FARM NOTES.

Shannon News, 6 March 1928, Page 4

FARM NOTES.

The horticultural products of New Zealand are estimated by Government officials to be worth seven million * pounds yearly. The gross money value of all New , Zealand farm products in 1901 was \ £25,421,231; in 1925 the value was -■* £97,688,823. The capital value of land and improvements in the North Island is estimated at £402,877,873 and in thp South Island £200,372,558 < The number of stock in New Zealand at the end of 1927 was: Horses 303,713; cattle, 3,257,729; sheep, 25,649,016; and pigs, 590,143. * *. Everything seems to point to the greater need for the extension of the system of breeding for feeding rather than buying for that purpose. As the object of beef production is * to make a profit, skilful and economic feeding plays a .very big part in achieving success at the business. If a dairy-bred heifer is wOr.tli ing, it is worth raising well. A poorlydeveloped heifer will be just as skimpy ‘at the pail as her owner was with.the ifeed. - ;■ While on a survey of cereal crop - diseases in South Otago last week Mr. .J. C. Neill ' (Government Mycologist) was considerably, surprised to encounter unmistakable signs of “take-all” , ,in an oat crop in the Crookston dis j * ; fcriet. It is generally supposed' that ,oats are not susceptible to this disease, and Mr. Neill, admitted that it was the I first time he had come across it.

Root crops are looking very well in ' South Otago just now, in spite of the •fact that a great many growers were unable to get their sowing done until ' very late. The dry weather has had some effect on growth.and development, but in every district it is noticeable that crops are generally healthier than was the case. Dry rot has not yet ap-

peared, and very little aphis or moth> attack is discernible.

J A splendid example of the prepotenic of a • purebred Friesian bull and his beneficial influence on the butter-fat yield of his progeny, was shown last season ig a Bay:-of Plenty dairy herd.*Six two-year-old heifers sired by Segis Rutterboy (King Segis of Friesland Park —Buttercup) averaged over 3001 b, butterfat for'the season. The best any of their dams at maturity had done * no better and a bull that can sire heifers that at two years of age can beat the records of their mature dams is a ‘;WI that is worth a great deal to practical dairy farmer. . We must always. think of water as being directly taken into the blood of ah animal,* and whatever impurities it may contain go directly to the .very ' source of life. Impurity of the blood thus occasioned must inevitably pro-

duce disease. i -At this time of the year siirface-water .of all kinds, especially s that which is stagnant, and even (but less so) that of streams, contains a vast proportion of impure matter, the drain; age of the land which is covered witlg, decomposing matter, dead insects with their eggs, and an uncountable quantity of various kinds of injurious germs. If one desires to test this matter, let him, taste such water, and if the appearance of it alone does not disgust him, the smell and taste of it will surely, do so.