FARM AND DAIRY.

Waikato Times, Volume LVII, Issue 8089, 28 December 1906, Page 1

FARM AND DAIRY.

The Southland News saye :—A re- '■ port Las gained currency that the ; " potato blight " lias made its appear- i ance in Southland, l>ut from ir t]uiri< s I made we hi lieve there is no founds- | tiunfoi tbes'Hiim nt.Generally spea J ing the cro, , o iwliich there is a lai »i r area than usual in Southland this | year, never looked better, and in ! light loamy land the early sorts, such as the Ashkaf Kidney, Early Hose, and Sparks' Vistoria and White Elephant, are already being dug. J lie later kind-:, especially L'p-to-1> i;es and Sutton's Abundance, are making prolific growth, and give promise ut ! Splendid \ ields.

11l fortune has not fallen on all farmers on account of the dry season, aud amongst the fortunate ones are i two or three of those near Morven, j says the Oamaru Mail. Une farmer ! close to the township has a large area of wheat which will thresh out quite sixty bushels to the acre, aud several other paddocks of the same cereal will yield well. These are of course, exceptional cases, as the lack of moisture is felt throughout the whole of South Canterbury iu a mure or less degree. The Mail representa live was assured that the potato crop, though free from blight this year, would—for perhaps the very absence of that element which encourages blight—be mostly small tubers unfit for the table.

The Eltham Argus states that Mr Belcher, Rawhitiroa Road, has amongst his herd of cows one that he brought with him when he came there from the Wairarapa district. She was sired by what is believed to be the first Holstein bull brought to the North Island, and has had some sixteen or seventeen calves. Notwithstanding her age she is in good condition, and is milking regularly every day, giving a good supply of milk. A lesson New Zealand farmers may learn from America is in regard to the cultivation of lucerne, or alfalfa as it is known to the farmers of the States. It has been conclusively proved that lucerne will grow more luxuriantly at Momohaki Experimental Farm, and there is every reason to believe that iu many parts of the colony it will thrive with equal success. Discussing this great plant Mr Joseph E. Wing, the leading American authority on it says: "Alfalfa is a clover that has been cultivated for at least 3000 years. It is the lucerne of the old world and of parts of America. It differs from ordinary clovers in several respects. It roots far deeper iu the soil. It may be cut several times in a season—three times anywhere in the United States, four times along the 40th parallel, and in the South fiom five to seven times. It is very hardy to resist cold and is absolutely unassailable by heat. It endures drought better than other forage plants because it rcots deep in the soil. It relishes moistute aud revels in irrigation on pervious soils, or iu heavy rainfall, but it will promptly die in uudraiued and water-soaked soils. It must have air in the soil as well as moisture. Alfalfa hay is the richest of forages. It abouuds in protein and is almost as rich pound for pound'as wheat bran. It builds muscle aud bone and fills the veins with rich blood. It is the best food for young auimals. Colts and calve--, pigs aud lambs, chickens and all fowls love alf-alfa. It makes hens lay more eggs than they would without it. It makes cows give more milk than they can possibly be forced to without if. It fills the udder of the brood mare, It is the best forage for the ewe. It is the best maintenance for the pregnant sow and a good basis for her feeding after her pigs come. For ihe four-footed babies of the farm alfalfa is the best thing as it is for their mothers."