FARM AND DAIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 284, 25 November 1908, Page 4

FARM AND DAIRY.

CJover is a very valuable feeding crop because it contains so much of the element of protein, which is i lie clement in feeding crops that costs the most. The most profitable method of sheepbreeding for the farmer is undoubtedly that of producing lambs for early sale as freezers for export or for home consumption. There is always more profit in keeping our stock healthy by proper feeding and care than in being careless at first and allowing the stock to get sick and then cure them. Health pays. A Kaituna farmer has, according to the Christchurch Press, sold 8000 bushels of barley at 5s lOd on the trucks, and his crop averaged 00.45 bushels per acre. The return was thus £l7 12s per acre. A farm of 220 acres, situated, in the Mnllunibimby (New South Wales) district, has been sold for £3O per acre. Jt is stated that about live years ago the property brought about £3 10s per acre and was originally bought for £l. The New Zealand Farmers' Dairy. Union has opened creameries at Foxton and Shannon, an accession in milk sup- , ply which will mean an increase in the / year's output of butter of the big Mana- j watu co-operative concern of at least 101 l tons per annum. It is understood that experiments are being conducted at Wcraroa with a view of evolving a New Zealand liairy cow which is neither Shorthorn, Ayrshire, Jersey, nor ilolsteiu, hut a blending < f the milk-producing and liardy charact :!- istics of those breeds.

All .stock on the farm soon tire of their ration if fed exclusively on one class of feed. A variety stimulates the appetite, anil is more palatable, and the stock get more nourishment from the | food.

.Compared with the weight, • the pig ( consumes move food than any other farm animal; lie also makes more meat from the food which he cats than any other animal makes from the same quantity of food. When one commences to cull he must keep uniformity in mind, A ewe, ior instance, may 'he a good breeder, but if she brings lambs of a different stamp from the run of the ilock it is better l„ discard her. frequent, change of pasture should be furnished the'llock daring the summer, and this can be ea-ily done. It is profitable, for sheep like a variety .1 food as well as men. This change will help to keep out the worms. More milk and rich milk—that is the object both in the interest of the dairy farmer and of the nation. Letting a cow become poor is a great and permanent loss that no amount of after care and food can replace. Do not put away the whitewash brush in the summer time. Keep it going summer and winter. Even ii a horse's hide does seem tough yet it will become sore if the harness rubs it. Docs your horse's harness fit it properly? ~ Cows separated from the herd shouiu be milked after the herd is milked or hv other milkers than those employed with the herd. The milk from uny cow whose health is suspected .should be discarded, or if fed to farm animals it should'first he heated above ISOdeg. The extent to which England relics on Denmark for dairy produce, bacon, and eggs is set forth in the annual Consular report, just issued. The export of butter (both Danish and ; foreign) from Denmark to the United : Kingdom amounted in 1907 to 1,818,811 ! ewt„ in 1900 to 1,(175,7<i1cwt., and in 1005 to l,u3U,3U3cwt. The value of dairy produce exported, which has for the last three years (1004-0) remained nearly constant, shows an increase in 1907 of over £13,000,000. Inquiries in the

'United .Kingdom indicate (says the Consul) that it is not to Denmark's advantage to supply the British market with anything but first-class goods, for, whereas there has. been a regular supply I of second-class butter from Siberia and ' Russia, reaching during the height of til.' season 2(1,000 casks a week, cou- ' signed to Luiidon alone, the supply of . the finest quality butter did not meet . the demand, In round numbers about l,Boo,Dooewt, of Danish bacon were ox- ' ported to the British market in 11107, • or about 2UO,ooocwt. in excess of the I amount delivered in 11)00. A witness in a North Island court '. said the Canadian was so strong that it would grow anywhere, and one roi quired to be cutting them almost con- , timinlly to eradicate them. The witness ] further said he had known these thistles to grow through an asphalt footpath '. 3in. thick.

A Waitara farmer has supplied the writer with the following particulars of the capacity of his 400 acre farm. He has shorn 10112 sheep, 1188 of them clipping 20 bales, which averaged 4i)011>., in addition to which the land has been carrying 131) head of cattle and 20 horses. Ilcrr Schniilewiiul, the Gorman ;\- pert, found that the only practical means of reducing the losses of nitrogen in a manure heap is to place a layer of old, well-rotted farmyard manure as a basis for tlie new manure heap. This lias a distinctly heuelicia'l ellV-A. ami always n'sults in smaller losses i:f nitrogen, possibly because of (lie co'istanl. evolution of carbonic acid from the laver of old manure. According to the Free Press (Otago) Mr. .1. LamoiKl. of Puoriia; is the owner of a wonderfully productive cow. The other morning she gave a return weighing 421b. net. Her yield the same evening was 301b., making 721b. for the day. This at a creamery test of 4.2 (far below lier average) will give 31b. of butter fat, which at the present price of Is per lb, is a gross return for the day of 3s for one cow.

SOME POULTRY NOTES. Don't overfeed. Don't fail to feed early. Don't feed maize in summer. Never overfeed if you want eggs. Old liens are drones in the flock. Give the sitting hen plenty of room. Avoid overstocking the poultry yard. Don't waste time with mongrel fowls. Shade is essential in every poultry run. Indian liuuner ducks are great foragCharcoal is a corrective for bowel (! table, tirade your eggs according to colour Don't fail to keep the. roosting places clean. First crosses are favoured for table purposes. feed the sitting hen un grain only, no soft food. The Luigshiin won the two vears' test at llawkesbury Agricultural College competition. Look out for vermin, they prevent heavy egg yields. (iather the eggs daily, aiid clean all dirty, specimens. Don't fail to place the drinking water in the shade. Spell the runs and give your hiving hens fresh ground. C.rind waste egg shells down and mix in with soft food.