FARM & GARDEN NOTES.

Waikato Argus, Volume IV, Issue 255, 5 March 1898, Page 2 (Supplement)

FARM & GARDEN NOTES.

Pork Packing.—During the summer ono of tlie largest packing houses in Canada rec ived about 3000 hogs a we.-k ; in the frijl tha number ran up to 11.000 and 12.000 .-. week. It was somewhat tho same villi ' ther packers, and the result wis that when this iner-Msed quinlity came on the market pricts deolined rapidly, whieh in turn affected tho price of live hogs.

Dairying in Taranaki.—Referring to tho dry weather this summer the Hawera S'ar siys the dairying in the Taranaki province i* suffering most severely. At all tho factories the milk supfly has been cimin.' down ripidly, and there is not ranch hope of its coming back, as even if rain did come, tlic cows thiit came in threo month* ago hive had such a haul tinio that they have i-tarted to dry off, the milk supply cannot be expected to rise to anything like the volume of last year. The coutinom dry weather means a heavy loss to the district.

Hah vesting Under Difficultiks.— One of tho Mae ewhenua f-rn crs has threshed out, and his takings are siven bushels of wheat, and ten of oits. Low«r down the plain a farmer threshed out f< ur bushels of (at*, but the wind had several turns at his crop before the mill got to it, and it is reckoned that the wind j.ot more than the mill. The ge> tiers on the Macrcw henna E ate, and in fact all over the district, gave up the attempt to stook. One farmer put up his stooks three times, and each time the fierce winds blew them down. At last they were left lying. The war with the elements was too much for the farmer North Otago Times. + + +

Merino Wool: Increasing Demand—•A Bradford cloth manufacturer sajs there are some solid reasons for nffirming that the tide is now turning in favour of Merino wools, atid the leader in the fashion and change is mohair. Bradford looms are to-day turning out some ex quiste fabrics for ladies' wear for next season, and judging by how the whole sale buyes have taken them up they are likely to be very popular next season. These dress goods. are a blinding together of mohair yarns and merino yarns, and strong hopes are entertained that thess will bring to Bradford and district a return of better trade. American buyers have also bought considerably of them for their new season's trade, and even the'Continent in drawn towards them.

Bovbil from Nh\v Zealand Best.— Mr Thos. Mackenzie, the representative in London of the >'ew Zealand Farmers' Co-operative Association, never losses an opportunity of seeking to benefit his colony ; indeed, hedo'S a lot of excellent work that should in reality be looked after by the c lony's chitf representative at Home. Thus we find Mr Mackenzie, atjthe annual dinner of the seed trade, drawing attention to the capacity of New Zealand for growing cocksfoot, clover and other seeds. He hos also succeeded in impressing upon the manufacturers of bovnl the resources the colony posseses in the way of producing beef, and a representative is to be sent out to ascertain whether the p /pular extract of beef cou'd be profitably manufactured in New Zealand. The time is very opportune, for fat c-ttle were seldom as cheap as th<y are now, and, as was pointed out last week by our Southland correspondent, the finding of a market for the numbers of fat cattle 1 kely to come forward in the near future is causing some anxiety. Mr Mackenzie is deserving of the thanks of the people of this colony for the very geod woik he is doing in lookiug after their interests. + + +

New Zealand Beef at Home.—Regarding tho trade in New Zaaland frozen beef, Messrs Thos. Borthwick and Son says in their annual review of the meat trade that: —" We have now sold the hulk of it for the last eighteen months, and as buyers know where to find it, and it is sold within the month of arrival, it is always fresh and bright The freight is now as low as from Australia, so we may look for a much larger increase in supplies, as the average for -ides for the ypar will be fully 3|d, which is a paying price, and there has been three times the quanity of any previous year. The Australian, if he is to hold his own, will have to take a leaf out of the New Zea,lander's book; first, dress tho beef well ; second, send good quality ; third, seDd to salesmen who have buyers for it, and can depend on a supply ; fourth, leave it to him to do his best, instead of hampering him in a way that would kill any trade, such as pressing him to sell, as occured in the spring, when it was clear prices would go much higher, and unless he bought to supply his customers, or got meat from other countries, he wculd lose his trade. The River Plata has also increased its shipments, and the quality is much improved and taking well with customers,''

Variations in Milk.—Some of the experimental stations in A-nerica have been studying the subject of the increase and decrease in the quantity and quality of milk production as affi cted by the seasons. The figures produced are valuable because they explain away many apparent anomalies that often have made suppliers very suspicious of the Babcock tester. The greatest monthly variation iu the quality of the milk from 115 cows was 3-09 per cent, of fat and the lowest 0 33 of fat. The difference iovolved is of from 2541 b. of butter to 141 b. of milk for lib of butter. The average monthly variation of spring cows was 1 - G? per cent, of fat. It has been cbown that the average quality of the milk for the year may bo arrived at by the following plan:-By analysing two composite sample? taken two weeks apart, date of tiking in case of spring and fall cows to be s'x menths after.calving, and in the case of summer cows to be three to five months after calv ing. Quite doss approximations to truth may be obtained by weighing the milk during four days in the middle of each month and calculating the total yield by multiplication. In 43 per cent, of the cases, calculation was within 2 per cent, of the truth. Butter yields calculat d in this manner and by using two Babcock tests came clo-e enough to tho truth for most: purposes.

Gkade Jkrseys.—Some authorities doubt if the little Jersey was intended by nature to be the diminutive treasure of Channel Islanders. Records show that the breed has not been changed appreciably during the last SOO years It is said that all down the long a>;es of those five centuries the Islanders have eonsi-tently aimed at producing small cattle. To bring this about they mated their heifers at a very early age —some say the mating takes place at one year old. However this may be, it Is certain that the Jerseys in Australia are growing into bigger cittle than those originally imported, the lot'era of the I reed here also assert that the race is a hardier one than in the Hands and in England and Amirica. If this is really the case, the climate, mating at maturity or the two combined is doing something of much more importance than in increasing the size of cattle. In America a gsod deal of grading is done, and we have selected the statement of a small farmer on the subject. His cows are said to average 3001 b. of butter per year, but I do not ask my Australians friends to believe simply becauee the statement was made in America The farmer says : "My stock at present consists of one Jersey bull, 14 milkers, and nine heifers not yet in milk. The bull is a lif.le over four and a half years old. Of the 14 milkers six r.io heifers with first calf, five of the six being daughters of the above bull. Of the 14 milker* one id a grade Ayrshire. The others are grade Jerseys. Had I begun early to breed to the best Jersey sirts, I am confident I should have

more productive cows now. My milkers are all medium size, healthy, and happy. I say happy, because it always seemed to me that the cow of gentle disposition, well aired for, is an emblem of contentment."