FARM AND DAIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 75, 7 July 1910, Page 7

FARM AND DAIRY.

A GENEROUS OFFER.

A TWENTY-AORE EXPERIMENTAL FARM.

We understand (says the Farmers' Union Advocate) that Mr. J. G. Wilson (Dominion President of the New Zealand Farmers' Union) has offered the use, for three or four years, of about twenty acres of land to the Agricultural Department for experimental purposes, and that Mr. Clifton, on behalf of the Department, has accepted the offer. The idea is to maki it a small experimental farm, where a series of experiments with wheat, oats, turnips, clover, etc., will be made. Mr. Baylis, under whose supervision these experiments will be carried out, has not definitely decided as to the scheme yet, but several of tlu new varieties of. oats will be tried, in the midst of a district where rust is very prevalent, and see which proves the most resistant. The season is somewhat late now for winter wheat, but the spring varieties will be grown, so that it will be possible to make a comparison of their qualities when grown under the same conditions. A series of experiments with plots of turnips, to see which is blight resistant and which suit the laud best, is likely to be undertaken.

It is probable that a series of trials as to how a clover crop benefits the ground after grain crops may be tried. Each plot will be distinctly marked off, and a stencilled plate put opposite, so that all information will be seen at a glance. The land is only a few >n; : i<red yards from the Marton Junction railway station, and is a most convenient and central position, and has a good roiid past it, so that anyone interested in the work can see it between trains.

The soil has been drained by the mole Braik, Inspector ojf ISdhools for the Wanganui Board, promises to interest himself in the matter, and take convenient opportunities to bring the High School pupils to see the results. Altogether, the scheme seems one which will get over the want of an' experi* mental farm in the district, and now it has been started it may be the means of inducing others to give the use of conveniently situated lands elsewhere, especially in the South Island, for similar work.

"The Holstein is going to be the dairy cow of the future—as far as the Waira : rapa is concerned, at any rate," remarked a dairy, farmer to a Wairarapa Age representative. "It combines all the qualities essential in a beast for the dairy,, and it must be gratifying indeed to Mr. Coleman Phillips, of South Wairarapa, who is probably the staunchest advocate, in New Zealand of the Holsteins for dairying .purposes, to see that our Wairarapa farmers are at last recognising the valuable qualities possessed by his favoritei breed." Mr. .Phillips, who, iby the way, first introduced the Hoi-: steins to' the Dominion, has just been| elected .president of the liolstein-Fresiuii j Association vof, New Zealand. | The experimental work which the Go-1 vernment is undertaking with a view to; finding a cure for the sickness which has attacked cattle in the country round Ma-! maku, is- being .pushed vigorously. The' Hon. T. Mackenzie, Minister for Agrieul-! ture, informed a reporter that the ex- 1 perimeiits are being supervised by Mr. ! R. J. Reakes, Government Veterinarian, who has the' assistance of Mr. Aston. • Government Chemist (who has already i carried out a series of experiments ofj value) and Mr. Reed, from the laboratory j in tho„ iQutt Valley. Soils taken from! a considerable area will .be tested,' but' the chief experiments will 'be conducted six or seven miles from Mamaku. Set- : tiers are being asked to eo-pperate in experimenting in methods of feeding and handling, stock, and advantage will be taken of the. local knowledge they possess. Sections of from six to eight acres that have, been for some time jn grass are being enclosed and stock placed on them and experiments made in fertilisers, One has; "already been made that has proved of value. The whole work will take a year at least, but officers of the Department are determined to find a ; remedy for bush, sickness if there is one. . L ' _ Some farmers object to covering their cows because of the liability of chill and cold when a change takes .place and the

covers are off. I have used covers for I years, and have 110 difficulty in the dircc- | tion indicated (says "Rus'ticus" in the I Lyttelton Times). On all days, except in rainy or very cold weather, the covers are removed, and although there is not a great deal of shelter in the cow paddock the cows keep healthy and well. In fact, they thrive all the better with covers at night time and in rainy weather, and look well all the winter. It is not a good plan to leave the rugs on all the winter night and day, as is sometimes done. Skin troubles are likely to arise, and the animals do not "feel the good" of the rag when an extra cold time comes. It is thought by some that grooming must 'be done if the cows are covered. That is by no means the case, The cows will keep quite clean and healthy if the nigs are removed each line morning and replaced each evening. Much has been done in the (past in New Zealand to encourage poulrty-rais-ing for export, but it is not taken up here with the enthusiasm it is in other countries.' Mr. D. D.Hyde, of Paraparaumu (late Chief Poultry Expert for the Government), has received a letter from a friend who is travelling in America, in which he states: "Fancy a town (Peta-. luma) of 10,000 population, with nothing but .poultry raised for a distance of ten miles all round. I saw more birds here than I ever dreamed of. Several farms keep 5000 to 20,000 layers. Saw one ■hatchery raising 10,000 day-old chicks, all the year round, every week. Had over 30 incubators working, each 2000-egg capacity—hard to realise, but just is. . . . On the Kellestrass farm I saw the £2OOO lien, 'Peggy,' and the pen which bring lOdol. each egg for setting. The poultrymen take some beating in the advertising line. . . . But New Zealand birds are good enough for me." The Writer also refers to some new experiments in brooder houses, which if successful, he thinks will revolutionise chickraisinsr, but up till the time of writing j he was satisfied that the method adopted ; at Paraparaumu had yet to be beaten. According to the correspondent, Mr. i Hyde's reputation as .a breeder and ex-1 pert is well known in the States. I Lately correspondence has been appearing in the Napier ,papers complaining of i the small .prices received for lambs when compared with the figures ruling at Addington. Among! other reasons for the difference in price Nelson Bros, say:

"About quality: Hawke's Bay has no lamb equal to "best Canterbury (though Canterbury hais many lambs no better than ours"), and will not have for the next twenty years. The reason why is that we have'not the right ewe for the job. Let every sheep-farmer take this assertion to heart."