BY THE WAYSIDE

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 81, 29 December 1937, Page 3

BY THE WAYSIDE

News of Interest to H.B. Farmers P0TAT0 VARIETIES More than one-third of the New Zealand potato area this season will be devoted to the Dakoto variety. With Sutton's Sppreme (Aucklander Short Top), and Arran Chie'f 78.76 of the total area of the Dominion is accounted for by these varieties. Tlie resjiective acreages of the three varieties are: — • Dakota 34.65 per cent. (last year the area was 31.6 per cent.), Sutton's Supreme, 30.60 (last year 26.21), and Arran Chief 13.51 (14.12). Fifteen other varieties are mentioned in the return, but only a few of them exceed the 1 per cent. Cocksfoot Crop. The condition of the cocksfoot crops suggests that the quantity of seed will show a substantial reduction next harvest comments a writer in the Christchurch Press. At a meeting of growers at Akaroa the other day this view was expressed, as a result of reports from all parts of the Peninsula. Crop prospects are varied, being prbmising*in some districts and poor in others. It is expected that the seed will be of uniform quality, as the weather conditions have been suitable. It is expected that reaping will commence about the second week in January.' The average weight of cocksfoot harvested. in the Dominion in the last 20 years is between 1,800,000 and 2,200,000 lb., although there have been occasional years in which it has come down to 724,5001b., which was the figure in 1934. The weight this season was 1,843,7001b., and in 1936 the quantity was 2,374,9001b. It seems that the production is beginning to decline. Ayrshire Success. Ayrshire breeders will be pleascd to hear of the success of the Ayrshire cow Barboigh Lilias 28th, whcih recently won the individual championship at Islington, London, against keen competition. Dairy Shorthorns, Priesians, Eed Polls, Jerseys, and Ayrshires were splendidly represented. Barboigh Lilias is owned by Mr Alex Watson, of Barboigh Mauchline, Scotland, who has a herd of about 30 home-bred pedigree cows, all of which are reeorded and attested. Mr Watson's herd although ' small is well known. He bred both the champion and reserve champion Ayrshire bull at the last Ayr show, and his stock have been exported to South Africa, America, and Canada. Barboigh Lilias was one of the six Ayrshire cows that were reserve for the Bledisloe cup this year. Wool Consumption. The United Kingdom and the United States are the two largest world consumers of woo.l, the consumption of wool in France and Germany having shown a sharp decrease in recent years. The United Kingdom in 1936-37 imported 588,600,0001b., iri addition to the home supply of 108,000,0001b. The Soviet Union and Japan also utilise 200,000,0001b. of wool per annum. • The United States and the Soviet Union both depend mainly on home supplies, the chief world importers being the United Kingdom, Japan (257,200,0001b), France (167,000,000), Belgium (197,000,0001b.) and Germany (125,000,000 lb.). In 1936-37, however, the inereased consumption in the United States necessitated much heavier imports of foreign wool (104,400,0001b. in 1935-36 and 202,500,0001b. in 1936-37). Breeds of Cows. Claims have been made from time to time of the supremacy of this or that cow as evideneed by a good performance in some particular sphere of usefulness. Probably it was to decide the controversy such claims produce which led to the introduction of England's most important dairy cow competition — the Bledisloe Trophy. This is decided annually on tl.ree desirable attributes of a dairy cow — inspection, milking trial and butter production. Eecently at the great London dairy show, against all the principal dairy breeds a team of Friesians was awarded the coveted honour. In this they were helped by their breed's extraordinary capacity for milk production, the two-day individual milk yields averaging up to 92.901b. In addition, Friesians enjoyed other important wins — the Barham Cup for the greatest number of points in milking trials and the Spencer Challenge Cup for the cow scoring most on inspection, milking and butter. Sheep Dipping. The only known metliod to combat lice in sheep successfully is to dip. A preparation of proved efllciency should be used. If a powder dip is chosen, great care should be taken in the mixing. The powder in small proportions should be mixed with water and stirred until the consistency of an ordinary mustard mixture is attained. When the whole of the powder necessary to cliarge the bath is so mixed it may bo added to the full quantity of water in the dip. This should be done overnight. It is necessary to follow carefully the directions as to quantities given by the manufacturers. Sheep get most benefit from dipping wnen a month to six weeks off shears. Never dip sheep when they are hot or thirsty, For the job avoid if possible extremes of lieat and cold. Let the sheep drain thorougly in the shade if practicable. Treat the dipped sheep gently, and avoid driving them for any considerable distance. Pigs Need Exercise. Pigs kept continually in sties or small runs spend most of their time sleeping or trying to get out of the enclosures. They are not given any cliance of getting natural exercise, and when they go to tho Ourer or pork buteher they fail to measure up to the full requirementi

of their class. Feeding and farm organisation may be perfectj large litter Aveights and early maturity may be the watchwords of management; and careful selection of breeding stock may be all that is desirable, but if the pigs have been denied opportunities for plenty of natural exercise they will be found to be unbalanced in fat and lean when they are cut up. Breeding, feeding and open-air management are fundamentals in successful pig farming.