FARM AND DAIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVIII, Issue 288, 14 May 1915, Page 2

FARM AND DAIRY.

S 'THE ALTO MIUvIXI! .MACUCxii. Ju these davs of labor troubles every dairy farmer knows the value of a, good milking phi.nl, but moat fanners know, aiso, their limitations, notwithstanding »ll t'iio. improvements that'are being add- . J .:»>• by d:iy. The. mechanical genius i:;i, lackml the practical experience of | Ihe dtiiry farmer; tin; practical dairy fanner lias not been able to convey to the mechanic his exact impressions of what is ivi(Hired in a practical milking machine. ft has remained for a Taranaki dairy farmer, who fortunately iiad a training in mechanics, to blend the tiro, and after Real's of thought, .study and experiment, to produce a machine which is practical, simple, ami in action approaches more nearly to the natural action of tiie caii". 'I he '"Auto'' milking machine is the creation of two T(iranaki dairy farmers, designed especially for Taranaki conditions, where, there is such a tremendous Hush of milk that a specially designed niiieliine is necessary to take it away quickly. It is claimed that the "Auto" is the only machine whose specially adapted pulsator, with it; long pull, is equal to these conditions. Most machines are designed for normal conditions, hut the Auto has been designed for Taranaki conditions. At the same time, it must he clearly understood that it wiil work equally satisfactory under the. normal conditions which exist, in other 'place.s. The inventors of tiie Auto, as practical dairy fanners, were never satislied with the kind of pstVator 'fitted to most machines; it was too mechanical in • its action; and was too intricate to take to pieces and clean. They set to work to overcome both those .diflieultios, and tile}' claim that they have succeeded. They claim that they have produced a- pulsator which, in action, approaches the natural sucking of the calf or the hand action of a good milker, and in mechanical coilsi ruction is so simple that it can, be taken to pieces and cleaned in a few minutes, consequently is more adapted to the practical farmer's ordinary routine of work. The teat cup, too, is a feature in the Auto plant. To do its work i's it rhiiuM be (lone, the cup should Kiive. the teat in a silky, soft and wet condition, but it must also stop on. the cow until it is ready to be taken o!f; it. must not. for instance, be shaken oIV by young licifei's. These features are all claimed for the Auto teat cup. As the name implies, the "Auto" id an automatic plant throughout—automatic pulsator, automatic conveyor—in fact, tliere is no mechanical diliiculty about the whole plant. Any power which Will create a vacuum—water, electricity 01' motor—will do equally well to drive it, and it is claimed that it. is such a plant as could only have been created by a practical}- dairy farmer after years of experience—a plant which, the inventors sav, will enable the farmer to enjoy himself. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile '.Agency Co. are the agents, and either backet or ovovlii'jkl plants can be supplied. It may here be mentioned that an overhead 'pulsator has been specially designed with a view to coping with the big (lush of mill: alwavs experienced in Taranaki. The Auto has bci n placed on the market only after a long and searching test, and as it embodies the features considered essential by practical dairy farmers of long experience, it should at least receive en refill consideration.

THE WORLD'S CROP PROSPECT)}. The International Institute of Agriculture has published statistics of the) world's coming crop of wheat, lmrieyj rye, maize, and. oats, which have a particular interest at the present time on account of the war. Compiled from ollicial data supplied by each country, tlle.se figures show that the production of wheat in the whole world in 1014-15 will be 1,004,000,000 quintals (a quintal is 220.401b5). This ,is equivalent to 91, as expressed in the scale adopted 'by the institute, in which 120 is the maximum. The ligures for rye show 442,000,000 quintals; for barley, 305,000,000 'quintals; for oats, 025,000,000 quintals, and for maize, 1137,000,000 quintals. The production of wheat for 11)14-15 ,">vill exceed by 30,000,00!) quintals the average consumption of the past five years. Bye this year will exceed the average consumption for live years by 2,000,000 quintals, and maize" will be 41,l>00;000 quintals in excess of the same average. The production of barley will average consumption of the 'last five years, and the production of oats will be 17,000,000 quintals less,

-N'KWti A.XD NOTES. Cream while ripening must be stirred twice daily iu order to ensure a uniform ripening throughout. Jf two or more lots of cream tiro to be mixed together tl'is should take place hours before churning, or the butter may not be of uniform quality. Tlie state of the cream at the time of churning affects the quality of the butter to a great extent.

The Journal' of Agriculture says: Those desiring to try prairie grass, which is highly recommended for 'winter and spring feed, are advised to see that the germination of the seed is satisfactory. Owing to the very limited amount of this seed produced during the past two seasons there is a considerable quantity of 11)1:2 seed being offered. Tile germination power of this is very low, and disappointing results must accrue from its use.

I'ancy prices,(says the Chemical Trade. Journal) are being quoted for 'Telincd" nitrate of soda u.-.ed in the manufacture of explosives—now, alas! in such demand tor lethal progress; but the position can only be described as chaotic. The Chilian lertiliser .should, nt all events be cheap in Kngland, as .scores of cargoes destined lor Germany will be seized" as contraband of war, ' and be towed into britisli ports.

Muslin cloths are of no use for remoMiig the extraneous matter from milk. .Most of the foreign matter in milk is part'v dissolved or in too tine a state to be extrneied by means of a ';!i;th It is advisable to use a. milk iilicr having a piece of sierilisod cotton wool between two metal gauze discs of n "I-';'! Tl ' is is il I ll "tvpe of i" a! »l very largely used by tanners. " ' '

Helgium has been denuded, of its famous breed of draught horses by Cermauy, not, merely for niilifai'v use but to raise money to help to Cll „. v 011 tll „ W!1 Outober 27 and 2S 'last 100 young' horses of the breed vilnndered trom Belgian farmers, were sold bv anc- , " at '-'"'"""e by order of the O'ernmn .(.venm.ent. These horses, accordine' to an Olbcial advertisement in a ficr»'«'i piiper, were I mbliclv offered as "I loot V. '