FARMING TOPICS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20930, 8 January 1938, Page 16

FARMING TOPICS

Where the Blame Lies The pig cannot be blamed for getj ting into trouble. On the contrary. I the fault lies with the owner who I fails to make proper provision for coni trolling the movements of his stock. Taking no Risk At a meeting of the Stratford Executive of the Fanners’ Union a remit was received from the Cardiff branch expressing fear that the establishment of a direct air service to New Zealand might lead to the introduction of foot and mouth disease and that the Government be asked to set up a complete emergency organisation to deal with an outbreak should one occur. Supplementary Food Although there are exceptions which are exceedingly few, the general feature of pasture grass, as a food for dairy cattle, Is that in average years its milk-producing powers fall off very rapidly after midsummer, necessitating the use of some supplementary food. If two groups of cows, as nearly even as possible in milk yields and times of calving were tested together, one on pasture in the ordinary way and the other to receive green feed in addition as the summer advanced, the latter group would almost double the production of the former. Pea and oat hay properly grown and harvested approximates bran in composition, and it is doubtful if the average dried young grass gives as high a quality product. Certainly the pea hay will give almost double the weight an acre.

A Mighty Cheese A one-ton tub of butter and a •Goliath” of American cheese weighing 2075 pounds will be exhibited at a coming State Fair in Wisconsin • U.S.A.» Approximately 22,000 pounds of milk were used in making the mammoth cheese, and approximately 6000 pounds of cream, or the equivalent of 60.000 pounds of milk, will be used in the manufacture of the one-ton tub of butter. Transporting a Calf An unusual method of transporting a calf to the championships of the Manawatu-Oroua Division of the Boys and Girls’ Calf Club movement was seen a few days ago. when a motor cycle and sidecar delivery vehicle arrived at the oval at the Show Grounds with a calf in the sidecar. The owner of the animal was sitting at its head, the calf’s legs being tied. Although the animal was quite docile in that position it lost no time in leaping out once its legs had been freed. Mr Morrison’s Ambition Mr W. S. Morrison, Minister of Agriculture, speaking at Broadway, Worcester, said: “Fundamentally, we must secure to agricultural producers the first share in the home market. With that end in view we shall do all we can to ensure that never again shall we be swamped by foreign produce, offered in our markets at bankrupt prices.” His ambition was to do something lasting for the benefit of the agricultural industry and to enable it to proceed upon a sounder and a well-established basis. “I am not going to leap into any project for agriculture which will do more damage than good.” he said. Treating Potato Tubers A successful method for treating potato tubers from a crop which has suffered from blight so that they may be kept for seed with little risk has been used in Jersey. As soon as possible after lifting, the tubers intended lor seed should be dipped into a solution of one part commercial formalin '4O per cent.) in 99 parts of w’ater. This treatment kills the spores of the disease on the outside of the tuber, but does not appear to have any ill effect on the tubers or on the subsequent 1 growth. A simple method is to put , the potatoes in seed boxes and each I box can then be immersed in the solui tion, allowed to drain, and then stacked | in the usual way. Keen Competition Of the 160 heifers originally entered ’ in the Taranaki £5OO Jersey Oaks, to 1 be decided at New Plymouth Show in I March next, a big percentage have qualified with excellent butter-fat j returns and it is confidently expected | that the final judging will bring I together the finest collection of two- | year-old heifers ever seen in the ' Dominion. It is proposed to judge the ! class on the day preceding the show, I the results being sealed and not ■ announced until the heifers are paraded on the first day of the show. ( It is felt that by adopting this step I there will be a minimum of delay. No I one wants to see a repetition of what : happened at Feilding when the Manawatu £5OO Oaks was decided.