FARM AND DAIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 12, 8 February 1909, Page 4

FARM AND DAIRY.

Rivcrdalo Dairy Company received 2,1&J,7011bs of milk during December month, for which the sum ot £1,032 has been paid out. The cheese manufactured amounted to 233,1 titflbs. Average test was 3.73 ; and suppliers received Is a lb for butter-fat. A correspondent to the Wanganui Chronicle furnishes what he suggests is a simple remedy for blight, lie says: "While travelling up Auckland way recently I was shown several apple trees that were absolutely free from blight of ■ any kind. I was assured that several years back the same trees were quite ! white with blight. The cure was effected by planting geraniums under the trees. The owner of the trees was quite positive that no plant within the inlluenco of the geraniums would ever suffer , from blight. He asked me to make the cure known, so I will be obliged if you i will do so through your valuable columns, and perhaps some fruitgrowers here may test the cure." In ;in interview with an Argus representative on his arrival at Melbourne, Mr. J. A. Cilruth expressed the opinion that one good veterinary school with university standing and' training will elliciently serve for Australasia for a generation. He had, .lie said, advised '.\ew Zealand, instead of founding a veterinary college, to spend the money on 'bursaries to enable students to attend the Melbourne school. He had also suggested to the large meat-free/.-ing companies, which, employ a stall' of Veterinary surgeons, to found bursaries for training new men for their staffs in the same way. It, is intended (says the Argus) to erect the proposed college and research in-aitme on. four acres of ground in ihe north-west corner of the Horse lla/aar in Sydney road. This has been given free for the purpose by the Mellmurne l.ity Council. The college will be near- the university, where the first year's work of the students (which is similar to tluit for the first year of medicine) will be done. There will "be two courses, one for a license and the other for a degree in veterinary science. The scheme will begin under favorable auspices, because thirty students will be transferred from the Melbourne Veterinary College. The market pig must have plenty of growth and heavy bone; must be of good length, and not too high from the ground: and have good shoulders and hams, together witli the qualities that stand for the good feeder.

There are enormous fields of fruit around Roxburgh, in Central Otago, and it is estimated that for fruit alone about £50,000 will go into the district. Lucerne in a lime-loving plant, and if grown on retentive land that locks this ingredient, a ton of burnt ground lime to the acre should be applied in the autumn before sowing. • Those. who have tried it gay that common axle grease, provided it is not of the salty kind, is a good rust preventive for agricultural implements and tools, being equal to a co«at of varnish. A DunsandeT (Christchurch) shearer has in his possession a sample of wool from a fleece which is of seven years' growth. Each growth can be. seen distinctly. The wool is fully 15in long. Fertility is a character which can be inherited, and breeders of every class of live stock about the farm, as well as the experienced students of plant life, bear testimony to the truth of this statement. When the foot of n horse becomes nilwen through breaking, uneven pressure obtains and causes sprains as well as a tendency to sidebonc. The usual output of honey in Palmerston North district is 30 tons. This year, owing to mi unfavorable season, it will bo only six or seven tons. Peruvian guano is often spoken of its an artificial manure and classed among fertilisers due to chemical processes. This is not correct, because guano is just as much a, natural product as a farmyard manure. The successful man on the farm is he who thinks, who studies, who meets with his neighbors, vho is proud of his business, anil who is a useful citizen, taking part in all affairs that stand for the. upholding of tlie community and State.