GENERAL NOTES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 57, Issue 252, 5 August 1937, Page 8

GENERAL NOTES.

HEAVY PRODUCTION. Lord Rayleigli’s Friesian cow Terling Beechnut, which with 149^lbs holds the British record for daily milk yield, has followed her output of 3253 gallons in 365 days by .one of 2484 gallons in 274 days. She was still producing' over six gallons daily and is one of the eighteen cows of the Friesian breed with four consecutive yields in excess of 2000 gallons. Herd Testing Course. “The number of students who came forward to the herd testing course held at Massey College in April last was most disappointing, stated Mr G. R. Herron president of the Dominion Herd Testing Federation, at the annual meeting recently. “Labour difficulties on the farm prevent the attendance of certain students who had definitely intended to enrol. Only eleven Certificates were granted this year. Scientific Crossing. For the first time in history sugarcane and bamboo have been crossed. This scientific feat has been achieved by the Imperial Sugarcane Breeding Station at Coimbatore, India, under the direction of Rao Bahadur T. S. Venkataramau. Six years ago the same station produced, for the first time, hybrids between sugarcane and jowar or sorghum. The pa’esent hybridisation is said to cover a much wider gulf in the plant kingdom than the previous one. Progress of Testing. The herd testing movement has made substantial progress during the

r past ten years. In 1928 a total of 88,549 cows wero tested this figuro rising to 122,613 tho next year and to 199,423 the year after. Steady progress was made up to 1934, when, with the depression a setback was experienced. In the 1933-34 season 258,486 cows were group tested, but this figure dropped to 233,831 the next year. Howeyer, a good recovery has been made since that time and for the 1936-37 season 251,567 cows wero tested under the group movement. New Zealand Meat. Writing to a friend Mr A. 31. CarTenter, of Fernside, who is now on a 'visit to England, states that lie' is impressed with the work of the Meat Board and its advertising policy. He had met many Smithfield butchers also .retailers and consumers, and their united request was for small lambs of the best quality. Mr Forsyth, the London manager, is a tireless organiser and advertiser. New Zealand pork is well liked by the butchers and the public; and a good future is assured for it. No Continental pork or veal is allowed into Smithfield. Four Tons of Sugar an Acre. Good previous cultivation of the land with farmyard manure ia the secret of success of Mr W. Brackenbury, of ! Swineshead Fen Houses who has been successful for the third year a-unning in gaining one of the special prizes awarded by the British Sugar Corporation, Ltd. . He obtained 4.31 tons of sugar from the one acre he had on his small holding last year. The weight of washed beet was 23,39 tons, .sugar sugar pea’ acre 96551 b. Mr Brackenbury’s actual preparation of land commences with, the crop the previous year. Whatever this may be the ground is liberally treated -with farmyard manure. Nutritive Value of Milk. One of the most important functions of milk in the diet is to supply protein or tissue building material ; also the enzymes and hormones which originate from proteins. So far as our present knowledge goes, proteins of milk, unlike proteins derived from most other goods, contain all the amino acids necessary for tissue building. Moreover, the essential amino acids are present in milk, in such proportion as to resemble the combination of the lamino acids in the body, to be converted' into body tissue. Milk protein, therefore, is well adapted to supply the protein needs of the body of the growing child and of the adult and to supplement the amino acids lacking in proteins of other foods in the diet. Preserving a Noted Ram. Strathaird 1 , the last of the sons cf tho famous Boonoke-bred stud merino sire 2F., will be preserved for posterity in the Sydney Technological Museum, to which institution at 12 years of age, he was recently presented by his breeder, Sir Frederick McMaster, of Dalkeith, Ca.ssilis. Taxidermists are now at work on the distinguished sire, and using photographs taken from (various angles in the days of his prime they hope to reproduce a lifelike representation of one of the boldest and most typical sires of his day. F2 was purchased at the Sydney sales by; Sir Frederick McMaster, for 1600gns, and ,'proved probably the greatest sire that Boonoke has ever parted with. Among his many outstanding sons at Dalkeith was the famous ram David, which was purchased for Boonoke for 5000gns, after winning the Sydney Sheep show I grand championship. The blood of F2 to-day thoroughly saturates the Dalkeith stud, and is still producing champions, the latest of which was Jubilee, grand champion at Sydney last year and a grandson of David. Dominion’s Sheep Increase. Latest returns show there were 31,210,734 sheep in New Zealand on April 30 last as compared with 30,113,704 on the corresponding day of last year, an increase of 1,097,030. The largest individual increase was recorded fin the Wellington-West Coast district number rose from 6,238,721 last year to 6,611,546 a.t the end of April. increased Pig Production. The English pig and bacon schemes during their short existence of three years have been responsible for increasing the pig production in England from 2,745,000 to 3,801,000 and in approximately the same period its bacon production has increased from 1,350,000 cwt. to 2,750,000 cwt. Under the protection of these schemes New Zealand lias enjoyed a much improved market for its baconer exports, which has also been reflected on its local markets. A “Cheeky Theft.” For someone to enter a farmer’s hack paddock, slaughter two sheep for the meat and leave the skins to advise the owner of the means of his loss, must be described as an exceedingly cheeky offence. This, nevertheless, was the experience of Mr C. S. Collins, of Rangitikei. There were 27 sheep in the mob on Sunday night but when they were counted, only 25 was made of the tally. Subsequently the two skins were found and from the neat job made, it occurred to the owner that somo expert hand had been at work. Favourable Season. “I have lived in tho Waikato for 30 years and I cannot remember a more favourable season for production than, has been experienced this year in my own particular district,” commented a Ruakuva farmer. Although the autumn was far advanced, ho 9akl, there was still a prolific growth of pasture and .ample grazing was available. Few heavy

frosts had been experienced so far and mild conditions and heavy rain have perceptibly lengthened the normal season of dairy production.