FARM AND DAIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 July 1918, Page 118

FARM AND DAIRY.

The estimated export surplus of cereals from Argentina this year is as follows:—Wheat and- flour," 4,000,000 tons; linseed, 600,000 tons; maize, 5.500,000 to 0,000,000 tons; oats, 1,000,000 tons.

"Wine, women, and song," may suit a few in the city who like that sort of life, but kine, swine, and silage go a heap better on the farm where the food of the world is raised and the character of the coming generation is being developed.

, A summary issued by the United States Food Administration shows that oil January 1, 1918, there were 6,300,000 more meat animals than on January 1, 1017. The total number of cattle in'the United States had increased by 1,247,000 head; sheep and lamb 3, l,2&4,OO0; i pigs, 3,781,000. It is estimated by the Government of the United States that from 1,000,000 to 1,475,000 cattle die each year in their country of various diseases, and from 000,000 to 1,500,000 from exposure,, The} are advocating more hand-feeding, wind breaks, and cheap shelter sheds. 4 The Victorian Minister for Lands ha r

itimated that as the supplies of stryehine held by the department for the oisoning of rabbits on Crown lands vould soon be exhausted, and as only imited supplies were available from Europe, land-owners were requested to use other poisons for eradicating the rabbit pest.

According to experiments conducted ai the Hnrper Adams Agricultural College. England, both lime and gas-lime applied up to 10 tons per acre were found to be effective in suppressing sorrel. There appeared to be no additional advantage in a heavier application than the 10 tons. There is every evidence, says the report, that systematic liming is the best means of dealinp with sorrel. Experiments conducted in Germany with seven different kinds of soils extending through tw*o years to determine tho influence of various factors of growth, especially water, on the maximum yield, went to show that the ratio of grain to total yield decreased as the water-supply increased. The nitrogenous content of the crop decreased, while the potash, and especially the phospJiorie acid, increased, with the increase of the water-supply. The Prigorifico Armour de La 'Plata has imported from the United States shipments, of purebred hogs for breeding purpose;. They have imported Duroe Jerseys, Poland Chinas, and Yorkshires. These they are distributing through the country to the '•'estaneieras'' and farmers at cost price in order to help to improve the present breed of hogs. They are also constructing a large hog house, with a capacity for slaughtering and treating 3000 hogs daily, or approximately one million hogs per year. ' Miss Irene M. Lowe, the first woman in Australia to gain the degree of B.Sc. in agriculture, received her degree at the University on April 13. She entered Dookie College for the 12 months of practical work prescribed in the course, and while there she shared with the men students the practical work of the farm, ranging from pig-feeding to driving the binder. Thouah of slight physique, she showed that she was quite able to stand the hard work entailed in farm operations. At present she is 'engaged in the bacteriological school at the university. According to Mr. Holme, of the South African Agricultural Department, there are at least eight million head of cattle in the Union to-day, and their value is estimated at £30,000,000. Assuming that 10 per cent of the cattle is available for disposal each year, representing 300,000 head, and that the consumption of the Union is about 600,000, the annual surplus available for export is approximately 200,000. Valued at £lO per head, that would mean £2,000,000 which South Africa should derive annually from the export of beef.

The United States Bureau of Animal Industry has reared over 25,000 guineapigs on one of its experiment farms, to test the effects of inbreeding. Brother and sister have been mated in each generation, and some families have readied the seventeenth generation. A few strains have run out, but others are as vigorous as ever. There is no general deterioration. One family becomes strong In one respect and weak in another; in a second family, conditions are exactly the reverse. This lends no support to the idea that inbreeding produces degeneracy. Greatly increased production of potash in the United States of America during 101 C is reported by the United States geological survey, which also expressed the belief that the output for 1917 will be much greater. The total production of potash salts and potash products in the United States in 1916 represented about 10,000 short tons ot pure potash, with a net value at point of shipment of at least 3,500,000 dollars figured at the prevailing selling prices. This is ten times the value cf the production reported for 1915, but the figures submitted by many of the producers represent only a start made toward the end of 1910.

Mr. Arthur Goldfinch, 'Director in Great Britain of Raw Materials, has predicted that for many months the shipping programme will not copo with tho estimated maximum requirements of wool. He says there is no difficulty regarding clothing. The wool coming in from the British clip will keep the supplies of crossbred combing wool within safe limits, with small New Zealand assistance, but the stocks of Merino combing wool will not give the requisite margin of safety. The position in this j respect is still less satisfactory, because [France is badly off for combing wools, jand is pressing for British assistance.