THE COUNTRYSIDE

Waikato Times, Volume 101, Issue 16947, 9 November 1926, Page 5

THE COUNTRYSIDE

1 "HOMESTEAD, HERD AND PADDOCK" IN AND AROUND. PLEASING SLOPES AND FLATS. Between the railway line and the range of hills which separates the Matamata and Cambridge districts is situated the productive area of country known as Perla. Included therein is much flat land, the outer fringe consisting of slopes rising gently from the almost dead level of the plain surrounding lYlatamata. The soil of slopes and flats alike 13 of good quality, and both are devoted to a largo extent to dairying.

(By PLAIN BILL.)

In this locality, or at all events, upon the rising portions of it, some of the holdings are fairly large, one being of 1300 acres, others of 600 acres, and a number of from 350 to 400 acres OnTe higher ground the soj s said to be heavier than on the flats and without sand below, but is yet, of a nature that docs not hold water on the ; surface nor crack in dry periods. On the rising country frosts are felt with much less severity than on the plain, and the feed in consequence comes away more quickly in spring. In this i part of the district it was noUceab e that most of the windmills appeared to 1 be situated on the highest ground, and I was informed that even at that altitude unfailing supplies of excellent water were' being obtained from bores sunk to a depth of from 200 to 300 ■ feet it is supposed from underground ' streams. Most of the cream from the Peria area, it was stated, goes to the N Z Co-operative Dairy Co.'s Waharoa factorv, though collections arc also made on behalf of two other companies. Extensive plg-ralslng. On the farm of 273 acres owned byMr A. H. Lambournc a herd of about 120 cows is milked, the total number of stock on the place, including dry and horses, being about 170 head. In additoin Mr Lambournc goes in or pigs on an extensive scale, and at the time of my visit approximately 250 of these occupied the sties and paddocks devoted to their accommodation. One hundred acres on the property, it may be mentioned, is occupied by pig-proof fenced enclosures. This branch of the dairy industry, it has struck me, is being given more attention around Matamata than in other districts visited; and its development is apparently being tackled with a thoroughness and care that merit success, and should be able to command it. It is not for ,a novice to express an opinion as to how pigs should be treated, but when one inspects sites and enclosures where scores of these supposedly dirty animals arc being fattened or reared, and yet encounters nothing lo offend the nose or eye, it surely goes to prove that if kept under proper conditions, the pig is not the filthy brute so many folk suppose it lo be. It may be luck, but is certainly a fact, that during a fortnight spent around Matamata I have come across quite a few farms where pigs arc kept in large numbers, but under conditions rendering their near neighbourhood quite inoffensive to the human nose. Can this be said of establishments where any old thing in the way of housing and run is supposed lo be good enough for pigs? At Mr Lambournc's each sow for simc time before she is due to farrow is given a comfortable house and ample enclosure to herself. He reckons lo fatten about 200 pigs annually, and the range of fattening pens on the place would be hard to beat for Cleanliness and Convenience. The sties with boarded floors are raised well above a concrete platform, which extends the full length and width of the building, and the drainage from above flows over this to a channel at the lower side, whence by 4in. pipes underground it is conveyed to a gully several hundred yards away. The whole platform can be easily sluiced with water when desirable. A loading race to which a small door in the back of each fattening pen gives access runs the whole length of the building, thus reducing the trouble of loading to a minimum. For dry sows and stores a number of moveable houses have been constructed, which can be sledged to any paddock as required. Considerable quantities of kumi kumis and mangolds are grown for the pigs; also several acres of rape, on which they do well. Mr Lambournc puts in the rape about the beginning of November, holding that there is then less liability of it being checked by a cold snap than when sowed earlier. Four acres of mangolds he put in last year returned over 100 tons to the acre. At the present.time Mr Lambourne's pigs are mainly Berkshire, but he is considering crossing purebred Large White sows with a purebred Devon boar, and then using a purebred Berkshire boar with the female progeny of the cross mentioned above. In view of the expected development of the export trade he thinks it advisable to study and endeavour to meet the requirements of the Home market. A short visit was paid to Mr 11. Rollott's farm of 4 37 acres on the Peria Road, not far from its junction wiLh Station Road. Here a herd of about 120 is milked when all the cows are in, ami will do more when fully brought in'. A i Paddock of Lucerne, of about six acres in extent lias been established on this property for some years, two acres of which has been suitably subdivided for llio grazing of pigs, which fatten very well on this with some skim-milk as a supplement. The remainder of the lucerne area yields abundlant cuts of hay. 'Mr Roiiett has a good word for ensilage, and has found it very satisfactory. I noticed here a number of well-grown plantations and a splendid barbary hedge along the road frontage. The school at which the young folk of Peria in its vicinity receive their early training is officially known as The Matl School to avoid confusion, I was tbid, with a different school bearing the name of Peria in another part of the sland. Miss Frost is in charge of the Mali school, where the present attendance of 25 is the smallest during the past four years, the usual m .her of pupils having been about 30. Fifth and Sixth Standard pupils from here attend the Junior High School at Matamata. The grounds surrounding the school, building appeared nicely kept and were, adorned witli flower-beds hero and there. This school is distant about three miles from Matamata by what is known as (lie Slaliou Road, A Fine Farm. A mile or so further along the road ju:': mentioned a traveller will come lo Hie farm 260 acres owned by Mr Arthur Growthcr, which last year win-

tered 180 head of grown cattle without roots, and leaving a big stack of the hay saved in the preceding summer still unused. Including calves there are over 200 head of stock on the place now, the milking herd numbering 100. Pedigree Jersey bulls are used and most of the heifer calves are saved to be incorporated in the herd in due course. Some of the milkers are pedigree Jerseys, and next year Mr Crowlher intends putting three of them under semi-ofllcial test. He believes in herd-testing, which he has found a very useful guide. He is working the herd into the Jersey, but is still milking some Shorthorns, two among the number of which have showed a record of 5001 b fat. Mr Growthcr top-dresses liberally in autumn, and uses a good deal of basic slag as well as super. His experience is that cows show a marked preference for paddocks that have been slagged. A very striking feature which attracts immediate notice on this farm is the abundance of live hedges and shelter plantations. It was elicited from the present owner that when he acquired it seven years ago there was hardly a tree on the place, whilst now there arc about seven miles of live hedges, most of w : hich have reached an advanced slate of growth. Though I had heard some mention of what may justly be described as A Milking Shed De Luxe in the neighbourhood, I was without knowledge of its exact whereabouts, and happy chance rather than design led me to it on Mr Crowther's farm. One hardly supposes there is another anything like it, at all events in this country. To begin with, everything in the shed—woodwork, milking machine metal, walls and floors—had been scoured to a point of cleanliness no housewife could find fault with. In addition decorative effect was given by pots of growing ferns hung throughout the building in positions where they could not hamper the activities of workers, but lent adornment to the more practical surroundings. Climbing roses ornamented the outside of the buildings at suitable points, and a wellkept and planted rose graden abutted on the railings of the yard. Some of the ferns referred to, I was told, had hung in the shed for over 10 years. A film of iliis shed, and its surroundings, I gathered, had been secured for exhibition overseas. It is, however, but seldom that the arlistic instincl can be allowed similar expression in connection wilh the very matter-af-fact business of dairy farming, and should visitors come to New Zealand expecting lo find tin's sort of thing general they would undoubtedly bo disillusioned speedily. Incidentally, Mr Growthcr sprang another surprise on the visitor when he afforded a view of his fine collection of oil and water colour paintings from the brushes of celebrated English and Continental artists.Amongst the herd of JOO which Mr P. Beverley is milking upon his 320acre properly on the I'cria-Malamata road, arc forty

Pedigree Ayrshire Cov/s,

wilh which he uses as senior herd sire the bull Hector McDonald of Ivanhoe, bred by Mr A. M. Weir, of Southland. The junior herd sire is a two-year-old son of Ivanhoe Toreador and Hie Royal Show championship cow Allendale Trixic. None of the pedigree cows are under semi-official lest this year, but all are being tested with the N.Z. Cooperative Herd Testing Association. One of these cows as a two-year-old did 6541 b of fat under semi-official test, and at the present time is giving 68ilb of milk daily. Mr Beverley employs pedigree Ayrshire bulls with all his milking cattle, as in his opinion the Ayrshire bull used with females of the other dairy breeds results in female progeny of good productive and constitutional qualities. On this farm last year ensilage was made from 40 acres and hay was saved from a further area. In addition to the fact that it can be made irrespective or weather conditions that would spoil hay, ensilage is considered to have the advantage or being easier to feed out, whilst slock seem to relish and do quite as well upon it. Super, blood, and bone, and potash have been used on this property for fertiliser, especially good results having been obtained where potash was applied. A magnificent view over the Matamata plain towards the Kaimais is obtainable from Mr Beverley's homestead, where much has been done to enhance the attractiveness of the residence and its immediate surroundings. Orchard, lawns, flower and vegetable gardens have been laid out in charming fashion, whilst an excellent grass tennis court gives the daughters Of the house opportunity lo exercise at homo that skill wilh (he racquet which has placed them in the front ranks of the district's lady players. Here and There. A Peria farmer mentioned in conversation that he had employed a number of migrants from Britain, and some of them had proved first-class men. As a general ruje he had found them quite satisfactory farm workers, though there were odd cases of men who didn't know and wouldn't be told. This characteristic, however, is not confined lo immigrants. The colonialborn can, on occasions, also exhibit it. On one place visited a paddock said not to have had a plough in it for 30 years is carrying good grass just now. Judicious and liberal top-dressing is credited with restoring and keeping the pasture in condition.