Farm and Garden

King Country Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 208, 15 November 1909, Page 4

Farm and Garden

THE HEREFORD. A breed worth cultivating. The consensus of opinion in this country is that the Hereford is a beef animal and nothing else. Here and there are to be found men who have had experience of the white-faced dairy cow, and will testify to the fact that when the Hereford is a milker, she is a good one, and breeders of the beef strain declare that they have had cows in thejr herds which were great milkers, so much so, tiftt they bad too much milk for their offspring, and an extra calf had to be given the cow to ease her of her big flow of milk. But, generally speaking, it is scarcely safe to say a word in favour of the Hereford as a possible dairy animal. Those who attended the first dairy Conference at Palmerston North will [ remember the amusement created by | Mr Wilkie, one of the most able veterinaries this country has seen, 'when he urged New Zealand milk producers to try the Hereford, either for crossing purposes, or as a purebred. Mr Wilkie not only failed to convince the audience that there was anything in his advice, but conveyed Ibe impression that he was theorising on a subject of which he had no practical knowledge. Mr Wilkie gave as his main reason for suggesting the use of the dairy Hereford, that it possessed the desired constitutional vigour. In saying this he uttered a great truth, notwithstanding the scorn with which bis views were received. That the Hereford is a breed of great constitutional vigour is undoubted, and it is probably less prone to tuberculosis than any other breed. It is, certainly, considered to be less liable to attack by any disease than the Shorthorn and the Aberdeen Angus.. Of course, the Hereford bas been viewed primarily as a beef animal, but that there are dairy strains of the breed is unquestioned, and it is not an unfounded opinion that good milking qualities are latent in the beef strain. Students of dairy form attach considerable importance to the rudimentaries of the dairy aire; but there are few Jersey bulls which exhibit rudimentaries of the size and good position a sire to be found in the Hereford. There are herds of milking Herefords in Herefordshire which are credited with being able to hold their own with any breed from a dairy view point. A herd competition was held a few years back in a Southern English county, and the first prize went to a Hereford herd. Now we read of two consignments of Hereford dairy stock being imported into South Africa. It is not here intended to show that the Hereford dairy cow might possibly be proved to be the equal of cattle such as the Jersey or Holsteins, where tbete are reared in favourable environment; but there are localities where a vigorous, hardy dairy breed, such as the dairy type of Hereford, would be probably more successful. Disease resistance is becoming a very important factor in the management of dairy herds, and the breed which will show the smallest percentage of loss from this cause will certainly possess a value which it will pay the milk producer to consider.

ROOTING PIGS. In an explanation wby it is that a pig digs with its snout, a writer says that it is its nature to root, and nature has provided them with not only the propensity, but the implements to indulge it. As the wants of the animal are supplied without rootnig the rooting portion of the pig becomes less suitable to the purpose, as all the improved breeds are shortening up in the nose and snout. Pigs root for worms and tubers, or grass roots. These not only aid as a ration of maintenance £ut as a regulation and condition to tbe system. The desire to root at the present time is a symptom usuthatally tbe stomach demands something that it is not receiving. Pigs that are fed on dry com or grain feed develop this desire for rooting. Constipation is another cause for rooting, as the bog endeavours to secure tbat which will relieve it. To prevent this condition we would feed plenty of charcoal or wood ashes, also a little oil meal to get tbem into proper condition. An animal .that forms the habit of rooting will root regardless of demands. It is hard to break them off the habit as it i-t the chewing of tobacco in the human race and the only preventive is some system of ringing to porvent the use of tbe snout.

Tin; FRENCH BEAN. The most valuable summer vegetawe have is the French bean. This rop is more reliable than tbe pea for the bean plant stands beat and drought hitler, and, if well cultivated, more produce mny be obtanied from it than from any other vegetable in tbe same .sized piece of land. Tbe plant is a native of India, and it will not stand frost. It delights in a fairly deep and rich soil, well drained, and in dry weather it must have plenty of moisture, or it will cease to bloom and to pod; red spider will be likely to attack it, and tbe crop will probably be spoiled. Beans of all kinds dislike fresh manure; well rotted stable manure is excellent; but if tbis is not procurable, then use artificial fertilisers, fionedust, superphosphates and wood ashes may v be used with advantage, especially if the soil be deficient in mineral substances, and it contains a large amount of inert humus. Except in vjry large districts and where spring frosts are usual, a first sowing of tbis crop may be made now, and if successional sowings are made, say, at intervals of three or four weeks, until late summer, beans will be forthcoming all through tbe season.

Probably it is by no means generally known that, given good nondescript female, five generations of female offspring mated successively with pure males of the desired breed will result in progeny which, if similarly mated, will invariably breed true to type. In other words five successive crosses with pedigree males of the desired race will yield offspring admissable to the herd book. By following principle from any herd of good any desired breed can be gradually liuilt up, and' the new herd thus produced will be possessed of increased '.nrnina bv this refoundation. This is •r;.'- with" ail kinds of agricultural