THE RURAL WORLD

Shannon News, 5 April 1928, Page 4

THE RURAL WORLD

Farms and Facts Farm Facts About Canada. Fourteen thousand bushels of wheat were threshed recently from a crop grown on three hundred and sixty acres of land on the farm of O. Kjarlin, Gold Spring district, Alberta, an average of almost thirty-nine bushels to the acre. The forecast of the lumber cut in New Brunswick during the logging sbason which opened recently gives a total of 400,000,000 to 425,000,000 feet’ board measure. A pen of Barred Rocks owned by John Woods, of Bloomfield, Kings County, New Brunswick, led all Canada in the egglaying contests held in all of the provinces of Canada, according to a compilation made after the close of the 1926-1927 contests. According to a survey recently completed by the Canadian Government Bureau of Statistics, there are 9,172,238 cattle in Canada, of which 3,894,311 are milch cows. There are 7.800 beekeepers in the province of Queboe, with a total value of hives of 2,000,000 dollars, according to a recent census, an increase of 800 beekeepers over 1926. Electric Branding. It is stated that a new use for electricity on the farm has been found. By means *of a handy appliance invented by Mr. Haynes, of the Government Live Stock Department, who is stationed at Paki Paki freezing works, sheep, cattle, and in fact all farm animals can be indelibly branded by» electricity states an exchange). The new method, which is quick and almost painless in action is said to be far superior to ear-marking or firebranding for distinguishing stock, leaving a clear, lasting mark without doing damage to the hide. This electric branding machine, which is small enough to be carried in the pocket, is to be made in styles suitable for either branding on the ear, or applying to the face or other part of the body. A further convenience of the appliance is that it automatically registers the number of stock branded.

Dogs Among Flocks. Severe losses of sheep through dogworrying have been suffered by owners grazing their flocks in districts near Gisborne. In the past month live sheep-owners in these areas have had 121 sheep killed, while many others have been so badly maimed as to render them useless and they had to be destroyed. These statements were made to the Gisborne Borough Council last week by a deputation of sheepowners seeking the tightening up of regulations governing the registration of dogs. The council decided to investigate the matter with a view to stopping the depredations.

Back Country. Mr. W. Salt, who is at present engaged on a bridge contract some 22 miles back from Waverley, states that although there is plenty of bush in the locality, it is surprising how little bird life there is to the seen. He is at a loss to account for the absence of the birds. On the other hand, wild pigs are numerous, and there is a stream in the locality teeming with eels. Some of the country in this locality has been allowed to go back and is now in a worse state than it was originally.

Improving the Farmers’ Lot. ‘‘lf w r e have conditions that will drain our best brains away from agriculture and leave only a peasant class on the farm —which would be highly objectionable socially—it would be disastrous economically because it would ultimately mean, not only an inadequate but a highly expensive food supply. Cheap food is not produced By ignorant and incompetent farmers. Cheap food is produced by intelligent, progressive and prosperous farmers. ’ ’ These remarks were made in reference to the United States, but they apply perhaps with even greater force to New Zealand. The speaker was Mr. Owen D. Young, head of the General Electric Company, whose views on labour partnership in industry were recently' noted in this column, life on the farms, added Mr. Young, must bo made such that men of the intelligent and progressive type will live there. He mentioned four things that are helping to.make farming attractive:— First, good roads and the motor-car; second, the telephone; third, light and power; fourth, radio. Built on Rabbits. Since trapless, dogless, gunless, moneyless and unskilled out-o’-works have been told that a fortune awaits them in rabbit-strewn territory, farmers have indicated that any interference with their divine right to rear bunnies will meet with opposition. And since it was mentioned in the papers that somebody at Home paid £65 for a buck rabbit the attitude towards fho destroyer has changed. In earlier days the rabbit was regarded both as a pest and an income and hundreds of millions were slain only for their scalps, the skins and carcases being left to sweeten the air. Balranald, a small flourishing town in New South Wales, was

built on rabbit scalps, for in its early days the run holders and local authorities gave sixpence per scalp as an indication that the owner of the ears had perished. The immediate requirement of a rabbiter with two or three housand scalps was a ' ‘ pub, ’ ’ and in this connection a Hebrew gentleman furnished the necessity. There grew round this rabbit-built hotel a township and other hotels. Ingenious rabbiters, opulent rvith cheques and tired of lugging traps about, enclosed areas on other people's land and bred rabbits for their scalps. One gentleman claimed that he could make one scalp into two by splitting it. The price for unborn rabbits was the same as for scalps, and the little town flourished. To the casual visitor at that time the town was remarkable for the trains of vehicles bearing barrels into the town. Rabbiters were open-handed people except when they were seen rushing about with malice clubs killing blue bunyips, pink lizards and purple ghuniis.

Marketing of Honey. It is stated in a report by the Im- ! perial Economic Committee that the consumption of Empire honey should be encouraged, and it has recommended research to determine whether such consumption could not also be urged on the ground that honey possesses special nutritive value. Great improvements have been effected in recent years in the marketing of honey, but further improvements are possible, especially in regard to the manner in which Jamaican honey is prepared for and sent to market. Beekeeping is a minor occupation, and though research work is in progress in different parts of the Empire, large funds for its prosecution are not readily forthcoming. The committee expresses the view that the producer in the United Kingdom might, by suitable methods of packing and advertising, find a remunerative market for the disposal at good prices of an increased quantity of honey in the comb. Record Breakers. The Friesian cow Loraine Ormsby Mercedes, homestead of Wiconsin, U.S.A., has recently completed a record of 28772.31 b milk and 1001.931 b fat for 305 days, freshening at the age of 8 years 15 days. As a senior 3-year old she has a record of 98.21 b fat in 30 days and as a senior 4-year old of 100.031 b fat in 30 days. At 6 years her record was 112.901 b fat in 30 days. She is the 120 Friesian cow in America to give 10001 b fat in a year. Lawndale Carrie Pet, an 8 year old Friesian cow in Michigan, now on omcm! test, has given 3512.51 b milk in 30 days, an average of over 1171 b daily. Caught! Dozens of carrot tops lying on the ground and the remainder of the root nibbled level with the earth in a paddock in front of Mr. W. B. Grant’s house at Vogeltown, New Plymouth, recently caused him to wonder as to the identity of the marauder. Because of the method employed he believed it was an opossum and he set and anchored a heavy rabbit trap to catch it. At 1 a.m. he heard a squeal, but next morning the trap, chain and stick had disappeared. A day and a-half later, over a quarter of a mile away, a dog caught an enormous hare labouring along with its hind leg securely fastened in the trap.