Farming Column

Hokitika Guardian, 23 April 1932, Page 8

Farming Column

.NEW ZEALAND FARMERS' UNION

NOTES AND JOTTINGS. Clubroot is known by all fanners in the wetter districts throughout New Zealand as tile most serious of all the diseases of 'the turnip, swede, and cabbage family. During the past three years the Plan; Research Station of the Agricultural Department at Palmerston North has mane extensive investigations into ali phases of the disease and as a result iow announce liitLhods oi control which are sufficiently practical to be . uopced by farmers with complete success. Clubroot is a disease caused by a minute organism which may not only destroy the crop which it attacks, but also produces a vast number of resting bodies known as spores which contaminate khe ground for many years and preclude, during that period, the growing of any healthy crops belonging to the Rnrnip family. It has been shown that in New Zealand any soils which are affected with the clubroot organism can be made .safe by incorporating, as near 'the surface ot the soil as possible, 'two cons of burnt lime pci acre, provided the lime is applied at least three months prior to the sowing of the crop, and also provided that an acid fertiliser such as superphosphate is not used. _ . The presence of the lime in tie "round prohibits the spores Irom geminating but if an acid fertiliser is used ()n s uch lime-protected soil, conditions for immediate germination of the spores are set up and the effect of the Imm is completely nullified. Basic slag on limed soils has proved particii.ai l.v good, but in districts where this fertiliser is not a particularly effective O,K> - super may be used, .but only if 't i- s mixed with equal parts of slaked hum. Ordinary ground carbpna-tc) of lime mixed with super on the contrary encourages the development of the disease very nearly as much as if straight sllPer is used. Three points have to be considered (1) Burnt lime at the rate n! not loss than two tons per acre applienot less than three months prior t. the sowing of the crop ; (2) Care that cultivation after the application of tin lime does not bury it deeply in Onground ; (3) Avoid the use of superphosphate straight. Use Air preference a fertiliser such as basic slag, but if super is viewed as necessary to promote growth, mix it with equal parts of slaked lime before sowing. On the Plant Research area at Palmerston North four successive healthy crops of swedes have been grown on heavily contaminated land by adopting tile above methods, aiul similar successful results have been secured both in field trials and by farmers in both Islands.

Thu standard of butfcerlat production per acre is the measure o. production efficiency on dairy farms. It is controlled by the type of stock managomeii,. employed, plus methods adopted to ensure a plentiful supply 01 food of big quality. Climate is the unknown quantity which upsets the best of plans but management aiming at a reserve supply in the form of ensilage and ha.v goes a long way towards modifying the effect of seasonal conditions. The daii\ fanners of New Zealand have, through force of circumstances, eased up or management calculated to maintain - food reserve. They have eased up to tin tone of over 150,000 tons of fertiliser, the amount short of normal require merits for the coming winter and pr.duction season. Deficiency in I fertilise! usage plus unsuitable climatic conditions during the past two seasons has resulted in a drop in hntterl'at average per cow from 2'lßlb. in 1 929-30 to 2 O' in 1930-31, for the season non running to its close, it is indicated that the. average for the Dominion will l» in the vicinity of 1001 b per cow. The dairy herds of New Zealand arc on the whole, better to-day than the v were three years ago. The average amount of tnpdressiiu. used per cow during the last three years was -1.3 cwt, 4.2 cwt, 3.0 ew! and 3 cwt. The average yields for the three years will work out as follows 21811),s. 201 11.5,, 19011).

The next Royal Show will be held in Palmerston North during the first week in November. It is fully expected thnr the display of pigs will he one of tj.e features of the Show. The National Pig Breeders’ Association of Bomb n Ine kindly agreed to donate championship prises lor Berkshires, Tamwoiths an. I- ii -re Whites, and the Large Black Pig Society o. England has also agreed to donate championship medals. V h'ii of the times. (id 3 applications were received by the Union for tlire* positions as Area Oflicers or Organisers for Auckland. Among the applicants were several graduates. and qualified accountants. The 'final selection will he a difficult job for the Special Cominitfoo appointed. vi/... .Messrs W. B. .Matlieson, R. S. Chadwick. W. Marrison, A. A. Ross and 11. B. Stuckey, as a knowledge of practical arming is essential in conjunction with a sound education and business acumen, it is i xtr‘< Led tlutf the filial selection will he made about file middle of the month. Criticism lias been levelled at flic- Dominion Kxeciifi.e for making these appointments at. the present, time, bin, energetic organisers arc uigent.lv required to make good the leakages caused by cancellations. Minch 'bias biioi written in recent years emphasising the importance of New Zealand extensively developing her pig industry. The effect up to the present of till this propaganda Inis been negligible. In point of fact there are , less breeding sous per PM or.us in .V-iv Zealand today Ilian (Imre were fen years ago, while tile quantity of ski in

milk per cow available lor pork production has increased.

About 450,00(1 pigs arc killed each year year in New Zealand, representing about 3311). of pork per cow. As <i ocutrust Denmark produces about 500 |h. of pork per cow milked, and the pork cheque thtvc- is as important as the butte rfat one. There must, lie something very wrong with the business here when one considers that it is taking over 20 gallons of skim milk to pioduoe a pomul of pork, or more than two and a hall times as much as is necessary were the s kim milk efficiently used. It no doubt will he said that pork production d'es not pay, but the work carried out by the Waikato Pig Recording Club clearly indicates that such should not be tile case. Even at present prices the pig industry is worth £800.000; reasonable use of the skim milk available, the breeding of one’s own weaners, attention to the type of hoar, the production of two litters a year, extended use of meat meal both to sow and young, provision oi : open air grazing and a plentiful supply of farm-grown roots should with case treble this amount without any great additional outlay. The market for export pork is a large and expanding one and provided the right class of material is sent, namely, meaty porkers of good conformation weighing not more than 80lb. apiece, New Zealand could build up a trade ranking next to frozen lamb in import:;m-e. The constant reiteration that poi k produetion does not pay and the buying of weaneps at a high price ami selling the finished article at a low price will however get us nowhere.

During the past six months both tin* Farmers’ Union and the Counties’ Association have been asking for legislation to enable ratepayers not more than one year in arrears to vote at the Local Body elections in A lav. Information lias just been received 'row the Department of Internal Affairs stating that the intention of legislation to be introduced shortly is that the disqualification provisions will not apply in respect of tlie* non-payment o' any rates due at any time aft r 31.«* March 1930.

Prices (excluding exchange) far our main commodities—-wool, meat and milk— are nearly 20 per cent, lower than they were in the year prior to tli war and farming costs are nearly o 0 per cent higher than in that year. The following commodities are lower than in 1914 by the quoted percent'"':— Wool 35, beef 30, mutton 20, butter 13. cheese 13, lamb 12, On the other hand, production is nearly 80 per cent, higher than it was in 1914. and were it not for this fact the position would b much more serious than it is. The farmer naturally says that with prices 20 per cent, lower than pre-war and costs 50 per cent, higher, it is essentia! that costs lie reduced to below pre-war -tumint'd. This on the face of it looks obvious enough, but if costs were defiat ed to this extent complete disorganisation of both town and country would follow. Simple deflation of farminu costs, therefore, is no sovereign remedy i'o,-.- the position. Since 1914, production lias increased 80 per cent, and it is viewed that further increase in production brought about by the app'icition of modern knowledge offers, in combination with a reasonable redi'eth'ii in farming costs, a method ol bringing about farming stability.

FLOCK HOUSE. Seldom are. those of a generous disposition given such an opportunity to ■lelp boys in the best way as is presented by tile appeal of the War Rebel Association for funds to send sons ol New Zealand ex-servicemen to receive larin training at Flock House (.says the Dominion). Wellington district tprivileged to send nine buys to this fin,, institution and the remainder ot Wellington province another nine, at an annual cost of C 25 a hoy, o" CM) in all. The Government has undertaken to pay tin- otner halt ol the cost of maintaining boys at Flock House. This establishment lias won by sheer merit a high reputation m t • in| v for the excellence of its practical farm training as judged by results, hut als,, for the steady character of the bovs it turns out. The trustees have already rendered constructive seiu ii e to the State as well as to individual huUby its output of farmer citizens, and now they have ottered to extend the benefits of Flock House to young New Zealanders. Ip is. w,. repent, an opportunity that should not be lost to do great good for little nmnev rim even in these times, there should bo no hesitation in answering the apne"! o the Wellington and pmxim-iiil |>'truthorganisation for the necessary tumls.

A BRIGHTER OUTLOOK Mr F. J. Nathan. ol .Joseph Nathan and Co., Ltd., Wellington. U-'-es » bright, view of the dairy market. In an interview given to the Tarrn-ki Dan,' News. Mr Natlmii-reviewed the nmrk'-i and the slight contract ion in Bnlisa unemployment returns, also the visible an<| increasing results ol the propaganda in Great Britain to "ty 'British Empire I "dm-t:- M' Nk ’l'an is report'-d to have said: “I look tor brighter and firmer markets I am no! looking or Is ;;,i an I Is 2d a pound buttcr-fat. because I think that day is past But there is every iiibr atmu P - an improvement in lb ( . trade position of F.nglam!. We in New Zealand will gel the reflex of that improvement m

lx months’ lime Ihe present pos'ti n of the luitter ami cheese markets is eo| the only consideration." Mr Nul'mii eollelllded. ‘‘There are ether ism es of the dairy industry. Dried milk ami casein have Tinned as well as hnl tel and cheese. ’This is a further nidi- li n of a .general, steady improvemi nt.