On the Land.

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXIV, Issue 126, 29 October 1930, Page 6

On the Land.

NOTES AND COMMENTS. One cause of our comparatively slow progress in the production of pork and bacon is that we are fostering too many breeds. India is now exporting eggs to Great Britain in such quantities that that country may soon be taking the place of China as chief egg supplier to Britain.

The Department of Agriculture of South Africa estimates that drought losses of sheep in that country duramounted to 512,547 head.

ing the year ended June 30, 1929,

The day when many dairy herds in the Gisborne district will be composed entirely of pedigree cattle appears to be fast approaching. Already a few herds comprise nothing else but purebreds.

Although times are reputed to be hard as far as money is concerned, there has been a good inquiry this season for various classes of machinery in the Wanganui district among farmers.

A large number of sheep have recently been exported from New Zealand to Australia, principally Southdowns. Inquiries made from a firm -which had been engaged in this export trade elicited the information that the import duty is 21 per cent.

Always realise that the breeding of calves from well-nourished, welldeveloped and sound-constitutioned parents and their subsequent feeding, especially throughout early life, has a direct influence on their own future utility in the herd.

A spray that will kill bulrushes can be made by mixing 2 lbs of pentoxide in every gallon of water used. Stir well until it is all dissolved; get a hand spray-pump, and use a fine spray. The hotter and drier the weather the better, but keep stock out of the way.

Many field experiments have been made in different parts of Great Britain to determine what inorganic fertilisers are most suitable for the swede crop, and the general results prove that mineral manures, together with light dressings of farmyard manure, pay handsomely.

A handy device for making a gate self-closing: Shut the gate and nail an old motor-tube to the bottom rail outside, nail a board over it. Draw the thing round the post and nail again with another board over it. This will always pull the gate to and will last a long time,

In adjusting the separator for the thickness of cream required, a farmer should take into consideration whether he has a daily or twice-a-day collection. In the former event, a thinner cream might be produced than in the latter, when a cream’s keeping qualities should be high.

What becomes of wool packs after manufacturers take the wool out? To some extent they are used for baling rags and other odds and ends. The?’ become so saturated with grease from the wool that they are of little use as containers for anything but more or less waste materials.

If a sow cannot be let run out of doors on grass land or the like, but must be confined to a sty, the utmost cleanliness must be observed. There should be a small, open air yard or pen attached to the sty, so as to afford the sow some exercise in sunshine and shower. Generally in such out-runs we see an accumulation of mud and filth. That is not as it should be.

On handling sheep with six or eight months’ wool farmers are sometimes dismayed to find them intested with vermin. There is a simple remedy. Catch each sheep and open its wool along the backbone, from crown of head to tail. Into this crack pour enough dipping mixture to soak along flesh round both sides to the bell. The animal will face the shearer a few months later as clean as the cleanest.