LECTURES TO FARMERS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4535, 5 March 1923, Page 4

LECTURES TO FARMERS.

VETERINARIANS’ VISIT. At the instance of the Dairy Farmers’ Union Messrs Lyons and McKenzie, Government veterinarians, have visited the Plains and given lectures and demonstrations on veterinary matters. At each lecture an apparently diseased cow has been examined, its organs explained, and diseases pointed out. At Waitakaruru the first disease found was actinomycosis, ,jr wooden tongue and lumpy jaw. The lecturers pointed out that in this case the tongue was hard, though the disease is often found in the bones of the jaw. it is a contagious disease, caused by a fungoid growfth setting up a chronic inflammation of the bones and tissues. Tuberculosis.—This disease affects various parts of the body. The symptoms arc numerous, and probably no two cases are alike. It is a very contagious disease, and germs will live a long time on long or wet grass, though exposure to sunshine will kill them. The first place that is likely to be affected is the glands in the throat. These swell and almost close up the passage, causing a snoring noise. Another symptom is that a beast sticks his nose out f and shows swelling in the region of the throat, the glands being enlarged. Other glands that may be visibly affected are one at the point of the shoulder joint, and another in front of the stifle joint. These may cause a swelling, and though every swelling is not caused oy tuberculosis, if it can be moved it is probably caused by this disease. Other organs affected by tbig disease are the udder, lungs, liver, and bowels. The signs in the udder are a hard stony feeling that can be felt in the affected quarters if much enlarged. This is a particularly infectious form, as the milk may contain numbers of the bacteria, though unaltered in annearance. THE EXAMINATION. After the animal has been opened by removing the flesh from that part from the brisket to between the hind legs the organs are revealed. There are four stomachs. The first, called the pa.unch, is really a, store-room for food until it can be brought up and chewed as the cud. It is in this stomach that food ferments and causes gas, and the beast is said co be blown or hoven. In the early stages this can be relieved by placing a sHck in the beast’s mouth as a bit is placed in a horse’s mouth. A physic for a case like this is 2oz turpentine in a whisky bottle of raw linseed oil or milk. Another mixture is 2oz. hyposulphate soda (hypo as used in photography), 2oz tr; of .ginger in a auart of warm water. If the beast, is badly blown the gas should be liberated by making a hole with a trocar and Cannula. If the walls of the first stomach are covered with nodules tuberculosis is present in an advanced state. The first stomach is not liable to much disease except paralysis. In this case the animal grunts, breathing is hard, the milk diminishes, and if a dent is made in the left flank it will not disappear when ' tl;e finger is removed. The best physic is 2drams nux vomica two or three times a day. The second stomach is distinguished by the honeycomb-like lining. It is here that foreign bodies are usually found. The third stomach is composed of leaves, which act as a filter to prepare the food for the fourth stomach. The fourth stomach is characterised by a number of folds, and it is hero that digestion takes place, and where parasites are found. z The Lungs.—lf these are found attached to the ribs, pleurisy is the cause. In reply to questions'Mr Lyons said: Don’t drench a cow that has milk fever, as this will probably kill her. Pump each teat full of air and tie with tape. If the cow is down and blown prop it up on its brisket. Granular Contagious Vaginitis.— Wash daily with one dram of, sulphocarbolate zinc in one pint of water for 'three weeks, and if not suitable

change to Condy’s Fluid, | A pig suffering frpm paralysis was j killed and examined. It was found that this was caused by sour milk , curdling in the stomach. The remedy j is to feed fresher milk with some I meal or boiled potatoes or mangolds. | Paralysis is also caused by dirty con- [ ditions and exposing pigs to a draught i in a badly ventilated sty. SOILS AND MANURES. j Mr Patterson, of the Government Agricultural Department, who has been visiting the Plains in company with Mr Lyons and Mr McKenzie, of the Veterinary Division, has given a series of lectures on soils and manuring, etc. At Waitakaruru he said that the unsatisfactory condition of the stock on the Plains had received a great deal of attention from the department. Though the conditions on the Plains were different to other districts they were nojthing new. All soils formed from peat had certain , deficiencies. Whereas in normal soil i there was nitrogen, potash, phosphor- , ous, and lime, in peat soils there was . a marked deficiency in phosphorous and lime. It would be useless to apply lime and manures until the drainage was satisfactory. Generally speaking, all land was deficient in lime, and dairying removed a great deal of it from the soil. Better results would not be obtained until more lime was used. Burnt lime and ground carbonate of lime could be used. Carbonate of lime was only half the Value of burnt lime, and therefore Dt was necessary t,o use twice as much. The drainage must be made right before manure was applied. At present the conditions were right for parasites, weeds, and useless grasses. Even with good grasses good results are not obtained as they are deficient in phosphorous, and , though a greater growth may not be obtained by manuring, it would have an increased feeding value, which would influence the health of stock and the milk yield. Top-dressing and manuring would have to be considered in spite of the fact that the growth was all right. Raw ground rock phosphate was not soluble in water unless treated by acid, making superphosphate. This should be in all- manures for cropping. Bonedust was too dean to be used, as better results cftuld be obtained from other manures. Basic slag was wofith considering. For topdressing it was essential, and could be used on peat or heavy clay lands. The present slag produced in England was not worth bringing to New Zea- ; land, bul Belgian basic slag was a sane and safe proposition. . It was ground to the required fineness, contained 17 per cent, to 20> per cent. phosphoric acid, and was 80 per cent, to 90 per cent, soluble. For spring top-dressing use supbr and lime. For autumn, super or super and slag. For winter and early spring, super and ,Ngaru phosphate. The soundest and most profitable was basic slag, straight, but if pasturecontained more than 25 per cent, of white clover drop' the slag and put on super. Crops to supplement the pasture would have to be grown. Mangolds should and can be grown for late winter and early spring. Carrots would be all right, also hay,, with roots. Maize should be made into silage. Silage is better than hay for dairy cows, being more easily handled and not affected by weathen For autumn feeding pillet, maize, and soft turnips. \ Summarising the position -Mr Patterson said to- save money on manures and spend it. on drains,. produce lime locally, top-dress pastures, adoplt better methods of farming, and supplement pasture with suitable fodder crops. In reply to questions Mr Patterson said that if at tjie same price ne. would use, on peat land, high-grade basis slag rather than Ngaru . phos-phate.-5 He would never use rock phosphate and lime, or put rock phosphate on limed paddocks. Three of super to two of Ngaru phosphate was a suitable mixture. It would be quite all right to put slag on peat land before lime. Lime had little action on undrained land, and even on drained land was useless on its own. For

potatoes it was most important to get the soil in a good tilth. He had found that super, scwt. bonedust, 3cwt., and sulphate of potash, 2cwt., a good mixture for potatoes, as it tended to prevent the tops growing. Any quantity could be used. Cultivation was equal to lewt of manure. Lucerne would grow satisfactorily if the land was well drained. He would certainly innoculate the soil in every case, unless the black burr clover or the black spotted clover was growing in the field. It did not pay to use permanent. pastures for hay. He would recommend the planting in the of a temporary pasture of Italian rye, red clover, and western wolts. This would make ideal hay, and would crowd out weeds. To prevent the pugging of clay land by stock'- and oy ploughing, he advised mangolds for a winter crop, as they were fed away from the ploughed ground. Then a summer crop could be fed off on t,he land, as it would be dry. In the autumn he would plant a larg crop, which would lastytwo years when the land would be ready to be laid down in permanent pastures. A resolution was moved by Mr Parfitt urging the Government to establish an experimental section on a peat area as soon as possible. The meeting closed with a vote of thanks to Messrs Patterson, Lyons, and McKenzie. Similar lectures were delivered at Turua and Ngatea, and at each place similar motions were carried.

Deep regret is felt at the death of Mr James O’Dwyer, which occurred in tragic circumstances at Siumu, says the “ Samoa Times ” of January 26. He was blasting rocks, and had just set fire to a fuse. Huryying into his boat he took with, him a smouldering husk of coconut which he had been using, and It seems evident that he must have put this close to another charge of explosive which was ready primed for use. There were several charged in the boat, and apparently all of them exploded.