RURAL TOPICS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9167, 15 August 1908, Page 6

RURAL TOPICS.

(By "Agricola.") THE WEATHER. During the last week the temperature has been much milder and spring like. Some frosts have been ] ■experienced, and the weather was showery during 'luesday and Wednesday, the last few days a greit deal of snow has melted off the Tararua Ranges. There is now a very appreciable growth in the grass and

cropi, and early planted vegetable seeds are showing signs of life. On the whole, the weather is very suitable for lambing, and there are good grounds to think that there will be a record increase this season. Satisfactory reports concerning the condition of sheep continue to come to hand, though in many instances cattle are in a very pjor and low state. CONCERNING DAIRY COWS. It is very commonly asserted that if a cow does not come to hor full milking power within about a month of calving, she is most likely never to do so. Some experts say that the maximum yield may not be reached until some days later, and that a decline then sets in which no amount of feeding can prevent. The greatest rise in the milk takes place within the first four to six weeks with all cows, no matter what season of the year they may calve. It is also asserted that the milk glands, after a rest, require a certain period to get into full pL\y and working order, and theretovu. the milk yield gradually increases till the maximum is reached. Naturally, the milk supply is very largely identical with the greatest growth ot grass. It is often thought that a bountiful and rich supply of food was the cause altogether of a big flow of milk. But dairymen, who have kept accurate records of their milking herds at all times of the year, are aware that there is a natural rise and fall in the quantity of milk given by a cow, independent nf | food or time of year. But as the milk is dependent upon food, it is not likely that a very great rise in the yield will accrue unless a plentiful supply of suitable fodder is given. It would, therefore, seem wise, as soon as the calving stage is over, and all risk from milk fever past, to provide a liberal ration of food, througii this means the highest yield will be reached, and there will be a greater yield weekly thereafter during the rest of the milking period. If "the cow is not fed up at this particular time a rise in the milk yield can very rarely be obtained afterwards. It is the experience of many dairymen that if once a cow is allowed to decline from any cause, that the rriitk supply cannot be raised up again till a new lot, as a new season comes round. Therefore, dairy farmers would do wisely to force the yield of milk in a moderate degree from a month to forty days after a cow has calved. LOCAL WOOL AND SKIN SALES. The sales in Masterton this week were well attended by buyers, and competition was fairly considering the quality and get up of the wool and skins. The prices realised should be deemed satisfactory. A visit to these sales is an object lesson of how not to get up wool and skins for the market. Farmers are proverbially conservative in their methods, but it is really,

to be wondered at that they do not take more pains in preparing their produce in a more attractive form for the market. There were noticeable a few instances were some care had been taken in respect to wool, but many of the bales and bags of crutchings displayed a very large quantity of dirt, and if some of the larger parcels had been sorted into two classes, better Drices

might have been obtained. With few exceptions, the sheep skins were exceedingly ill-saved, only a very small percentage having been dried under cover, the pelts being weather beaten, and wrinkled up to such an extent as to make them utterly worthless. The preparation and get up of skins is such a simple matter that one can scarcely understand why they are in such a deplorable condition. All that is necessary is to dry the skins under cover, stretching them lengthways on battens or wire, or spread out on a floor and with the neck and tail along whatever they are hung upon, the skin will then be properly stretched, and the most advantage made of it, care being taken to see that the outside edges are not turned in, to become a receptacle for maggotf. It would also pay to see that all vegetable matter, such as straw and chaff, be kept away from the skins, and that all dirt be cut off. With regard to the necks, a simple plan to get rid of the blood is to have a bucket of water at hand, when the s;rin is removed from the animal, and rinse the neck in the water. The loss to the Dominion through neglect in these simple matters must run into many thousands of pounds per annum.