FARM AND DAIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 204, 2 October 1909, Page 6

FARM AND DAIRY.

Writes "Rusticus" in the Hawera Star:—Jfcw milking-sheds, alterations for machines, concreting, and so forth continue in busy operation throughout the district. While conversing with a farmer from Waimate Plains waril, who shows wisdom in both the practice and theory of mixed farming and dairying, he mentioned one or two matters useful for consideration. In laying down a concrete floor in a milking-shed, or for that matter any place where wooden uprights had to he inserted for divisions, hails, and what not, there were many people who paid little heed to the description of timber used. In number of instances easily perishable material is employed, and, of course, the trouble of reinstatement requires no description. My informant stated that he had used black miri for the several purposes, and xpressed little apprehension of the following generation or two having to renew them. Miri is found to be tile most plentiful, and thrives in the poorer soils. Near the base of Mount Egmont it is exceptionally plentiful, and instances of its reaching the diameter of three feet and upwards is not uncommon. One of the hardest woods in the world, it proves a stern foe to the best of steels (when dry). The durable qualities of this wood can scarcely be over-esti-mated, while for bearings of machinery or any purpose where resistance from friction is a necessary virtue it may be chosen in preference to many metals.

A Manaia dairy fanner informed "Rusticus" last week that several miik depots were receiving a hundred per cent, more milk than at the corresponding time of last year. During a recent interview one of the district's original proprietors of a machine mentioned that machine-milked herds continued milking much longer than those treated by the hand process, and he added that he had even found a difficulty in ''drying off" many of them since the installation of his milkingmachine.

The modern cow is the marvel of the twentieth century.

The development of competent dairymen is just as important as the development of cows.

At present there are only four breeds of special-purpose dairy cattle, all others of special-purpose dairy cattle; all others are merely novelties."

Many milkers arc spoiled by being allowed td dry off when they hud been in milk about five months.

Farm animals arc produced for specific purposes, and the dairy cow is by 110 means an exception to the rule.

A heifer should not he leg-roped if it could be iiToided; 1!) out of 20 would never need it if gently handled. When cows are capable of producing over their weight in butter annually it is certainly a wonderful performance. The special dairy cow is not necessarily delicate of constitution, but :s highly sensitive to uncomfortable surroundings. The thing to aim at is profit, and tliis is best secured by having cows good for milk and flesh and feeding them generously.

Adult bantams do well on the scraps from the house, cut up into small pieces, and a little grain, such as wheat, oats, and barley. The scraps musl not be given in a wet and sloppy stale, or the beautiful plumage will 'become soiled and the run made damp and dirt v. If the food is varied as much as po'ssible bantams will be all the better for it. Grit and • green food must not be forgotten.

Mr. IJarkness, who liae just returned from .a visit to Australia, found In both New South Wales and Victoria that the lug co-operative factory associations have thorough control of the consignment trade. The associations are confident of ultimately bringing all the .->ooperalive factories into line. The principle they follow, and to which thev are thoroughly loyal, is selling solel'v 011 consignment under the direct supervision of their own officer on the London market. The Australians, Mr. Ilarkncss found, itte looking forward to a phenomenal season. They expect a record yield of milk and remunerative prices. The output should prove vcrv much greater than that of last year, given, of course, .freedom of the country from drought.