PIRONGIA.

Waikato Times, Volume 104, Issue 17466, 28 July 1928, Page 5

PIRONGIA.

The Weather. » There are ample signs of an early spring, which many predict. If a noticeable movement in the pastures is not entirely due to the amount of fertiliser put on during the past season the spring-like weather experienced recently must be responsible to at least some degree. Whether the weather is responsible for the advent of so many young lambs or so . many forward heifers, and the comparatively high prices being paid, is another question. Pigs, too, are slowly improving in price, so that many farmers surely must anticipate an early spring. High Production. Mr J. L. Macky has the distinction of possessing the highest , butter-fat-producing herd (under twenty) in the New Zealand Co-operative Herd-test-ing Association for the past season. Mr Macky's cows produced no less than 377.251 b per cow in well under 300 days. There is no accident in this performance. Although Mr Macky does not specialise in dairying he is a good judge of a heifer, and has handled a large number in his time. A number of the cows were left when purchasers took their pick of Mr Macky's annual line of heifers. Less than 1501 b of butter-fat divided the highest and lowest cows in the herd of thirteen. Given a proper supply of water during the drought experienced last, season, an average of 5001 b would not have been at all unlikely. As it is, a number of the herd have milked right through to the present time. All this has been done right off the grass, with no supplementary feeding of any kind. It is interesting to note that these cattle are Jersey and Jersey-Ayrshire cross of good constitution. High-priced Heifers. A local dairyman realised logns for a line of Jersey heifers at a recent sale. This is a profitable price for the vendor, and in this instance was a profitable purchase, since the heifers were the progeny of a well-tried herd. There is a good deal of comment ancnt the conduct of. country sales and the

need of a better system on the part of the auctioneers in connection therewith. The dealers, too, have come under the searchlight, and do not show up as well as . the Taranaki dealers, who keep tab' of all particulars of heifers purchased as calves, and when selling same as heifers can, and do, give authentio particulars regarding performance of their dams. This system is productive of better prices and truer values than are too often experienced here. Personal. Mrs J. Shaw is spending a week's holiday in Te Aroha. - Mrs G. L. Robinson is making a good recovery from a sharp attack of influenza. A. fine new residence is nearing completion on Messrs Collins and Downs' farm on the Te Awamutu road. Mr T. R. Mouncey has let a contract to Mr J. Buchanan for the erection of a new cowshed on his racecourse property on the Te Rore road. It is Mr Mouncey's intention to milk a "herd of 30 or 40 cows this season.