THE FARMER’S PAGE.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 15835, 4 June 1919, Page 7

THE FARMER’S PAGE.

s. TOPICS OP DAILY INTEREST.

a catering specially for the large number of country subscribers of the “Herald,” it is our intention to make a special feature of farm and dany news in each Wednesday’s issue. It will be our endeavour to make this section of the paper of interest to rural dwellers, and we feel sure that our efforts will be appreciated. We particularly want settlers to feel that this one part of the ‘‘Herald” is being specially devoted to their interests, and that any contribution bearing on farm life will be greatly welcomed by us. No matter how small the item of news may be, if it is of interest send it along to the Editor.

He who hath health hath hope, and he pbo hath hope hath, everything Rub a little oil on the ploughshare tod mouldboard when putting the plough away for the winter. It is now generally admitted that the tse of bacteria for inoculating clover tod other legume seed is good practice. In rearing young calves there is no 6iing to compare with the judicious use of linseed. Much if not all of the autumnal lameness could be obviated by the sheep’s feet being properly pared and kept in order daring the summer. We are entering upon a new era when agriculture should speak with one voice, and when farmers should be represented by farmers in the Parliament of New Zealand. Maine is the greatest pig-feed in the world, but to make it work bight it has to be mixed with some other feed or feeds that supply the proper elements to |> furnish what is commonly known as a I balanced ration. The producer of milk if he is to keep pace with the present-day conditions, must be progressive, and must therefore examine much more carefully the details of his business than he has been accustomed to do in the past. With the present price of beef there should be no hesitation with regard to the retention of any cow who is past her prime. There are men who start breeding by using a high-class bull on inferior oows. Others spend all their money and credit on a few really good cows, and are unwilling or unable to have anything but a common-place sire. That is one of the slowest ways to get a good start. A man who mates a £4O bull with a £2OO cow will be a long time in getting where he wants to be. It is highly advantageous for all, or a majority, of the farms in a neighbourhood to keep the same breed of sheep, or at least to continue the use of rams of the same breed. After a decision has been made as to a suitable breed, the aim should he to obtain ewes that are individually good, and that have as many crosses as possible of the breed selected. With sucii a foundation and the continuous use of good purebred rams of the same breed, the flock will make continuous improvement. Considering oaten straw as fodder, it should be remembered that straw may ▼ary in quality past the same as hay. The best straw is that cut before fully ripe, and harvested without undue exposure to the weather, and such straw, though certainly inferior to good hay, may in many cases be better than inferior hay. £ NATIVE FARMING. The Taranaki Provincial Conference of the Farmers’ Union discussed an important remit sent in by the Auroa Branch. It was as follows; ‘‘‘That the attention of the Government be drawn to the need for something being done to help and induce the Natives to farm and increase production on Native lands.” The chairman said that he had brought this matter under the notice of the Parliamentary Industries Commission in Hawera, and the chairman of the Commission said it was one of the most important matters brought before them. The pakeha had all sorts of instructions and was always being assisted to a certain extent by the Government to increase production and make his lands more useful to the State, but he had never heard of anyone going directly to the natives to try and interest or coax him to make his land more productive. If something could be done in that direction it would be a good thing for the natives themselves and for the State. Mr Owen remarked that the individualising of native titles was the first step necessary. Until the individual Maori had a piece of land that he could call his own he would have no incentive to improve it. He believed this could now lie done on application to the Government, and if that was so the way was open for improvement. But the individualising of titles was certainly the first and most essential step. The remit was passed. STORE STOCK MARKETS. Although tie drought has broken, the weather has been too cold to allow of much growth, and ao far there is but little sustenance in the grass. The store stock markets are still depressed, and it is difficult to see where any relief is to come from until the spring. The scarcity of freezing space is still retarding operations in fat stock and it is too late in the season now to expect any recovery in the demand. The heavy frosts experienced in Wanganui and district during the past week, will doubtless give a setback to the new growth of grass coming on, TH.bj FARMER AND LABOUR. The Wellington Provincial Conference bf the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, discussed nothing of more importance than that in respect to the attitude the Union should adopt as regards trying to bring about a better understanding with labour. In order to refresh the mind of the reader we republish the aeries from the “Herald” of Wednesday and Thursday of last week:— That a committee of representative members of the Union be set up to draft suggestions for legislation which will be acceptable botfi to farmers and to Labour, and be such as will meet with iJi© views of the various thinkers who yh bare the good of the Dominion at heart; and that immediate steps be taken to educate the public opinion in , sound economic principles. * That the provincial executives throughout the Dominion be asked to appoint special delegates to meet in Wellington to form a- platform in accordance . with the above resolution. That <Bc New Zealand Farmers’ Union, as represented by this Provincial Con-

hour Party’s suggestion of a> roundtable conference to consider labour conditions, and is prepared to send delegates to such a conference if invited. The above resolutions breathe a new spirit, and there is no doubt that the advances made by the Farmers’ Union will be accepted by Labour in the spirit in which they have been made. At any rate the Fanners’ Union undoubtedly took a step in the right direction, for u there is to be a definite alliance between Labour and the farmers, some preliminary steps must be taken such as suggested by the Farmers’ Conference. The decisions arrived at have created widespread interest, and D. C. Sullivan, who conducts the “World of Labour” column in the Christchurch Sun makes the following comments on the position; Agreement Possible. It Is possible to put forward a set of principles to which both Labour and the farmers could subscribe. The bedrock principle of the Labour movement is that every person shall receive the full social value of his or her labour; that none shall be exploited; and that the parasitical class which grows wealthy at the expense of other people shall be economically and socially eliminated. The rational application of these principles would benefit, not only the whole of what is generally termed the working class, but also the overwhelming majority of the farmers. Labour seeks to accomplish its purpose by the progressive socialisation of public services, and such socialisation of public services must benefit the farmers as much as it would benefit the workers. To-day, the farmer has to pay tribute, in the form of profit, to the private owners of the services he must use in the conduct of his business—the shipping services, for example, the banking service, insurance service, and various forms of marketing service. He is exploited just as much in obtaining the things no needs for his farm and his home as is the city worker when purchasing his domestic requirements. RECORD SHORTHORN PRICES. There has been a great trade in stud shorthorn cattle at the February English sales, at which Argentine and American buyers operated freely. At Penrith the British record price of 5750 guineas was obtained for the champion hull, Hartley Lancer, bought by Mr M. Marshall, for the Argentine. This price compares with the previous record of 4700 guineas, paid for A bull calf at the last sales at Colly me, in Scotland, and the previous English record for a bull of 4600 guineas, which had stood since JBBS. At the Penrith sale 228 bulls and 747 females sold for an aggregate sum cf £46,705. A POTATO EXPERIMENT. Mention has previously been made of the advantage of large seed potatoes. A test at the Weraroa Experimental Farm, as detailed in the current issue of the Journal of Agriculture, is of particular interest as is was largely a test between large cut and uncut tubers and small uncut ones. The large potatoes returned the greater yield. The result with the equivalent of yieTd per acre is as follows; Large tuber, 2in and upwards in diameter, uncut, 9.63 tons; small tubers, l)m, in diameter, uncut, 7.79 tens; medium tubers, IJiu to 2in. in diameter, uncut, 5.72 tons; large tubers, cut in three (control drill), 8.10 tons; large tubers, cut in ha1f,011.19 tens; medium tubers, cut in halves, 8.93 tons; medium tubers, cut in three (control drill), 9.35 tons; small tubers, cut in halves, 9.53 tons. AYRSHIRE BUTTER-FAT RECORDS AND PRICES. The sales of Ayrshires in, Scotland are invariably accompanied now by quotations of the milk and butter-fat records of ancestors on both sides. Thus at Mr J. Lokan’s sale £1320 was bid for a bull. Royal Champion, whose sire. Magnificent, was out of a cow which gave 10,540 lb. milk, testing 3.5 per cent, fat in 39 weeks. The dam of Royal Champion produced 10,8501b.. milk with 4.09 per cent, butter-fat in 41 weeks. At Mr J. Howie’s sale a bull named Hot Stuff realised 1700 guineas. H© is out of Carston Mary Ann, a cow which in 1918, gave 10,1701b. with 4.1 per cent, of but-ter-fat in 37 weeks. Mr J. Cochrane sold a cow, Nethercraig Matilda, for 400 guineas to Mr R. Marshal), of Kilmarnock. AGRICULTURAL SHOWS. The committee of the Manawatu and West Coast Agricultural and Pastoral Association Rave taken a departure in the matter of show dates which should lead to good results. In days gone by there was a strong but friendly rivilary between the Summer Show held, at Pa - merston and the Canterbury Metropolitan Show which has its venue in Christchurch, and exhibits were frequently interchanged between the two sows. For some years past, however, no exhibits from the South Island have come to the local show, while only an occasional entry in the light horse sections were to be seen at the Christchurch fixture. To a great extent this was caused by the clashing of the dates, which did not allow sufficient time between the two shows for the same exhibits to compete at both. This year the local Association has fixed the dates for the Palmerston show for the 19fh to the 21st of November, and as the Canterbury fixture will bo held from the sth to the 7th of the same month it will allow twelve days in which stock can be forwarded to Pala^er being shown at Christchurch, and this should remove the obstacle which stood in the way in recent years of opportunity for comparisons of stock representing both islands. To breeders the importance of this change cannot be over-estimated, as it will be an incentive to stockowners to send their very best stock for exhibition. It is well known that it is not so much the matter of prize-money which induces owners of purebred stock to enter at the various shows as the honour of taking the prize, and the chance of trying conclusions with stock from 1 other places should act as an incentive -to them to send forward their very best in order to endeavour to uphold the honour of the island which they represent.

TAUMARUNUTS TROUBLES. The troubles of Taumarunui are related in the Auckland Star, the principal item being the rapidly increased assessments of the value of properties, practically all of this leased from' the Maori Land Board. Here are some of the figures given:—One quarter-acre section has gone up in value in two years from £297 to £792. Another quarter-aero section on the front street, about opposite the south end of the railway platform, has gone up from ,£1792 to <£3ooo. Two sections a little distance further down the street have risen from £528 to £990, whilst the unimproved value of the section where Messrs Abraham and Williams, Ltd., have erected a splendid block of buildings, lias jumped from £1652 to £2500. Another business section opposite the station has gone from £2375 to £3498, whilst the three adjoining allotments have risen from £990 to £1232, and £B9l to £1330 respectively. The most notorious example of all is the section upon which the Bank of Australasia is now building, which takes a leap from £396 to no less a sum than £1320. The well-known Grosvenor Hotel site soars from £3090 to £4280, and in face of the above figures for the unimproved value of sections in a small town of less than 2000 inhabitants, it is diffient to believe that the values are set down in any degree of seriousness, and are likely to be sustained before any impartial and ordinarily intelligent tribunal. This kind of thing is a direct blow at the true welfare of the town, for which further valuations are in prospect, and a revaluation for renting purposes at the end of the present leases, the first of which expires in seven years’ time. There is not the least incentive to lessees to do anything than permit their properties to get into dis-repair and .generally goes to the dogs. A NOTED AYRSHIRE BULL, Hobs!and Masterpiece, the noted showring Ayrshire bu 1, has sufficient daughters registered in the milk records of Scotland, the advanced registry of U.S.A., and the record-of-performanoe registry of Canada, to qualify him in each country. He is the only bull in the world which can claim such a record. In Canada the Silver Cup Competition for Ayrshires was won by Lady Jane, with 19,1351b. milk, 7041b. fat in 353 days. In the four-year-old cass, Middy was first, with 13,2881b. milk, 5331b. fat. Anna of Darroch was first in the three-year-old class, with 10,5301b5. milk, 4271b. fat; and in the two-year-old c ass, Snowdrop of Hickory Hill 2nd lead with 10,53J1b. milk, 4271b. fat. There were 550 oows and heifers in the test. TO FIGHT EXPLOITATION. There is do reason why the great bulk cf the farmers should not join with Labour in fighting exploitation. There are some farmers, of course—owners of broad acres—who themselves are among the largest exploiters, but for every one of these there are hundreds of small cultivators whose interests are one with those of the workers. This being so, there is no just reason for the hostile feelings that have obtained in the past between the two elements. Labour would not sacrifice its independence in political action by amalgamation with any other political party, but it is absolutely certain that the cause of Labour the cause of the small farmers, and the cause of social and economic progress in New Zealand would be enormously helped if Labour and the farmers would get together’: they would discover that there are many things on which they would be able to agree to their mutual interests. I trust that the movement that has been initiated by the conference of the Wellington farmers will not “peter out, but that there will, at least, be some discussions between the two elements. Tile result cannot be other than beneficial to the people concerned. THE WHEAT MARKET. FARMERS HARD HIT. GOVERNMENTS RESPONSIBILITY.

lh© position regarding wheat, from the farmers’ standpoint, is extremely unsatisfactory, and many farmers, according to q* statement made by Mr P. Davidson in his presidential address at a meeting of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, are feeling the pinch of their financial arrangements through their- inability to realise this important item in their return of the year’s work. “Last year,” said Mr Davidson, “the Government arrangements worked well enough as far as the grower was concerned, as owing to there being insufficient wheat in sight to meet the Dominion’s consumption, there was a rush by the millers to at once purchase and secure as much of the wheat as possible. With an assured demand farmers were able to market, and collect the moneyfor their grain practically as soon as they could get it threshed and delivered. The mills, on the other hand, were largely involved in heavy expenses for storage, insurance, interest, etc., through practically having to purchase tfye whole of their season’s requirements early in the year, and in addition to this many of them experienced the greatest difficulty in arranging the necessary finance. This season the position is totally altered, there being in sight apparentl yample. wheat for the Dominion’s requirements until next harvest, and in .addition there is a portion of the Australian wheat purchased by the Government to be consumed. “With their supplies practically assured, and after their experience of lastseason,millers are confining their purchases solely to their present requirements and any extra good quality wheat that may be offered, consequently brokers find it increasingly difficult to effect sales, and the farmer, often in urgent need of the proceeds of his crop, finds it stacked in the paddock after it is threshed, and unable to get it away. In face of I the Government’s appeals to the farmer to grow wheat as a patriotic act, it is extremely unfortunate and is causing a great deal of dissatisfaction among the grain growing community, to find after a good season has rewarded their efforts, that they are unable to market their produce and receive the remuneration of their year’s labours. The price promised by the Government is firmly fixed in toe farmers’ minds as the return they should get for their wheat, but owing to the position which has arisen, they are in many cases forced to store at high rates for storage and handling or as an alternative, leave their grain in the paddock or stored in some unsuitable building on their own premises in the country. This unfortunate state of affairs pressed heavily upon the smaller wheat growers/ ’ added the speaker, “and they naturally felt that the Government should keep faith with them and take delivery of, and pay for the wheat when it was ready for delivery. He thought the time had now arrived when Government control should he relinquished wherever possible, thus allowing the natural to replace the artificial conditions pertaining during the war period. The sooner the, artificial control over trade is abandoned, the better it will be for the, community J*

BREAKING OP THE DROUGHT. AUCKLAND’S RAINFALL. After a spell of fine weather lasting without any decided break since October of last year, the rainfall for May has been able to relieve a situation which had become acute. The rainfall in Auckland during May totalled 5.94 inches, as against 3.57 inches in 1918, and 8.01 inches in 1917. DAIRYMEN AND POLITICS. PUTTING THE SCREW ON. A conference of North Auckland Dairymen held at Auckland on Monday pledged itself and recommended all dairy companies and their suppliers to oppose at the next general election all candidates who will not pledge themselves to vote want of confidence in any Ministry which fails (a) to carry cream and milk on the arilways at hulk rates, no matter in how many parcels, on the dairy companies’ consignment notes; and (b) to supply adequate rolling stock in condition and adapted to the carriage of dairy produce.