SOUTHLAND AGRICULTURAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2892, 11 August 1909, Page 8

SOUTHLAND AGRICULTURAL NOTES.

fF»o« Our Own GoitMsroin>ntT.'< The weather was remarkably fine during last month. The rainfall The Weather was only 70in—about a»nd third of the quantity which The Farm. fell in the corresponding month of last year. Towards the end >f the month ploughed lea land was becoming fit for discing, and a little of this work is done. It is somewhat early for disoing, but many teams hay« been idle for some time owing to the forward state of she ploughing, and farmers wish to avoid, is possible, having too much work for the horses a month later than this, when the sowing of oats will be commenced. A good deal of oats have been sold and carted to the railway sidings during the last two or three weeks, and time has been found to do various jobs that are sometimes neglected. Many have already the seed oats double-dressed so that^ sowing may not be hindered. This season some removed as much as 30 per cent, of small oats, empty glumes, chaff, and weed! seeds, but others removed only 10 per cent, inj addition to an equal percentage when the crop was threshed. To obtain a first-class sample of seed oats of, say, B grade about 40 per cent, should be removed from a lot from which 10 per cent, was taken during the 'threshing. In other words, half the bulk would be a first-class sample of seed. Some farmers do not object to tho presence of 25 per cent, of medium-sized grams, and the principal consideration is the removal of the weed 1 seeds and small grains that would give a poor yield. It would be well if all the oats described a 6 " seconds " were dressed a second time also, as they contain a large quantity of chaff, empty glumes, dust, and weed seeds, whioh are apt to form balls in the stomach or intestines of horses, causing digestive disorders, which in some oases terminate fatally. Farmers who give- well-dressed oats and chaff of good quality to their horses are seldom troubled with illnesses amongst them unless they are stabled during the night. There should be a seed-cleaner on every farm, and, indeed, there are many who possess seed-cleaning machines. The hand and horse-power chaffcutters have long since gone entirely out of use, the chaffoutting being done three or four times in the year by itinerant ehafßcutters drawn by traction engines. Five men travel with the^ best, plants, so that the men on the farm need I not give any v assistance farther than supplyI ing fuel and water and carting away the bags. The charge is 4s per ton, and for three of the men there is a dhargo at tho rate of 6d per ton —a total charge of 5s 6d per ton. The twin© bands are not cut, but much of the twine is blown from the riddles. It is believed that the small quantity that finds its way into the baga causes no injury to horses. The turnip crop has been an abundant one, and sellers received 1 urnips. small prices for the surplus.—ld per head for hoggets and lid per head per week for older sheep. The growth of new leaves has commenced this 6©ason a month before the

usual time, and it would be as well to turn the sheep for a while on the whole crop about two weeks after thi6 in order to consume the leaves, and co save the roots from wasting their substance in producing leaves. It is very interesting to observe the preferences of sheep when feeding on turnip* This season I had the following sorts growing: — Green and purple top yellow Aberdeen, Devonshire greystone. Lincolnshire i\a>d globe, and Imperial green globe. There was a decided preference shown for the last named, which is ■white fleshed, sweet, moderately soft, firmly xooted, and stands well out of the ground. It keeps well till the end of August, and is a' very good variety for lambs as well as for older sheep. The greysfcone is a good, soft, white-flesfced tuTmip, and firmly rooted, though not deep, in the earth. It begins to deteriorate after the end of June, and is not of much value in the spring. It is a good turnip for cows on account of its not imparting to milk and its products so objectionable an odour as the yellow-fleshed turnips and swedes, tdiioolisluie reel olobe 4s a .soft, white-fleshed turnip, but I don't think it is equal to ' the greystone, although some farmers say it k superior for fattening lambs. The fact that the greystone is universally grown for lambs points to the conclusion that it is one of the best of the soft turnips." It is perhaps, the beet for cowing late in the season on account of its rapid growth The Aberdeens, green and purple top yellow, arc esteemed for their keeping properties as well as for their high nutritive value. The green top grows deeper in the ground than the purple top and other varieties, and co it is not a suitable turnip for sowing on the flat surface. With the exception of the swede it is probably the best-keeping variety. It is a sweet turnip, but there is a slightly bitter principle which makes it less palatable than some other varieties. Swedes are supexioi to turnips for sheep, and, in the opinion of some, for fattening lambs also, but as they cost more to produce, and are liable to blight in dry seasons, they are not grown to nearly co great an extent as turnips. If lambs gain access to swedea they will neglect boiih turnips and rape. Swedes are better than turnips for fattening cattle, but they are inferior for feeding milch cows as they cause the milk yield to diminish. Occasionally one hears owners of cows remarking at this time of the Had year that ihere is one or ■ffaicr. two sick in the herd. It is at this time of the year that the ailment known as red water is most common, and those who have sick animals should make careful observations to ascertain the cause, as if, in the case of red water, remedial measures are not adopted at an early stage a fatal termination may be expected. In this disease the urine is red or dark in colour, and there is diarrhoea, followed by constipation, the dung being dark in colour. The disease usually comes on from seven to 14- days after calving, and it may affect cows not giving milk, and steers as well, if theanimals are on very poor feed for months. It is usually seen, however, only in cows that are in calf, especially those that calve in August jnd September. In this disease there is palpitation of the heart, the beats increasing from between 45 and 55 per mroute (the limits of the beats in health) to o rate varying from £0 to .100 and upwards. The temperature does not rise proportionally with the pulse, as is usually the case in illness, and the respiration is irregular. In the last stages colio and prostration precede death. Red water is caused by imperfect nutrition, and it may occur in cases where the food is. abundant if it is deficient in quality. Hence we find that in the spring after a, few months' feeding on turnips, which are not alone sufficiently nutritious for oowe, cases of red water occur before there is sufficient substance in the pasture. The albumen of the blood ie degraded in quality i» consequence of' the poor feeding, so that it is unfit ' for nourishing the tissues, and is consequently excreted by the kidneys and expelled in the urine. It is- therefore necessary to 6upply to the blood the valuable substance that is being lost, and his can be done by giving egga (the white of which is nearly all albumen) — half a. dozen beaten up and administered twice a. day in a pint of new milk — that is, a dozer eg£3 a. day. When the strength returns and the animal is able to derive sufficient nutriment from 'eating crashed! oats and chaff, which should be given twice a day, the administration of eggs and milk may 'be discontinued. Turnips should be withheld the rest of the season. When red water is noticed before the animals become weak it is not necessary to go to the expense and trouble of administering eggs. It is sufficient to give chaff and crushed oats twice a day, and reduce considerably the allowance of turnips.