On the Land

New Zealand Tablet, 19 September 1912, Page 53

On the Land

GENERAL. The cattle of. the world are estimated at 430,000,000. There are twenty-five pure breeds of sheep to produce two things—mutton and wool. Concentrated fertilisers furnish the best of the plant foods, and they should be freely used. The ‘ feel ’ of the hide and coat in dairy cattle is of great importance. The hide of a good milker should be thin, elastic, and loose, also soft and pliable to the touch. The coat should have plently of soft hair. At Addington last week there were fairly large entries of fat stock and small yardings of stores. Fat cattie showed no change. The fat sheep market opened at about previous week’s rates, but the sale proved irregular, and prices were generally weaker. Store sheep were in short supply and brought late rates. Pige were somewhat easier. Store cattle were again in good demand, as were also the better class of dairy cows. The yarding of fat sheep consisted chiefly of medium weight sheep, but there were more heavy weight wethers than during the two previous sales. The opening bidding was not very free, and prices later on were,about Is per head below previous week’s rates. The range of prices was : Extra prime wethers, to 35s 6d; prime, 20s to 255; others, 16s 3d to 19s 9d; prime ewes, 17s to 23s 6d;' others, 14s to 16s 6d. , The entry of fat cattle totalled 269. Generally, the quality was good. Prices showed no change from the previous week. Steers realised £7 7s 6d to £ll 15s, extra making to £l9 ss; heifers, £6 10s to £8 17s 6d; extra, to £ll 15s; and cows, £6 12s 6d to £10; extra, to £l3 15s. Of the total entry 74 head were sold at £l2 and upwards. The yarding of fat pigs .was a medium one. The quality was uniformly good, but a few unfiished pigs were penned. The market was slightly irregular, and on the whole prices were a shade easier compared with the previous week. Choppers realised £3 to £5 8s 6d; heavy baconers, 65s to 72s 6d; and lighter sorts, 55s to 60s, these prices being equivalent to s£d per lb. There was only a moderate yarding in all departments at Burnside last week, and prices all round were slightly lower than those ruling for some time past. The fat cattle penned numbered 160, the quality being fairly good all through. Bidding was not so brisk as of late, and prices were inclined to ease, especially towards the end of the sale. A number of cattle were turned out unsold. A few very heavy cattle sold up to £l9 7s 6d. Quotations: Best bullocks, £l2 to £l4; extra heavy, to £l9 7s 6d; medium to good, £lO 10s to £ll 10s; light, £8 10s to £9 10s; best cows and heifers, £9 10s to £lO 15s; extra, to £l2. The yarding of fat sheep totalled 2173. The quality all round was medium, with very few pens of prime sheep. Prices . showed a drop of fully Is per head. Graziers were operating freely, otherwise the drop would have been much greater in spite of the smaller yarding. Quotations: Best wethers brought from 21s to 245; extra heavy, to 28s fid; medium to good, 19s to 20s 6d; light, 17s 6d to 18s fid; best ewes, 18s to 2ls; extra, to 27s 9d; medium to good, 15s 6d to 17s. Owing to the freezing works having shut down there were practically no lambs forward. Forty-three pigs and about 30 stores were penned. There was a good demand all round, and prices were about the same as at last sale. DOMINION ANALYST’S REPORT. A total of 2398 samples were received and reported on at the Dominion Laboratory during the year, amongst the analyses made being:-Manures, 203; milks, 380; butters, 180; and soils, 180. One hundred samples of milk were taken under the Sale of Food and Drugs Act, 1908, and analysed, and of these 39 were below the standard either in fat, solids not fat, or total solids, while two contained preservatives. The

average analysis of these milks was—Eat, 3.98 per cent. ; solids not fat, 8.35 per cent.; total solids, 12.29 per cent. The average analysis of 21-5 samples of milk from farms over the same period was—Eat, 3.98 per cent.; solids not fat, 8.86 per cent. total solidsyv 12.84 per cent. The butters examined were all genuine butter-fat, and free from adulterants. The.maximum amount of water allowed in butter is 16 per cent., and that was the highest found, the lowest being 8.54, and the average 13.09 per cent. The samples of margarine were found to be artificially colored, in contravention of the Margarine Act, 1908. BONE MANURES. - Bone meal and crushed bones may be classed among the oldest forms of manures; they are mentioned in the agricultural literature of the past century, and always' recommended for their excellent effect on grass lands and pastures. The use of bone material has been rendered more economical by the treatment of bones with acid. Few farmers now think of applying raw bone meal, as.they know that better results can be obtained by applications of good bone manures. From their first introduction dissolved bones have retained a high reputation, because from the results obtained by their use it has been recognised that a well-made bone manure is one of the best forms in which money can bo expended with a fair prospect of a remunerative return. The advantage of a bone manure over a purely mineral manure, such as superphosphate, consists in its organic character. In pure dissolved bones or vitriolised —i.e., bones and acid onlythe organic nature of the manure is very distinct, as in addition to the percentage of phosphate rendered soluble in water, they contain an almost equal percentage softened by the acid, but of which the bone-structure has not been completely broken up, as well as about 3 per cent, of ammonia, all from the bones, so that the incorporation of the manure in the soil assists and encourages bacterial life, besides supplying plant nourishment. Well-made dissolved bones and bone compounds can be depended upon to produce good results in pastures, meadows, turnips, and swedes, and can be employed with advantage on barley. They are not too stimulating, and yet nourish the crop, producing a fine sample. POINTS OF A GOOD DAIRY COW. While I think that a man should know the points of a good dairy cow there are some other things to be remembered as well (says W. D. Neal in the lowa Homestead). Some of them may be of great importance, as knowing the points of a good milker. First.—The cow’s age is important. An old cow is not often profitable, and if her teeth are bad she may go dry in a short time. The old cow is also very liable to die. She cannot bo profitable many years at best, so it is not a very wise plan to purchase an old cow, however good a milker she may be. Second. —The health of the cow should be considered.- I have lately seen two cows with good sized" lumps on their jaws sell at sales for good prices. The auctioneer passed over their defects with a favorable remark in each instance. The farmer who purchases such cows is endangering the health of his family. Third. —The amount and quality of the milk should be taken into account. When a cow is represented to give five gallons at each milking the milk is very liable to be poor in quality. She is a complete' failure as a. butter cow. 5 Fourth.— Ascertain the cow’s disposition. A cow that will kick a fellow out of the stall at milking time is undesirable. She may give a pail of rich milk, but if a man must endanger his life to secure it he is taking too great a risk. _ Fifth. —Try the cow to learn whether she is easily milked. A man will wear his patience out and consume a great deal of time milking a cow that gives a stream about the size of a pin.