FARM NOTES.

Franklin Times, Volume 9, Issue 638, 3 June 1921, Page 9

FARM NOTES.

THE JERSEY BREED. ANNUAL REPORT. A STRONG ASSOCIATION

The New Zealand Jersey Cattle Breeders’ Association is shown by its annual l'eport just received to have a membership of 832. This is an increase in the year of 191.. The herd book registrations to date number 22,867 (13,006 females and 9861 males). The transfers, which form the barometer indicating the amount of trade, numbered 4040 (2069 females and 1971 males), representing great activity. The year's net profit was £153 17s sd. Mr H. E. B. Watson, the well-known breeder has been appointed honorary demonstrator, and had done great good for thebreed in various centres. New branches had been formed at Whangarei, Auckland and Hawera, and subsidies had been paid to four branches. The two show competitions for semi-officially tested cc\vs aroused unfortunately little or no interest, but the £SO allotted to foul shows for championships attracted large entries. Certificates of record were won by 263 Jersey cows (nearly double last year’s number) and the total was now 940. The records showed a better average namely:—94o cows (last 717) 341 days in milk (341 last year), 7484.471bs milk (7341.51b5) 414.101bs fat (406.081b5). This shows an increase of almost Tig lbs of butter-fat per head. The guinea grant given for every lOOlbs f?t above the standard was won by 173 cows. The grants will be repeated. The year’s record breakers among junior and senior two-year-olds included Aster’s August Child 659.051bs fat and Lady Superior 680.331b5. The four-year-old record was broken by Woodstock’s Fancy Free with 770.38 J lbs. They each received the associa- i tion’s record-breaking bonus.

The report concludes: —The outlook at present for the producing indus- | tries of the Dominion is not particularly bright, and it would be unwise to attempt to forecast the trend of 'the markets. We all hope that the present depression is but a passing phase which will be succeeded shortlyby. a more prosperous season.* So far the dairy fanner has fared best in the general dislocation that has followed the abnormal conditions coincident with the war. There are indications that dairying will be taken up extensively by farmers now engaged in other branches of agriculture. In that case there will be probably a brisk demand for the best and most productive of dairy cows

and there should therefore be an undiminished call for Jersey cattle during the coming year. Your council confidently asks for the continued help and interest of members and the actitve co-operation of local branches in keeping the association in the forefront of the industry in the Dominion.”

A brighter tone in the Wellington skin and hide market is reported. Sheepskins show a general increase of 40 per cent, and salted 50 per cent. For ox calf yearling hides there is an advance of Id to 4d.

Complaints arc regularly made of the injury caused to certain plants by wood-lice, or, as they are sometimes called, slaters. It is a teuious undertaking to destroy these pests, but they can be trapped in 4in or fin flower pots in the bottom of which are placed slices of soft apple or pear, covered with short dry grass. The traps should be laid on their sides in places where the woodlice congregate, and each morning should be examined, and if any insects are present they should c* emptied into a bucket half full, of boiling water. Then the traps .should be re-set. Wood-lice can be poisoned with arsenic, but it is not advisable to lay poison in the garden.

The herd bull you purchase next spring will sire \ our future breeding: females. The demand will be for better quality, so do not jeepai - dise your chances for future success by putting a poor animal at the head cf the herd.

A hermit sheep that has evaded capture for three years on the sea coast at Kaipara harbour, N.Z., was captured a short time ago. The sheep, which was owned by Mr H. Mather, of Glorit, was missing from the flock at shearing time three years ago. The flock was sold, and he refused to associate with the next lot, taking refuge among the mangroves when chased by dogs. During the next .two seasons he was seen only at intervals, and evaded capture by clambering down a preeipitious cliff to the coast. A few months ago Mr Mather and his companions waited for spring tide and ran for the mangroves, but wasc ut off by the tide. The dogs cornered him, but could not back him up the cliff, and were obliged to swim him for a mile. The sheep was of tremendous size, the live weight being over 2001bs, and the wool, which was clean and free from tangle or brambles, was pronounced a perfect places it was 24in in length, and, unbroken.