SOUTHERN JOTTINGS

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 68, 11 June 1927, Page 20 (Supplement)

SOUTHERN JOTTINGS

FACTORIES STILL OPERATING (From Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, Friday. The grass is still growing, as evidenced in paddocks closed up for a time,' growth being very noticeable. Some farmers are still in a position to convey good supplies of milk to the factories, and are naturally well compensated as butter-fat values are invariably high at this time of the year. Many farmers are feeding roots and hay, and here considerable jLidgment is necessary to see that the animal gets sufficient good hay to balance the water in the roots. Left to themselves, cows are inclined to gorge on roots, and will eat 1 cwt or more, whereas they would do a great deal better on 701 b. to 801 b. of roots in conjunction with good hay. TARANAKI WINTER SHOW

The Taranaki Metropolitan Show, held during the week, proved a great success. Very fine entries were received in all divisions, but in the dairy produce section it was noticeable that Taranaki has formidable rivals in the manufacture of butter and cheese, factories from outside the province having taken prominent places on the prize lisE In the butter section Levin captured the points prize, with Rangitikei second. ' Levin again led in the class for the Agricultural .Society’s £25 cup for the best box of butter for export. In the cheese awards Pembroke defeated Ngaire for the points prize. The Shaw, Savill and Albion Company’s £25 cup class for the best crate of white cheese for export was won by Lovvgarth. ANOTHER CONTROL BOARD Pig growers in Feilding and adjacent districts met last week-end, and decided to move in the direction of establishing another board to control the export of pork, the Paterson system having commended itself to breeders. The value of the Paterson scheme lies in encouraging export as well as raising local prices. The Paterson scheme is in vogue in Australia in regard to butter, and it is believed that its principles may be applied with profit to New Zealand pork and bacon industry. At the same time the formation of another control board is not likely to commend itself tO' all, and there is sure to be opposition to the scheme.. HILL PASTURES OF OPOTIKI Considerable interest is being evinced in the top-dressing and regrassing experiments conducted by the Government in the Opotiki district. According to the Minister of Agriculture, "full particulars of the results are being carefully tabulated for general information. TARANAKI’S YOUNG AGRICULTURALISTS Taranaki has gone in solidly for boys’ and girls’ agricultural clubs, and the wonderful results achieved are reflected in the crops prodiiced. Some remarkable crops of mangels for instance, have just been weighed out, and most excellent yields have been obtained by primary school youngsters. Guy Putt (Otakeho) secured equal to a yield of 124 tons 11 cwt an acre; W. Laurenson (Manaia), 108 tons; Betty Laurenson (Manaia), 105 tons 8 cwt.; Harold Wills (Matapu), 101 tons 1 cwt. In each case the area was oneeighth of an acre. A few years ago Miss A. Ward (Okaiawa) produced a crop which yielded equal to 145 tons an acre.