FARM AND DAIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 202, 30 September 1909, Page 4

FARM AND DAIRY.

BUSY SEASON M PROSPECT.

Notwithstanding that the dairying service of the Department has been strengthened by the addition of three cxpe-'ts to the Commissioner's staff, it would seem that little will be done tins season in connection with dairy inspection, for which work the division was primarily augmented (says the Wellington Times). The reason is a very gratifying one. It is because of two of the most important movements yet introduced by the Department for the advancement of the dairy industry—the establishment of the model herd-testing association at Carterton and the introduction of the principle of pasteurisation in connection with factory butter, making. The former is probably tha most effective system of dairy inspection which could be devised, for if anything will make a man take a greater interest in dairying it is the searchlight which herd-testing will throw on it, and the possibilities in milk production which it will open up. The services of an expert could not be better occupied than in superintending this valuablo work. It is pleasing to know that th" association is creating the greatest enthusiasm among the men taking part in it. Three or four more farmers have just joined the association. As to pasteurisation in eonnecti.'n with luitter-making, this is a movement which must haw a fur-reaching effect on the butter industry of the Doiuinio.i. Flavor is the great factor in the trade, and pasteurisation will ensure dean flavor i-n tnc export, ami, given clean iness on the farm, should eliminate the oisastrous effect of "fishiness." When the Dairy Commissioner the season betore last persuaded, after much trouble, a factory to take up the principle, it was little contemplated that the principle would make any rapid headway, but the benefit of it, as exemplified by the fact that all the winning butters at the last winter shows were made from pasteurised cream, has been proved to be so striking that factories far and wide are adopting it. The result is that the Dairy Commissioner is unable to meet all the demands on him for instructors by factories taking up pasteurisation for the first time. Not state the inception of the industry has them been such a demand for expert advice by the dairy factories of the Dominion.

The new Wairarapa freezing company will probably purchase a site of five hundred acres at Waingawa for their worki, this land being the property of Mr. Allen.

An instance of the destructivenciss of the hot fly on horses is reported by the Alexandra Herald, whose representative was shown a pod of bote taken from a horse that had died from the disease. There were altogether about one hundred bots in the animal when it was opened after death, and all of these were enclosed in a covering of fles'ay skin. To all appearances the bots resombled a hive of "bees packed closely together. They ware the size of ordinary bees, and clung to the pod so strongly'that force had to be brought to bear to release them from their hold.

Farmers in tho Rongahere district are very bitter over the serious loss they are susLiining through the ravages of deer (slates the Clutha Leader). These animals have now become very numerous on this side of the Blue Mountains, and through scarcity of feed are coming on to the farming land in ever-increasing numbers. One settler declares that he has several acres of young grass whi.di lie wishes to keep for seed, and that he has not the slightest chance of saving a particle of it unless he employs a man with a gun all day and part of the night to watch it from now right on till harvest time. Another settler had ten or twelve acres of turnips; these the deer demolished to such an extent that they were practically not worth turning sheep on to when winter came. The matter has been brougpit befo'c the Acclimatisation Society, which, it U stated, disdains any responsibility, not. withstanding the fact that it derives a revenue of several hundreds a year in the issue of shooting licenses.