THE FARMER'S PAGE.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 160725, 11 August 1920, Page 5

THE FARMER'S PAGE.

Injury to stock from lucerne is generally confined to occasional cases of bloat caused by overfeeding on the rank growth. The following note from the couth Australian Register, however, appears to indicate some other effect of the feed:—"A disease locally known as ‘swelled head,’ on account of the swollen condition produced, has occurred among the flocks of sheep in the northern areas, and is receiving the attention of the Government Veterinary Surgeon <Mr C. A. Loxton), the Government Bacteriologist (Dr. Bull), and Mr J. Bundle (veterinary surgeon), at- Jamestown. In each case the sheep affected have been feeding on lucerne, and the trouble has ceased when the animals have been transferred to other paddocks. In one case only rams suffered, and it is stated that in the other only vigorous animals were attacked. The mortality so far hae been very slight, and it has been confined to the latter part of the summer. The symptoms are swelling of the face and lips, gradually exteudiug until the eyes, mouth, and nostrils are closed. Respiration then becomes difficult, and the animal dies from suffocation.” On km growers in Victoria are pressing for protection against the importation of onions from Japan. A large deputation of growers pointed out to the Acting-Minister for Customs that Japan is sending extensive quantities of onions to Australia (the value of the imports last year was something like .£34.000), and asked that the duty on onions, which was recently increased under the new tariff from Is to Is 6d a cwt., should be fixed at £6 a ton. The protection was asked for only with regard to onions imported from Japan, and was not to bo applied to imports from New Zealand or ether countries employing white labour. The announcement that the New South Wales Agricultural Department is going to utilise waste wheat as fodder by mixing it with by-products from the freezing works and slaughter-houses brings us right up to date, says the Sydney Maal. There is a great deal too much waste in this country, arising partly from the fact that our population is so sparse that it does‘not pay to go to great expense in feeding stock for table. If a pig, a bullock, or a sheep will not fatten by his own efforts he is left poor. But in America there is no room for such waste energy, and there should not be here. If the producer were always sure of a good price for his pork, his mutton, or his beef, it would pay him to go to a lot of trouble to prepare such stock for market. ** FADING THE SOIL. The business of feeding the soil in arder to secure food for man and beast is much more thoroughly understood now than it was a generation ago. Here is Dr Slosson’s statement of the simple process of Nature; "Plants obey the injunction of Longfellow, and rise or. the stenping-stone.-, of their dead stives to higher things,” (By a curious slip. Dr Sflosson has attributed a familiar hue from Tennyson's "In Memoriam” to Longfellow). “Encb generation lives on what it adds from the air and sunshine. As soon as a leaf of a tree trunk falls to the ground it is taken in charge by a wrecking crew composed of a mynad of miscroscopic organisms, who proceed to break it up into its component parts so that these con be used for building a now edifice The process is called ‘rotting,’ and tie product, Ihe black gummy stuff (,i a fertile soil, is called humus. The higher plants are not able to live on their own protends as the animals are. But there are lower plants, certain kinds of bacteria, that can break up the big, complicated proteid molecules into their component jiarts and reduce tlie nitrogen in them to ammonia or ammonia-like compounds. Having done this they stop and turn over the job to another set of bacteria to be carried through the next step. For you must know that soil society is as complex and specialised as that above ground, and the tiniest bacterium would die rather than vioiSle the union rules.

PIG BREEDING FOR BACON. The July numbo'- of the Journal of Agriculture contains interesting reference to this matter l>y Mr K. \V. frumnge, Instructor in Swine Husbandry. In the course of his article Mr (iornnge states that the question arises, which are the best commercial breeds suitable for New Zeaiand conditions (11 to bned for pork, and (2) to breed for bacon-' In answering I am guided to a certain degree by experiments carried nut in America and Britain, but mainly by my own practical experience of thirty years in the Domiuion. As regards breeding tor pork, I hare come to the conclusion that any of the smaller breeds fulfil the* requirements—ram elf. the .Sinai’ Yorkshire, the Middle Yorkshire and the Berkshire. In breeding for bacon, however, more attention should be given to the growing of pigs most suitable to the demands of the consumer and baconcurer. What are those demands? In this country wc nave a standard weight fer bacon pigs ranging from TlO lb to i.jO lb deadweight. The bacon-cnrcr tells us that the greatest demand is for about 140 lb net; therefore, .with this standard set, it is not wise for fanners to grow others, unless required for home consumption only. The same conditions apply equally for export. Then, again, 'he euror demands a pig with long “flitches” or sides for rolled bacon. He finds it impossible to roll bacon out of a short-sided pig. In fact, he declares that all the breeds except two—the Tamworth and the Yj ( von—fall short of the required length To meet the position we must breed a pig to satis?v all requirements. This is where the Tamworth conies in. By itself it is not suitable, but by using it to cross with the Berkshire and Yorkshire i r is of extreme value. k v THE TAMVf'QB.m CROSS. In breeding for the first cross it is better to use a Tamworth boar with Berkshire or Yorkshire sows. Sonic advise the other way round—a Tamworth sow with a Berkshire or Yorkshire boar. My own experiments, and my opinion based on the best authorities on pig-breeding, are in favour of the former practice. The result of this cross i= very favourable, and gives a splendid line of red-and-black-spotted pigs, every one almost alike. The pigs mate good baconery but a further improvement can be made by selecting the sow pigs out of this litter and crossing them back to Berkshire or ■Torkshire sow. By the latter cross one what is regarded as the ideal pig—that is, three parts BerkYorkshire and. one part Tam-

TOPICS OP DAILY INTEREST.

worth. This pig will he raised and fattened for the carer six weeks earlier than any purebred pig. Experiments have proved this without a doubt, and the saving of six weeks’ extra food is worthy of consideration. The crossbred sows are the very best that the average farmer can have anything to do with. Combining- as they do all the good qualities of both breeds, they are more active—standing higher—and make the most careful of mothers. The Devon has also been used for crossing with the Berkshire and Yorkshire, but, in my opinion, not with such good results. From experience I have found Eiat the Devon has nothing like the robust constitution of the Tamworth, and it is most essential that constitution be one of the chief aims in mating or crossing for any purpose. Farmers who live within a short distance of each other, wishing to adopt this system of crossbreeding for bacon, may think that it would hardly pay to buy a Tamworth boar for one or two sows. They could, however, adopt the plan of having a boar on the cooperative system—say between six or eight—and perhaps then pass it on to another group to u»c at a certain fee, or follow any other plan which they can arrange between themselves. The co-operative method would work well with some farmers, but with others who do not look after their pigs well it might, of course, not be advisable. In the vocation of pig-raising breeding is the bedrock of success, irrespective of type. It is clearer now than over it was that if pigs are worth keeping at ail we must pay due regard to their breeding and individual qualities. Pedigree stock arc available and are steadily increasing in numbers and character: their influence is wholly for good. Therefore, fanners considering different breeds to choose from must bo guided by the surrounding conditions of food, housing, and the class of trade they propose to cater for. MANAGEMENT OF DRY COW. It is not very long ago that the dry cow received very Tittle care or feed from her owner, but now many farmers have learned that the dry cow must have as much feed as is given to one in milk. Furthermore, that she must also be well cared for during the entire period of her pregnancy. Sistv-livc per coni, of the total development of the embryo calf takes place during the period of gestation, so curing this time the cpw must receive enough to maintain her strength, and enough more to produce from 75 to 100 lbs. of live flesh. 'I he feed that goes to produce the embryo corresponds to Iliac which the producing cow expends in 'making milk and butter fat. The cow that is left to shift for itself in the old way in a field with very little feed may lock very well, because her prodigious appetite at this time enables her to consume lots of very coarse feed : but when the calf is dropped it will be found that it takes a great amount of feed, and much time, to got such a cow to produce profitably again. Besides this, the cow is injured permanently, and her producing life is shortened. Also the calf from a cmv carried through the dry period in such a manner is seldom of any great value, being a weakling from the start. On the other hand, the cow that m carried through the two or three months in which she is dry on a good pasture, with plenty of feed to keep her in condition or on a good stablefed ration, comes into milk amid circumstances that make for the maximum production from the start. In the mailer of feeding, there is a saving of food in keeping the cow in condition; because she produces from the start on regular feed, while the thin cow musfa he given the maximum ration for some length of time before she produces at all profitably. The cow treated in such manner produces well for a longer period than the others, remaining dry the next time for only a short while. Also, her calf is a good one. and such as will help to build up the herd; while by the ether methods the effects of years of careful breeding arc undone. However, the too fat cow seldom has a good calf, and much may be wasted in keeping the cow too fat. The feed for dry cows need not differ materially from the feed given cows in milk, and about the same amount,can be given. To prevent overfattening at the expense of lessening the: bone and muscle of the embryo, the drv cow should not ho given aS much fat-producing grain concentrates a- the cow in milk. Oats .and bran are the most excellent concentrates for feeding the dry cow. As calving time approaches the cow needs some laxative feed. Oil meal, says the “Maritime Farmer,” is excellent, and silage is a good succulent laxative, especially in winter. The chief rough feed should be good leguminous hay. preferably clover. Not too much of' the coarser roughages should be fed. though some is good to make the feed more bulky.