KING COUNTRY FARMING

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1016, 5 July 1930, Page 29

KING COUNTRY FARMING

A GREAT DAIRY RECORD PEDIGREE BEASTS IMPORTED From Our Ov;n Correspondent TAUMARUNUI, Friday. A most satisfactory dairy record ' has been achieved by Mr. A. W. I*. : Hewitt, at Piriaka. Under ordinary j grazing conditions Mr. Ilewitt has ; secured an average return per cow of 401.041b5, of butter-fat from a herd of twenty cows, over a period of 274 days. Few districts in the Dominion could better this, and it has to be remembered that the season here is :i month shorter than the Waikato or Taranaki.

Large areas of land in the Kaitieke and Retaruke districts, once regarded and even classed as “deteriorated.” arc being rapidly deA'eloped into quite useful sheep and cattle country, of a productivity that Avill compare very favourably with other soils of a similar nature. During the summer of 1925, many thousands of acres that carried only fern and scrub were cleaned bare by raging fires and this land today supports many settlers with farms in tip-top order. Topdressing and careful working has done wonders, tmd in only a few cases js there any sign, of the rubbish growth returning. The land responds v r ery rapidly to manuring and the wool returns have been most encouraging. At the present time there is an abundance of feed, and the stock is wintering in excellent condition. The Jersey breed is annually gaining in popularity in the Central King Country. Where possible farmers are basing their herd-building on this great butter-fat producer, and the dairy returns have sAvelled in a remarkable manner. Messrs. Tickner Bros., of Kirikau. on the upper Wanganui River, avlio have specialised in Jerseys for some years, recently imported from Mr. C. Dernier, the well-known Feilding breeder, a young bull, “Waipiko Criterion,” and a heifer, “Wai- ! piko Jill.” The former is full of the famous “Waipiko” strain, and the heifer from the same stock is in calf to a son of “Holly Oak Annie,” the holder of the New Zealand butter-fat record. This cow produced 1,056ib in one year, and won numerous charnpionships and show aAvards. With the addition of these two fine animals, to their already higli-class herd, Messrs. Tickner Bros. Avill go a long Avay to realising their aim to build up a famous producing herd.

; An Oliura property of 171 acres, owned by Mr. W. K. Williams, was recently purchased by Mr. K. Kallil, the price being £l6 Is 6d ail acre. The same buyer has also secured a farm at Waitewhena formerly oAvned by Mr. I Kelly. THE HALF-WAY HORSE The half-way horse is generally the j product of a heavy stallion and a j fairly good light mare, or vice-versa, j Such a horse can do most things, and ! if a really good sort will be equally j at home in the cart as on the plough, | harrows or roller (says a Home I writer). A quick mover, light in bone | and AA'ith plenty of courage and con- ! stitution, such a horse will never be out of place on the farm. He may I not be good-looking, he rarely is, but ! he can carry out all jobs efficiently, * and is most useful as the odd horse i on a large farm. Even in the milk j float he av ill hold his own, and should ] the farmer require a. mount for a day j with harriers or to go over his farm : the “half-way” horse will fill the bill i admirably and acquit himself well.