FARM AND GARDEN

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4527, 19 September 1893, Page 2

FARM AND GARDEN

A Machine to Dig Potatoes,

The Hoover. potato digger Bt Chicago is a speciality that dtsorves attention, One of the most attractive and interesting exhibits at the 'great exposition is the Hoover Potato Digger. Not only the beauty ol the marine, but iU novel and neat appearance arrests the attention of the passing- throngs. As the Hoover has quite a history and few people know anytbiug about potato diggers, we will give some information regarding them, ,

For d, number of years inventors in America, in Europe and euergtie Australia have given their best efforts (o the devising of machines for plan'iog and' digging or raising potatoes.' Many maohines for digging or lifting potatoes have keen introduced, but few have passed the experimental stage. Last year the accounts published of the competitive Government trial in Australia drew gitneral attentiou to this class of machines. The Hoover was one of the competitors in this distant trial, in which seveial machines participated, and it met every test so satisfactorily that the spectators .supposed it would get the prize, but the judges would riot make any award mid postponed tlisir decision for another trial, with the intention, as it was said, of keeping it away from the imported machine, so as to award it to the next best, a home made Victorian implement.

The Hoover digger raises the potatoes, separates them from the vines, earth, etc., and delivers them in a row behind the machine, The implement is so simple that anyone interested in potato growing, or the sale of agricultural machinery, should not fail to examine the Hoover,which by its excellent performance in this and other countries, lias established a world-wide reputation as a practical potato digger.

Bacon Exports.

Mr 0. Wilson, the Victorian dairy expert, is not favoumblo to the export of bacon or ham to England; Why not? The only thing against it is tbe carelcsauess of farmers to go in for pig breeding and pig feeding upon a large practical Rcale. Itcauuot be said that tbeolimate is too hoi', for pig .can be killed in the winter time, and as pork can Btand hot weather better than taef or mu'.ton, its expoitation is further encouraged by the ohilling and freezing chambers, Pickled pork should also become an article of country export, as well as salted meat. But we have yet to learn that the.colonial production of ham, bacon or salt pork is equal to colonial . consumption. We think not, and, therefore, it will be some time before we can say that we are in a position to be exporters of the same. New South Wales produced last year 5,1077103 of bam and bacon.

The Frozen Heat Trade. " Pakeha" writing to the Agriculturist says" Tbo frozen meat trade just now ia not progressing very rapidly, the abnormal sewn in Great Britain, there iB no doubt, having caused tbe stockowners there to glut the meat market with home supplies; consequently prices for" freezers " are much lower than they were last year here at this season, and graziers who gave long prices for" turnip" sheep fail 10 see any profit in them at present values for fut sheep. Although Hampshire Down wethers sold last week at Addington (the principal fat sheep market of Canterbury) for 27s each, this must not be taken as a ruling rate for mutton, for these were, as tho price shows, uncommonly good sheep indeed."

Long Existence of a Horse Without Food or Water.

Mr Arthur Paaamora - relates (in The Field) tbe following' regarding 11 horse on hjp brother's estate at Tom 6, in Chili. The animal disappeared and was thought to have been stolen, but-"The horse we thought was stolen has been found in our own pluce, The poor brute has fallen down the side of a hill, and had beoome entangled in ooils of wild creepers, and was so tied up that it oould not even lie down, and in this position it managed to exist twenty-two days without food and without water, and when found was still alive. It is now making up for lost litre in tbe matter of feeding, though at first it was too weak to eat anything."

The Daily Industiy, Mums From 100-lcre Farm, A correspondent sends the followto the Hawera Star:—As thequeßlion of starting a dairy factory at Hawera is prominently before the public at the preeunt moment, I forward a few fiigures which were handed to me by a settler as his estimate of what a cow should yeild for factory purposes, and what a 100 acre farm of first clasß land should return to its owner. Some of the items are considerably below present market values, which will give them all the more importance ; and no doubt some of your readers will offer their opinions and comQtents on tho subject, and thus throw more light on the dairy question. HELD FROM A 100-ACRE FARM OF FIRST--01-ASS LAND, 60 cows @ @ 2fd per gal—£s 10s per cow ~.£275 0 0 (Oow milked 6 months averages2,oßf!al per day.) 45 calves, @£UOs each 6710 0 25 pigs (1 pig per pair cows) . at I'l 6s each 31 5 0 5 aores potatoes (4 ton per aero— 20 tons), @ £2 10a per ton 50 0 0 £423 15 0 VALUE or LAND, £I4OO. Interest at 7$ per cont., or rent on land... £lO5 0 0 Hates and taws ... ... 10 0 0 Labor ... 100 0 0 Interest @ 8 per cent, on CBOO for 50cowa @ £Gjeach 24 0 O Sundries and profit 18416 0 £423 15 0

I consider the 480 gallons per cow a fair average yield, The price per gallon for milk, of course, is low, but is all the more favorable to the estimate. The' time the cow is in milk is also short, bat coupled with the milk of I; gallons per milking is fair. A loss of lye calves out of 60 is fair, as is also the price, although in the yards last week the price was over £3, Piosareontho Amerioan basis—one pig to two cows. Quotation for potatoes is fair, although double thftt now