BY THE WAYSIDE

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 46, 10 March 1937, Page 15

BY THE WAYSIDE

News of Interest to H.B. Farmers A DRY FEBRUARY February,. 1937, was one of the driest months on record at Otans, only 30 points of rain falling, in striking contrast to the same manth last year when over seven inches of rain were recorded, states a correspondent. At present feed is very searce and many dairy farmers have been feeding hay to their cows for some weeks past. The milk yield has fallen considerably and unless rain falls soon the dairying season will be a very short one. Wairoa Herd-testing. The February averages for the Wairoa County Group Herd-testing Association, Ino., are as follow: — 56 herds, 2124 cows, average milk 609, average test 4.98, average fat 30. Highest herd, 65 cows, 43, fat; lowest herd, 14 cows, 15 fat; highest cow 76. The averages for the corresponding period last season were: — 31 herds, 1423 cows, average milk 631, average test 5.27, average fat 23. Sub Clover Trials. Ten trial plots are being laid down with subterranean clover on second class hill country in the Gisborne, East Coast and Wairoa district? by the Department of Agriculture. Two strains of subterranean clover with and without superphosphate are being tried mainly on pasture on whieh the dominant growth is danthonia and ratstaik Other types of subterranean clover were also suggested, but the varieties desire.d were not obtainable. Ferennial Wheat, Of particular interest to Hawke 's Bay poultry and pig farmers is the claim of Canadian plant breeders that they have evolved a new species of perennial wheat. A perennial crop whieh would produce feeding might well revolutionise that and many other small-farm industries now struggling toi existence against high foodsbuff prices in New Zealand. The outcome of the tests, to be condueted under the eupervision of Govemment researeh workers in Canada, will therefore be followed with the keenest interest, Mechanised Farmiag. Three hundred farmers from every county in Great Britain were in session at Oxford in the annual conference on mechanised farming, eays a London correspondent. That they treat their tractors like animals is a moral one might draw from the statement that farmers should. give their mechanic.il transport bigger loads and work it longer hours. The 40,000 farmers using tractor ixx Britain were, it was estimated, wasting between £2,000,000 and £4,000,000 a year through under-load-xng and faulty lubrication of their machines. Grass-drying Plants. Whereas a year ago there were only two types of grass drier available to the farmer in England, there are now nine types of machine of varying efficieney on the market, costing between £350 and £1200. Whereas at the beginning of 1936 there were only five driers in operation, there are now 55 in regular use. Foot-and-Mouth Disease. The progress reporte of the British Foot-and-Mouth Disease Research Committee make references to the resistance of foot-and-mouth disease virus to f reezing, and also pickling. It is deflnitely stated that repeated freezing and thawing has little or no eflect in lessening its aetivity. The committee, in order to test the vitality of the virus in meat under normal cold storage conditions, had 10 catt*e artificially infected with the disease. These were slauglitered when at the most infective stage and the carcases dressed and stored at a chilling or freezing temperature. After holding for some weeks the virus was found to be capable of infecting animals. Other experiments show that parts of a carcase may still be infective after remaining in pickling solutions (salt) for periods up to 35 an.d 49 days. Austraiia' s Meat Export. Arrangements for the 1937 exporl of beef and mutton from Austraiia were made at a series of meetings of the Australian Meat Board recently, states a correspondent. The quantitv of beef which it is expeeted will be permitted to be shipped for arrivaJ during 1937 is l,793,364cwt., on the basis of the average exports during the last three years. Of this quantity Queensland has been allocated 82.85 per cent. ThC indications are that Austraiia 'a permitted exports of mutton and lamb will approximate to those of 1936, and then only if United Kingdom prices hold satisfactorily. For 1936 the year's quota was determined at l,750,000cwt., with provision for an additional 50,000cwt., if market conditions were favourable. It is believed, however, that the supplies available for export tliis year may exeeed this figure, and it was decided that representations should be made with a viow to having the quota increased.

Waikato Show. Another record for dairy entries at this year's Waikato Winter Show to be held during Coronation Week is assured. This seetion of exliihils has previously constituted a world reeord for dairy produce, la«t year's total of 1225 never before having Toeen eq.alled in any country. Although entries for this year's show will not close for about a fortnight already the total is fifty in advance of those received at this time last year. I