On the Land

New Zealand Tablet, 25 May 1911, Page 982

On the Land

■ To counteract the frosts on future occasions, the Hawkes Bay Fruitgrowers' Association has sent" an'orderto America for a sample of six orchard-heaters of two patterns, in order to test this method of dealing with the frost, and the association hopes to be able to do something to prevent such a disastrous loss as most of the fruitgrowers sustained last October. . Owing to the excellent weather for growth experienced in Canterbury during the past two months, there is now every prospect of a plentiful supply of winter feed on the plains, and in consequence store stock has made a good forward move in prices. A shortage of stock is estimated m both South Canterbury and North Otago, and southern consignors of small lots of prime fats have been striking most favorable markets.

A cow must produce about 40001 of milk and 1601bs of butter fat to pay for her feed and labor (writes Professor Eraser, of the University of Illinois). This is the dead line: 50001bs milk, £2 profit; 80001bs milk, £8 profit —four times as much. Ten cows averaging SOOOlbs of milk are as profitable as forty cows producing oOOOlbs. The cost of keep increases but £7 per cow, from 2000 to 10,0001bs of milk given, yet the income increases £23, or over three times as rapidly. At Burnside last week there was an easing tendency in respect of both sheep and cattle (reports the Otago Daily Times). About 3200 sheep were yarded, and as the offering was > more than sufficient for local requirements, and as freezing buyers were again not disposed to operate, prices receded to the extent of from 6d to Is per head for wethers and good quality ewes, wethers making up to 21s. Nearly 2000 lambs were yarded, and in this instance prices advanced to the extent of fully Is per head, and in some cases to Is 6d, as compared with last week. Freezing buyers were operating more strongly than for some time past, and it was quite evident that their limits have been extended. In face of the position of the London market it is evident, however, that prices at present ruling for mutton are still too high for freezing buyers to engage in business with any degree of profit. There was an easing in the cattle market, probably due to the fact that there was a fairly good yarding. Bullocks realised up to £l3 12s 6d, and heifers up to £11.17s 6d.

The treatment of a corn in the horse's hoof will depend upon the nature of the patient's corn; some corns are simply a bruising of the soft tissues in the angle of the foot, and others are really suppurating wounds '(says an agricultural authority). If the horse has a simple or bruised corn it will be well to run him, if possible, without shoes, or failing this in tips or three-quarter shoes, and remove a little of the horn just over the seat of corn, so that it does not come in contact with the ground. This treatment if carried on for nine months or a year will often cure those old chronic corns which are so difficult to treat. It is important to remember that in treating this class of corn it is not advisable, in fact it does harm, to pare away too much horn from the seat of the corn. A suppurating corn usually causes acute and painful lameness, and in cases that have gone on too long there is a swelling at junction of hair and horn immediately above the corn at the coronet. After poulticing a few days with hot bran poultices to soften the corn, the horn' at the seat of the corn must be carefully pared away right down to the suppurating or diseased tissues to allow exit of the contained fluid, which has usually a very foul odor. Having opened up the corn the foot should be" placed in a bucket containing warm water, coloured with sheep dip, for half an hour a day until lameness goes off, when he may be shod having a leather sole placed between the shoe'and the foot for the first shoeing. There were large entries of stock, and a good attendance at the Addmgton market last week. Store sheep sold at the previous week's rates, and fat lambs sold well Prime fat sheep were firmer and perhaps rather easier, except for prime sorts. The yarding of store sheep showed a further falling oft in numbers, ewes-being in the largest proportion and the quality generally was medium. There was another heavy yarding of fat sheep, including some lines of prime wethers, but the bulk of the entry consisted of ewes. For all prime and medium quality there was a good demand prime sorts being firmer, but aged and inferior ewes -\ dragged a good deal towards the end of the sale. The / range of prices was: Prime wethers, 17s to 21s; lighter, * f A lbs m 6d; prime ewes, 14s to 17s 7d; medium, lis to Ids 6d. There an entry of 6095 fat lambs, a number of pens being or prime quality. There was good competition all through the sale. Export buyers took 5093 at prices ranging from 9s 6d to 20s 3d, the general run being 13s to los. The entry of fat cattle was of mixed quality there being a few extra prime lots, but cows formed 'a large part of the yarding. There was fair competition, and all but prime sorts were somewhat easier. Steers made ; £7 10s to £ll 12s 6d; extra, to £l4 ss; heifers, £5 5s to £8 2s 6d; and cows, £5 to £8 7 ? 6d. Pigs formed good entries of all classes and of mixed quality. There was h a dull demand lat choppers sold up to 60s, and some extra lame pigs made up to £5 15s, large baconers 45s to 50s extra to 71s, and lighter 34s to 42s (equal to 4d per lb) '