FARM AND STATION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXX, Issue 3536, 29 May 1912, Page 7

FARM AND STATION.

TREATING SEED POTATOES.

A WARNING REGARDING FORMALIN.

On, several’ occasions the Agricultural Gazette of New South ’Wales has recommended that seed potatoes he treated with formalin to prevent tho development of scab and Other diseases in the crop. This last season the potatoes at Bathurst Experiment Farm which were treated in this wav were practically a failure, whilst plots of untreated seed greminated well. 1 1 tho farmers’ experiment plots also the germination was defective, probably due to the same cause.

It seems clear, says the May issue of the Gazette, that, under some conditions at least, formalin has a very had effect upon tho germination of potatoes. Exepriments are now being conducted with solutions of different strengths, and other remedies are also being tested. Meanwhile this warning is issued for the benefit ol potatogrowers, who are adivsed to he cautious in using formalin.

LEADING MILK RECORDS

SOME AMERICAN FIGURES

Replying to’an inquiry'as to milk records, Mr H. G. Van Pelt, a correspondent of the Breeders Gazette, gives the following interesting information :—The largest authenticated milk record of the Holstein breed is held by Colantha 4th’s Johanna, her production being 27,432.5 pounds of milk

Dolly Dimple lields the milk record for the Guernsey breed, her production in twelve months bein 18,808.5 pounds. In the Jersey breed, Jacoba Irene still holds the authenticated record, which is 17,253 pounds 3.2 ounces. In the Ayrshire breed the record is held by Netherall Brownie 9th. Her production was 18,110 pounds of milk in a year.

In butter-fat production the Holstein cow Bauostine Belle do Kol ranks ahead of Colantha 4th’s Johanna, having recently produced 1,058.34 pounds of fat in a year, hut from a trifle less quantity of milk. Likewise, although Dolly Dimple holds the record of her breed in milk production, Spotswood Daisy Pearl has produced more butter-fat as indicated by her record of 957.33 pounds in twelve months.

Jacoba Irene’s fat record of 952 pounds 15.4 ounces still stands as the record of the Jersey breed, and likewise" the record of 820.91 pounds of butter-fat the record held by Netherall Brownie 9th is the butter-fat record of the Ayrshire breed.