FARM AND DAIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 190, 20 January 1915, Page 6

FARM AND DAIRY.

COW-TESTING. Vi ::ST COAST ASSOCIATION" KE- ; suLTa. I The following an: results obtaiued by the above Association for the quarter ending, December 29 last:— Highest individual cow, ISOOlbs milk, 4.0 test, 72.0U11)s buttc.v-fat; lowest individual cow, HOOIbs milk, a.4 test, 10.2111hs butter fat; highest average herd, 11U7. |j His milk, 3.9 test, +2.(lßlbs butler-fat; lowest average herd, 58U.51bs milk. :!.80 test, 22.Slibr, butter-fat. i The live highest cows ranged from ISOOlbs milk, -1.0 test, 72.1)1)1bs butterfat to lOSOlbs milk, 4.8 test, 31.841bs of butter-fat; live lowest cows ranged from HOOlbs milk, 3.4 test, 10.201bs of butterfat to 3901 bs milk, 3.4 test, 13.20'1bs of butter-fat. The five highest herds ranged from 1107.01bs mi1k,3.8 test, 42.08 ibs of but-ter-fat to 7221bs milk, 4.fl test, 33.2211)8 of butter-fat; the five lowest herds from oSG.'olbs milk, 3.8!) test, 22.511bs of but-ter-fat; to GB4lbs milk, 3,77 test, 25.781bs butter-fat. XEWS AND NOTES. Many farmers in the Wairarapa, who have never previously done any cropping, have this year grown fairly large areas of wheat. The crops in most cases are very satisfactory. Another rise in the price of factory butter is about to be made at Pahiatua. A prominent dairyman lias expressed the opinion that he would not lie surprised if butter did go up to Is lid and Is Sd next winter. The London dairy produce market reports are very en- } couraging for the dairy farmer. Several of the suppliers to the Ballance Co-operative Uairv Company received big cheque.; recently for butter fat supplied dnri:ig the 'month. One dairy farmer a cheque of over £3OO, and two others for £2OO each. A number received amounts for .£IOO. Tiie Company had a record pay-out, totalling considerably over xSO(M). An excellent growth of grass is to be found (says the llataura Ensign) on the tailings from the gold dredges in the Waikaka and Waimumu Valleys and stock depastured in those places are looking particularly well A dredge which has obtained 30oz. per week from the land lias circulated in th<» vicinity an equivalent of £4BO per month in bullion. An ordinary dredge turns over on the average about an acre per month, and thus we have bullion to the value of £4BO per acre from a considerable extent of the dredged land in the Waikaka Valley. The amount of gold obtained by dredging from the Waikaka Valley and the Little Waikaka Valley will never be known, for many of the companies were private concerns; but it is interesting to learn that the Little Waikaka Valley alone it is estimated that £250,000 worth of gold lias bee*i secured. When regrets are expressed for the devastation of the Very rich agricultural land in the Waikaka Valley, it is therefroe. well to remember that a considerable area of it was swam]), and that from many acres of it approximately £SOO worth of solid gold has been obtained and circulated in the community. The same remarks to some extent apply to the. Waiwaia, Waimurmi, and Charlton Valleys. ,