BY THE WAYSIDE

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 34, 24 February 1937, Page 15

BY THE WAYSIDE

News of Interest to H.B Farmers HILLS & EWE LAMBS Elilly country has been suggested as being ideCl for flock ewe lanibs an account of the exercise the animals get in working for their food. Hillg also have added advantages in that they provide shelter from eold winds, aiid on their Wps ot slopes cin always be found dry camping sites for the sheep. Both of these are essential for young sheep, and if ihe cqntour of the country does not ensure adeduate shelter, plantatipn shelters, hedge's, or eveip artificial wind-breaks made of brush hurdlea should be provided. The Y.F. Clubs. The following quotation from an English Agricpltural jpurnai js of interest : — "iNo ' better propf of the importance of the Y.F,C. movement is required than the growing interest taken in its actiVities by ieading agricultural firms. The 'farmer of to-morrow' who, through bis club, js at suoh pains to recognise the Wst stock and has takeq the tyoqbl'e to fihd out the best way to feed them, is, they find,' well .worthy of special help and conpideration. For example, a booklejb jnst brought out by Messrs Silcocks gives hints bn feeding (particuiarly of young animals), and includes a list of their" publications helpful to young' farmers. Entltled 'Th© Modern Young Farmer,' it also sets oiit tbe aims and activities of the movembnt for the Henefit of those who are not as yet mCrabers." New Season's Prodfuction. • The wool Intelligence Notes of the lmperial Economip Oommittee give preliminary estimates' of ptoduction in the five chief expoirting countries, Auetralia, N«w Zealand, tJnion of South Africa, Arge'ntma and Uruguay, indicating the aggregate of the 1936-37 seasoii as 2,065, 0(Mj,0001b., or about 2 per oent ifiore than the latest estimates for 1935-36. The only 3ecrease is one of aboUt 2f>,0d0, 0001b, anticipated by New Zealand, whCre production lhst seaSon sOrtiewhat above the norlnal levfels. Australian production appears to show little change, and the output of the TJnion of Sogth. Africa, Argentina and Uruguay is expected to be bigher than in 1935. Useful Manuka. We surely ai:e to be onvled our possession oi such a universally useful type of scrub as manuka which can supply so many human needs, from a substiifcute fof the "c'up that cheers" to the provision o.f house blocks, writes a correspondent. Growing en masse the manuka provides an efiicient plant ' covering as a barrgge agbinst ihe threatened erosipn of exposeil slopes; where fire h.as passed a year or twd eees a thick green . cover springmg up to clotlie the dry, open scats ot the Iandscape; but, pnlike gprse, tbe manuka octs ap a kinily nui'se, and benbath its protection in the diffuBed shade there springs up a new generation of bush species which otherwise could npt survive the earjy exposur© in the open. Go«ily Ram. A stud year-old ram from the flock bred :by Mr J. Herpont Morgau, wealthy American, who has an English property near Watford, Herttordshire, has been bought by Messrs N. S. Hughes (Wanganui). En route to N[e.w Zealand it will be unloaded' at Sydney for a period of quarantine before befng sent over to Wanganui. TJhe ram is a pcdigtee Southdown, born in' February, 1936. Its sires are Ford Bpunty 22020 aird Aldenbam Ewe 77, 1933. It was bred from the flock numbering about 340 on Mr Pierpont Morgan's farm, . several sfud sheep from which have already been shipped to New Zealand. It is reported that Messrs Hughes bought this Southdown for more than £100. Drl«d Grass for Cows. Dried grass a« a winter fadder for dairy cattle ja increasing in popularity in England. One farmer, who reported the results of his experience to the Rfeading TJniversity Agricultural Club, said that 20 acres of grass will keep 1Q0 cows for 20 lays if grazed, or 54 dayB is dried. He said that his 360 Ayrshires h&d average 30lb of milk a day throught September on a ratjon of 201b dried grass and 61b lifiy for maintenande. Th© aim in the future should be, he contended, to have a drier capable of producing half a ton of dried graps. an hour with mechanical dpvices fo redube labour — at present constituting 25 per cent of the toithl cost. Small low-priced drying plants were also in demand. He hoped to produce dried grass at a chet not exceeding £4 a ton, his present costs being well above that figUre. Demand for Pfgs. An increasing depiand for British pjgs was experienced lhst year. Of the 196 expprfc oertiifipates issued by the Nation Al Pig BreedPrs' Association during 1936, 139 related to Large White, 22 to Middle White, 19 to Berkshire, and 16 to Tamworth pigs. The principal buyers wCre Belgium, France, Canada, Switzerland, and the Gold Coa'st. Big consignments have also befen sent to Northern Ireland and the Irish Free State.- Ojtlier countries represented in the list of Large White cxports include Austialia, Brazil, Czechoslavnkia, Malaya, India, Kenya. Poland, Rumania, Shuth Africa, n and Italy. Middle Whites went principaUy to Australia, Japan, and Indja, while a

second cohsignment to Canada evoked much interest in the Dominion. Berkshires are still one of ' the most popular breeds in Australia and Japan. These countries again provided the ehief buyets' for" this breed.' Tarnworths hive gone to Australia, South Africa, Peru and FranCo. '