FARM & GARDEN NOTES.

Waikato Argus, Volume V, Issue 351, 8 October 1898, Page 2 (Supplement)

FARM & GARDEN NOTES.

The weather—as may be expected at this season of the year—has been extremely changeable of late. Some beneficial showers have fallen, followed by a warm day or two, during which quite a vigorous growth of vegetation took place. At other times, however, a cold westerly wind has swept over the district, drying and chilling the land, thus nipping in the bud what ofteu promised to be a mild aud genial spell. _ The heavy winds also have been prejudicial in orchards, where the trees are not fully sheltered, the blossoms and young fruit now setting on plum and peach trees being torn off in considerable quantities. In this connection the necessity for providing ample shelter, not merely for the orchard, hut for the whole of the farm, is being impressed upon farmers; perhaps, to a greater degree during the spring months than at any other time. The tender fruit buds, together with young crops, of every description ; and, also farm stock, that are never in too strong a condition at this season, all seem to call for protection from the fierce westerly winds that sweep over Waikato, almost daily, during the Spring months. _ It may be that the seasons are becoming more severe, or that the natural shelter, plentiful enough in the early days of settlement is being cleared off, but, whatever the cause shelter, in the shape of plantations, live hedges, or even clumps of tho indigenous bush and scrub is becoming of mora value as each year passes, and the Waikato farmer who recently stated that he placed a considerable money value for purposes of shade and shelter upon every clump and belt of trees about his farm, was not farout.

Potatoes are still being planted, and the late rains will be just the thing to give the crop a good start. If the land is not naturally rich, tbe application of a liberal dose of manure is usually profitable expenditure in potato growing particularly, as by doing so, two good crops are assured, well manured potato land beinsr fully understood by farmers as capable of producing a heavy grain crop, without any fuither application of manure. While on this subject, general satisfaction is beinur expressed at the action of the Waikato Farmers' Club ; in deciding to have analyses made of the principal manures used by Waik ito farmers. Such a step shows that the Club is up to date, and earnest in its desire to protect the agriculture community, in a quarter whence they have hitherto suffered very considerably ; ground brick walls, though perhaps, admirable for drill ins, being scarcely the thing for producing wheat and potatoes. When getting in their spring crops, settlers should not lose sight of the opportunity now offered, of growing a small quantity of the sugar-beet, seed being obtainable free from Mr Martin Butler, Cambridge, or the Stock Department, Hamilton, so that the suitability of our Waikato soil and climate for the growth of the root may be fully demonstrated. Too much praise can scarcely be given to Messrs Runciman, Gane, Graham and other gentlemen, who, in the face of considerable public apathy, have devoted so much of their time and attention to the project of sugar-bset growing and manufacturing in Waikato ; and to strengthen their hands it is very necessary that farmers generally should grow the roots on their lands, so that by further analyses and other authentic information, the matter may be kept before the public. The markets continue strong. Fat stock are selling well, prices being in favourable contrast to those ruling about this date last year, and with the slow growth of grass, reported from all parts of the provincial district, prices are likely to keep up for some time. The latest reports from the London wool sales are more favourable than was at one time expected. Crossbred sorts, the staple of Waikato, though not sharing the advance gained by Merino and other fine qualities, seem to be holding their own, and unless further developments take place in the interval, there appears no reason why prices at the ensuing Auckland wool sales should show much, if any, reduction from those ruling at the same dates last Beason, aud which, indeed, were low enough. The dairy industry is occupying a good deal of public attention ; meetings being held at various creameries to consider the situation, but it is satisfactory to know, that while negotiations, including some knotty points between Waikato milk suppliers and the Dairy Association are being discussed, the local creameries are everywhere in full swing, and for the season a good supply of m Ik is going through.

Thirty Pocnds for an Ox.--A prime ox which was a centre of attraction at the Victorian Royal Society's «how was subsequently sold by auction, and realised the handsome price of £3O. This is the hightest price obtained for a single ox for twenty years, the nearest price being £2B, obtained for an immense ox sold at Newmarket in August, 1882. t X t

Seed Potatoes. —A contributor to the Lyttelton Times gives the following useful hint to amateur gardeners : —The Rhode Island agricultural station, United States, has published a Bulletin giving the result of potato planting. Potatoes as large as hen's eggs exposed to light and heat for six weeks to develop a strong bud and roots before planting gave a better yield by 32 bushels per acre. t X t

Payment for Buttek Fat. To reconcile the differences which exist between milk suppliers and the factories with regard to the payment of milk according to the percentage of butter fat, a series of experiments is to be carried out shortly at the Hawkesbury Agricultural College by a committee of experts chosen by the Council of the South Coast Agricultural Societies' Union. Many dairymen in New South Wales are greatly dissatisfied with the present system of calculating the value of milk on the fat percentage, and contend they should be paid according to the amount of commercial butter, but just how this is to be ascertained more accurately liy any other method than the Babcock test has net been clearly explained by the discontented suppliers. Perhaps the experiments about to be conducted will throw some light on this important question, as well as lead to the adoption of a uniform standard for testing at all the factories in the colony.

Tuberculous.— The magnitude of the difficulties which surround tho tuberculosis and compensation questions may be estimated from the fact that iho British Government does not intend this year to take any action arising out of the rcpoit of tho recent Royal Commission on tubercloßis. 'lhoso who urge that the New Zealand authorities should at o:u>' start a crusade lor stumping out tho disease may be led to ponder whon it is pointed out to them that tho Commissioners estimate that £5,025 a year would be requited to provide tuber eulin and veterinary help for farmers who wiohed to use tho test at their own discretion to tho number of 100,006 tests in the year, -j. + +

Thk Sheep-Destroying Parrot Tho destructive Kea birds, says the Ashburton Standard, which aro very numerous in the back country, have made their wnv down as far as tho Alfor:l Forrest township A settlor living ii. close proximity to the Alford Forest hotel had six v finable crossbred ewes killed tho other morninur.—ln this connection Mr F. R. Godfrey, (says ttie " Sydney Mail"), has attempted to throw li{<ht on the causns which have piobably led the kea to chauze its dietetic habit. In the Middle Island, he siys, a certain moss or lichen of a white colour grows abundantly. In appearance this plant looks like a mass of wool. At its roots are found white bodies of fatty nature, on which the kea feeds. What these bodies are appears to be a diubtful matter. They may be larval insect* or they may be seeds. At any rate, the parrot gropes in the roots of the moss for the white bodies and eats them. Mr Godfrey suggests that the whoop's wool has been the attracting condition, and that the kea, mistaking the wool for the plant, grubbed on the sheep's back, with tho result of discovering a fatty morsel in the sheep's kidney of much more savory nature, no doubt, than the food it found on the ground. t t t

Exporting Frozen Cream. —Last week we referred briefly to an enterprise which may prove ti be an important adjunct to the export butter trade. This was the despatch of a parcel of cream from Australia to London. T»e experiment was made by Mr CameronHolmstrom, who is at present in Brisbane on business connected with the establishment of pasteurisation in butter factories. Mr Cameron-Holmstrom is not discouraged by the unsuccessful issue of the experiment, but, adopting the recommendation of a high scientific authority who reported upon the first consignment, intends to make a second shipment in 401 b. bags instead of in tins, and with 60 per cent, of butter fat in the cream instead of only 37£ per cent, as in the first parcel. It is pointed out that the British dealer prefers to buy his cream as rich as possible, and to reduce it himself to the condition in which it is sold to the consumer—that is with something like 25 per cent, of butter fat. This alteration should be to the advantage of the exporter, as freight would be saved, the cream being sold only on the basis of butter fat contained. No serious fault could be fouud with the condition of the cream, some of which was churned into excellent fresh butter, proving that it had not suffered materially from its long journey in a ireoziug temperature.

Dairying and Cattle Breeding.— " Bruni " frequently bewails the deterioration of Victorian cattle, which he says has taken place since dairying came to the front, and we have frequently pointed out how careless many of our own dairy farmers appear to be in the choice of bulls they use among their cows. "Bruni" says :—" Owners of small herds do not care to raise cattle, and the bulls generally used are of the most worthless desoription. In the most fertile district of Victoria, a district once famous for the excellence of the cattle raised therein, I last year saw dairy bulls sold for 5s each. The result of the change that has taken place in cattlebreedi<|,' in this colony can be fully estimated by anyone who will take the trouble to visit the Flemington fat stock market on a Wednesday morning, and inspect the animals brought forward for sale. There is no genuine reason for the objection that so many cattlcbreeders have to shorthorns and Herefords as sires of dairy cattle. Shorthorns have produced the deepest milkers of any British breed of cattle, and that the Herefords are useful is shown by the number and excellence of the many grades to be found in Victorian dairy herds. Milking families are to be found in both breeds, but they are more numerous among shorthorns than among Herefords. A circumstance that is greatly injuring cattlebreediug in Victoria is the fact that so few dairymen raise young stock ; they generally appear to depend upon buying young springers to keep up their herds."

Dairying in Manawatu. That dairying pays splendidly iu this district (says the Manawatu Times) when carried out with care and attention to every detail is an accepted fact, but the following particulars, supplied by Mr P. Garrity, of Rangitikei Line, as to the doings of his herd, and the yearly income derived from 105 acres show in particular the extremely satisfactory results that follow capable management and a thorough knowledge of the industry. Taking the reutrns from August, last year, at which time Mr Garrity's operations were confined to about a third of his present holding, it is found that his cheque for that month amounted to £ll lis. The following month his farm totalled its present acreage, and with an additional supply of grass the return for September ran up to £'29 6s 3d, and thence as follows :—October, £36 10s 4d; November, £3B ; December, £39 19s 2d ; January, £36 ; February, £2B ; March, £26 Os 4d ; April, £22 19s 6d ; May, £lB 3s ; June, £2O 9s 2d ; July, £23. Total, £330 18s Id. The returns from sheep grazed on the place, £35 16s lOd ; pigs, £22 18s 6d ; calves, £26 ; cows sold, £6 ; horses, £ls; potatoes, £10; rent for paddock, £l2 ; bringing the total revenue for the period indicated from the farm up to £458 12s Id. The average number of cows milked throughout the season was forty-five, and the average return per cow for milk alone £7 7s. Adding the amount derived from the sale of pigs and calves, the return per cow is brought up to £8 8s 9Jcl. The whole of the milk was supplied to Mr Bennett's butter factory at the head of Cameron's Line, the price ranging from 2fd per gallon in November and December, up to 5d at the end of July, the skim milk of course being returned. No cultivation was resorted to to obtain these results, but at no time during the year were the cows short of feed. In March last, two paddocks—one of 9 and the other of 20 acres—were shut up. The milkers were turned on to one of these paddocks in June, and on to the other in July. In addition to the grass they received during the season about 40 tons of hay which, it goes without saying, was grown on the property. Beyond the expense of harvesting it, £4, there was no expense attendant on this. The whole of the milking is done by members of the family, and consequently paid labour, the "bogey'' of the dairyman, finds no place on the statement of accounts. The herd from which these splendid results have been obtained, comprises animals specially selected by Mr Oarrity, and they have well repaid the care expended upon them. The shorthorn strain is especially conspicuous, but the Jersey strain runs through a number of the animals. During the season the average yield per cow was a full three gallons.