NOTES AND COMMENTS

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20513, 1 June 1938, Page 19

NOTES AND COMMENTS

Successful Clearing Sales Practically all the clearing sales held to date have been highly successful and values are reported’ to be well on a level with those of last year. A typical sale was that held last week by Messrs G. W. Vercoe and Co., at Mr C. W. Gibbons' farm at Te Kowhai, where the entire herd of 45 cows and 30 heifers was sold for an average of £il 2s 6d. The top price was £l3.

Draft Allowanoe On Wool The executive committee of the International Wool Textile Organisation at a recent meeting in Paris, expressed the view that proposals which have been made to abolish the draft allowance on wool were undesirable. It agreed to recommend its members to support any combined measures which the buyers’ organisations in the Dominions, the British Wool Federation and Japanese buyers may take to oppose its abolition. Royal Show Donations Hamilton business people are cooperating in a very creditable manner with the executive of the Waikato Agricultural and Pastoral Association to ensure that this year’s Royal Showwill be an outstanding success. They have shown their interest by a lengthy list of donations that will stand the show in good stead. Several additional trophies, too, have been given the association and these should make for keener competition at the big fixture. At the last meeting of the executive donations amounting to £149 17s were acknowledged, including £IOO from the Waikato Hunt Club. Complaint From South The complaint regarding the clash of dates comes rather late in the day from the Wairarapa Agricultural and Pastoral Association. The time for complaints was at the conference of the Royal Show Society and the Wairarapa Association cannot expect that • the Waikato Association will change the dates for the Royal Show at this late hour. If the Waikato Association were to change its show dates 1 now to avoid clashing with the Wairarapa Association's show, not only would it mean the abandonment of all present arrangements, but it would also mean that the Waikato fixture would have to clash with larger shows than the WairarapaGland Treatment An 18-year-old Jersey bull has been gland grafted at the Australian Missionary College, Avondale, NewSouth Wales, and, according to the studmaster, has becomo remarkably vigorous. It is stated that animals so treated retain their vigour for several years, and that the treatment can be repeated with the same result. Six specially selected cows are to be served by this animal, and a careful study made of the progeny. Show Life Members At the last executive meeting of the Waikato Agricultural and Pastoral Association 13 new life members were elected. Thay were: —Messrs W. 1 Cann (Hamilton), J. Haynes (Auckland/, H. Robinson (Matangi), G. Meredith (Cambridge), T. Coles (Tauwhare), R. Nolan (Cambridge), A. Ramsay (Hillcrest), F. D. Jones (Hamilton), F. C. Johnstone (Waitetuna). A. Miller (Hamilton), F. Aicken (Auckland/, J. Bull (ißangitikei), G. Trubshaw (Matangi). In addition 42 uew’ members were elected. Rubber Coats for Seeds England gives us something new in agriculture—rubber-coated seeds. For this new practice British scientists claim greater yields, better germination and early growth, and fewer operations in growing the crop. Before being planted seeds are covered with a layer of liquid rubber in which are mixed fertilisers, fungicides to kill parasites, and bacteria of a variety that converts nitrogen from the air into a form which can be used by the growing plants. The thin rubber covering is porous enough to let moisture and air penetrate to the seed. If the plants from rubber-coated seeds are as exceptionality healthy and productive as advance reports indicate, we will soon, doubtless, be purchasing all of our farm and garden seeds so treated.

Charcoal for Riga Digestive efficiency in farm animals depends largely on their ability to grind their food well. Thorough mastication is, therefore, linked with ease of digestion. Some animals may eat food rapidly without ill-effects. Thus the domestic fowl swallows quickly, hut it has a remarkable mechanism in the gizzard for grinding the food to a fine state for subsequent digestion and absorption. The pig is not as weil equipped as the fowl to handle rapidly-eaten food, yet under most farm conditions fast eating is the rule. The pig can be helped to make better use of its foods in the following ways:— 1) By feeding easily digested material; (2) by grinding the less digestible foods; (3) by ensuring the animals sufficient feeding room, ,4) bv arranging for some open grazing where the animals may eat at their leisure; 3 by feeding aids to digestion. It is the last with which this note is concerned. Charcoal and coke are extraordinarily cellular in structure, and possess a great number of surfaces. At these surfaces rapid digestion of food can take place. By feeding either of them in powdered form, coarse lumps of food become coated with a film

Treatlng Mastitis A system of combating mastitis which is claimed to have given good results is that adopted by the Royal Agricultural College at Cirencester, England. Mr Robert Boutflour, principal of the college, says that a very successful method of treating this trouble is to give one ounce of 40 per cent, formalin to one quart of cold water, twice daily in a bad case and once daily if the attack is a slight one. The cows should be stripped out five or six times a day, and five days’ practice of this treatment should be sufficient to effect a cure Several cows suffering from this complaint in the college herd have been effectively treated- Mr Boutflour contends that this disease is carried by flies and that the most effective way to prevent it is to have no dry cows in the herd during July and August (January and February in New Zealand). Any cow tending tp dry off during that period should be milked twice daily even when giving an infinitesimal yield. Another precaution is to rub a little vaseline over the end of the teat after milking, to prevent entrance of bacteria. A method practised to cure sore teats is to use a mixture of 3oz of glycerine with ioz of alum dissolved in a little warm water. In Time of War ! Debates in the British Parliament on , food supplies.in war time have brought ! the question of “Milk and War” very I much to the fore. A writer in an i English magazine points out that milk i contains all the four essential nutrient | groups: protein, fats or carbohydrates, vitamins and mineral matter. All are present, he says, in a form highly 1 acceptable to the human palate, and j can be transported and preserved after i elimination of water. Butter is J dehydrated milk fat; cheese, dehyj drated milk casein; while supplies of I Vitamins A. B, G and D are ensured in j large measure by irradiation and con- ; centration processes. Condensed ■ milk and milk powder both represent valuable concentrated foodstuffs. England’s Stock Population According to the preliminary tabulation of agricultural returns for England and Wales for the twelve months ended June, 1937. there were in the countries named 2.215.500 cows and heifers in milk, a decrease of 5 per cent, on I lie preceding year. There were aisn .-v.m.uu" cows in fair nut not in milk decrease. 2.7 per cent'. Heifers in r.ilf totalled ’.55.000. as against . ’.:1.51m in 1936. The total number of rattle in I 7 was G.GI 000. an increase of 73.700. tin- chief in effuse being in riffle under one year "Id. The number of horses li.»s fleet ned .*«hitinui'Misty since 191*. ami during flu* year it was reduced by 1 7500 to 558,100.