A FEW OBSERVATIONS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4808, 9 February 1925, Page 3

A FEW OBSERVATIONS.

ADVICE TO DAIRY FARMERS. GROW LUCERNE AND CLOVER. Mr James Knight, of Feilding, was warmly welcomed at the' last meeting of the Manaw.atu and West Coast A. and I’. Association on his return to New Zealand after a visit to England, and America, along with Mrs KnigM. After the usual courtesies had been exchanged Mr Knight favoured members with a few-observations of interest to tlic farming community generally. - 'Mr Knight said he had the pleasure of visiting the Royal Show at Leicester, where there was a magnificent exhibition of stock, particularly vf cattle. The sheep section was disappointing, attributable to the prevalence of foot-and-mouth disease, breeders realising that if they took their sheep -to the show they could not get them back again. In the beef breeds the Shorthorns were very creditable, while of the dairy breeds Jerseys were especially good, though in the Old Country cattle were not tested to the same extent as in New Zealand. Compared with New Zealand, the Home sheep excelled only in. trimming and colouring. In the Dominion the advantage of exhibiting shorn classes was that the sheep could be seen in their natural state. Some Romneys the speaker saw carried two yeans 1 ’ wool, and purchasers who bought them might get a shock later on. At the Royal Counties’ Show at Windsor much the name thing happened.

At the Autumn Southdown Show at Chichester sheep classes were well represented, and a competition for draft ewes was interesting as recognition of the fact that breeders regarded ewes as the most important part of any man’s flock, the essential of which was a good outstanding ewe flock. Provision for a sale of ewes at this particular Gbcrw caused a splendid competition.

At the Romney Show at Ashford the trimming and “faking” of the sheep were overdone, and a buyer had to be careful to avoid disappointment. The season at Home had been bad, and Mr Knight said he would not like to be farming there, as it was apparently an exception to strike a gpod season He had seen crops shooting in their stocks, later having to be burnt owing to damage by wet weather. Tn America the principal cattle were Holsteins, no doubt owing to the fact that the Dutch people emigrated in large numbers many years ago. Much of the land was irrigated, and Mr Knight saw a great dale of lucerne grown and cut for cattle feed. Sheep were herded out more than in this country, as. often the land was not fenced off, and farmers paid for the grazing rights from the Government and other large landowners, keeping the sheep on the move. The conditions did not compare with those pt

New Zealand, which was so wonderfully situated in this respect, and where land had a great future, particularly in regard to butter and cheese.

The quality of the butter would require careful attention. Turnip and rape feeding caused a taint, and dairy farmers should go in more for cropping clover and lucerne. The trouble was that the taint was not apparent in New Zealand, but came up when the butter was opened at Home two months later. Other countries, such as • South America, were producing such good cattle that New Zealand butter would be “up against it” if the quality was not looked after. New Zealand lamb arrived at Home in as good a condition as it was offered for consumption in the Dominion. When dining with an English friend he had tasted very nice lamb, whicn he the tight was local Southdown, but was greatly surprised when informed by his host that it came from New Zealand. The folk at Home preferred to buy than to kill, as New Zealand lamb opened up as well as it was produced in this country. Here, too, a great future awaited New Zealand, though quality was again paramount. There was not such a hopeful outlook for beef, because the Argentine was putting in young cattle that made for a nice eating quality beef.

Mr Knight was heartily applauded as he terminated his address with an expression of thanks for the association’s good wishes on his return.