NEWS FOR FARMERS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCIII, Issue 14353, 19 November 1910, Page 3

NEWS FOR FARMERS.

(By, "Koradi."),

THE BAIN. It must have been with intense feelings ot gratitude that all tiiose engaged in. rural pursuits heard tiie rain seeming Uowu on lVLonuay night Xlie way in wluch it kept oa lulling during the greater portion of Tuesday gave a Bunse or security againsrt drougnt for wmd little time to come. X have not yet heard, at the time of writing, wliat quantity of ra.n fell, or how widespread were its benefits. But it is saie to assume that it was a general ram and that it everywhere gave the laud a good wetting. Of course, we could have done with double the quantity, but now that we have had sufficient to break the drought, it is quite possible that more will come. The country will rapidly assume a greener appearance, and a good strike of rape and early turnips should be assured. A good deal ot* laud has been worked down for these crops, and it is therefore in a good condition to retain, the moisture it has received. Rape alredy sown will be up in a day or two, and the ground is so w arm that its growth should be almost phenomenal. JLate sown crops now ,stand a chance of coming to something. 3lany of them had not been injured by the drought, beyond being kept back m the growth. Some of the earlier SOW l f crops suffered severely, especially on light land. There are a good many acres of crop that will not benefit much by the vain as it came too late, but fortunately the bulk of the crops are not in that position. Tho crops just "™ me . !" to ea r «'iU run up considerably Although the straw will bo shorter than was at one time expected, there should be a good many very decent crops in South Canterbury if we advanceT 25 the " season Ihe drought was causing worry chiefly among lamb breeders and fattened. It is a serious thing to have a "row "? S ' , an f d theu to be unable to i y or tile youngsters. If tne dry weather had continued the V - a i iU i n COmplement of Stock I H a vef y anxious time. Already plana for growing forage crops ttn aUfcUm V f ™ a did come Y ere bem e thought out. But tlm faculty .would have been to keep gomg the summed 4^ei f ™ar e already beginning to go back in looks and condition Howus- we San nroh u l3 136611 vouchs afed that tto m l more now that the spell has been broken • and in beSmis "T* of our Klo<)my fore-dm-X dispelled. The drought, at any rate, enabled us to kill for a 1 fTr? Sh^ favourable rir^d u & u mider

the TREND of sheep breeding Hoelf'Var out SSnoftt™ a \ Z ff" °f ™ various breeds in nonuIT*' ° lancin ,- at «» sheep^Z totally neglected. Boo°ks compiled by the Sheep Breeders' A*so nation (North and South Island) show hat is being done by studmasters, and will r ■ to , assui ? e tha -t breeders y.go m for the breeds which South M i 6t ' Wi re S ard to the , rnV one writ «r says:— + r, *l° C ' s: ? s test gauge as to what breed is the favoured one. as breeders will not produce animals for which there m 110 demand. Some seem to think it is the studmaster that popularises a breed. It is no such thin -The man that breeds for general utility makes the market for the breed that he 11 nds possesses the qualifications to suit Jus needs. Therefore, judging on these lines, the Border Leicester seems to be the favourite, the ewes having Eacreased by 11 per cent, and the rams b.v 16 per cent. The English t*>icesxc." ? re ' n larger numbers, but have only increased 6 p c r cent, in ewes and ~ per cent, in rams. The southern l " i t of the Island is the stronghold of the Borders, and the northern of the* Fr.glish. The Romney is also making fair headway, more especially in Soddibnd, gaining 18 per cent, in ewes, and 13 j>er cent, i • rams. ?eem to be barely hclding their r wn, except that there seems to be use for l'4f more rams. Tlu. Soutlidowns ar* 1 a ring the be3t of t'ip Shropshires, lor a'lbcugh the latter arc double in numlit',-, they show no i':c.tasc, wliereai t!:. Southdowns ha-, u 10 per cent, in ewes, and 13 per cent, in rams, '.-o their credit. Merino also are on the down grade. - With regard to the Oiievi.ir., Byelands, iK'orc' Downs aid 0. "-set Horns, som. ay consider i-l-at (is they are so limited ir. numbers viie space could be better occupied, but one reason why they are included is that the table would not be complete without them: and a better reason still is that one or all of them may be the favoured breed 50 years hence." In the North Island Romneys are a long way ahead as Tegards numbers, and are increasing at the rate of 8 per cent, in ewes, and 13 per cent, in rams. The Lincoln is on the up grade, after much neglect. The Leicester is only used in the north as fat lamb getters, and the Border is rapidly gaining el-omul on the English. Tlie° South Down is also making rapid strides in the North, and the race is now between the Border and the Southdown.

NOT ENOUGH REGISTERED STUD FLOCKS. The question of whether there are rams from registered flocks to po round is an important one, and jiidgine from figures taken from the animal sheep returns 3 atkl from the repstered flock hocks there are not sufficient pure-bred rams to fulfil requirements. There certainly are enoutrh r.-.ms, and more than enough, at the r.'im fairs arid for private sale in the initnmn. but a ijrent nuinv of theni enrnot be regarded as pure bred. Then n crood many of the larger sheep owners brrod their own rams, have a pmnil ftiid flock for th.it purpose, and therefore they require to buy only j>, few pvV) ranis each year. The position of the registered flocks in rosurd to supply and demand has hepv summoned up thus:— "'Thprc are now about 12 million bred from in the Dominion. means n quarter of a million rams fit tor service annually. Just how lon<7 r.n flip avernce rams are fit is r moot ••ticstinn. but in my °sperience T hav" Puind it npepssary to hav to rpnli"e 33 rt"r cPTit. prcrr ypar. Takin" th's ns n bi=U. we find tin* rrnni-»inr>nts of the Dominion this season of two- I

USEFUL HINTS AND INFORMATION.

tooth rams will be about 83,000. As iiouutig lias been auuw etl lor deatns aud culling of the registered twolootbs, tiiu number can be written tloivn by at least ten per cent., probably more, if culling nas been rigorously carried out; so that the registereel nocKs will only be able to suppiy little over half tiie requirements, ilie position, therefore, clearly shows that there is room for further addition to our stud-Hocks, more especially as breeders are beginning to recognise that even when cross-breeding, the sire must be xjuro-bred. At the same time, it were politic on the part of studmasters tliat they adopt a. conservative policy, aud make improvement their goal rather than numbers, as in my experience, I have seen the 'downfall of many a herd and lloclt, owing to enticement offered to sell inferior stock on the reputation. Once a ram or. bull lias been culled, no money should tempt the owner to sell him for service, as in the end it will prove disastrous.

Registered flocks have increased by 87 during the year, so that the number now stands at a total of 960 — 550 in tiie South Isand and 410 in the North Island. A few flocks have beeii dispersed, as is to bo expected. But the majority of' young breeders appear to be working on conservative lines, which is highly to be commended, as neither flock nor herd can be raised in a year. Nay, the average lifetime is all too short for that purpose."

DO CANTERBURY SOILS REQUIRE FERTILISERS i" The above question has been dealt with very interestingly in the last number of the '* Canterbury College cultural Journal," by Air A. °\l. Wright, F.C.S., Chemical Laboratory, Islington Freezing Works. In the course of the article j\lr AVright says: "A very large number of Canterbury soils have been found to be iow in Phosphoric Acid, while • a number have been actually deficient in this essential plant food.

On the whole the soils have been found to be well supplied with potash, although there is evidence in some soils of a deficiency of this ingredient, but there are no large tracts of country where this deficiency is marked. The nitrogen, as may be expected, is a very variable quantity, dependent as it is in many cases upon the amount of organic matter present; on the whole there is sufficient for average crop requirements.

lhe amount of lime found is genorally low; this, however, is a condition of Canterbury soils already made known by JVlr George Gray, of the Canterbury Agricultural College, who has further shown that on the whole no material gain is derived bv its use in Canterbury; of course there are oases where the benefit has been great. It can be maintained that on the whole Canterbury soils do require the use of artificial fertilisers, not only for plant loodj but also in order to give * the plant sufficient nutriment for present crop requirements.

PJiosphatic fertilisers, such as super- j phosphates and bone dust, or mixtures containing these, with or without the I addition oi guano and rock phosphate, i give most profitable returns for both I root and grain crops, basic slag, on the ] whole, does not give the same yield in | Canterbury as can be obtained by | the above, although its application for top-dressing pasture lands has been very successul. Basic slag in the' North' Island has, on the other hand, been one of the most successful artificial fertilisers used. The use of potassic manures, either kainit or the sulphate of potash, undoubtedly in many cases gives stimulus to the growth of the plant, but when used by itself it is doubtful whether it is on the whole a* profitable investment; in conjunction with other fertilisers it undoubtedly does give increased yield with profit. Nitrogenous manures, although in many cases not at present absolutely necessary, are becoming more needful; we take from the soil such large quantities of nitrogenous compounds in the form of grain, wool, and meat, that the soil must become impoverished. Very little has been done in Canterbury to restore the nitrogen so removed and maintain the balance of fertility necessary if we are to continue exporting our produce. Nitrogen is the most expensive of the fertilising elements, and the farmer should make use of the means at his hand provided by nature for enriching the soil with nitrogen. Many farmers know of the benefit to a succeeding crop, after clover, but very few make use of this natural kieans to increase the nitrogen store in the soil; a clover or other leguminous crop ploughed in will not only increase the nitrogen content, but will also improve the mechanical texture of the soil, the use of such nitrogenous fertilisers as nitrate of soda, sulphate of ammonia, blood, and the B. and B. tankage from the freezing works have been most successfully used in Canterbury. Many of the best results have been obtained by the use of mixed manures, containing all the three essential plant foods, in readily available ffirms. Certainly excellent results have'been secured by them for immediate cropping, although in order to maintain and increase the fertility, the use of larger amounts must be made.

It is seen, then, that our Canterbury soils require, first of all phosphatic fertilisers, next nitrogenous, while potassic manures are required least of all, the best results being secured with mixed manures containing nitrogen, potash and phosphoric acid m available forms."

PUTTING AWAY TOOLS." The wearing out of farm implements is, :qs 3- rule, due more to neglect thti 11 to nse. If tlie tools can be well taken care of, it will pay to buy.those made o' the tost stool, ami finished m the best manner; but in common hands, v. itl. common care, such are of little p<3b; cleaned with dry sand and a oh, or scraped with a- piece of soft Jim, washed "and oiled if necessary,' and r n a ([■, or two cleaned off. with the c-»rri-coi and dry sand. Finallv, paint 'he iron part v"ii.]i rosin and beeswax, it. the proportion of four of rosin to ru'.' of wax. molted together and apphed hot. , This is good for the iron or stoe! parts of every sort of_ tool. Woodwork should be painted with good, bailed linseed oil, while lead ai:d turpentine, coloured any desired tint; rea is probably the best colour. Keep tho cattle away until the paint s a*v and hard, or they will lick, with <ic: til a;, the result. If it is not desired to use paint on hand tools, the r:l. 'vit-h turpentine and "liquid tirler ' docs just ns well. j\lnnv nrefar to snturat(i the wood-work of farm implements with crude netroleum. Tin's cannot l)p used with colour, but is jipnlrd br itsplf. so Ir.nrr nnv ; s absorbed tithe sores of tlie woo<V

JOTTINGS. There are wonderful variations it* the value of milk from the same cow, A recent test has shown a differe?ice in fat- value o five per cent, betwoen the milk in the morning and that of the afternoon of tho same day.

threat enanges 111 tra-ue, .like those la puiitiCiu svOiid !.iie .Meat ■I i acte J uurnaljj often cuiue very qu/jjtand. the startling new departure in Austria, where tiie' 1 j>orts are at being opened to toreign meat, w.ni p. obabiy lead to an entirely- new it lie of things m connection witn our fjod supplies. We appear to be on the tve 01 severe competition for the world's surplus ot meat. After long agitation U4 tut removal of prohibition, t.de AUiti lan Government has consented to adi.i;„ cattle from Rouman.a and S»rvu, "Ua also to allow a consignment f Argentmo beef to bo landed for tulmopurposes. These measures are '-;ily tiiS tative in character; but it is ixtren-aly piobabJe that the popular clamour for cheaper meat, not only in Austria, but also in the German Entire, will coin its ends, and if so, it'is easy to sko what must happen in our where hitherto we have practically fixl ed our own prices for foreign meat. >

The manure from sheep has h : K l e r fertilising value than time nam auy other animal. .Next in strength come the exerementitious substances Uoin p.gs and horses. Cattle manure is less concentrated, but as regards quantity produced, cattle come "first then horses while pigs and sheep nai tin ally produce less per animal. The fertilising value of a manure, however does not altogether depend on the. anil mal producing it, as the character of tho food consumed influences in a great measure the quality of tho manure, and even the manure from the same animal lity 7 Vary dai ' y in quantity and qua-

Do not neglect to strip the cows. The stoppings will average eight per cent. the value of the whole milking is four per cent. The fore milk of some cows does not average more than 1$ per cent., which shows the need to get all there is in the udder.

Fi equently cows get very sore teats and they are not only difficult to milk' but the act of milking besides being painful to the cows, prevents the teats front getting any better. The following is a method of drawing the milk from the cows without handling the teats—

teats: Obtain from your chemist what is known as a milk-syphon—a small tube for passing up the teat and drawing away the milk. This must be thoroughly cleansed by boiling it for a minute or two each time it is used. Get the milk away from the cow with this until the teat gets right. Wash the teat twice daily with warm water, and then apply boracic acid ointment. it should quickly heal.