PRACTICAL FARMERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 September 1922, Page 12

PRACTICAL FARMERS.

SUBSIDIARY INDUSTRIES. From the very nature of its climatic conditions, suitability of soil, abundance of water and convenient geographical position. Taranaki is admirably suited for all kinds of agricultural pursuits. Indeed, the province may be regarded as the dominent district in a wonderfully fertile Dominion. Each spring sees new land broken up. and existing holdings improved, but. while every endeavor should be made by dairy farmers to better their herds and increase their carrying capacity, there are many subsidiary industries, often overlooked, which, if correctly developed, may return to the careful farmer a remuneration almost equal to his total factory cheques. Moreover, the amount of land required would in no way handicap the operations of the average Taranaki farm. INTENSE CULTIVATION. To those who may be contemplating an expansion of their activities in this direction a visit to the model farm of Mr. Edward Hunt, of Spotswood, four miles south-west of New Plymouth, will well repay the time required, for here the fruits of one man’s labor are strikingly demonstrated. The most progressive of farmers may learn much from this object lesson in intense cultivation. With the able assistance of his wife arid daughter, Mr. Hunt has built up an assured and comfortable income by the judicious combination of fruit and poultry. The farm itself comprises just four and a quarter acres, subdivided into eleven enclosures, each of which is entirely surrounded by close growing, carefully clipped hedges, ranging in height from 15 to 20 feet. Access is gained from a central path, which also divides the farm into halves and lends to convenient working. A commodious shed, snugly built and recently whitewashed. contains five incubators of 100, 120, 280, 280, and 380 eggs capacity, so arranged that incubation is going on all the time, and an even batch of about 300 chicks are hatched each week. Chicks are housed for the three first days of their lives in specially constructed brooders, fitted with a double floor below which a lamp is always burning. Heat is conveyed to the brooder by means cf a perforated funnel, over which a circular cover, about three feet in diameter is placed, so that by moving from the warmest part, the centre, towards the circumference, the chicks <ran experience whatever degree of heat they find most comfortable. On frostfv mornings the platoon are to be observed in close -formation round the funnel, while in warmer weather they deploy along the edge. In conjunction with the brooTlers a six foot square run over a board floor covered with litter allows exercise, and suggests picking and scratching. When three weeks old the chicks are transferred to another run on the ground, then into a cold brooder. To avoid the tendency of crowding into corners of the sleeping apartment, a shelf is sloped from about a foot high in front to floor level behind. During the daytime this shelf is removed, exposing the whole of the box to the cleansing influence of sun and air. Al l the birds on th ; s farm are purebred. their pedigrees being- ascertained from a numbered ring encircling the left leg. No hens are permitted to reside on the farm after reaching their third year, and breeders are selected from the demure two-year-olds. Four breeding pens are occupied. An ingenious arrangement of feeding gives exercise to the birds as well as ensuring a regular supply of food. The trough is situated about three feet above the ground, and the food, a mixture of chopped. lucerne, bran, dried blood and linseed meal is placed in hoppers, which automatically replenish the trough. Water and shell grit are also placed so that the fowl must exercise to reach them. Green stuff is fed twice a day. FRUIT TREES. To the west of the breeding enclosure a quarter acre was tastefully laid out with vegetables and trees. Two rows of apple trees grown on the espalier system gave promise of an enormous cr oPLast year Mr. Hunt made between £8 and £lO from his passion fruit, which are grown in rows 3 feet apart over wires stretched the length of each row. Ripe fruit were picked early in February. and are still to be gathered. Behind the passion fruit a plantation or guavas was just forming its fruit. No. 1 apple orchard was placed to the east of the first enclosure. Here last year s pullets roam at will, and have proved a first rate means of combatting injurious grubs, moths, Mr. Hunt usually rears 400 pullets, and sells about 700 dav old chicks each season. The upper end of this orchard is a paradise for Indian Runner cftjcks. Next in order. No. 2 orchard, was one mass of blossoms from - early plum trees. Here the very choicest breeders casually preen themselves and wonder idly whether the scurrying fallen blossoms that cover the ground are not really specks of snow. A division of apples and pears is to be noticed in the nex-t section. Some of the pears nave also been treated on the espalier system. and all show recent pruning preparatory to bearing. Between the trees ’ grass lias been cut for hay. Older clucks are graded here and selections made. The two end paddock* are both pasture. ■ One is occupied by a nuggety looking | mare, and the other described by a | visitinsr farmer as the best paddock m j Taranaki, showed a growth of ordinary ■ nasture grass fully six inches high. 'Such is the value'of poultry manure, (which is used exclusivelv for cropping, little, if any, being bought outside. Adjoining this miniature paddock is another one of equal size laid down in cocksfoot and clovers. Then comes a beautiful patch of lucerne, already nea’!ly two feet high and very even. Pus j was sown in drills, and is cultivated I each winter. Another later- sown qua'rI tor-acre of lucerne looked even bettor. ( and a shade deeper in color. Several : rows of silver beet disputed possession along one side, and was grown for green food. Nearer the house potatoes were 1 just being planted. The surrounding;: of ■ the house were tastefully laid out in ’ shrubs, tree ferns, and cabbage trees, while /mall fruits appeared shyly between uiedges. Shelter is an outstanding feature. Where every inch is cultivated. Mr. Hunt does not grudge space for his numerous hedges, whose value he “ recognised years ago and planted ac- ! cordinglv. REMARKS. Packed with the distinction of being ■ p nV - the onlv original settler in Spotsr v-ond. Mr. Hunt has built up a large nl i+s : de connection. Many of his pre*apnf customers have been receiving egg* an d fruit with continued satisfaction for

as long as seven years. He keeps only white leghorns, and even goes as far afield as Australia for fresh stock. A late importation, which cost a considerable sum, was pointed out as being a full brother to Lady Constance, the world’s champion egg layer, owned in Australia. These numerous hens, while creating plenty of noise, attend strictly to business, and the happy owner is gathering an average of 2SO dozen eggs each week, the lowest on record being GO dozen, one cold wet week -in mid winter. When one considers that all the work of attending incubators, feeding, managing and caring for chicks, mating, selecting and culling grown birds, in addition to cropping, cultivating. ploughing, sowing, pruning and doctoring is all accomplished by a family of three, one realises that even small holdings such as this can find employment and produce returns that compare favorably with areas twenty times as lar/6*