FARM AND DAIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 252, 3 April 1915, Page 6

FARM AND DAIRY.

COW-TESTINC,

-MAXGQIIEI COW-TEST .•;« ASSOCIATION

J Following are the details of the Mangorei Cow-testing for tlio period ending March 2'4, 1015:

LUCERNE,

NOTES,

SOAIE HL'AKL'BA EXPERIEXC

It is estimated that the (Jlenmark I estate will be thrown opi'n tor .selection I about JUay (says tiu;* CariatcimreU. I'l'ress). I

Xo mora convincing demonstration of the_ value c/ lucerne tu a drought-re-sisting forage could ijt: provided tlian that allorded by the liuakura Farm of Instruction th.s season (says the current number of the Journal of Agriculture). A useful ram had not (been experienced from July -21 and 25 to' January 2!). Light showers bad eerLainly fallen in tin's long interim, but they had practically no oluct cn the pareued soil, tli e moisture being rapidly dissipated by the drying- winds which invariably followed. The pastures, even in the usual period of maximum growth — ( the spring months of the year—were of ■ poor fei'ding value, and wi'lji the advent i of summer they became of compara-l tively little use for the maintenance of stock. The nine acres of lucerne which the farm fortunately pos-ed proved an' eflective substitute for the burnt-up pas- |- lures. For about live months 150 lieai of stock, of which eighty were milking' cattle, were-kept in a profitable cond:-, tion by feeding out the lucerne, which '■ flourished under th e unprecedented con- ■ ditions. But for this the reserves of) chaff would i.ave had to be drawn upon, j As it was, the drought had little appre-' ciable ell'ect on the proiit-carning power of the stock. In addition to the dairy I herds, young cattle and pigs have been fed on the lucerne with th e very best results, wTfiTe cliafl'ed lucerne has"represented a third of the morning mash for the poultry and provided J-'ieen food for the birds throughout the day. The poultry supply is taken from a nourishing lot on tiie poultry section, a plot which, like the field areas of lucerne, j lias laughed at the drought. t

|' A feature of the stock ?ales hoUT~in | Pahiatua t-liat past month lias /.been the big jardmgs of sliuop. It is ji estimated by the representative of a I loeal stock iirm t : iat 4j,oiX> sheep liave I'passed through its yards.

| Mr. Georg e Mulligan, of Barfield, Ash- ■ burton district, recently had thrashed 'out an area of 15)5 acres of pearl wheat, 'which gave an average of oS'/j bushels 'per acre (says the i'r=ss). Tli e tolal 'yield of wheat on his farm has hcen •3000 bushels more than lie anticipated 'early ill fc'ic season.

Past progress is being made in fruitgrowing in the Nelson district. During the last three years (says an exchange), over 3000 acres have Ik'en planted in ! trees, consisting of 500,000 apples, -27,000 : pears and 12,000 stone fruits. Exports ' have risen from IS,OCO eases in 1912 to 33,C00 eases in 1913, and to 00,000 cases in 1014.

The poorest poison of the nursery of the Kuakura Farm of Instruction, where it was always difficult to control couch' was sown thickly) last autumn with barley anil horse-beans. This was dug in durilng the car'.y spring. At the present time it is growing crops of beans and peas which arc exhibiting a richercolored fo.l'iage and iiner development than crops growing in other sections or the nursery. Obivouslv this is principally du ( . to the. moist condition of, the soil brought about by the heavy green manuring, which effectively prevented the soil being dried up by the! prolonged period o- dry weather.

I Th e Kuakura appreciation of lucerne j is indicated by the fact that the area j being devoted to lucerne lias been j increased from nine to 2ii acres. At' the present time the crop of the final nine acre:) is just showing ui) in the, finely-worked seed J 'bed. I Oil the principal lucerne-liekl— land reclaimed from a poor kahi katea swamp ] a harsh pipe-clay quite devoid of humus ; —one small portion was found to be j not doing so well as the main area.f After the fourth cut llful been taken oil i the fielf.l tiifl weeil-enulicaor was taken f \ ovc-r the fft'ilk patch finiv times. ton 1;jug up tlie weeds ami disturDing tue lucerne. Within a fortnight—rain hav-' ing been experienced m the meantime—) tlie effect was almost magical,' a fine clean growth having eom u away, making it difficult to believe that a few week's ■before weeds were lighting 1 for possession of the soil. With suc'i a demonstration as this be-' lore them it is dill'icult to understand i why fanners, especially in districts "subjected to dry spells, do not grow lucerne. : If the plant does require a soil sweet- : j ened by lime, and possibly made more | suitable for th e purpose by the addition of inoculated soil, free of weeds, and ■ demands special cure in its initial stages of growth, the crop is a permanent one, 1 furnishing a practically constant supply of the highest quality of feeding matc- ! rial of special value when pastures and other crops fail. 'Where the abundance of green feed which lucerne will furnish is not required at the time it may be converted into hay, and lucerne pro- ! vides the best-known material for this 1 purpose; or it may'be madejnto silage./ In this case it is advisable ; to use some 1 dry material wit'i the lucerne—ordin- '< ary meadow-grass, or such a crop as ;1 maize at a stage Hearing maturity, i] Thus, the farmer having a good iuccnie ,1 field may always have green food for 1 Ilia stock, and a supply of either the f best of all hay or silage, making him 1 quite _ independent of adverse weather < conditions. : j

It is estimated, says a Canadian agricultural authority, that it cost from £2O to £25, counting in risk and everything, to raise a draught cold up to tv-'o years of ago. After that time lie can be broken to harness and will pay foi himself until lie reaches the marktft age. At present horses arc so scarce that four-year-olds, and even three-year-old if up to size, will sell from £&) to £lO per pair, and if of, cxtl'a quality cor sideraMy This is certainly 'splendid return, and shows that hors breeui"? can, even under ordinary cot ditions,°bc made just a3 profitable as an; other line of farm bus'ness.

Writes the Opunake Times:—At tin. 'meeting of farmers in connection wit":, the Farmers' Co-operative Freezing Works, a good deal of jocularity was played off at the expense of the Pate.i I river as an outlet for shipping facilities . —of course with New Plymouth partisans. Without being biased wo hold 'the opinion that the march of science has demonstrated that if a harbor was wanted at the foot of Mt. Egmont, it 'could be built, provided of course the dollars were found. But tlje point we wish to emphasise is that the farmers in this district have not appreciated the benefits due to the erection of the I'atea works and particularly the chairman. We ask what was the price of old bulls and cull cows before Patea operated. Practically the hide value! What is the value now? Anything fro'n £5 to .£l2, according to the weight of the animal. When Patea ceased buying 'during the re-creetio n of their works, there was a noticeable slackness in the price of stock it did not pay the farmer to keep. Another important point is that the Patea works found a market for this class of meat. It does not mattin' to the vendor if it is exported for cat's meat. It is the price the vendor is concerned about. If New Plymouth

A field on the Moumahaki Experimental Farm which is tho admiration of visitors this season is a 15-acre block of lucerne growing oil one of the higher undulating portions of the property. 1 Established in November of 1913, it is now the best money-making proposition on the farm. In the beginning of 'December the first cut was made for hay, the measured stock indicating 35 tons capacity. The second cut was obtained on January 2i>, when about 40 tons of hay were secured. Two more cuttings for .hay could be probably secured this season,, but owing to the dry spell the lucerne was being used in a green state.

'and other ports were, more suitable places for the outlet of this export they would be blamed for dilatoriness in ne'glecting the opportunities and Patea respected for business acumen. Even if the capital invested by farmers in the Patea works went up in smoke to-ninr-row, they would not be losers, as they have already received it back in increased values o„ stock. Our remarks are not to be misunderstood as favring l atea as against New Plymouth harbor, •ut. a simple admiration .if the Patea Freezing Company directors for the good ■work done in the interests of the farming community.

llcrd Averages. Highest Iiuliv. yield i Lowest Indiv. -yield for montl for month No.cows Tost Fat, 11) Milk lb Test Fat, lb .Milk, lb Test Fat, lb 10 . 47) 4.8 22.85 705 5.3 37.30 225 5.0 11.25 46 492 4.4 24.30 045 4.o 29.07 150 4.3 0.45 ■20 (>23 4.9 30.72 ■OIK) 5.0 3S.04 555 3.8 21,09 50 584 4.2 24.72 990 4.4 43.5(1 150 4 1 0.15 30 (ill 4.2 •20.10 900 4.0 38.40 15.) 5.5 8.25 Hi 503 4.2 21.22 750 3.8 28.50 315 3.7 11.05 13 544 4.0 25.00 945 4.5 42.52 345 5.2 17.94 2 COO ■4.2 29.18 1155 4.1 47.35 225 4.9 ' 11.02 30 502 5.3 20.155 090 5.7 39.33 330 5.2 17.10 24 452 5.0 2282 750 4.0 34.50 27-.) 5.2 14.04 21) 441 4.5 20.19 coo 5.0 30.00 210 5.7 11.9/ 20 .538 4.4 23.80 705 4.7 35.95 390 4.0 15.<iO 23 547 4.2 23.05 1020 4.2 42.S4 240 43 10.32 ■ SO 403 4.0 21.55 550 5.0 27.75 270 5.2 11.04 50 597 4.1 24.90 810 4.0 37.20 315 4.3 13,54 IS 44!) 4.5 20.29 015 4.0 28 .29 270 4.0 12.42 27 484 4.8 23.55 705 4.S 33.84 225 5,0 11.25 14 573 4.8 27.55 1050 4.5 47.25 405 4.3 19.99 13 603 41 24.82 840 4.4 3li.Di> 105 5.5 0.07 1!) 445 4.4 19.05 510 5.5 2S.05 339 4.3 14.19 30 558 4.4 25.0S 930 3.7 34.41 420 4.1 17.22 lii 437 4.7 20.77 570 4.9 27.93 3il0 4.4 13.20 24 5S0 4.5 20.40 735 4.9 30.01 315 4.9 15.43 12 498 4.5 23.50 030 5.1 32.13 345 4.1 14.14 23 093 4.4 30.59 810 5.2 43..08 330 5.0 18,'1'S Best cow . 105!) 4.5 47.25 Worst cow 150 4.1 fi.15 Best herd 023 4.9 S0.72 Worst lierd 445 4.4 19.05 Average Assn. cow ... 537 4.5 24.25