FARM AND DAIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 188, 13 September 1909, Page 1

FARM AND DAIRY.

WORN-OUT PASTURES. QUALITY, KOT QUANTITY. The maaurial treatment of exhausted' pastures is one of the most important i|utstions before the funnel's of this country. J'n this connection Ave may learu many lessons from the experiences of other countries, especially from experiments conducted. Ono of the most useful of the latter which haa come under our notice is one conducted at University College, Heading, England, where a very valuable demonstration was recently mado to illustrate the effect 011 the quality of the herbage produeed by farmyard and artificial manures. And quality of herbage is even more important than quantity—a fact too often ignored, lu the Heading demonstration the most striking comparison visible was tile difference between tho grazed plots to -which complete artificial fertilisers had hcen applied and that to which farmyard 'dung l had been applied. The animals had eaten down quite taw that on which artificial manures had tan used, and

had left untouohed the herbage on tho dunged plot. It is clear that in estimating the value of various manures

the quality of the herbage produced must be taken into consideration as yrell as the weight. Tho yield on the farmyard manure plot and that on the complete artificial fertilisers plot Were practically the same, but the stock refused to eat the herbage manured with dung. LOWGAETH DAIRY COMPANY, Some seventeen persons were present at the annual meeting of shareholders in the Lowgarth Co-operative Dairy Company. Mr. B. Booker, chairman of directors, presided. The report and balance-sheet as circulated were adopted, and a resolution recommending that all whey he pasteurised was also carried, Messrs. .1. AYhittinjrton and A. Johnson were elected to lill the vacancies on the directorate, others nominated fo r the positions being Messrs. G. Townsrad and T. Wsiite. Mr. A. Coieman was re-appointed as auditor. An honorai'iuiu oE U.'fO was voted to the chairman, and 'bonuses of ,£5 each to the manager and secretary. At the subsequent directors' meeting Mr. 33. A. Gray was elected chairman of directors.

The .tender of Messrs. Mcnli and Mayes, of Wanganui, has been accepted for the erection of a cheese factory for tiie Xormanby Dairy Factory. The eontract price is about .£1250.

Mr. 11. J. Harris, who has been but-ter-maker at tile Opmiake factory fori the past 14 months, ha< been appointed] factory manager at 'Xuhaka (llawke's Hay), and leaves to-day to take up iiisj new position. The price of liiitler on British nur-j kets next season will depend to some extent on the make in Germany. If Germany, it is declared, has a large make of its own, and will not, in consequence, he able to take big quantities of Siberian, the market prices in England should be maintained at much about their present level. On the other hand, should Germany lie able to take her usual quantity of Siberian during August, September, and October, colonial ibutter will come on to a comparatively 'bare market, meet with a ready sale, and clear from week to week.

What the North requires is experienced men. In the light of knowledge gained during the imincdite past few years in connection with our gum and other so-called "poor lands," it can bo affirmed (says the Auckland Herald) that the whole of the territory desphcil in the past will yet prove to he prolifioally wealth-producing. Superphosphates, basic slag, and newcomers are working wonders. When the fruitgrowers malcc their advent, and the open ti-tree lamb are transformed into a vast orchard on Californian lines —when fruit canneries will rival Imtter factories in nnmher—thou will the people- of the Dominion recognise that the. most valuable territory they possess is that encompassed in the North Auckland peninsula.