On the Land

New Zealand Tablet, 12 June 1913, Page 59

On the Land

, • ... GENERAL. ■ - The moment any cow. shows trouble of the udder she should be isolated, lest the disease prove contagious. Were this made the invariable rule in every cow-shed, udder trouble would be far less common and far less virulent. ’ It is officially estimated that the total production of potatoes in the United Kingdom is nearly 2,244,000 tons, which represents, on an area of 463,000 acres, a yield of 4.85 tons per acre, the lowest since the returns of produce were first collected in 1884. " Experiments have shown that something like 80 per cent, of the pollination of hardy orchard fruits is done by the hive bee, 15 per cent, by the various humble bees, and the remainder by miscellaneous insects. Gooseberries, currants, and raspberries, though freely self-fertile,' set better fruit when visited by bees. France almost alone among Continental countries possesses sufficiently large herds, at least of horned cattle, not only for its own needs, but even for export, without cattle farming thereby suffering. Foreign purchasers have thronged the French markets, above all in 1910, and this has contributed to some degree to raise the price of meat also in France, v As ‘ boy is said to be father to the man/ so seed is the parent of the crop, and all the fertilising in the world will not produce a satisfactory crop if the seed is not pure and good. Yet many farmers year after year sow bushels of seed without taking the trouble to find out whether the seed is pure and of good germinating powers. E In the Auckland Province several dairy factories will commence operations next season, and the number of suppliers has been increased by the establishment of new dairy farms in recently-settled districts, and in older districts, where large holding have been subdivided. The most notable development of the dairy industry in the Auckland Province has been in the Northern Peninsula, where many new herds are being established. °

The Auckland Province comes second in the list as an exporter of dairy produce, and last season the production increased in both butter and cheese, the export comprising 176,700 cwt of butter valued at £990,663, and 13,871 cwt of cheese, valued at £39,660, a total of £1,030,323. To the increase of £308,382, butter contributed £330,481, and cheese £791. The £1,000,000 mark has never previously been exceeded by the dairy products exported from the Auckland Province, and the anticipations a year ago of a record season have been fully realised. ' The attendance at Addington last week was good, and well up to the average of recent sales. A rather unusual occurrence in the form of a mild strike took place during the fat lamb sale. The exporters who were operating took exception to the presence of a buyer who they apparently thought was operating on behalf of one of the local agency firms, and they all vacated the pens until this buyer ceased bidding. Things were at a deadlock for a little time, until the buyer at last withdrew, as he did not wish to spoil the sale, which would have happened if he had continued, and business then went on in a normal manner. The range of prices was : Tees made to 31s 3d, average weights 16s t°. 19s, light and unfinished 14s to 15s 6d, extraprime wethers to 365, prime 20s 6d to 26s 6d, others 17s to 20s; ewes: prime 18s to 235, medium 15s to 4 17s 6d, aged and light 11s to 14s 6d; merino wethers 17s 6d, merino ewes 10s. Steers made £7 17s 6d to £ll 10s, extra to £ls; heifers £5 17s 6d to £9 12s 6d • and cows £5 15s to £lO 10s. Fat calves made 8s to .70s for ordinary sorts, extra realising to £5. Pigs: Choppers £3 10s to £7, heavy baconers 67s 6d to 755, and lighter sorts 55s to 655, or equal to sfd per lb. Heavy porkers brought 45s to 50s, and lighter 40s to f 4S on e T l , IValenfc P er Ik. Best sorts brought 34s to 39s 6d, and smaller pigs 22s to 30s. Weaners brought 9s to 14s. 5

BACTERIA AND ROTATIONS.

Everyone connected . with farming knows that it is necessary to have a rotation of crops— no crop should succeed one of the same ;sort in; any yearbut that there should always be a change round the fields. This has, of course, a very great effect, and it is reckoned that this effect enables one crop to. get fertility out ; of the soil that was not required by another, and that it fits in with the scheme of farming in many other respects. It is now stated that there is evidence of the? fact that this rotation of crops ■ has. beneficial effects on the bacteria of the soil as well. ! Wo know that nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash are the particular ingredients of the soil needed from a fertilising point of view, and we also know that the ability of a crop to take these up by its roots depends pretty much on the previous preparation in the soil caused by the action of microbes. It is found now in connection with this that the changing of crops has probably a corresponding influence on the activity of the microbes in the soil, and thus, while one lot, as it were, are stimulated into activity, another lot gets a rest, 'so to speak. The microbe of all sorts have the power to a certain extent to develop secretions which practically in time poison themselves, and consequently a change in the stimulation of their own action has a corresponding beneficial effect on their own life processes. The changing of crops, so to speak, acts as a purifier of the soil, and has a good effect in this respect as well as in others. POTATO PLANTING: SINGLE EYE SETS,. Many growers to-day plant or propagate by singleeye sets, and it is within the reach of every grower, as neither frame nor greenhouse is required. The tuber may be divided into as many portions as it possesses eyes, and if only large potatoes, such as are suitable tor exhibition purposes, are wanted, it will be well to examine each prominent eye closely for side eyes, picking these out when present. This practice (says a’ltome paper) results in a few good sized tubers being produced, instead of a large number of small inferior tubers. . During the potato boom several-years ago, when the fancy prices were being given, every possible , way of producing tubers was resorted to; not only did growers and raisers propogate from single-eye sets, but when the plant showed any growth at all, then the growers commenced taking cuttings and striking them in heat, and in a short time accumulated a quantity of rubbishy seed really, but the public were in such a; rush then to buy anything as long as it was a potato. . cutting seed to single eyes the sets begin to shrink and deteriorate very soon, and, therefore should be planted as cut. Some growers put the portions in a mixture of flowers of sulphur and slaked lime to guard against infection by fungus spores. Planting may be done either in 4in deep trenches or in stations taken out about 18in apart, that being a good distance to allow between the rows. The rows should be about 2ft apart, but strong growing varieties may require about 3ft. Place the sets with the eye upwards and cover with the soil displaced in making the stations or trenches. Weeds should be kept down by hoeing or hand. When about 6in high the plants should bo earthed up in the usual way, and the planting of singleeye sets, should be done at the same dates as practised with whole tubers. Many growers contend that singleeye sets do not give such heavy crops as uncut tubers but there is no doubt that for furnishing good-sized’ shapely potatoes for table or exhibition the system has its advantages.