BY THE WAYSIDE

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 134, 23 June 1937, Page 15

BY THE WAYSIDE

News Of Interest To H.B. Farmers JAPANESE SHEEP BUYING It is understood that the purchases of Corriedale sheep by tho several parties of Japanese buyers wbo bave been operating in the South Island have substantially exeeeded the nu'mber originaliy estimated. There have been four parties operating, and two firms acting in conjunetion disposed of 8000 to them. The total number is expeeted to exeeed 10,000. A shipment of 1000 is due to leave shortly and several specially ehartered ships, each earrying about 2000, will sail at ^ntervals later. Potatoes for Pigs. Experiments carried out in England recently indicate that for feeding value potatoes are quite a usefuh substitute for barley meal in pig-fatten-ing rations. Provided tbe ration is properly balanced, steamed potatoes provide as great nutritive economy as a balanced ration of meals alone. Eor the purpose of trials carried out at the Kirkton Agricultural Institute, England, it was calculated that 41b. pf potatoes were equivaleut to 11b. of barley. The Crop Programme. When planning cropping activities, partieular importance should be attached to tbe requirements of all classes of stoek at the different periods of the year. A frequent fallacy is to place primary importance upon the provisipn of feed for stock possessing greatest potentialities, while the needs of stoek of least importance .are almost ignored. This is not only the case in Hawke's Bay but is cominon to the whole Domiuion, with consequent sub_ stantial detriment to the total returns of the property. Control of Weeds. Proof has recently been obtained of the fact that in the eontrol of weeds of the broad-leaved variety, a light appiication of cobalt chloride broadcast in conjunction with lime or superphosphate has a destructive eflect. Unfortunately it tends to suppress clover to a certain extent, but it also has been demongtrated that both grasses and elovers take np this vialuable element and by tbis means busb sickness can be corrected. There is still scope for considerable experiment, but the Tesults achieved so far at Cawthron Institute and elsewhcre, reveal tho posBibility of this valuable mineral for weed control. Argentine Beef. In connection with the chilled beef trade, Argentine has a definite advantage over New Zesaiand in tho uniformity of its produce. While the maintenance of Argentine 's standard of qualit-y is undoubtedly the result of selective breeding, the reguiarity in tbe despatch of consignments is a ppt unimportant factor. In the light of reports reeeived last year that there was quite a variation in the condition and- the quality of this Domin. ion's chilled beef, coinparing one shipment with another, a more systemaitsed metliod of killing and despatch is stated to warrant consideration. Fpnous Ham Preserved. Strathaird, the last of the sons of the fiamous Boonoke-bred stud merino sire 2F., will be preserved for posterity in the Sydney Technological Mpseum, to which institution, at 12 years oi age, he was recently presented by fiis breeder, Sir Erederick M' Master of Dalkeith, Cassilis. Taxidermists are now at work on the distinguished sire, and using photographs taken from various angles in the days of his primc they hope to reproduce a lifelilp) representatipn of oue of the boldesf and most typical sires of his day. E§ yvas purchased at the Sydney saies by Sir Erederick M' Master, for 1600gns., and proved probably the greatest sire that Boonpke has ever parted with. Among his many outstanding sons at Dalkeith was the famous ram David, which was pureliased for Boonoke for 5000gns., after winning the Sydney Sheep Show grand championship. The blood of F2 to.day th.oroughly saturates the DaL keitti stud, and is still producing champions, the latest of which was Jubilee, grand champion at Sydney last year, and a grandson of David, Wheat and Weeds. Canterbury wheatgrowers are pomT plaining about the weed growth this season. The troublp was particularly bad last year on aecount of the excep-? tionally wet weather, resulting in thia season being entered upon with much leeway to malce up in weed cradiQation. Howevcr, thero has been little oppor-, . tunity of offecting any improvement — actually the trouble has become worse. The position is likely to have a depressing "effoct on the wlieat acreage. Oue fariner this week mentioned thqt he had decided to increase his wlieat area to 030 acres, bnt he considered that it was looking for trouble to sow on dirty land, and he had to roduce bis area to 146 acres, 60 ncres less tban nornial. The ground was too wet in the autumn iu some districts to work, and the weeds have got out of hand for the time being. The farmer instanced said that most of his neigbbours were in a simiiar position. Proauctlve Grades. A world 's record is claimed for Mr, W. J. Murray 's grade Jersey cow Mildren, which by producing S9ib. of buttorfat for May haa brought her

total for 295 days up to 10851b. Mr. W, S, Woods, who is in eharge of the herd which is established at Whakatane, has been unable to find a reccp'd of a better performance, and said he believed the cow was the firsfc grade animal to top the 10001b. mai U for one season. Two ' otbcr cows in the same herd ar§ also putting up splendid rocords. Oue, Lizzie, by producing 941b. of fat for May, brought her total up to 9121b. in 271 days, aud has passed a formor vocord of Mildren made three years ago of 9091b. in 303 days. Mr. Murray may yet have the honour of liaving two grade cows producing over the 10001b. mark. ICitty, another grade cow, produeed 6311). of fat in May, making her total for 280 days up to 7591b. She lias produced this total on grass, without supplementary root crop . feed, and is still milking well. AU tliree cows are machine milked twice daily, and Mil. di-ed and Lizzie ara given a bran , ration.