THE FARM.

Digger (Invercargill RSA), Issue 11, 28 May 1920, Page 13

THE FARM.

POWDERED MILK. In view of the "hoom" in powdered milk- in the Dominion and the disposition of promoters of dairying mann factories to discard butter and cheese products for one or other of tho "new ideas," an American opinion as published in a Montreal paper may not be amiss. A big powdered milk factory was established sonre years ago in a Michigan district, and entered iirto competitipn with the cheese factories. The new concem paid a higher price than the factories, and gradually, one by one, the cheese factories went out of operation and were torn down. When the newsppper representatives visited the district the farmers were most thorouglily dissatisfied, as the patrons of cheese factories in other counties were actually getting more for their milk thair they were from the powdered milk concern. "As soon as as the price of building material and factory equipment comes down to normal," said one oi these patrons, "you will see a rusli to build and equip our cheese factories 'and creameries again. We are tired of the milk combines anl intend running O'lr own show." Dairy farmers in many paris of Canada (adds ihe paper) can well afford to remember the old adage and keep two strings to their bow. In some sections of Ontario al ready. where tho cheese factories have been allowd to go out of business, there is now strong dissatisfaction. Even if the cheese factories were not running, but kept in good condition, they would be an effective curb on setting prices too low. There is also a possibility that the big war demand for condensed milk may not continue during the vears of peace and even in condensory sections farmers may not be able to find a market. This may prove to be a bad prophecy. We hope it will. All the same it is well to remember "the second string." FRUIT TREES BLOSSOMING OUT OF SEASON. The most frequent cause of fruit- trees blossoming out of season is loss oi' foliage. This may be caused bv the pear and plum leech, or by spraying with mixtures that are too strong, whiie some- | times plum-rust defoliates trees. In such | cases the majority of the fruit-buds that ! should rema-in dormant till spring break , into blossom. The result is the loss of I the next season' s crop, and nothing can be done. It is quite a common occurrence to" a few precocious buds to break into flower, the cause for this not being easily explained. In such cases it- is usually ! terminal buds that break, a-nd no ltarm is ; done, as it does not affect the other paris of the tree. In many places it is quite common to get a good second crop of fruit on Bon Chretien pear, but the second loj. being all on terminls no harm results. At the Arataki Horticultural Station, in Hawke's Bay, a Japanese plum known a-s Large Yellow several times remained evergreen. It produced a great show oi blossoms in May and set the fruit, altheugh most was lost- from the effects of frost. However, only a portion of the buds broke, and the trees always produced a full crop at the proper season. Briefly put, premature blossoming does no harm when it is confined to twigs. Extensive blossoming will not occur uuless t-he tree suffers a check, such as by loss of foliage, and when this occurs it results in loss of the next season 's crop. Loss of foliage can usually be avoided by proper treatment of the pesis that cause it. In anv case, no good will result from pruning before the usual time— -namelv, during winter while the trees are dormant. — W. H. Taylor, in the "Jonrnal of Agriculture." INCREASING THE 1IERD. It is neeessarv to add new cows to tlie herd from time to time to replace those removed on account of old age, disability, or death: and it would seem a wise policy to raise heifer calves for this purposo rather than to buy additional stock outside. If the dairyman has good producing foundation cows and a purecred sire backed by prbven ancestry, he may feel very sure that his heifer calves, carefully reared, will make good at ihe pail; while his bull calves may easfly bo disposed of at profitable prices, if judicious advertising, setting forth their riglitful claims to transmitted and transmitting superiority, is employed. On the other hand the dairy farmer who is constantly buying to maintain tho desired number in his herd is liable to bring in occasional undesirable individuals, of ill-breeding, improperly reared, or carrying the germs of disease, with which to taint and lower the general standard oi his herd. It is

fairly certain, also, that any rhan has more real affection and pride for animals of his own breeding than for others; that he understands them more perfectly, and can produce better results with them. And so, for the joy that may lie in your work and the profit you hope to secure through it, lay a satisfactory breeding foundation and raise your own dairy cows. MILK IN AMERICA. Tlie production of milk in the United States during 1918 was about 4 per cent. more than in 1917, according to reports made by crop reporters of the Bureau of Crop Estimates. Tho yield per cow was estim8,ted to be 8.2 quarts per day, for 287 days of the year (equalling 588 gallons) in 1918, and 8 quarts for 285 days (570 gallons) in 1917. To estimate the total production of milk it is not proper to apply the above estimated yield per co w to the number of milk cows as reported by the United States Department of Agriculture because this figure is based upon the census classification, which include some lieifers not yet fresh. Making what seems to bo proper allowance for this (applying yield per cow to 80 per cent. of the total as reported by the Department of Agriculture), indica-tions seem to be that tiie total production on farms in 1918 was about 11,044,000,000 gallons, and in 1917 about 10,629,000,000 gallons. These estimates (remarks "Queenslander") do not include production of ccws not on farms (i.e., those in towns and villages), which would add about 5 per cent. to the estimates above for the total production of the United States.