PERSONAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1522, 19 August 1912, Page 10

PERSONAL AND GENERAL.

Mr.. James Falconer, late of the Ontario Agricultural College, has been appointed manager of the Ngaire Dairy Company's ten-vat cheese factory. A deputation from the Stratford A. and i;: Association is to wait upon the Prime Minister in order to ascertain the views ot the tiovernmeut in regard to the establishment of model, dairy farms. The association is anxious that one of these model dairy farms should be established in tho vicinity of Stratford. A Canadian writer states that he has F?y«<l -that it is possible to destroy a he d of Canadian thistle by planting the held with lucerne. The thistles were turned under and the. lucerne then sown, the product being a glorious field of lucerne winch yielded .CS per aero off the nrst cutting of hay for the season. The Taranaki Agricultural Society has decided to hold an autumn show on February 2G and 27,. instead of its usual spring show in December. At the annual meeting of the Lepperton Uairy Company, the chairman sounded a warning note in regard to tho practice of using preservatives in milk. Personally, he did not think any of tho Lepperton suppliers used preservatives, but at the buyers gathering at Inglewood on Tuesday last, one of the buyers remarked that ho would not take any butter if preservatives had been used in tho milk as he would not be ablo to 6cll it on the insco ; market.

With a view to ascertaining the varieties of apples and pears and plums giving the best results in the Dannevirkc district, arrangements have, it is reported, been made between Mr. R. Boothby and tho Department of Agriculture whereby an acre of Mr. Boothby's land has been set an experimental plot. Tho planting, pruning, nnd spraying of the trees will be carried out under the instructions of an officer of the Department, who will from time to time report upon the results. , The land is now ploughed and will be planted 'this'season with about 80 varieties of apples and about 40 varieties/of pears and plums. At' present peaches or other stone fruits will not bo dealt with, A Brisbane message published in the Sydney Morning Herald" of last week, reads:—"Efforts are being made, it is Btated, to import potatoes from New Zealand into Queensland in consequence of the small supplies from other States. It is pointed out that the regulations are of a very stringent nature, and as Irish Blight is known to oxist in Now Zealand, every precaution will bo taken to prevent the introduction. of diseased tubers."

At the annual meeting of tho Lepperton Dairy Company, the manager, Mr. W. Roberts, referring to cow-testing, said he had given much thought to this subject, because he felt that the time had arrived, now land and labour were so high, and it was neccssaTy to use artificial manure, when some systematic method of cow-test-ing should be undertaken. Somo of the suppliers tested their cows once or twice a season, but this was not sufficient,' as tho cow that showed up best early in the season might not prove the best all through. He had paid a visit to Stratford and had interviewed Mr. Fulton, the Government tester, on the matter, to see if the testing could be economically undertaken, and had received considerable information. In fact, as a result, ho estimated that for an outlay of .£l2 he could test each supplier's cows once a month throughout the t-eason. All it would be necessary for the supplier to do would be to weigh four millings per month and tako a sample for testing. Roughly, 700 cows supplied the. company, and the cost would work out at 4d. per cow. Suppliers were unanimously in favour of testing, the chairmau stating that it would be well worth anyone s trouble, and at the same time thanking the manager for' volunteering to undertake the extra work. The Stratford and Midhirst Dairy Companies bave, it is stated, decided to each form cow-testing associations. Mr. M'Kenzie, who has been acting as independent tester for these companies, will be in charge of operations, and will provide any assistance required. The charge to dairymen will be two shillings per cow per season, and the test of .eacn cow's milk will be supplied once a month. The farmer in the first place supplies the weight of four consecutive milkings once in each month, together with a sample from each of these milkings. In return he receives a tabulated statement showing the milk .and butter-fat yield for a 30-day period, also the total of milk and butter-fat from calving to the end of each' period. The farmer also receives on the same sheet a statement showing the average milk and butter-fat production of his herd for a 30-day period, and a similar average of all cows in the association, enabling him to compare the results. A Gormin publication gives a new method of keeping potatoes from sprouting, which consists in placing them on a layer of coke. Dr. Schiller, of Brunswick, who has published tho method, is of the opinion that the improved ventilation by means of coke is not alone responsible for the result, but believes that it is due to the oxidation of the coke, which, however, is a very slow ono. Coke always contains sulphur, and it is very possible that the minute quantities of oxides of carbon and sulphur, which result from the oxidation, inixing with tho air and penetrating among the potatoes, are sufficienk greatly to retard sprouting. Mr. George Levens, veterinary surgeon, reports having coiiip across a remarkable freak of nature on Tripp's settlement (says the Ashburton "Guardian"). A calf was horn, having two fully-developed heads, these being joined about half-way down the heck, and the tail was half-way up the back. The limbs were very brittle, otherwise the calf was fully matured. -Mr. Levens says it is one of the most remarkable freaks of nature he has ever seen. ' In a recent address at the Michigan Round-up.. Institute, Professor Erf presented a clean, concrete fact that almost any farmer can comprehend, lie said that the Missouri Station had followed the history of two bulls as shown by the production of thirty daughters of each. One of these bull's daughters produced ;C.3finO more of dairy products than did the daughters of tho other. Vet thei'e are plenty of farmers in whose minds this principle rests so lightly that they practically pay uo attention to it. This constant excuse for preferring poor, ill-bred bulls is that they "cannot all'nrd a good one." The man who cannot afford a good hull stands about chance iu a million of over owning 011%