Farm Notes.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 4446, 7 August 1909, Page 4

Farm Notes.

POTATO WET-ROT.

Tms bacterial disease stands on the border-line of parasitic affections, in* ftsmuch as certain conditions of the eoiT and tuber are necessary before infeotion will take place. Warm wet . weather is necessary, and if there are “any wounds on the surface of the -tuber the disease begins in patches below the epidermis, and the whole tuber is finally turned into amass of brown slime, the bacteria breaking down the cell walls, and the tuber collapsing. A peculiar feature of this disease is the fact that the starch grains are but little altered, the bac* teria confining their attention to other portions of the cell contents. This diraase causes great loss in this colony ia favourable seasons, while when the season is unfavourable to its spread little if any loss is experienced. During the past season there were many complaints about this trouble, notably in the North Otago district.

A Wairarapa farmer, speaking bn the unemployed question to the representative of a local paper, suggested as a remedy that settlers should bring all their resources to bear on breaking up whatever land in their occupation was lying idle, and go in for a scheme of complete cultivation or pasturage, according to the nature ■of the land. In the clearing of the ground employment would be found for many workless men, and the farmer would find the investment a paying one. Quoting his own case, he stated that on a farm of 200 acres he had, during the past season, when employment was scarce, kept three men at work in clearing and breaking new ground, and he was well satisfied with the prospects that had been opened up of good returns in the way of crops.

A surprising discovery was made on the Wellington wharf by one of the Customs stuff. He was stationed near the steamer Wimmera, which had arrived from Dunedin and Lyttelton. The surplus fat and dripping from the vessel’s culinary department is stored in kerosene tins, and sold for use ashore. About 26 tins had been landed, and the Customs officer’s prodding-iron was dug into each tin. Although three of the tins had a thin layer of' fat on top, the tins were found to be practically full of prime New Zealand butter. * Altogether, about 1201 b ,of butter was going ashore under the guise of fat. The ** find ” was interesting, inasmuch as an Apparent leakage of butter had been previously noticed.

% The French fodder plant, which has been introduced into New Zealand

by the Agricultural Department, and Which goes under the name of Chou Noullier, or marrow cabbage, it is jrtated* is likely to prove valuable to the dairyman. Its height is about fiv9 feet, it has a stalk about three

Inches in diameter, and carries large leaves. These leaves may be cut three or four times a year. The Chou Noullier plants grow all the year round, and are said to give a total yield of 35 tons to the acre. The plants should be grown in drills three feet apart or thereabouts, and the distance between every two plants two feet. It appears that the stalks are ilso nutritious, cattle devouring them readily; they must not, however, be lestroyed, or the value of the plant as i fodder is lost. The only drawback to the general use of the Chou Nofficer appears to be that it requires rich toil.

THE HENS LAY EVEEY HAY.

lYe need a year to grow a pig, Tie two before a steer is big, The hens lay every day. I trefoil takes three years to spread, Ahorse as dolt three years we fed, | The hetts lay every day. L held bf gr ain 3 list once we reap, L yearly fleece take off our sheep, The' iens lay every day. i feW Weeks yield the honey store, ?hen blossoms, fruit, and all is o’er, v The hens lay every day. tor other things too long we wait,]] )ur life is short, and paV-day late, The hens lay every day. liN.fli— Ho they?—Ed.] —Exchange.