FARM & DAIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 November 1915, Page 12 (Supplement)

FARM & DAIRY.

THE HOLSTEIN. A correspondent wlio is a keen admirer if i/ie Holstein wiites to 'I he North British Agriculturist:—The present good trade in fat cattle has given Holstein breeders an opportunity they have been quick to take advantage of to demonstrate the excellent breeding qualities of their animals, and it has come as a surprise to many to discover the readiness with which the Holstein puts on flesh. Several instances are recorded of Holstein bulls sold to the butcher for £SO and upwards during the last few weeks and yearling steers have made up to £4O. Unlike some heavy milking breeds the Holstein kills remarkably well, butchers having expressed their approval of it as an economical animal at the block, the wastage being very small, and the meat of excellent quality and colour. At Commieston Montrose, Mr. Andrew Sponce keeps a purebred Holstein herd entirely for the production of meat, and his beasts grow to an enormous size, and make remarkable prices.. He reports having sold his bull Commieston Champion to make way for his imported Friesland bull, and the price obtained was £56 15s, equal to 078 9d per cvt. Having firmly established itself as a good all-round animal, the Holstein is steadily gaining ground as the dairymen's ideal cow. WORLD'S WHEAT PRODUCTION, The London Grain, Seed and Oil Reporter says that, while there appears no prospect of excessive wheat supplies, there is a probability of a record in the world's crop, given normal conditions. The Reporter says:—"Korth America (the United States and Canada together) promise a materially bigger outturn oven than last year; India has a large quantity to export; and the crop outlook in Russia and Roumania is very much better than in 1914. Willi regard to the influence on the market of good crops in tbe latter two countries, nearly everything depends on whether the opening of the Dardanelles Straits is forced or not. Prices are very much lower than they were two months ago, but they are still appreciably higher than in ordinary years, even after allowing for the fact that freight rates arc considerably higher than the normal, although also much below the inflated level ruling some time back. Wheat values may again be affected, and perhaps to an appreciable extent by freight rates in the coming season; it is generally thought that, when the United States commences shipping new wheat freely, freight rates will advance unless some action be taken by the Government such as has been with steamers chartered from Karachi."

ONE-SIDED FERTILISERS. An agricultural lecturer, in describing certain abuses of artificial fertilisers, pointed out as one of the most flagrant the far too common system of one-sided or incomplete manuring. Many farmers were prone to use only one sort of manure and neglect altogether the other fertilising ingredients which may be us important, or even more important, for the crop or soil in question. As practical instances of the above error, the lecturer quoted the frequent use alone of nitrate of soda, which at first may produce a luxurious growth, but will afterwards refuse to perform its proper function owing to the exhaustion of the natural phosphates and potash in the soil. The withholding of these essential constituents from the.manuriiig often explains the unsatisfactory results obtained from nitrate of soda, which, in consequence, is described as a "scourge" and "stimulant." Another example of a one-sided and futile manuring, often met with, is the use alone of basic slag or superphosphate, say, on grass land. How often does one hear the ljemark that they have applied slag but never seen where it went? The most probable reason, of course, is that in the land in question there was also a lack of potash which required to be artificially supplemented. A winter application of kainit, along with the slag in these cases, would no doubt produce the desired effect. Here the nitrogen element would only be of secondary importance, as the clovers, like other leguminous plants, have the power of extracting it from the atmosphere. Generally speaking, however, it should be remembered that three ingredients are necessary to form a complete plant food — nitrogen, phosphates, and potash, and neither of these should be omitted in the manuring. ROOTING DEPTHS OF PLANTS. A study of the growth and development of the roots of plants is of practical interest. Certain systems of planting and cultivation have been practised because Experience has shown them to be the best, often without the reason being known. Study of the soil and of the roots of plants throws light upon some Of the difficult problems of crop production, and leads to better farming. Wheat and oats do not spread out their roots so far horizontally as do the roots of most other cultivated crops, but penetrate deeper into the soil. Grass is a soil maker and a soil protector. No other crop equals the.perennial grasses in producing such an immense growth of roots in the upper layer of the soil, and the roots of some varieties of grass also penetrate deep, being exceeded in this respect only by . one other class of crop, the perennial legumes. Lucerne is the deepest footing plant of the cultivated crops. It makes only a small fibrous growth of roots in the upper soil, and is almost entirely a .deepfeeding plant. As a soilmaker and improver no other crop equals it, because, in addition to the deep root system opening up the soil and drawing supplies of mineral food from the lower layers, the plant by the assimilation of nitrogen through its roots enriches the soil in this valuable ingredient, and is thus a soil enricher. The study of potato and sugar beet roots suggest the necessity of a deep stirring of the soil in preparing a seed' bed for planting these crops. The root system of the potato indicates that the plant, although requiring a thoroughly cultivated soil, feeds near the surface, while the tap root of the sugar beet penetrates more deeply. Such observations as have been made on the roots of trees seems to indicate that the root systems vary considerably, and the observations may lead to the suggestion that certain trees may be better than others for planting alongside roads and in cultivated fields.

FROZEN MEAT FOR FRANCE. France last year took a shipment of frozen.beef from Uruguay, and it appears that the French dislike of this form of meat has been broken down by war conditions. The meat supplies for the British troop 3 were much mora easily handled than the live herds for the French and the soldiers wen better

served. Paris, therefore, erected a 7000 ton refrigerating store, Dunkirk put up a 5000 ton regrigerating warehouse, and Harve followed with a 7000 tons cold storage, while Brest and Boulogne went 300 tons each of frozen meat per month. The Australian and New Zealand meat export companies jumped at the French market, and the French people now know the flavour of New Zealand lamb and Australian mutton. It may be noted by our beef breeders (says the Cape Times) that the Queensland stockmen prefer the polled Angus to the Shorthorn as it stands the test better than the bulkier Shorthorn. The Shorthorn Cross, however, is also fancied. The necessity for maintaining and even increasing the number of sheep in the United Kingdom, at a time when there is an abnormal demand for meat, is seriously engaging attention at-Home. It has been pointed out that in 1892 the number of sheep in the United Kingdom was 30,042,883, and that in 1914 this had fallen to 27,903,977. For a few years subsequently to 1802 the number alternately fell and rose, until in 1909 there were 31,839,799. By 1913 this had dropped to 27,027,206, a decrease of over 4,000,000. That was the heavy penalty that had to be paid for the drought of 1911, when many thousands of sheep had to be rushed'to the market owing to the want of feed. Xo doubt it was also partly attributable to the heavy imports. In 1812 mutton imports amounted to under two million hundredweights, whereas the total had increased to over five million hundredweights in 1914. The development of crossbreeding for the production of sheep for the butcher is also given as a reason for the decrease of flocks, and it is questioned whether the system of keeping "flying flocks" is I the best that can be adopted in war time, when it is desirable that every | breeding animal should be retained to increase the number of its species. It is, therefore, suggested that move farmers should return to the system of breeding their own sheep, or' extend that modification of the system which consists of reserving the ewe lambs for breeding purposes. The present high prices for wool.and mutton may induce farmers to adopt some course that would result in maintaining stocks, but there is always the danger that the more immediate return for mutton receives first consideration from the sheepowner, and the future is left to look after itself. The position in New Zealand is of little less importance than that in the United Kingdom, and owing to the fact that this season's lambing will be much smaller than usual the question of,the maintainenee of our flocks should receive serious consideration during the year.