Farming Notes

Feilding Star, Volume XV, Issue 109, 4 November 1893, Page 2

Farming Notes

(by our travelling correspondent). SALE YARDS. The enterprising firm of Gorton and' Son will soon have another saleyard erected, which will no doubt increase the business of the firm. I refer to the yards at the West Waitapu township. This will be a great convenience to the settlers in the Waituna, Beaconsfield, and West Waitnpn districts. It is presumed that .{he well-known voice of the "Kernel" will be heard at those yards next month. " I sde another shilling coming ; I've got it — another bob." I think the firm will be rewarded for their enterprise. ACCOMMODATION HOUSES. " It never rains but what it pours," so they say There was an accommodation house wanted at the West Waitapu. and that want has been supplied. Now it nppears someone else is going in for a " spec," with a view of obtaining a license for the same, but I hear the ladies are going to have a say in the matter. lam informed by settlers in districts where there are accommodation houses without police supervision that such are not a boon BUTTBB FACTOBIEB. It appears to me that company factories nro not so forward as those conducted by private persons. The directors of the Cheltenham Factory appear to be a long time before commencing operations. The factory at Pohangina, I notice, is at a standstill. Whilst the factories are thus idle, the grass is growing and the milk wasting. Housewives are looking forward to the time when the dairy work will be considerably reduced. CROPPING IN BUSH COUNTRIES. One can scarcely credit that standing bush about twelve years since should now be under the plough, yet such is the case. Mr W. Mills, of Cheltenham, who is a very enterprising farmer, has several acres which he has ploughed and under crop. Mr Mills informed me that he can carry about one-third more stock when he can work the plough. He finds that in the summer he has abundance of feed which tempts him, as it does a number of others, to overstock, so that in the winter months the stock depreciate very considerably in value. By the course adopted by Mr Mills this will be obviated. Others, no doubt, will follow in the footsteps of Mr Mills. ENSILAGE. Yariou* experiments have been tried in order to secure this, as it is now ackuowledged to be a very desirable winter fodder. Of course the building of a silo for the making of ensilage is a consider' able item of expenditure. Mr~Mills has been experimenting and has fully demonstrated that he can make ensilage without a silo. His experience last year was very gratifying so far. He saw where he failed and he thinks that next season it will be a complete success. All the stock are fond of this fodder. I saw the stock, examined the ensilage, and, judging from the ravenous manner in which the stock were eating it, I concluded it must be good. I think it is very fattening Mr Mills will, I believe, be most happy to give the benefit of his experience to any farmer who wishes to try his hand at the making of ensilage. FRUIT TREES AND BLIGHTS, 1 think that at some future day the growing of fruit will be a big industry in New Zealand. At the present time the orchardists have their work cut out to to keep the trees clean. Mr Mills informed me that he thinks he has found a remedy. It is the usual custom to spray the trees with some compound, but Mr Mills goes literally at the root of the matter, that is, he maintains that the tree requires to be treated at the roots. He experimented by taking a tree which was very badly blighted, and planted it in ground where there was a quantity of iron stone. That tree is now entirely free from blight. I notice that in some portions of Campbelltown where the water is strongly inpregnated with iron the fruit trees look quite healthy, so I think there must be something in it. Orehardists had better take a note of the above. PORK RAISING. If the requirements of the Home firm (a representative of which lately visited New Zealand) of pork butchers or meat vendors be supplied, the porker will be in great demand and the price such as will be profitable to farmers. This re. presentative imformed us that depots would be established at all the principal centres in the North Island, and that as much pork as the farmers were able to supply would be purchased by the firm at a reasonable price. This firm, we were told, had contracts to supply the armies of Europe with " mess pork." Now it is obvious that if farmers are going to supply this great demand they will have to make provision for the feeding of " the jintleman that pays the rint." The mangold is an excellent root for pig fodder, Mr Jarvis, of Campbelltows, and Mr Roberts, of Pohangina, grow some very heavy crops of this luscious root. Both of those settlers go in very extensively for the feeding of pigs, a, very small quantity of grain food is required— just a little to "top off"— if the pigs get plenty of mangolds and milk,