THE FARM

Waikato Times, Volume 89, Issue 13887, 12 October 1918, Page 8

THE FARM

AGRICULTURAL EVENTS FOR WEEK ENDING OCT. 19. MONDAY. Cambridge Stock Sale TUESDAI". Ohaupo Stock Sales Te Anga Stock Sales. Hikutsiia Stock Sale Tirau Stock Sal e -Moiiinsville Bull Sale. vWJDNKSDAY. Matamata Stock Sale Otorohanga Stock (Sales Oliaupo Horse Sale Clearing Sale at Horotiu. IHIKSDA*. Hamilton Stock Sales Ohaupo Horse Sale Oparau Stock Sale. FRIDAY. Waihou Stock Sale Ohinewai Horse Fair. Clearing Sale at Bruntwood. SATURDAY. Te Awamutu Stock Sale. Friesian Heifer Recora A record breaking Friesian heifer is reported from Raumati, a district about four miles from Dannevirke. Mr James Hart is the fortunate owner, and Hie name of the heifer is Lady Pauline, and she is two years of age. She recently completed her official test, and her record shows 18,1371b of milk for the twelve months, and 003.8511) of butter-fat. The best previous performance for an animal in this class (in the Dominion) was 5531b butter-fat. Lady Pauline is still milking, and gave 321b of milk in the last day of the testing period, though she is due to calve in a few days. Deep Artesian Bore. An artesian well bore has been made on Mr J. H. Hart's Springlea station, Queensland, to a depth of 0000 feet, and is the deepest bore in Australia yielding water. The how is one foot above the casing, and the yield is 250,000 gallons per day of good stock water. The temperature of the water is not given in the account of the well given in the Queenslander. The bore was a costly one, the material by the time the work was finished was costing 12s 6d per foot landed on the ground, while the edst of boring was £4 7s 6d per foot. Boring is being continued to a greater depth to ascertain if there is a greater supply available without much further expense.

LIVE STOCK AND WINTER FEED. From preliminary live stock statistics, which have been made available, it appears that since* the commencement of the war, cattle in the North Island have increased in round figures half a million head; while sheep in the South Island have advanced one million. Leaving out the South Island, as being beyond our immediate concern, the North Island figures at first glance seem to be very gratifying. That this island should have slaughtered the immense quantity of fat cattle for export, which have already been sent away, or remain in store, while it has increased its herds byhalf a million during the past four years, speaks volumes for the fertility of our lands and the quality of our pastures. All this has been done in spite of the fact that the war has depleted farms of all the best labour. The cream of farm labour —and farmers' sons must be classed as that—has been allowed to go to the war; and farmers tell us that there is now great difficulty in getting necessary work done. on this account the increased number of stock to provide for is a matter of some concern to thinking farmers. Some ofithese, who have the best of opportunities to know, tell us that, taking the North Island as a whole, our pastures are stocked up to the full summer capacity, and that not nearly sufficient feed is being provided for the winter. For quite a number of years our winters have been phe* nomenally mild, and grass on fertile lands has grown throughout the years. This has caused the great majority of farmers to take risks which they know to he unsafe. Another reason for neglect of providing adequate winter feed has been the failures in turnip growing. Twenty to thirty years ago Waikato was famous for its turnip crops, and many farms actually carried many more stock in the winter than during the summer. With the milder winters, the growing of Swedish turnips has become precarious, and it is no exaggeration to say that hundreds of farmers have made up their minds to try no more to grow swedes. No winter feed has a better record than swedes and a good crop has, many a time, proved better than a gold mine. One frequently hears people refer to last winter as being a recor/1 for coldness and the lack of condition on most of the live stock at present is put down to that cause. Practical farmers, who took the precaution to grow adequate feed for their stork, however, tell us that it is wrong to look on last winter as being a severe one for stock from a weather point of view. Last autumn was wonderfully fine and grass continued to grow until the middle of June, when the first frosts came. Undoubtedly the few frosts experienced were severe, and not only checked all growth of feed, but cut down what grass there was. As a consequence the great bulk <>', the cattle in the North Island had for two months to exist on short commons, and, in many instances were compelled to live on little more than their own condition. On that account it makes it imperative that better provision should be made for next winter.

We cannot emphasise too strongly the fact that to farm successfully in Waikato means the provision of ample and suitable winter feed for stock. This district attained its reputation for being the healthiest and best 'cattle country in the Dominion, largely on account of our ability to provide plentiful root foods for stock. When the matter is fully considered the failure of the swede crops during die past mild seasons was only natural. We need only remind intelligent* farmers that this turnip was originally a native of Sweden and that soils to suit H must be subject to frosts.

Wo do not often give farmers advice, but in the light of the Government stock statistics, coining on top of last winter's experience, we have no hesitation in urging farmers to make every effort to get in larger areas of swede turnips than intended. It seems to us to be impossible that the.v can be even sufficient root crops grown to supply feed for the increased nirmber of stock which must lie carried through next winter. It is only necessary to visit the stock sales to notice that the general condition of stock is far below normal, and to be convinced that a very small proportion only can be fattened before next winter. In addition to this the natural increase has to lie provided for. A great number of calves are being killed, but there is no reason to doubt that the number being reared is quite up to normal. Three-quarters of a million calves are now bred each year.

I THE RURAL PROBLEM. (By "Blucgum.") At the present time, when education is occupying much space in -..iir ■luily papers, in our weeklies, an.l is detailed on our platforms, it woulj he well to consider what the newer ideas will do for the problem of how to develop a rural civilisation that is permanently satisfying and worthy of lb > best, designs. It is a big problem md worthy of the serious thought of the best minds. How can we attract w litrained boys to the farms? We must make the farms more profitable; we must organise the farming community so as to perfect business and trade relations with the towns; and we must develop a vigorous and happy social structure in the country. It appears to me that in the schools the problem will be solved; but the schools must be backed up by the Slate. The primary syllabus can he so arranged that the boys will be given a sympathy with Nature, and the great and interesting outside world. The secondary schools will take in hand the boys who have shown an interest in outdoor life, such as plants, animals (including birds and home pets), and further develop this aroused interest by studying field problems and the principles of agriculture and live stock. By a bald and vigorous policy of high school agriculture, many of the boys who drift into the cities, and who are distracted by the activities of town life, will then find an absorbing interest and a great lasting love for rural beauty and country life. The pictures arc turned to the wall at present for want of knowledge. It is my firm conviction that if we assisted our youth to take up farm life, well equipped with a good education, that the problem of business relationships between producer and consumer would be vastly improved by efficient organisation, and that the evolution of a more attractive social life would solve one of the greatest obstacles that presents itself to the youth who turns his eyes towards the country for his life's work.