On the Land

New Zealand Tablet, 30 September 1915, Page 59

On the Land

GENERAL. According to the Invercargill • correspondent of the Christchurch Press,' taking last year’s shipments as scheduled by the Dairy Association from Bluff, the higher price for cheese for the present season means an extra cheque to Southland of £53,000, and should bring the value of cheese exported from Bluff this season up to quite £400,000. In a natural state animals live on green fodder; it is their natural food, and as a consequence they thrive upon it. But when animals, as in present-day farming, have been domesticated the case is a little different. Care requires to be exercised in changing the diet from dry to green food. It should not be done too suddenly. The green stuff should be fed in combination with old hay, the green fodder being gradually increased, and the proportion of hay reduced. If the leaves of a growing crop look pale in color, it may be regarded as an indication that a dose of nitrogen in a quickly acting form is required. If, on the other hand, the foliage is luxuriant, it may be taken as a sign that the plant has an abundant supply of stimulant. In such cases it is to be hoped that the soil contains an ample supply of phosphate and potash in available forms, otherwise the result may be much leaf and little crop. The shortage of labor which is likely to occur during the approaching harvest was the subject of a discussion at a recent meeting of the executive of the Auckland Provincial Farmers’ Union. One member made a suggestion that Maori labor should be organised. Mr. C. M. Alexander, of Te Awamutu, said he was very much alarmed at the prospect of a shortage of labor in his district, and he moved that the branches be advised of the urgency of organising the available labor in their localities. The motion was adopted. The suggestion in regard to the employment of Maoris was referred tn the Labor Department. At Addington last week there were fairly large entries of fat stock and a moderate attendance. Prime beef showed an advance, the supply being shorter than that for the previous week. The few new season’s fat lambs penned brought high prices. Fat sheep opened at about previous week’s rates, and in the store sheep department hoggets and wethers showed a decided advance in values. Fat Lambs.—There were nine new season’s lambs sent in, and they sold remarkably well, the prices ranging from 27s to 38s 6d. Fat Sheep.—Extra prime wethers, to 60s; prime wethers, 27s to 37s 6d; others, 21s 6d to 26s Cd : merino wethers, 19s 9d to 26s 3d; extra prime ewes, to 39s 6d; prime ewes, 25s to 32s 6d; medium ewes, 19s to 24s 6d; light and inferior, 17s 5d to 18s 6d; hoggets, 16s to 26s 6d. Fat Cattle. Extra prime steers, to .£2l; ordinary steers, £7 17s 6d to £l2 ; extra prime heifers, to £l6 10s; ordinary heifers, £6 5s to £9 ; extra prime cows, to £l7 ; ordinary cows, £6 to £8 12s 6d—price of beef per 1001 b, 36s to 545; extra, to 58s. Pigs.—Choppers, 55s to 137 s 6d; extra heavy baconers, 80s to 89s 6d ; heavy baconers, 70s to 78s; light baconers, 58s to 67s —price per lb, 6|d to 6-id; heavy porkers, 46s to 525; light porkers, 38s to 44s—price per lb, 64 d to 7d; medium stores, 22s to 28s; small, 17s to 21s ; weaners, 11s to 18s; sows with litters, to 86s; sows in pig, 45s to 60s. There were average entries in all classes at Burnside last week, except in the case of fat cattle. Fat Cattle. —134 head yarded, the bulk of which comprised good to prime beef. The yarding being below the average, resulted in a rise of 15s to 20s per head compared with late rates, and competition throughout was keen, and a splendid sale resulted. Prime bullocks sold at £l4 10s to £l6; extra, to £22; medium, £ll 10s to £l3 ; light, £9 10s to £lO 10s; best cows and heifers, £lO 10s to £l2 10s; extra, to £ls ss; medium, £8 10s to £9 10s; light, £6 10s to £7 10s. Pat Sheep. • —2BOO penned, a large proportion being sheep of excel-

lent quality. The demand for well-finished sheep Was good, arid for these competition was keen at rates equal , to those of previous , week. For unfinished sheep the demand was not quite so kepri', 4 arid these were sold at Is per head below last quotations. . Best wethers, 35s to 38s; extra do, to 465; good do, 32s to 345; me-' dium, 26s to 27s 6d; light, 23s to 245; best ewes, 30s to 345; extra, to 40s 3d; medium, 225; light, 17s 6d to 21s. Fat Lambs.—3B4 'penned. For good quality hoggets competition was keen, but for unfinished sorts the demand was only moderate. Three of this season’s lambs were penned, and these sold at rip to'26s 9d. Best hoggets sold at 26s to 30s; extra, to 30s 9d; medium do, 20s to 225. Pigs.—B2 fats and 160 stores were yarded. Fat pigs were in good demand, more especially baconers, which were in short supply. Store pigs met with a slow and towards the finish; of the sale it was difficult to effect sales, • ’ HINTS ABOUT MILKING. . : Very few cows can be completely finished by milking with the full hand, and when the main flow has ceased, to strip the cow, it becomes necessary to gently press a quarter with one hand and milk with the other, thus drawing the udder (says Farm, Field, and. Fireside). A cow, once started, should be always finished without interruption; the milker’s mind must be centred on his work to gain the sympathy of the animal; dilatory or slow milking, talking, .and noise-making should be avoided—such actions cause a decreased flow. Where milking machines are used, the . cows should be first tried for udder troubles and stripped immediately the machines are removed; any time elapsing between generally results in the cow holding back the last and richest of her milk. This is the cause of many of the complaints about milking machines being unsatisfactory, as the cow soon becomes dry—really the fault of the operator. If an animal does not k let her milk down freely to the machine, do not- persist in its use, as such ■ persistency will surely cause her to go dry. It is much better to milk such a cow by hand, or any other whose udder conformation does not lend itself to easy milking; very large teats with a hard skin are unsuitable. Best results may be obtained with low hanging udders by the attendants using a very low stool and keeping the arms on a level with the teats. Approach the cows gently. It is desirable that the usual attendant attach the teat cups on the first occasion. The cow is governed by habit, and most cows dread a new milker. In cold weather, provide warm water to insert the teat cups in, and wash the udders. While the milking machine, in the care of an intelligent man, may solve the. labor problem, it will do endless damage in the hands of a careless operator. The cleanest and purest milk can, be obtained by machines if properly handled. Do not wash the udders too far in advance of the machine, as the cow will have taken her milk up again; she should be milked immediately after the washing and drying, when her teats will be full of milk ; then the machine will do its work more effectively and quickly. EFFECT OF FERTILISERS. The top soil of an acre of arable land to the depth of Sin is estimated to weigh about 1000 tons, so that a dressing of scwt of fertiliser to the acre is really the application of only about 9oz of fertiliser to a ton of soil, and the quantities of actual plant food, nitrogen, phosphate, and potash, seem infinitely small, and yet these minute quantities of available plant food exert a wonderful influence on the growth of the crop. When we apply a top dressing of wt nitrate of soda per acre we are putting in the soil only about loz of actual nitrogen to every 35,8400 z of soil, and still the effect is great. It seems marvellous!