MOTTLED HEART

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 303, 17 August 1932, Page 2

MOTTLED HEART

THEORIES ON CAUSE COVER CLIMATE, TIME OF SOWING AND MANURES. METHODS COMPARED. Discussing the presence of mottled heart in swedes in their report on the recent field competitions at Putaruru, Messrs. Dalgleish and Wood-year-Smith declare that many theories are put forward as to the c'ause, but no definite finality has been reached. Clim'atic conditions and the time of sowing are the most quoted theories put forward as to the cause. The climatic conditions on two fqrins in the Tokoroa district (Mr. Cadman's and Chambers' Bros.) are similar. On Chamhers' Bros.' we find swedes of very fair quality indeed, and on Mr. Cadman's the quality was disappointing to the owner. An analysis of the methods of treatment may h'elp us towards improvement. Mr. Cadman's. — Previous crop, grass; variety, Webb's Superlative; tim'2 of sowing, first week in January; manures used, basie super, 2cwt per acre. Chambers Bros.' — Previous crop, grass; variety, Garton's Superlative; time of sowing, 18th December; manure used, super, S'eychelles guiano, bonedust, potash, 3cwt per acre. Manure Mixtures. i Differences in cultivation. — Chambers Bros.' land was rolled in addi- , tion to cultivation. ! There is a difference in variety of | seed, time of sowing, and manurial j treatment. We understand that Mr. j Cadman had another crop of bettergrown swedes which were sown earlier, but quality not as good as the crop judged. The indications are are that the manurial treatment plays the greatest part in improvement of quality, but it is not definite, but worthy of study. In other crops in the Tokoroa district (climatic condition similar), super, and also super and turnip manures mixed together was used, but quality was laclcing. These crops wei*e grown on virgin land and it is not to be expected that the swedes would be as good in quality even if the same class of manure was used, as with swedes following old pasture. It would appear that it would be well worth farmers trying a mixture of sup'er, Seychelles guano, bonedust, lime and sulphate of potash against super alone in any one field in which' they are growing swedes the next season. It would supply good information for the district.

j Willow Cheese Crates. Cheese crates made of willow timber , are used to a large extent hy dairy j companies in South Canterbury, and j with a view to reducing importations ; a start has been made in Timaru with J the production of cheese crates from 1 willow transported into the town from | the Raincliffe estate. Up to the pre- ' sent 60,000 feet of crating has heen j asked for, and it is anticipated that i before the season closes the demand ' in South Canterbury will be increased to from 80,000 feet to 100,000 feet. No Second Grade. The Kaimata Dairy Company, Taranaki, has established a record that is ereditable to the suppliers for the care bestowed on the production of i the raw material and to the manager, Mr. G. Gibbins, and his 'stalf for its manufacture. For the sixth year in succession not one crate of second grade cheese has been manufactured. This year no less than 67 p>er cent., or over two-thirds, of the output was finest, the balance being first grade. Paralysis Cure. In several parts of Central Hawke's Bay there have been this season heavy losses of breeding ewes, the trouble apparently being a type of paralysis. A Waipukurau farmer, on inquiring from the Agricultural Department as ; to a remedy, was informed that the best treatment was to dose each sheep , so affected with a half-packet of j salts, to be followed with a half-pound ! of molasses. The farmer stated that ha had applied the treatment with very successful results. Marked Calves. A good story was told by Mr. C. M. Hume, Dominion Herd Testing F'ederation supervisor, at a gathering of farmers in Eketahuna. In company with a dairy breeder he attended a sale of marked calves. The breeder, who had an entry, expressed nervousness and stated he could not sell a | penny below £3 5s for marked haifers, as it had cost that to rear them. Mr. Hume predicted that the sale would justify itself. When the breeder's stock was oifered the biddifig went up to £7 5s, and the auctioneer asked, "What about it?" The breeder considered arid then replied with apparent reluctance: "Oh, well, I suppose I will have to meet the market." Winter Feeding of Pigs. In pig feeding trials in the Waikato, pigs fed on artichokes alone actually lost weight, whereas pigs getting artichokes and only one-half pound of meal p'er day gained 2951b in 56 days. The meat ineal cost' a. halfpenny per pig per day and the actual cost of feeding 10 pigs was 23s. If the poi-k was sold at 4d per lb this would yield a profit of £3 15s over the cost of the feed. The pigs fed on meat meal and bone meal along , with artichokes did not do so well as those fed on meat meal and artichokes.