FARM AND DAIRY

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 122, 23 June 1909, Page 4

FARM AND DAIRY

' ■ A XEW RIVAL. OHIXA TAKING A HAXD IN THE TRADE. The position so suddenly acquired by Siberia as a butter-producing country tor foreign markets appears to be menaced, in respect to sonic ot the mantels j utt least, by a rcniarKabie development olHlie dairy industry in Mongolia, which threatens to supply even parts of Siberia itseif with butler. In lact (says a Khaibin correspondent), a local linn lias already organised a regular supply of Mongolian butter for the Kliarbin market at lU roubles per pood. This makes about id per Hi, and the quality is reported to be excellent. Xow, tlie gravity oi this competition is undoubted, for the price of Siberian butter on the spot is 14 roublcci per pood, or soinetnnig over iJU per lb. The butter is produced by experts ill the employment ot tlie contracting linn, wit-u the aid of Chinese workpeople. Moreover, it is added, this Mongolian butter is not unknown in loreigu markets. The Hamburg nouse, Dietrich and Co., ii'bout tour years ago began to dabble m the article, and negotiations were also begun lor exporting it to San Francisco, liitherto, says the correspondent, not much has been done with it outside .Siberia and Mongolia, but the tendency is cei'tainiy menacing lo the Siberian industry. Tne example of the Danes and the Jinglish in doing so well out ol the export of Siberian produce points the way to a similar development in the North-Eastern Chinese province. Any way, the activity displayed hitherto m pushing this particular article is causing considerable alarm in those circles that have the agricultural interests of Siberia most at heart.

The Director of Agriculture in Victoria advocates strongly the utilisation of the .nauure from the dairy yards, ire advocates byres to concentrate the'manure, with an elevated platform Dili high :n front of the manger to ensure cleanliness. The second-best arrangement is to put the cows at night in a small paddock to be used the following year lor, a fodder crop. In Holland during the past few years the State has been annually Spending from £ 1000 to £2OOO in the purchase (,I ■vaste lauds, while in. 1007 the further expenditure on the afforestation of such lands amounted to a little over £07,000. In addition to this, private enterprise is encouraged by a grant of £750 a year .o the Netherland Heath "Company, a society that exists for the purpose of promoting, the cultivation of Heather dunes and other waste lands.

The languishing state of the dairying industry in, Victoria is challenging serious attention. At a conference of factory managers the president said what was required was a better appreciation of scientific methods, more commercial ability, and more ginger in the method of tackling tough problems. Manageis should be more than glorified foreman butteriuakers. He urged that a federal executive was required, representing Australia, to voice tlieir claims. Little benefit will be gained by manuring badly-drained land, stagnant water being fatal under any circumstances to nealthy vegetation. Do not change the feed of milking cows suddenly. First-class butter cannot be made from poor-quality cream, no matter how skilful the 'butter-maker.

Cow-owners need to study individual cows more, and not rely too much upon returns from the herd as a whole.

Manipulation of the udilc r is' absolutely necessary in some instances before all the milk can be drawn by the machine.

Better cows' and more home-grown feed mean a better product. Even the best cows vary from year to year in their butter-fat production. Neat farmhouses and good sheds are generally signs of good dairying. Feed for stock in the Wairarapa district is apparently very plentiful. "The trouble this- year," said a farmer to a Daily Times reporter, "has not been to get enough feed, but rather to get enough stock to keep it down." A man without any particular liking for any kind of stock may, with more or less success, breed and raise other elosscs of stock, but the man who makes horse-breeding profitable must be a hors'eman.

Almost all beginners know to their cost how few cows prove satisfactory out of the number ■purchased, and also \that the buying price, of such good ones as they are lucky enough to get hold of is invariably high. Study your individual cows; don't only regard them as a herd. Find out what each one can do, and what it ebsts to do it.

Tire highest-priced farm product, pound for pound, that the average farmer sells is butter. When sold, it takes the least fertility from the farm. The scouring of whey implies a considerable loss in the ainourit of milk sugar. To make the best use of whey for feeding it should lie consumed fresh.'

Test the sweetness of your dairy by going into it from tire fresh air, lifter it has' been closed for a time, and noticing if there is any odour which should not be.

Fresh, clean, solid butter alwavs brings a better price o,i the market'than the soft kind. v

Dairy cows should not be too fat. They .should not rob the milk-pail to.put On fk'sh.

The persistent intermixing of the various breeds and grades of cattle in main' dairy herds k probably the result of the Old-time teaching that crossbred stock were hardier than those purebred. The error in this arises from the fact that purebred stock were handled much differently years ago than they are now; but the old-time ideas still IWe.

Some idea of the extent of farming enterprises in the Argentine may be gathered from the number of live stock owned by Scuor 11. Coho. On his estaneia there arc 12,000 pedigree Lincoln sheep, about 3000 of which are rams, and 4700 Shorthorn cattle, besides a number of well-bred Jerseys and a stud of 1150 Cleveland ni'-I Clydesdale horses. Do not niovj ci.w. :':,ster than a comfortable walk while on the way to place of milking or feeding. la Canada stock have to be artificially fed fully six months, if not more every year.

Coats are losing their reputation. According to the latest investigation, they have been lound to s'ulfcr from tuberculosis. '

The most successful dairymen arc those who are willing to begin with small capital and work up. There is room for the brightest minds on the dairy farm.

It is better to select a dairy separator that is a ittle too large than too small, hen the cow is not comfortable she will imt produce milk profitably. Irovide water in abundance, easy of access and .hvays pure; fresh, but'not too cold. i

Wherever there is a good dairy conntry there is also a good country for raising pigs. Do not use the milk within twenty < ays before .calving, „ or f,„. three to live days afterwards.

It is muscle niul bone that arc required to withstand hards s, and inactive colts ,mvcr di-velop cither like those winch have tl„. advantage of plenty of exercise evcrv <lav. " -M;r. 11. 10. Mcfiowaii,' of lYillowl>rid"c lately consigned to America tliree, lots of potatoes grown on his farm at WilInwl.ndjfe. One largo lot of several variety was consigned to the United Mates Agricultural Hcjiartinrat. Washington, another to the Lexington Experimental Station, and the third lot to tie Cuolph Experimental Statioa, Canada. ' lii a hand-milking contest in Gipasland (\ l etor,a) betwec,, ,loc Lono- a'id H. Ixmch. the conditions were that the neitlici had been accustomed to handle. >o twiit.y cpws were put in u lc bails "no mormng, a n<] Long g„t tboiHi fifteen n, (l | minutes. AVxt niornbig Koaoh went to.He liails, a „d wassixsoeZl longer i„ milking his' fifteen. There Wire three timekeepers. The cows X a tuvo-galon bucket of milk cached two of them were vt<rv toiHi Fresh asparagus stii-ks and'a second crop, of the Irish peach apple in Mr. tleaiys garden in Merivalo are amo-in-the evidences of the extraordinary mild season experienced' in (.'lii-jslchurcii Mr Cearys Irish peach apples are small] but the asparagus is a fine, healthy growth. , •