such as white cloVer; and rn the preference which the stock showed for the half that had been manured. Slow acting? Yes, compared with super. But it tells with the first crop. Hitherto it- has been too dear in this country, compared with super, and that has arisen from the fact that the farmers have not appreciated its value fully.' THE BEST DAIRY COW. A BREED CONTEST. Mr. A. Buchanan, the Jersey breeder of Palmerston, is anxious to see devolped in Xew Zealand—preferably at the 'Manawatu show—a breed contest for milking qualities. Mr. Buchanan is confident the Jersey will beat all comers. "At. ihe St. Louis Exhibition" (he told a " Dominion" reporter) " they had a breed contest and invited the representative breeders of shorthorns, holsteiris,. brown Swiss, aud Jerseys to organise representartiive herds to compete. There were three questions to be determined: ft.) Which breed gave .the most butter fat? (2)Which breed gave the most butter fat and other solids combined? (3) Which breed gained the greatest weight .of carcase for the food supplied during' the contest? However, although they declared the Jersey put' on more weight per cow than the others, I don't pay much attention to that poin. t The really unporant points were the other wo. . " All the breed associations were asked to compete. The shorthorn people responded with 25 animals; the Holstein men 15; the brown-Swiss people 6; and the Jersey owners 25. The results were as follows: " Weight of ililk "—The Holsteins led,. with 561b. of milk per day—mostly water. The shorthorns and brown Swiss averaged 421b. The Jerseys gave 4llb. "Butter Fat"—The Jerseys gave per head, a net profit of £2 more than that given by the Holstems during the 120 days of the contest. Miey gave nearly £5 a head net profit more than that given bv the shorthorns. The brown Swi: : s were slightly better than the shorthorns.., "Total; Solids"—111 total solids the Jersevs were again the victors. The order was the same—the shorthorns still last. " Mode of Reckoning " —The food supplied to the animals was charged against the yield of milk at current, market rates. None of the Jerseys were withdrawn from the. contest through illhealth, but from the other breeds some were. "If" (continued Mr. Buchanan), "we can get something of the same sort at our New Zealand shows it- would be exceedingly interesting. A butter fat: contest has* been held at Palmerston .North, and a pure-bred Jersey proved to be the winner with 1.8981b of butter-fat pe>r day although she was in calf, in poor condition, had come through a very severe winter, and was fretting to get back to her comrades. She : was fed on grass only which was too succulent to be nutritious. Xow, the American s crow lustily if they get ail average of 2lb. of butter-fat per dav when their animals are fed witn half a hundredweight of grain j>er day. So .tins result- at the Manawabu- content was very satisfactory. HIGHLAND SOCIETY'S SHOW. . Apropos of agricultural shows, Mr Jas. Straclian has shown us a copy of the live stock and farm produce catalogue, which he brought out with him, of the Highland and Agricultural Society's Show at Edinburgh in July last. The show lasted four davs. and opening each day at 8 a.m. and was cleared at 6.30, 9, 9, and 8 p.m. on the different days. The Prince and Princess of Wales were visitors ou each of the three first days. Members of the vjociety, who number about 6000, are entitled to free admission, to enter exhibits and to have analysis of manures and tents of seeds made at reduced rates; to receive a copy of (he annual volume of "Transactions,' and to vote at general meetings and elections of directors, etc. Ihe ordinary subscription is £1 3s 6d, but proprietors farming the whole of their own lands, of i rental value not exceeding £SOO, all tenant farmeis, factors, (farm managers), land stewards, foresters, veterinary surgeons, and agricultural implement makeis are admitted to full membership for 10s a- year. Non-members have to pay for admission to the ground: First day ss, second day 7s till 5 p.m., from 5 to 8 p.m. Is \< third da}* 3k and Is for the same hours ; four'h dav Is. But to st« the parades and the jumping ou the second and third days there are extra fees to pay, of 3s and 2s for the stand and Is for the enclosure, and on the last days half these rates. . A season ticket mav be had for 1C« covering all these fees. Two parades of horses and two of cattle are held on each of three davs. and a fifth, a parade of "champions" on* the .• •coiid day. The entries of cattle numbered 365. horses 464, sheep 352. •?wine 58. poultry 605. dairy produce 93. implements 2140. and the prize money offered amounted '■<> £i6l3. Ti, m-'Tv b° nf interest to state the proportions in which the diff-"-nt breeds of cattle and sheep were entered. There were 92 shoitlioi'ns.

73 Aberdeen Angus, 67 Galloway, 65 Highland. 51 Ayrshire, and 14 Jersey, among the cattle; and of sheep, 83 blackface, °6l Cheviot, 89 Border Leicester, 40 half-bred. 26 Shropshire, 20 Oxford Downs, and 17 Suffolk. 'J.he sheep \\ere all shown eingh', except ewo with lamb, and two classes of lambs, shown in thi ces. It Mill be observed that English Leicester aud Ronmeys are not mentioned. A table is given of* entries at- all previous shows, ancf this indicates "that the Society began in a very modest way in 1822, with 58 cSittle. 1* sheep and 2 swine, the prize monev offered was £/8, and the gate money was £57. In the., following year the prize money was increased to £llO, but the entry fell off. to 44 cattle, 8 sheep and 5 pigs. There was a' larger attendance, however, the gate money being £75. The third year produced a better .otal of entries : —ll2, including 30 implements, but only £59 v.a.s taken at the gate. The fourth "show was disastrous, only 42 cattle, 6 sheep, 4 pigs, and, 20 implements being entered, yet the' public paid £BO to see them- These shows had been; held at Edinburgh. The following one was held at Glasgow, and the westerners gave the Society thanks for, the change by showing 335 live stock (226 cattle and 49 homes), aud 50 implements, and by paying £275 for admission and catalogues. The Society tried Edinburgh again, and got together only 44 cattle, 26 sheep and 24 pigs, and some implements and collected only £B3 at the gate. The Society for this or other reasons avoided Edinburgh for 15 years, but on returning in 1842 had a good show of nearly 900 entries, a prize list of £I2OO, and a gate of £1373. Half a dozen shows (besides this year's) have since been held at Edinburgh, and these were the most profitable. The record gate was that of the . last previous show held there in .1899, which exceeded £lO,000; none of the intervening shows, held elsewhere, reached £SOOO. The record entries of each kind of stock have been : Cattle 580 at Edinburgh in 1884 ; horses, 518 at the Game place in 1899;. sheep 493, at Edinburgh in 1884; swine, 73 at Glasgow in 1850; poultry, 605 at Edinburgh, this year; dairy produce,. 316 at Perth in 18*52; implements, 2662 at Glasgow, in 1882. The highest amount-of prize money offered was £4343 at Edinburgh in 1884, and the gate receipts that year were £6548. . : • . ' . ■