THE RURAL WORLD.

King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 391, 30 August 1911, Page 6

THE RURAL WORLD.

INCENTIVES TO STOCK-BREED-ING. It used to be a favoured criticism often indulged in by those who did not know better, that farmers were usually extremely reluctant to change their methods, the allegation being that they universally adhered] to the practices of their forefathers, wholly disregarding sweeping alterations in markets and competition. The taunt was that they slavishly stuck to the old ideas, and, in spite of the evident facts of the case, obstinately refused to vary their practices, whether as regards the crops grown or the class of stock kept. Tnere never was very much foundation for the sneer, and there is certainly now no foundation for it. A cursory glance at the national agricultural statistics will prove this beyond cavil with respect to crops, and the last half century has witnessed a series of progressive revolutions in the live stock of the country, which have been improved almost beyond recognition in nearly every way. The circumstances are indeed so obvious that the disparaging observations now take another form, and agriculturalists are censured for not growing more wheat at any price, so as to render the food supply safe in time of war; they should not only supply a sufficient quantity of milk (which they do), but also make all the butter that is needed, though the production of this article in larger quantity does not pay; and while the townspeople are busy doing all they can to supplant the horse by the motor car, it is considered by them to be a crying shame if they allow the number of horses' to decrease, and they are told that they shouid breed a sufficient number to provide abundance of remounts for the Army, to be purchased at a rate that will involve a certain loss to the breeder.

The fact is that since the country decided that agriculture was not to receive any special consideration; but must stand on its own feet and bear the brunt of unrestricted foreign competition, the agriculturist has been quick to recognise the position, and, like others, he now does the best for himself. He shows the greatest skill and enterprise in producing articles that will return him a reasonable profit, and where certain loss is involved he prefers to leave that branch severely alone. Without going into any details as regards crops, one may refer to the position in so far as it concerns live stock, and it will on examination be found that the agriculturalist devotes his attention to those classes the breeding and rearing of which are likely to leave a profit. Cows for beef and milk: the best sheep for mutton and wool; the finest pigs that produce the choicest bacon and pork, and the horses that are most saleable in the markets, are those that secure his support. Breeders have not only to consider the commercial markets, but they have also to keep in view the requirements of those who own purebred studs, herds and flocks and who require high class sires to maintain and enhance improvement. The Home buyers are by far the most extensive and valuable but a further impetus has for many years been found in the numerous foreign and colonial buyers from all parts of the world, who come to us in increasing numbers for the materials calculated to improve their own backward types.—"Live Stock j Journal."

VALUE OF A GOOD SEED BED

Farmers rely too much upon rain to make their crops. The weather is a poor servant. When it shirks sending rain the crops and the farmers each suffer. If rain could only be counted upon to come in just the right amount and just when needed, how easy it would be to get good crops ! Everyone would have them. If it were not for weeds there would be little need to cultivate. Shirking cultivation and preparation of the soil result in short crops, poor crops, and often "no crops. It is the lazy farmer's practice. If a crop is worth sowing it won't do to be satisfied with any old preparation, any old seed, or any old cultivation. Better plant a quarter the area and harvest four times the crop than sow four times the area and harvest a quarter crop. To do this the two most important things are to prepare the land extra thoroughly and to maintain a loose inch of aoil upon every acre planted to intertilled crops. Farmers who have practised these methods have secured good yields in spite of drought and have set the pace for their neighbours. ' Every season large numbers of men learn that clean cultivation pays, because it makes moisture work its way through the plants ra her than escape direct into the air. Nothingcan be lost when the season turns out moist, but much, perhaps everything, gained in a dry season. Now is the time to join the ranks of theaa prosperous farmers.—"Town and Country Life."

BREEDING POULTRY

A large degree of suceesa in building up a flock depends not only on having the right £ype of bird in the breedingpen, but on the proper management of the pen from the start. A common mistake is to put the male birds with the hens just about the time the eggs are required for hatching purposes. The rooster should have female company for some time before. Then when he is put in with the breeders more uniform and satisfactory fertility will result. Breeding birds should not be kept in too confined a space prior to mating. A good range and a liberal supply of green food is inductive to virility and prepotency. If the most vigorous stock is desired —and this should be the aim of any utility breeder—a good key to the position is to note the hens the rooster prefers, an indication of which is afforded by the condition of the saddle of the hen. If this is cut about it proves that the bird is one specially seleeted by her mate, and a demonstration is thus provided of the best j

guide to breeding power -nature's selection. This? principle is all the more .strongly emphasized when there are two cockerels, or even more, running with a big pen, when the most desirable hens from a breeding point of view wlil be monopolised by the strongest male bird. It, is such hens which should be chosen for the breeding pen of the following season. Nature, after all, is the best guide we have. In-breeding apparently does not trouble rabbits and sparrows. Nature provides for elimination of the unfit. Constitution is maintained without the necessity of importing blood, and with no assistance from man these pests multiply with amazing rapidity.

Of course, constitution is not everything, but without constitution it is useless attempting to develop a desired type. It is one thing attaining an ideal and quite another thing maintaining it. For instance, it would be a mistake selecting a bird solely on constitutional points. These must be accompanied by those cnaraeters it is desired to develop. In advancing eggyielding power, however, the hens which attract the male most forcibly are invariably the best breeders, and therefore (if of a laying strain) will be the heaviest producers. On the other hand, a bird of ideal laying type is useless if it does not possess the desired constitution, as it will then not be able to maintain its laying power for any lengthened period. A striking illustration of the type of bird desired where, egg production is the objective is to be seen at the close of an egg-laying competition,and to the student of egg form no education would provide the same practical guide. Those in the running at the end are practically all of one type, having an oblong tapering body, broad and deep behind, ana running to a fine neck carrying a clean alert head, with fine-boned legs, set well to the rear and wide apart, the feathering being tight all over, or what is known as "hard" feather, while the birds bear every indication of laying-power and the ability to maintain it to the end. They look full of life, even the worndown tail having little effect on the strong appearance. Perhaps the best point about these birds fighting out. to the. finish is that they have been too busy to moult, having come through the natural resting period with merely the dropping of a few feathers. The weak pens, on the other hand, have gone through their moult, and have their new plumage. The mere fact of the leading pens laying so late into the autumn means that they will be at it again as soon as those which have moulted. Another point: The tail of the heavy producer is carried high, and is more of a fan-shaped than a "whip" tail. I can imagine no better means of acquiring the finer points in selecting on laying form than a visit to a laying competition during its final stage.

In selecting birds for breeding-pens as well as for egg-laying competitions very few breeders are working on a definite plan. The only sound principle is to commence with a knowledge of the laying power of the dam of the sire as well as that of the dam herself. Haphazard mating will sometimes produce a good uniform pen, but how many can expect a success obtained under such circumstances? The men who consistently succeed know just what they are doing. Their breeding pens are headed by sires with a laying pedigree, and the egg-record of the dam of every hen is known. Of course, even under such circumstances culling is necessary, especially to maintain constitution. Such breeders laugh at secret tests. They know just where they stand, and can rely on results. No one will deny the unique success of Padman, the South Australian breeder, with utility White Leghorns, and yet he says he could not get a lead-pencil between the pelvic bones of his cockerels.- Department of Agriculture Journal,