FARM AND STATION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXX, Issue 3509, 27 April 1912, Page 2

FARM AND STATION.

Educate the farmer’s boy toward a more valuable life on the farm. Uplift the farm home through the education of the farmer’s daughter toward greater usefulness and attractiveness in the farm home.—Secretary James Wilson, of the United States .Department of Agriculture. The High Commissioner explains the statement circulated through the British Press, that a cargo of Australian, meat was imported into Germany. He reports that, it was a small trial parcel of 100 carcases of Australian mutton .forwarded by Messrs W. Weddell and Co. These carcases were slaughtered and dressed in Australia in such a manner as to comply with the German regulations, the necessary internal organs being left in the carcases. They were wrapped in double Hessian hags, anti shipped along -with other frozen mutton to London. Here they were discharged, and were then forwarded to Bremen, Germany, by

Messrs Woddel and Co. They arrived there in .good condition, and, overcoming the nnmerous difficulties of Customhouse, meat-inspection, etc., were sold by Messrs Weddcl’s representative in two lots—fifty to Berlin and fifty to Chemnitz. lam informed, says the High .Commissioner, that the 'meat gave entire .satisfaction to the purchasers. . The price realised, however, has not been .ascertained. The Government of Peru and the Peruvian Corporation have agreed jointly t» employ the professional services of Dr. H. 0. Forbes, former director of the Liverpool Museum, and one of the world’s most competent naturalists and ornithologists, to make an exhaustive study for the protection of the birds which produce guano, inorder to ensure the continuity of the supply through future years.. The demand for guano on the part of planterse in Peru is increasing every year. —Peru To-day.

The farm women of Belgium have entered upon an era of organisation. About-five years ago “circles of farm women’ ’ began to appear in that country. These had increased to seventyfour circles in 1910, with an aggregate membership of about ten thousand. All matters pertaining to the betterment -of women’s condition in Belgium are taken up in these circles, and- at yearly reunions well-known exports lecture on domestic economy, dairying. gardening, -hygiene of children, and so on.i Now a national committee of ’women has been formed and amonthly publication issued. —Spokesman Review.

Umkmbtdly, when the breed of pigs improve, as it will do, in Siberia., in the .same way as in other countries and with normal prices, there will be a great export, and people interested in the business will do well to keep their eyes upon it, as in the future bacon will probably be the second-most-important- export from Siberia, and the United Kingdom will certainly be the chief market. —Report by H.M. Vice-Consul at Omsk on Agriculture in .Siberia.

The selection of plump and well-rip-ened seed for sowing is a great .advantage. In each seed is laid up a store of food to be used by the young plant in the early stages ef its growth. In a shrivelled need the store which can be drawn on is very meagre, and the growth under such circumstances is slow ; hut in a well-develop-ed and plump kernel the supply is abundant, and the. plant starts out with a degree of vigor which is usually maintained, and the resulting crop, all other conditions being equal, is usually satisfactory. —Mark Lane Express. During the last few years, says a London Times correspondent, a number of Argentine insurance companies have been doing profitable business in insuring crops. Last .••ear dividends up to 65 per cent, were pa id to shareholders —in fact, the profits were paid away in dividends. Up to three weeks ago these companies were issuing policies right, and left. Then the rain began. They are now jurat, ly in a state cf bankruptcy. The big ones may save their existence by making compositions with their creditors; the small ones will disappear. Professor Penberthy, a member -of the Central and Associated Chambers of Agriculture, recently explained to the Council at their meeting at 'Westminister, London, the symptoms of a mysterious and incurable disease which is* gradually increasing among cattle in this country, and which is even spreading among sheep. The disease, said Professor Penberthy, was known at present by the name of Job lie’s disease, but it- lia-d been known under a variety of names. The disease was clue to a micro-organism which had recently been discovered, and it resulted fatally as a rule. One of, its most serious features was that- affected animals contaminated the pastures on which they fed. Science so far had revealed no cure or really practical measure for its -prevention. The disease affected the lining membrane of the intestines, and its most- marked symptom was -wasting and diarrhoea, but sometimes it might affect onl v cue , animal on a farm at a time. In view | of the serious nature of the disease and the fact .that ho cure or means lof prevention had been discovered, jit was unanimously agreed that a I deputation from the Council should i wait upon the Board of Agriculture to ask for the appointment of a Departmental Committee of Enquiry into the disease. HEMP FROM SNSECETS]. TO ENCOURAGE ITS PRODUCTION. With the object of encouraging the production of hemp from the linseed -plant within the Empire, says the Journal of the Department of Agriculture, the British Incorporated Chamber of Commerce arid-Shipping communicated with the Minister for Agriculture, the Hon. T. Mackenzie, expressing its willingness, should any linseed he produced within the Dominion, to have this treated in England for fibre purposes. It was pointed out that the consumption, cf linseed hemp was steadily increasing, and it was the desire of the Chamber, to encourage production as much as possible within the Empire. If such an experimental shipment he made the Chamber undertakes to give it the,, very best attention, to have it examined by experts, and when .dressed to .have an authovative opinion -passed 'upon the commercial -prodxict. As the growing of linseed ir, receiving more attention in New Zealand, it may be that private growers will entertain the idea of testing the question of dressing the stalks for fibre. If so, the Department will- arrange for a trial shipment to he mftde. and advantage be taken of the offer of the British Incorporated Chamber of Commerce and Shipping. It- may he pointed out, the Journal adds, that the steeping, cutting, and scratching of the linseed-stalks is no inconsiderable item, and the cost of these processes will have to be ascertained; before any definite^ idea can be obtained as to the possibilities in the production of fibre from this .plant.