FARM AND DAIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 221, 18 March 1914, Page 3

FARM AND DAIRY.

DAIKYIN'G IX GERMANY.' During 'the last decade . dairying in Germany,- thanks to the constant extension and improvement of cattle keeping, has developed to ; s.ii£,h an extent that the yearly production of riii'lk is now worth about £150,000,000 in round numbers, and is consequently superior in value to the brcads'tufl's, Which in 1909 amounted to. £141,000,00.0. , Notwithstanding the extraordinary increase of milk producI tion, it has not been able quite to keep pace with the rapid increase of population, which i 3, iii round numbers. 900,000per annum. For whilst in 1871 the German Empire' had an excess of dairy products, and' exported about £1,012,000 worth, since 1890 it has been" obliged every year to import increasing quantities, from abroad in order- to meet demands. In 1912 the excess «f importation amounted alread" to £9,617,650, or 6.5 per cent, of the home production. The number of cows at present existing in Germany is, in round numbers, 11,000,000. If the average milk yield per cow be taken at 50C gallons per annum, the total amount of milk produced'every year is about 5,566,000,000 gallons. In the large towns the daily consumption : of milk per inhabitant ranges from 0.39 to 0.72 pints per day. In the smaller towns the consumption is greater, and in the country it is still more so. On an average 0.79 pint per day per head may be taken, or 36.8 <*ailons per aamum. :■ With a, population of 67,000,000, in round numbers, this amounts to a consumption of 2,417,000,000 gallons, wbich is 43 per cent, of the whole quantity of 1 milk produced. If it be further assumed on. the strength of careful calculation that the rearing and fattening of calves absorbs 445,000,000, gallons, or 8 Tier 1 cent, of the milk produced, it is evident that at present only about 49 per cent, remains for the of butter and cheese.

A BOOM IN PIGS: ACTIVITY IN THE WAIKATO. The splendid prices which have ruled for pork and bacon pigs during the present season has led to a great demand for weaners and young pif*s generally, and high prices for such ha 3 been the order (writes the Auckland Herald's Lower Waikato correspondent). Local breeders have not been able to suppl" the demand, and orders have had to be fulfilled by supplies from outside sources. When the demand! was at its greatest, many dairymen found, to their dismay, that orders could not he executed either by local or outside markets, and, in consequences, they have been unable to produce all th bacon which their output of milk would have maintained. In consequence of the shortage of supplies, which was alßo a pronounced factor two seasons back, many small dairy farmers who have not hitherto gone in for the breeding of pigs, have i.ow determined to engage in this branch of farming, and a large number of the best breeds of sows have latelv been obtained from the South Island and other centres for breeding purposes next season.

NEWS AND NOTES. A noticeable feature of the harvest this year in the Tokomairiro and surrounding districts (accordng to the Dunedin Star) has been the number of respectably-dressed -ounc fellows offering for this class or work. Whether it is that the experience in pa.st seasons lias compelled farmers to evolve a selfreliant system whereby they mutually help each other, or that there is no truth in the perennial cry for farm labor that is heard so much of about election time, the fact remains that not one per cent, of the men offering this year were able to find employment, even of the most temporary nature. ~~ Fanners are getting 1 confirmation of the advantages of lucerne as a fodder crop in dry weather. Mr. H. Batten, of Tokaora (3ays the Ha worn Star), has a fine paddock of it, and notwitlistandi"" the dryness of the present season, it is as beautifully green as if it were a spring crop. The re-frrowth after cutting is also reported to be highly satisfactory.. . According to the Nelson Colonist, although a number of the hop crops are light, yet nevertheless some of the pickers are making excellent scores. Several are picking fiO bushels a day, and one girl has reached as high as 70 bushels. In one garden of only nine bins the pickers have gathered 350 bushels for the day, which makes for each an excellent average. The gardens are being stripped fairlv quickly, and it is thought that the end of the month will see the great hulk of the picking over, although it will take some of the growers all their time to get finished by'that date. Mr. 6. Hawken. while speaking at the monthly meetinc of the Emnont A. and P. Association on Saturday, remarked that one of the growths which destroyed the usefulness of the countrv vrae t!he common fern. It has caused the loss of millions of pounds to fanners on the hills in the back country of New Zealand, and he considered the (rove"ment might conduct experiments with a view to the destruction of the fern. Tt was decided that the subject should be brought before the conference of A. and P. Societies to be held in Hawera on j April 6, to consider questions to submit to the Board of Agriculture.—Star.