ABOUT THE FARM

Shannon News, 21 February 1928, Page 4

ABOUT THE FARM

News From Everywhere Quality of Horses. “Everyone lias u. sneaking regard for a horse, even the man and woman who can’t ride,” said the Prime Minister (the Right Hon. J. G. Coates) at Masterton last night. “I am glad to know that the young people of the country are showing themselves to be fond of horses.” Referring to. a iuggestien that the Government should assist in the importation of stallions into the country, Mr Coates said that the. Government had interested itself in the matter some few years ago, nut it had heard more criticism over its actions than over anything else. However he was sure that if there was an Caruest move in the direction again the Government v r ould be only too pleased to assist. Some Cook. A farmer who visited Christchurch is enthusiastic about the ability of people who apply for ,and get,, jobs in the country as cooks. His latest cook had, it appears, broken some eggs into a basin one evening and left them. The farmer, coming in late and feeling hungry, had . used these to make himself an egg-flip, refilling the basin with water. Next morning the cook asked his employer what the basin had had in it. “Eggs,” was the reply. “Good,” said the cook, and set about preparing breakfast. After about half an hour ho went back to the “Boss’’ and complained bitterly that he “could not do anything with the blanky eggs” The farmer investigated and found that the cook had been trying, needless to say without success, to scramble the egg-tinted water that he bad left in the basin. Ragwort Poisoning That ragwort is a real menace to stock is pointedly evidenced in a communication we received this wselc from a settler in one of the out-dis-tricts inquiring for information as to the progress so far made by the Caw-

thron Institute authorities with experiments with the cinnamon moth, (states the' Waipa Post). Our correspondent stated that in the last 26 months he has lost 16 cows on his property, their deaths being certified by the Government veterinarian at Hamilton as duo to ragwort. This information may cause other farmers to take precautionary measures, such as we- suggested last week, by losing no time to pull out by the roots the clumps of flowering ragwort in their paddocks. A little trouble devoted to the task now will assuredly avoid a lot of trouble if the ragwort seed is allowed to drop to the ground and germinate.

Second Grade Cream. It is sometimes very difficult for a grader to convince a supplier that . his cream is second grade, as perhaps ho is doing all he can, and very often going to more trouble than is necessary to ensure first grade. It however, the layout of his shed is bad it may bo difficult to get first-grade. Cream when leaving the separator is just at the best temperature to take a taint, and if the atmosphere be impure the cream is certain to pick up whatever smell there is. The cream will smell just as does the separatorroom or place where cream is kept. It does very little good to shift cream after separating in an impure atmosphere, but it is not so bad as leaving the cream there. One frequently hears complaints fi'om farmers because their cream was graded second when not sour, sour cream being in their opinion the worst of all. It is natural for cream to go sour; when creum will not g'o sour it is a sure sign or inferiority. I have known farmers to prefer rancid to sour cream. It is difficult to get two cans of qream exactly alike in flavour. So well versed,do some graders become that they can remember the flavours of each individual farmer’s cream as easily as they remember the cans. The flavour is just as distinctly impressed on the grader’s mind as if he had seen it. ,

Ive for Farm Produce | How science is brought to the aid of farmers in the United States was ! described by Mr M. Cohen, ex-chair-man of the Wellington Harbour Board upon his return to Wellington. There is a Lake at Utah, he said,, 6000 feet above sea level. This is artificial, and when filled is frozen over in winter. It is comparatively shallow and becomes a solid mass of ice, which is cut into blocks. These blocks arc stored in a special chamber threequarters of a mile long, and can be loaded as required by appropriate machinery into waiting produce trains. The South Pacific and Union Pacific Railways had 70,000 special produce cars, in which this ice was used, in order to assist the farmer to get bis produce to the market in prime condition.

A Good Recovery. In a speech delivered at the social function in connection with the annual Show of the Masterton A and P. Association, the Prime Minister (the Right Hon. J. G. Coates) devoted some time to a comprehensive review of the trade position in New Zealand. Quoting figures indicating increases in exports, Mr Coates pointed out that New Zealand had mttde a good recovery from the recent economic depression, and said that the outlook was bright. The Prime Minister dealt in turn with the various forms of primary produce, and his remarks held the attention of the large gathering from beginning to end. Stitch in Time

On many farms round about the district there‘may be seen plants of ragwort in full flower (says the JEI- - Argus). Some of the patches are so small that they be pulled up in a few minutes; but no, they are being allowed to seed and spread all over the place. These are the casps where -weed inspectors should summon without delay. When a man has a large area infected it is sometimes beyond his financial means to pay for clearing, but in cases where a man

with only a few plants on his .farm, is too indolent to clear them off is a menace to bis neighbours, and should be made an example of at court. in the Kitchen. Excitement ran high in a popular homestead at Tutukaka one morning last, week (states the Northern Advocate). The guests had just arisen from the breakfast table when a great commotion occurred in the kitchen, into which had rushed an excited Jersey bull. The animal performed a variety of evolutions, the nature of which, decided the kitchen staff that discretion was the better part of valour. The uproar continued for some minutes, and when the intruder took his leave, strange to say, hot. an article was broken or misplaced.

The Übiquitous Pig. In New Zealand the pig is remarkable. He thrives in a wide climatic range, and in four years has multiplied his kind to the extent of a 25 per cent increase in the pig population. His geographical distribution follows closely that of the dairy herds b,ut the number of daily cows has been unchanged since 1924. showing a certain independence on«.the part of the pig industry in regard to the dairy- industry’s capacity to support and build it up. In fact, the recent statistics contained in the January “Abstract” show a tendency in the Dominion to develop • pig farming quite independently of dairying, and New Zealand has to-day 40 pigs for every 100 cows,an increase of 10 per cent, in 7 years. Denmark, one of the Dominion’s principal competitors in the Home market, has increased her number of pigs as compared with cows in the same period by over 200 per cent. About Eels. The continued dry ' weather, like most other phenomena, has produced the usual unusual incident, and a Waitotara farmer is reported finding ' eelcatching particularly easy just now. Lack of rain has caused one of his . creeks to dry up, and here cels congregate in large numbers is what few

pools rmain, and are easily caught. The farmer, who says it. is particularly interesting to watch the tunas at night time travelling up the creek in search of water, is turning his large hauls of eels to use, by converting them into poultry food.

A Convincing Testimony. ' Speaking at tiie executive of Otago Farmers’ Union at it’s last meeting, Mr. R. B. Tenncnt., instructor in agriculture, said his hearers could judge the significance of top-dressing experiments to some farmers when he toldthem that one landholder on whose property an experimental plot had been laid down with special success, had assured him that the work car*, ried out thereon had saved him from “walking off’ ’ the farm. He had'had no idea feat such immediate and surprising results could be expected from super. The knowledge gained as a result had given him a new lease;of life, as it affected his holding at leaht and had given a startling iilip to the farm’s production,