THE FARM INDUSTRY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 12, 9 October 1907, Page 2

THE FARM INDUSTRY.

Selflessness. ITS VALUE AND ITS LIMITS. A seedless tomato is almost within our grasp. A New Jersey farmor, after six years' effort and selection, has produced a tomato whose seeds vary in number from SO down to none. Scedlcssiiess is a virtue for which plant experimentalists are conducting an eternal search. AVe havo a seedless grape in tho sultana; a seedless orange in the navel; we have potatoes that have almost forgotten tho way to flower; and we hope some day to have seedless apples and pears with which to bid a fond adieu to our friend the codlin moth, whose health and happiness depend .oh tho pips. A perfectly • seedless tomato, however, is —if not impossible—at least impracticable. Let xis follow the plant breeder in his work and see how he operates to get a "seedlcos" tomato. First, he will grow a large plot of tomato plants. From the ripe fruits he will save the seed of those whose seeds are the fewest, placing special reliance on the fruit of those plants which show a low general average of seeds. Tho selected seeds will be sown again, and perhaps, by repeated selection, over a number of years,'considerable progress will be made towards a reduction'in the average number of the seeds. Theoretically it would bo possible in this way to produce tomatoes containing only ono seed each, but at this stage there arises an impassable barrier. Wo have no satisfactory, way of reproducing seedless tomatoes. We can reproduce seedless grapes and oranges withoutlimit by grafting. We could do the same with apples and pears and medlars. But tho tomato is a plant that has been taught to reproduce by its seeds; and immediately it produced no seeds, of course it would cut itself off from the future. Tomatoes can, it is true, bo kept in exjstence in glass houses, or in warm climates outdoors, by moans of cuttings. Plants of seedbearing tomatoes might bo grafted over with cuttings from the seedless variety thus obtained. But this is.a cumbrous method scarcely applicable to ordinary market-garden practice, and leading to weakness of constitution. Wo fear it will be necessary always to grow and cat a tomato that possesses seeds, much as we would appreciate thoir absence. 'We may reduce the number of the seeds to reasonable proportions, but tho more "seedless" a variety becomes the more expensive will be the few seeds that it produces. If wo wero launching forth on a "seedless crusade" we would dovote ourselves first to apples, and then to pears, oranges, gooseberries, grapes, • lemons, passion fruit, cur- ■ rants, raspberries, and :ven blackberries. A fleshy, juicy, seedless gooseborry would, wo imagine, havo a groat commercial value; and as for blackberries, a fortuno awaits tho man who can rob the blackberry of its seed and retain tho.fruit flesh. All the species wo have "tipped" are capable of being propagated continually without seed. If ever the dream'of a mothproof applo is to bo realised it must obviously appear in seedless—and perhaps corelcss—form. Such an object, if it possessed other good applo features, would earn a quick fortune for tho man who controlled tho jvorld's supply. We commend to our orchardists, as a hobby to relieve the tedium of their many spare hours, the production of a seedless applo.

A PAGE FOR THE MAN ON THE LAND

will suffer severe IBss as well as the dairy farmer. There is hardly a paddock of grain sown in tho district. It is now too late for sowing gram on the higher lands, but in heavier country it can bo sown any time this month with a fair chance of success; There is no doubt that the harvest will bo a lato one, and it is predicted that grain will be very dear before tho new crop is available. The Tawaha cheese factory, near Martinborough, is to bo opened on Monday next. Considerable criticism has been levelled at the place chosen as the site of tho new building. For some timo past it has boen generally admitted that nearly all tho Wairarapa cheese factories have boen erected in positions which havo been proved too damp for tho wholesomo curing of cheese. Undeterred by tho knowledge of this fact, tho Tawaha people have built their factory on tho Ruamahanga flats, which some months ago, in May, wero feet under water. It is almost certain that before long- the factory will have to be shifted to a drier sito. Tho new building is an unpretentious looking structure, fitted with a making room, 24ft. by 26ft., which will accomodate three 050-gallon vats; a curing room, also 24ft. by 26ft.; an eiigineroom, 16ft. by 16ft.; and a salt-room and testing room, Bft. by Bft. The floors are .concrete throughout. The boiler is 12, and the engino 4, horsepower. A Wairarapa cheese factory manager informed our Wairarapa correspondent that he thought there was no chance at all of the dairy companies agreeing to the claims which have been mado by tho Wellington Butter, Creamery, aud Cheese Factories Employees' Industrial Union of Workers. It is contended that thero aro various anomalies in the rates of pay demanded, the Union apparently not recognising the important, part played in tho industry by tho dairy managers themselves. It is further held that it would bo most unwise to declare a schedule of wages on present prices. Should there be a pronounced decline in tho industry with a corresponding fall in prices, but maximum rates of wages, the farmers would suffer irretrievable loss. As the dairy business keeps half the population of tho Dominion, 'the industrial .trouble will have to bo dealt with on the most broad -lines. Speaking to our Wairarapa correspondent regarding tho present farm soiling opidomic, a Mangamahoe sheepfarmer expressed tho opinion that in the majority of instances the farmers were only playing into the hands, of agents. It was the land agent who scooped the profit, not tho farmor, for the reason that the farmer had to buy again and all the timo the price of land was going up. A Mount Bruce farmer had a two-hundred-acre section which ho had held for two years, and then sold at what ho said was a profit of £200. Then ho bought a six-hundred- • aere farm near Mauricoville, which he sold at tho end of four years at an advance of £700 upon the price which ho had given. This man was making £400 n year from the six hundred acres. He jhis had to buy another farm, this time in Ilawkcs Bay, at practically the market rate, and our informant held that it would have paid him better to stickto the second property, where he was making an excellent living.

MANAWATU A. AND P. ASSOCIATION. •• The monthly mooting of the Committee was hold yesterday—Mr. W. Jacob presiding. A number of new members were elected. LETTERS DEALT WITH. Tho Otago A. and P. Association wroto asking the Association to select and appoint one judge of carriage and hackney'horses for tho coming summer show on November 28 and 29. Mr. H. Gillies was recommended, and signified his intuition of accepting tho invitation. Several associations wrote endorsing the disqualification of a rider who was guilty of " ringing " in a horse in tho competitions last year. Tho Wairarapa A. and P. Association wroto stating that tho matter of show stock being detained at Woodvillo canio before their Committee. A copy of a letter from tho Manawatu Society was placed before Mr. Arthur, traffic superintendent, and lie was reminded of his personal promise in Juno last that this special matter 1 would receive his attention. A member of the Wairarapa Committee was under tho impression that tho delay occurred owing to the cattle boing trucked by tho wrong train, but it was s.tated that tho exhibitors have had difficulties at Woodvillo while attending Wairarapa and Palmorston shows not experienced elsewhere. The Wairarapa Society promised to do all in its power to liavo tho matter remedied in future. The Hon. Mr. M'Nab wroto that the letter from tho Manawatu Association in reference to tho representation of the Agricultural Department in ' the chief agricultural shows of Great Britain would receive careful considera'tion. THE FEILDING LATE TRAIN. Tho Railway Department wroto stating that owing to tho small amount of patronage on tho 11 p.m. special train to Feilding on tho second day of tho show, it could not undertake to run that train on tho second night of this show. Mr. J. M. Johnston moved that tho Department be asked to reconsider its decision. Mr. Cohen objected, as he contended that it would tend to weaken tho Society in the eyes of tho Department should they at any timo require a moro important concession. Mr. Johnston contended that Feilding people Should be accommodated, and that tho train, if run as usual, should bo well advertised. The motion was lost. DOG SHOWS. Mr. W. F. Durward, Secretary of tho Manawatu Kennel Club, wroto stating that tho New Zealand' Kennel Club had resolved that it bo a recommendation to all affiliated clubs-that thoy accept entries from members of any affiliated club at own members' rates. Ho was in receipt of enquiries from Auckland and Napier as to whether the Manawatu Club. would agree to this course, and, personally, he considered it would bo advisable to fall into line with other clubs in tho matter, as by doing so tho. entries would bo considerably increased. It Avas decided to agree to the suggestion. >■ BUCK-JUMPERS BARRED. After considerable discussion in Committee, it was decided to admit O'Ncil's buck-jumpers to tho ordinarv exhibit classes, but to bar them from the riding, driving, and jumping competitions. LIBERAL DONATIONS. /■ The President reported that Messrs. Gillies, Balsillio, and M'Rao had received promises' of donations amounting to £418 6s. Oil. A'vote of thanks was passed to these gentlemen for the activity shown. OTHER BUSINESS. As tho next ordinary meeting would fall upon the Carterton Show (late, it was decided to hold tho meeting on November 26.

Tho Secretary reported having extended invitations to all the members of the House to attend the show. It was decided to fix November 4, 5, and 6, as the dates for holding the show next year. SPECIMENS. The Belfast Ropo Works Company forwarded a handsome case of specimens of rope, for which a vote of thanks was tendered. A vote of thanks was also accorded Mr. J. M. Johnston for having obtained the exhibits. . Tho Tourist Department also sent a number of photographs for members to examine.