RURAL NOTES

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 3106, 11 June 1892, Page 2 (Supplement)

RURAL NOTES

Field Mick Plarcr.— The Board of Agriculture has issued a report on the yilayue of mice in Scotland. Tne report, which r.-."! published yesterday, shows tho srveat, destruction of ynunu grus.s mid herbage whirch has taken place on tho hill prazings and rough pasture." of the South of Scotland. The attnok was especially serious along the Dumfriesshire boundary cast of Shoi-nhill, or in the North-West of Roxburgh, while tho bordered di"tricts in the South of Selkirk, Peebles and Launrk, and the parishes of CirrislriKn and Dairy, in the extreme north of tho Stewortrv of Kirkcudbright., are also reported to be more or luife affected. In Roxburgh and Dumfries, the plasuc is estimated to have extended over nu area of from 80,000 to 90,000 neres. The field mice—or field volciirvieola agrestis — first attacked tinI'Ogsry and rough pasture lands, and then went on to -he. barer lea land, and the heather, and sheep suffered severely from want of the food destroyed by the vermin. The outbreak is attributed to the absence of the natural enemies of the vole, such as the owls, hawks, weasels, &c, and to a particularly mild winter in 1890. Pits and trapc have proved to be of little use, and burning of affected ground is recommended as an effective meaos of getting rid of the pest. This part of Scotland and North of England suffered similarly about 1G years ago. From the general tone of the reports made to the department, Major Craisrie ooncludes that "relief must be mainly hoped for from natural causes." When a man can kill with a stick 600 mice a day, is it not a pleasant one over which to rest and be thankful. The Scofc tish farmers will get little satisfaction out of the present official report. A Prospkrou Homestead.—A correspondent in a recent issue of tho Southland News, who has for some time past been giving interesting papers descriptive of the class of homesteads embracing from 560 to 1000 acres to be found in the south country, has now turned hie attention to email farms. Last week he gave an account of a farm of 150 acres of good land which, clearly illustrates the possiblity of farming to profit small areas where a mixed, system is adopted. The stock on this farm comprises a breeding flock of 180 sheep, 12 head of dairy cattle, and 7 horses (which, by the way, is, we think, two too many, con-uaiing tho grass of at loast two cows) and numerous pigs. There is a good orchard, which haa beeu sown down to grass, which is a mistake —at least it would be so in any part of Canterbury or tho North Island. It may be that the moisture of the climate is such as to supply enough for the gras-* and trees as well We have seen orchards in Canterbury almost ruined by being laid down to grass, which, when it was removed and the -surface of the soil kept free from weeds and loose, recovered in a very short time, and, instead *f moss clad and hide bound trees, they became vigorous and free growing, bearing- fine crops of fruit. On this farm the turnip crop is grown in drills, and a remarkably good one. No mentioa is made of the turnip caterpillar; we therefore presume that it has not made its ap» pearance in Southland. The whole work of tho farm is performed by the farmer and his own family. The return this season has been from grain, wool and dairy produce, £300, no account being made of minor sources of ineome. Here we have an illustration of what may be done by the intelligent working of small farms. Improving Grass Land.—There are pastures naturally po rich that they will fatten a bullock, and there are others which have been so improved that they may be relied on to do the same. These form, however, a very small portion of the land under grass, and the greater part of it is only suitable for carrying dairy stock ODd young , animal?. Yet all this land can be improved into feeding land, and by far the greater portion of it so developed at a profit during the time the land is improving. A grass field gets a bad reputation, and in exceptional cases only is it recognised that it is not the fault of tho field, but of its treatment. Even where a large amount of money is expended on artificial foods i'or animals while at grass, the bulk of it goes in the same direction every year. The richest pastures are employed for topping up the animals, and on these most cake is fed, consequently the rich pastures arc enriched, and the poor pastures not improved. It en hardly be expected that the best stock will be put into the poorer fields, but, still, it is quite possible that the inferior pastures may be improved. The mechanical treatment of the land in respect to draining, harrowing and rolling must not be neglected, for without these any manure cannot effeet its work satisfactorily. No section of the

farm shows such gratitude for manure as do pastures, because no portion of the cropping wastes so little, practically all that is spread on them being utilised. The large quantity of humus in soils carrying pastures exercises a beneficial action in retaining plant food, which it does to a far (rreiter extent than does arable land. There is no objection to UFing artificials on land which is to be grazed, for they effect no injury to the grasses under such circumstances, and the oxtra growth that they cause is returned to the soil in an organic form as duns'. Where the land ia to be kept nnder the scythe the circumstances are so.newhat altered, and there is a decided advantage in using dung rather than concentrated artificials. As different artificial manures affect the growth of the varieties of plants, which compose a pasture, judgment must bo exercised in their selection. Dairy Farming : Too Good to bk True.—Mr Sorensen, the Government, Diary Expert, has been painting a picture of prospective profits which we think requires considerable toning down. Re. ferring to a farm of 800 acres of fertile flat land known as the Broomfields estate, eituated we presume in the Woodville district Mr. Sorensan is reputed in the Examiner to have made the following calculations :—6OO cows yielding 550 gals per head for milking season, 220 lbs of butter each realising lid per lb, the skim milk of each cow to rear one calf and one pig. In the first place, we think Mr Sorensen errs in assuming that 800 acres of land, however arood could support, COO cows always in milk. To do so there must be a reserve of cows always coming forward as well as heifer calves being reared to take their place in tho dairy. A large area would also be required for the 600 pigs. In fact we have no hesitation in stating that tho figures quoted are misleading. Assuming that 800 acres embraces the whole area of the farm as stated—looo acres would be nearer the mark. As to the yield from the cows, they would have to be a well-selected herd which would average 550 gals. per head all round. The thing might be done in the course of a few years of careful breeding and selecting. The estimate from butter is, we think, reasonable, 2201b per sow assuming, of course, that they average 550 gals (which we dispute). Reckoning lib of butter to 2Jgals. of milk, to be sold at lib perlb—lllsperewt—£6oso. Then he gives us 500 calves at 265, £625. As we do not know the value of this kind of stock at Woodville we can't say anything about it, and the profit on the 600 pigs is Bet down at 5b per head. There appears to be nothing allowed for losses or misadventures. The total receipts are, there fore, shown to be £6525, and the working expenses, with interest on buildings and depreciations ut £2362, leaving a credit balance of £4463, or a return of £5 10s per acre, from which must, however, be deducted the rent of the land or interest on its cost, which means the same thing. We would have been bettor pleased with Mr Sorensen'fl figures if he had shown a profit of, say £2 per acre after all expenses, which, we believe, would be nearer the mark, and which would be good enoujrh in the eyes of any practical farmer—£l6oo clenn profit for 800 acres of land—aye, £1000 a year assured would amply warrant the outlay. We have no desire to discourage Mr Sorensen, whose ability in dairying is unqupstioned. nor the Woodville settlers, who have, when all is said, a very good thing in front of them, but we think that any particular dairy farmer will bear ub out in our criticism.