Welsh Newspapers
Search 15 million Welsh newspaper articles
13 articles on this Page
FARMING IN SOUTH AFRICA --
FARMING IN SOUTH AFRICA BVERY bUMMER A TRAGEDY. The following article, taken from a South African paper, will doubtless be read by our agri- cultural readers with great interest, because it pic- tures a state of things which is almost incredible to tillers of the soil in this country, and yet is, we believe, only the bare truth. It was forwarded to us by an old friend and sulfcscjriber, Mr. Robert L. Kyle, a native of Carmarthen, who is farming m South Africa, and to whom, we fear, the conditions described in the article must be only too familiar. Readers will, of course, remember that summer in South Africa occurs when we are having our winter here:— It is all over. The tragedy of the past four ( c five months is at an end. In thirty minutes all the appalling conditions, all the ghastly sights on the drought-stricken veld of January, 1914, have been completely transformed. Thirty minutes sufficed to put an end to the worst drought the country has "Ter known. Such is the wonder of rain. On January 10th. the sun went down, leaving a land in the deadly grip of the worst drought in the history of the country. Unless you are on the land —living on it-looking to the land to mako for you a living; unless you have given to your land, year after year, all the best of your body and brain and youth, you can never realise the appalling hopeless- ness, the overwhelming tragedy of the conditions on January 10th, "'J.4. For days and weeks and months, cloudless skies, raging winds, and scorching suns—for days and weeks and months drought and drought and only drought. And the irony of it is. that this should be the rainy season. This should be the season for vast stretches of luxuriant green pasture-of run- ning streams and rushing rivers—of sleek, fat, shiny- coated stock-of rich green lands—of regular rains- busy days with ploughs and harrows and planters, days full of rich promise amongst a hopeful, happy people—that is what a Free State January should be. Instead what did we have? For miles and miles and miles you could travel along a hard, sweltering, scorching road, under a steely blue sky, and go for hours through a bare, brown waste—a dried up. parched up, waterless desert, quivering in oily heat waves given off bv the red hot, baking soil. IFor miles and miles and miles never a sign of water— dam after dam, bone dry, just a bare stretch of hard-baked mud, a mazo of cracks and fissures, where, but a few months ago, stood a miniature lake. Lands of mealies-but a few months ago standing green and healthy and full of life-now contained but a few odd patches of dried up wilted leaves on yellow stalks a foot high; other lands again with the mealies still limply clinging on to life, and all surrounded by a lifeless. brown, dirty-yellow, parched-up veld. If you walk on it it crackles under foot like so much scorched straw. IN THE SHADE OF THE SHEEP. For miles and miles, small panting mobs of sheep stand in the sweltering heat, their heads hanging down for the shade of the next sheep's body-cattle, mere bone and skin, crawl hopelessly about, nib- bling at the dry, brittle tufts of veld and all -ihe water that they have is probably miles away—a small muddy-looking little pool containing about one day's supply that is pumped up by an old windmill from a .borehole that is getting weaker and weaker every day. Across some of the older lands— lauds that were once irrigated—are great crac.ks, inches wide, and you can put your stick down into them three or four feet deep. Here and there is a silent, sleepy, sweltering homestead. The gardens are withered — the trees are turning brown the windmill has not been running for weeks, for the borehole has long been dry. A barrel on a sleigh contains the sole water supply—obtained from Heaven knows ht-re-for the entire homestead. Take hold of a wheel of the wagon and pull it—the spokes have about half an inch play; put a load on and try and get it a few hundred yards away the wheels would crumple up like a box of matches. The moulding of the windows—the panels of the doors-the trellis- work on the verandah—have all warped and "given inches. Bone-dry—in and out—everything. And above all the steely-blue sky—the sweltering heat- and the unearthly, deadly silence that makes a drought so much like Hell, that when you see the man who is facing it—the man who is going through every hour of it for days and weeks and months—oyu feel at once that here is something more than a man —here is something fashioned out of steel, and that has a will of iron. All his life's work—ail the re- sult of his efforts against the most colossal odds any man ever faced—lies before him wilted and wither ing—parching up, drying out, and dying, an tne grip of a drought such as the country has never known for fifty years. That was the position in this part of the Free State on January 10th, 1914. IFINALE OF THE TRAGEDY. And in half an hour, between the hours of 2 a.m. and .3. a.m., on January 11th, all this was changed. In thirty minutes, a four or five months' tragedy was over. Such is the wonder of rain. Men (and women) went to bed on January 10th, as they had gone to bed for days and weeks and months—tired out—worn out with fruitless longing -tinder a blue-black sky splashed with billions of bright, clear stars. Gone to rest, in buildings that seemed to give off the oppressive heat of days and days of scorching drought. Buildings, that at mid- night, were hot to the hand—and that cracked or creaked with relief in the dead, cool silence of the night. I At ten minutes to two tho rain started. To hear the first huge drops on the iron roof-drops at five seconds intervals and huge because of the real big plop they made—brought back some very distant recollections. As a matter of fact it was only 70 days since you had heard rain on the roof- only 70 days—but it seomed as if you had not heard the sound for years. At five minutes past two it was pouring torrents; the roar on the roof was glorious. Outside you could see, in the lightning flashes, one solid wall of rain an round. On every side—one solid wall of rain, thick enough to hide anything and everything 50 yards away. For thirty minutes this steady continual pouring rain just teemed down; you could sec, in the lightning flashe- thousands of gallons of it racing away n.cross the poor, parched, shrivelled-up veld. And inside the house, if you were lucky enough to have someone h say to, "This is all right," you'd have had to shout very loud to make yourself heard. And when the *un rose? Dams—the once (hi "d up. cracked old dams, were running ov(-.i, -him ni(,r. ing sheets of water, wherever you lnokNl-Janrb nf ■aealies looking strong and healthy again-allds waiting for the grain, saturated—sopping soil. oooh of water, running spruits, new life, new hoo<\ everything transformed under an hour—the gre~te'' pnrt of it in thirty minutes. Yesterday the Free State was the very worst- in all the world—to-day I is on* of the best. Such is the wonder of rain.
Advertising
THE CONSTRUCTION I AND FiNisH, THE SILIPLICITY, AND DURABILITY OFTHE SEPARATOR HAVE SECURED Fa" IT THE LARGEST SALE IN THE BRITISH EMPIR A MELOTTE Separ-Lit-r will pay for itself In a few 00n ths in increased 1'icld of Cream and Butter alone. I 1 AWARDED. Numer-1 AWARDED. Numer- ■ otis other Awards. I ■ Write for Catalogue, Testimonials and name of I ■ nearest Agent to the ■ I Metotte-Separator Sales Co. Ltd. I BRISTOL. SSES
POULTRY CULTURE IN WEST WALES
POULTRY CULTURE IN WEST WALES A largely attended meeting of farmers and cot- tagers, organised by Mrs. Gwynne-Hughes, Tre- gyb {wife of the Lord Lieutenant of the county) who was supported by Mrs. and Miss Peel, Taliaris; Mr. L; N. Powell, J.P., Carregcennen; Major anu Mrs. Urquart. Llanarthney, and Mr. and Mrs. Williams, Capel Issa, was held at Manordeilo on Thursday evening. Mrs. Gwynne Hughes said she was very ignorant of the subject they had met to discuss. In her own case out of some 50 or 60 pullets she had not a single egg I during the winter (laughter). It filled her soui with envy when she found Mrs. Saunders Davies all through the winter gathering baskets of eggs. She thought a great many people might be equally ignor- ant like herself, and would be very glad to hear what could be done in the way of egg production. Mrs. Saunders Davies would tell them what she had done. At Llandilo she did not think they wanted an egg depot as they did at Boncath because at Llandilo they had such a good market, but the supply was hot anything like the demand. They had with them also the Rev. D. M. Jones, M.A., who was one of the pioneers of poultry culture in South Wales and whole name was known far and wide, even in the Colonies. The Rev. E. Jones remarked that Mrs. Gwynne Hughe.s had told them she kept poultry. It was a greac mistake; poultry should keep them (laughter). They had to decide when they were going in for poultry whether they were going to Nar birds for the table or for egg production. They wanted ggs when they were dear. They could not get a fowl that was good both for table and egg laying. It cost quite as much to keep mongrels as pure breed. They wanted egg laying to begin about the end of October-for himself he preferred early December. Pullets properly reared, fed and managed should begin to lay about the end 01 October and lay steadily. Cola weather checked the laying ji pullets that had not been seasonably hatched. They should be hatched for winter 'laying. It could be done by careful sel- ection. As a rule the heavy bird laid a tinted egg, and the light bird a white one. The heavy had a tendency to broodiness. The light was seldom broody. It was not much advantage to cross two "heavy" or two "lights." He advocated first cross- ings as being more economical, otherwise they mon- reliscd with disastrous results. An ailing bird should at once be removed from the pen. They must have birds suitable to the soil on which they were reared so the nature of the ground had to be considered. He predicted that the time was Dot far distant when eggs would be sold by weight. They should there- fore go in for big eggs. There was always a ten- dency to a medium. Rearing from small eggs would in the end mean failure For table birds they should have birds with a good breast. Size was also to be considered. Unsan.tary condit.ons had a lot to do witu the diseases of fowls. Mrs. Saunders Davies said they found a few years ago at Boncath that they had to sell their eggs at sucn cheap rate to collectors that the business did not pay. She got a few farmers together and they es- tablished a depot. That wa.s after the visit of the egg train. They started .with 70 with shares at 5s. and their capital was L73. They got a room, hired a horse at 5s. a day, and got a manager. They began collecting in October. In the first month their weekly payments to members amounted to L4 17s. 5d. The following October it was B55 13s. 9d.; for the month of March it was L56 lis.; even in December it was £ 30 7s. 2d. When she began five years ago she knew nothing of the subject. It was a pity their own farmers could not get the seven million pounds they annually paid the foreigner for eggs and poultry. Her object in ex- per;menting with poultry was to help the farmers and to make the business pay. She only kept proved good layers. In December she had 1,577 eggs from 118 pullets. She thought it was a remarkably good record. She had a pen of 16 pullets, and had 317 eggs from the 20th of November to the 20th of December just when eggs were scarce—an average of 19 eggs each. They were still hard at it, an- 2 most of them had laid since last October. She only kept a hen two years. Hens never laid as well as pullets She always hatched early. She then dealt with the management of birds. She used an incubator. It was surprising how hardy chickens were. They did not want coddling. She recom- mended chopped up leeks and onions for food. She attributed much of her success in the winter laying of her fowls to the fact that she kept scratching sheds. Sanitation was essential. Out of 290 chickens hatched in 1911 she lost only about 40. In January she had 1.070 eggs. The number rose until in June she had 1,202, and in December 1.276. Last December she had 1,577, or a total for the yeat of 16,442. Her expenditure in 1911 was j367 Is. 2d. Her receipts C95 19s. Id., leaving a profit of J028 18s. lid. Farmer's daughters might make similar profit. Finally her advice was "hatch your chickens in February, March, or the beginning of April breed only from good winter-laying strains and see that the fowls are prooerly housed and fed." Mr. L. N. Powell and the Revi J. Thompson Jenk 11s alto spoke. A similar meeting was held at Capel Isaac on Friday evening. The subject .s one in which con- siderable interest is taken locally.
Advertising
t We give you the t We give you the INFORMATION FREE When and how to apply NITRATE of SODA in the pamphlet How to use to your crops, fully described Nitrate of Soda." Supplied gratis and post free, by THEOHILEAN NITRATE OOMMITTCI,
LORD MIHIAN AT KIDWELLY
LORD MIHIAN AT KIDWELLY COUNCILLOR COLE OVERTURNS HIS OWN TABLE. ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL. Thursday evening, the 12th inst., will long be remembered at Kidwelly in view of the unusual, in fact. one might say decidedly humorous turn 0. affairs. Lord Nmian Crichton Stuart, M.P., the speaker for the evening, drew an audience for which the Public Hall was inadequate. One hardly expected to experi- ence a mono-element meeting at Kidwelly, for, thanks to a few turbulent spirits, it has long established its reputation in this respect, and this evening it more than maintained its liotoi ety- The opposing element which proclaims with sanctimonious hwyl and seiat solem- nity its determined stand in support of (FREE- DOM, was here strong, und lost no opportunity of giving a glaring example of its tenets of freedom and fair-play. However before the termination of the meeting it was found that their white-washed freedom and gilt-washed fair-play were nought better than shrivelled mummies—a decrepit carcase, devoid of any semblance of soul Undoubtedly in future meetings these pioneers of bunkum will think twice before they attempt to heckle the platform, and win an unenviable politioal notoriety. Tho chair was taken by Mr. Alfred Stephens, J.P. (prospective candidate for West Carmarthenshire), supported by the speaker. Lord Ninian; Mr. and Mrs. H. E. Smart; Mrs. Stephens: Mr. John Thomas, Velindre; Mr. Waddington (Central Office agent) and Mr. 8. Tudor Hanks (agent for West Carmarthenshire). Mr. Stephens in his address remarked that he had a very pleasant duty to perform in introducing Lord Ninian Stuart,-the most popular member of the most go-ahead town in this country. (A Voice: No fear, sir, what about Kidwelly?') (laughter). Mr. Stephens—Oh! Kidwelly would come next. He trusted they would give Lord Ninian a fair hearing. and he hoped there would be as little interruption as possible. The country was going through very serious times, and a great deal depended upon what happened in Parliament during the next few weeks. He would like to take them bac.k to 1905-the last year in which the Unionist party were in power. Many of them would remember that in 1905 Mr. Austen Chamberlain was Chancellor of the Exchequer, and his Budget that year was for 142 millions. The great cry of the Liberal party in those days was the great extravagance of the Unionist party. The Liberal party demanded that the Unionists should be thrown out of power in order that they might have a chance. They wanted to economise. In 1906 they preached the gospel of retrenchment and reform. They had little retrench- ment. The economy they had amounted to this- that whereas in 1905 the Budget was 142 millions, during the present financial year it amounted, accord- ing to Mr. Lloyd GeoTge's Budget, to 1<95 millions— an increase of over 37 per cent. There was no doubt about this, that if the expenses increased thus and industries taxed, capital would be driven out of the country. Capital had been driven away from this country in huge sums. He was speaking to an industrial audience. It was important to everyone that as much capital as possible was kept in our own country (cheers). What had happened? The huge sum of 600 million pounds had been invested abroad during the last eight years. He must say that most of the people who invested their money abroad were supporters of the present Government. New taxes had been put on property in this country, but no equivalent upon investments. They should first of all tax the man who put his money abroad, and last of all the man who put out his money at home for the benefit of the working classes (loud cheers). The policy of the Liberal party had undoubtedly been against security. If there was no security- capital was easily driven away. The Unionist party wanted to give security so that people might invest their money at home. Let them not allow sentiment to interfere with them. They must not study poli- tics from a church and chapel point of view, but must find out for themselves how the different questions I were going to affect them. If people voted from a -business and common-sense point of view, they would vote not Liberal, but Unionist at the next election (loud cheers). Lord Ninian, who was given a rousing reception, said that the previous evening he was spea.king at Oystermouth, and that night he was down at Kid- welly to give a helping hand to Mr. Stephens in a fight which he was doing very well (cheers). They were both on the same platform, and both of them had the honour of belonging to the best party which this country had seen for a very long time (cheers). The first point which touched the pockets of most of the people of this country was the National In- surance Act. He would like to tell them that in the House of Commons they had been successful in FINDING OUT THINGS which they had been trying to ascertain for several months; and that was how the tiiiancee of the Insurance Act were situated since it commenced to work. They found out that things were pretty rotten. A chemist complained that he had made 'it 2.300 prescriptions and for which he ii-w NOT BEEN PAID. This chemist had to buy his drugs, bandages, itc., and he would get them cheaper trom the wholesale dealer if he paid cash for them; but how could he pay cash when he could not get paid? This man had his bills to meet and how was he going to do so under the circumstances? They often saw in the newspapers reports of Bankruptcy Courts, and they often made up their minds that these persons hau lived right up to the top and never meant to j 7 anybody. Let them look at the position of :h, chemist in this case. Everyone of them had to oa; down their fourpences in order to get certain bene- fits. If these people did not pay the chemists, they were not acting true to the insured who paid their fourpenoes because the chemists gave their goods to the insured, and were therefore strictly speaking creditors of the insured. The chemists were robbed of the profit they ought to make. This was one (f the worst things which the administrators of the Act could do. Every contributor had a right to see that the debts they incurred were paid out of e money which they contributed weekly. Here was party which did not fulfil the obligations which they knew would fall upon them. Not only was that found out in the House of Commons last week, at a large number of approved societies in this count-y at the present moment were in very sore straits to adequately carry on the Act. The Act stated that every few years there must be a valuation. It was to he found out then whether they were financially strong. If it was found that it was not so, then one of two things would have to take place. Either to raise the weekly contributions, or to reduce the "benefits, On the agenda of an Insurance Committee the other day was noticed:— To consider the reduction of benefits to be paid to insured persons; and the reduction of another benefit from JE12 to £ 10 per member. The contributors had a perfect right to demand to see how things stood. They should see Aat the Government of this country properly carried out their obligations (cheers). The sooner a valuation was made the better. Undoubtedly if this state of affairs went on much longer they would have to pay higher weekly contributions. A Voice-The landlords must pay. Yes. the landlords would have to pay more, and so would they, therefore they would be in the same box (cheers). A Voice—My noble lord. we have a good mana- ger for the Insurance Act (laughter). I am very glad to hear that you are satisfied. You are of a very few who are (laughter and cheers). A V oicp-Tariff Reform. Yes. they could have Tariff Reform if they wished, but not all the questions at the same time. Another matter which he wished to call their attention to. now that it had been before the coun- try for a long time .was the Irish Home Rule ques- tion. Last Tuesday, after Monday's great debate in the House of Commons, Mr. Asquith nut forward his offer to Ulster upon the Home Rule Bill. It was to the effect that certain counties could be either excluded or included in the Bill. (For example, the county of Londonderry could vote itself to be excluded from the Bill, while the city of London- derry would no doubt vote for the Bill. -here would be conflicts of law in the same county, being that the -"ounty and the city had adopted diffp1"P11+ system*. There would be two ,des or hw v.rVir" in Ulster at the same time. The rank and file of the Nationalist party had suddenly made up their I minds to be heard on the question. They had seen that Mr. Redmond did not represent —— A Voice-Constitutional government. Constitutional government was not what they haci at the present moment (cheers). The Government attempted to put down a Parliament an Dublin winch the Ulster men insisted they would nor gv under; and they were prepared to fight to -„ho ono against a Rule winch they tiattd \l'¡ cueers;. Although they might try to thcie 11 behaia the nlIl.. of radical or anything they liked, but if V-hey Were placed in the same position bv the Govermnc/u attempting to force upon a government they did no, want, what would they do? If tney stood o„> baldly against it, as the Listermun were determine., upon doing, they would be manly; but if they d; not, they would be neither more nor less thai: cowards (loud cheer.). The IiiUlpendent Nationalist party, headed by William O'Brien, said that exclusion was given in Lister, it would mean tear ing Ireland to shreds and pathes-tearin.g tin- unity of Ireland to pieces. A Voice—You should cio away with the House oi Lords altogether. The House of Lords at presont had no power at all. They wanted Liberal Peers to .be heard in th. House of Lords, but where was that promise, of th< Government to re-construct it? Do you say that the House of Lords has bettered the working man? On every occasion but one that the House of Lords refused to pass a, Bill sent up by the House of Commons, the Unionist Government had been re- turned to power (cheers). Did not that show that the country approved of the decision of the House of Lords? (cheers). Has Mr. Lloyd George's Budget been a success to this country? Not to my knowledge (laughter and cheers). The Chairman at this stage appealed for fair play for the speaker. It was not right that such uncaUed- for interruptions should be made. Lord Ninian, continuing, said that he did not in the least mind the interruptions. Let them fire their questions. With regard to the Welsh Church Bill, he did not intend dwelling upon it at any great length. for it had been discussed so often. It ap- peared that there were two great divisions in tht Nonconformist ranks—the purely political Noncon- formists who had worked upon the feelings of the country by saying that the whoJe of Wales were unanimous in favour of disestablishment and dis- endowment of the Church; and the other sections consisting of religious Nonconformists, and who are people who put their religion a long way in front of their politics. There was at the present moment a protect against disestablishment and disendowment. and the taking away of churchyards, which was being signed very extensively. The protest which was sent up the other day had been received by Mr. Asquith in a manner, well, that it should not be received. It was met by Mr. McKenna who fancied that he saw a large number of signatures in the same handwriting. Where is the proper place to put a petition? The proper pJacc to send a petition to is the House of Commons, and protests to the Prime Minister (loud cheers). The people in Wales were not, and would not. be tarred as the Nonconformists in the House of Commons would tar them, by saying that they were people who were against another Church. They were the same as all other men. and would see fair play done to another body which had done them no harm (cheers). The Government had re- fused the whole time to consider vital matters of reform which were wanted k by the people. Th0 Unionist Housing Bill was brought in year after year .by the Unionist party in the House of Com- mons. It. was sent up, and said that three Com- missioners were to be in control of the districts to see if more houses were required. The first year it was put in it was said to be unworkable. In its seoond year it was driven out because the Chanoellor of the Exchequer refused to give a single halfpenny for the building of any houses in this country. Now they were bringing in a Bill which was -Ora.-ti- ('.a llv the same as before. bl'at1ç/> they would have to to go to the country to try and get back n few votes (laughter). Those men had beon working to keep up majority and power, and the men behind them and the J3400 which went with them (ioud cheers). The Chairman in calling upon Mr. Waddington to propose the resolution and vote of thanks to the speaker, remarked that wnen persons came next time to ask questions it would be better for thom to make more sure of their questions (laughter and cheers). Mr. Waddington said he knew they all felt thank- ful to Lord Ninian Stuart for coming to Kidwelly to address the electors, although they were not all of the same opinion. He believed in attending all meet- ings, and giving all the speakers a fair and courteous hearing (cheers). If there was a friend of the democracy it was Lord Ninian Stuart, who repre- sented the city of Cardiff to-day. Whether they went to the Docks or elsewhere they would find h 1 was recognised and respected by all the hands. He was a gentleman any man might go te. and lay any legitimate grievance before him, and he could de- pend that that grievance would be placed before the proper authorities, or before the -House with a new to its being rectified (cheers). In his reference to the Irish Home Rule question Mr. Waddington remarked that the denominations in Ireland had petitioned their brethren in England not to let them be under the heel of the Irish Nationalists. Mr. Lloyd George had A V oi.-e-Glcry to his name. Later on. Mr. Waddington again referred to this idol of the interrupters when Councillor Cole ap- peared to get really angry and blurted out: "Don't mention Mr. Lloyd George's name. I •'■an't suffer it." This was followed by loud laughter, as Coun- cillor Cole's interjection was rathe:- am-biguous. When Mr. Waddington further on referred to the House of Lord! Councillor Cole chimed: That's the L(-r(I.-Tx)rd David Lloyd George. Mr. Waddington however retorted with I thought you wanted to do away with the House of Lords. Evidently what Councillor Cola wished would be a House of Lords composed of a selection of his own pets. At any rfite he looked rather small in spite of the enthusiastV display of his arms in giving the Criccieth oracle hi" peerage. Councillor Cole's remark that ho was a family of
Advertising
C REAt4 §SS Ptf if1^ IS THE MACHINE f Em Off#. I Ett&LISN 1 I farmers ARE I I = N 8 W BUYING. S I S Tens of thousands jjj in use. 9 Wi a|H I Capacities from 18 1 B ■ to 13° gallons aa I; hour, = "'I"'n.,¡ .JP8íla)i t S Also makers of ä I fl Hifk-class Chorus, = I 3 Batter-Workers, | and othr Dairy Appliances, æ Part on Ppktim t, sde ;R.A.ILISTF-R& 0 DL-RSLIEY,
| LLANDEFEILOG
LLANDEFEILOG THE annual meeting of the Agricultural and Horticultural Society wis held at the Red Lion. Llandefeilog. on Thursday in last week, wlwrJ there wis a lar.go -number present. Mr. J. D. Jcnes presided. The show has be?n fixed for (Friday, August 7th. Mr. John Hinds, M.P.. was unanimously ^appointed president {who has kind:' accepted). All the other officials were re-elected. Mr. John Jones, the sec- retary. submitted the counts for the past year, which showed a good bv.lanoe on the right side. It is ve-y gratifying to find that ihe young farmers of the district are taking a great interest in the society. Quito a dozen joined as new members at this rrteet- ing.
Advertising
One of many recent Marvellous Cures effected by International Stock Food Tonic Three-Year-Old Horse BEFORE arintf This Photograph was taken when the oolk was bought by Mr. Greenwood, of the Crave* Heifer," Manchester Road, Bradford, for [4. He had been under a veterinary surgeon for three months, aad had been fed on six quarts of new milk per day, and was finally pronounced incurable. Mr. Greenwood was laughed at for having him, but having heard of International Stock Food he was determined to try it. The tune Hone after SIX WEEKS* use When the treatment started he could hardly walk. Now he is fat and full of ^ife and vigour. Nothing like International Stock Food for putting all horses, cattle and stock into condition. JUST ADD ONE TEASPOONFUL o F INTERNATIONAL STOCK FOOD TONIC to the ordinary Daily Fted you give your Horses, Cattle, Pigs, Poultry, &c., and note how soon they will improve. It is a perfectly harmless Tonic Food, and costs One PenHy for Six Feeds. In packets, 11-, 2/ and 4/ Pails (1,250 Feed*) 14/ all Corn-Chandlers and Dealers. INTERNATIONAL STOCK FOOD CO., 19, St. Bride Street, London. E.C 90
Advertising
I& .I 44 ig I& .I ALFA4L I. 9 1 m I. 9 1 m NEW MODEL 1 Important Features. 11 SUPPLY CAN-Rests on a g bracket, low down, easy to H pour into. B BOWL.—Self-balancing, :m- B proved type of disc, unnuni- H bered, inseited in any order. B OILING.—Automatic to all H parts. Ensures ease of turn- I In and lasting wear. K SKIMMING.—The "Alfa" fj Laval" has competed in H every public Trial of Hand- M power Separators in the H United Kingdom, and won B every time, beating all com- ■ petitory I I Sales exceed 1,500,000. Try an Alfa-La al I I in your own Dairy on one ucnlh s F:ree Trial. | 1 Acents—W" THOMAS & SON. Ball Street, jl I Carmarthen T. M. WILLIAMS, Iroumonger J Llandilo.
PRASTICAL AGRICULTURE
[Ail RiMTt PioxarzD.r PRASTICAL AGRICULTURE BX I'KIMROSE UoCONNELL, B.So., F.G.& (Author of A Nowbook of Agricultural Faate asi Figures," "Elomenu of larming", ote.). SOOTH. DEVONS. The above is one of our best dairy breeds and one which lias always kept to the front, but the writer hears from inner sources that the socie y 00 with us development are obsessed by a beil^ Attention wa. called in this column a few weeks g to th« question of a general fault in *8 realise A very large number of farmers do n J that milk has c.ome to stay, and that of the first and only importance as it was • a l j,„rp fnr- .beef was all tne rage, paid for exceptional animals in m eenturv can understand what was done m the wa> of this development, but since then the new milk trade has developed tremendously, and is now a very big thine, and those who are connected with any of the societies devoted to our milking breeds are aware of this, and are laying themselves out in this direction PEDIGREE MILKING STPAINS. The Shorthorn Society, for instance, has risen to the occasion, and has been promoting trie develop- ment of the milink power m pedigree cattle for over a dozen years now, with the result that there are now some pedigree milking strains in the country which- cannot be beaten by any other class of ani- mal. On the other hand the great success of the South Devon cows at our various shows and competi- tions ought to be an enfcouragement to the fanciers of tins breed to develop the particular variety ot animal. We are getting more and more to see that 't is quite possible to have both beef and milk in the one beast, and that the milking faculty need not be fatal to the beefing propensity. The South Devon is one of our bigger breeds, and is one which is well adapted for dairying—at any rate in the south country, and it is to be hoped that its development will be carried on. MANURIAL EXPERIMENTS. The Board of Agriculture has issued a special pamphlet, which is really the re-issue of a former ene, giving a summary of the results of the trials with artificial manures. It was originally drawn up by the Agricultural Education Committee in 1903, and the idea was to have all experiments, on the same basis, so that wherever they were tried the results ■could be co-ordinated, and 'die idea was that specific schemes of manuring could be developed with regard to the geological format:pns and the soils therein, in addition to any other similar charac- teristics. One might thus get rules for manuring crops on typical classes of soil. This idea was not taken up to any great extent, but now this pam- phlet is re-issued with modified schemes. Tables of all the requisites of the principal crops are given. and in successive tables suggested quantities of ttlallures are g:tven to be tried on some eighteen different plots. TOP COMPLICATED. Thete schemes of course are intended for experi- mental conditions, but even then it seems to me that whole affair is too elaborate and complicated. e do not really need eighteen plots to test the Manuring of say hay, wheat or mangolds. In these °olumns there has been given at least twioe on former occasions a scheme of seven-plot tests, which could be adopted by any farmer, and while this t^oard of Agriculture scheme may be suitable for institutes and similar bodies which are prepared to carry on elaborate work, it is too much for the ordinary man. All the same the idea is good, and :f it is taken up we certainly might be able by col- lating the results obtained on a common basis find out a lot of useful information in the specific manur- ing of crops, each of its own soil. IN-BREEDING. Mr. Marr has been addressing- the Aberdeen stu- dents on the above subject, and he pointed out that this was the style adopted by the late Amos Cruik- shank. He founded his first methods on this by which he developed his exceptionally good crosses, but it is a method which can only be followed to a very Limited extent, and there is a great deal of evil likely to follow from too close in-breeding. The first evil is loss of size. If the sire and the dam are too sib," as the phrase goes, their progeny is likely to be under-sized. This tendency may, of course, be Partly counteracted, more particularly by the use of large cows. On the other hand size is not everything, and a moderately big animal, if it has got. everything else is quite as desirable, if not more 80 than a very large one. Another trouble which is likely to show itself from too close breeding is loss of constitutional Vigour, a trouble which is likely to be followed by a decrease in size—in other words the animal does not thrive, as it should do, and may in fact sicken and die without coming to maturity. Then again fertility is apt to be lost: the animals become slow breeders. FRESH BLOOD ESSENTIAL. The use of -big bulls is good for in-breeding and is considered desirable in any particular case, but on the other hand in order to keep a breed in a full- sized thriving condition, and wilth sufficient con- stitutional vigour, it is absolutely necessary to bring in fresh blood from time to t.Tne. This must, of course, be (lone judiciously, because we have fol- lowed up a scheme of line breeding" as it is called in order to produce our long pedigrees. Well-bred animals-if any particular straiti has bo- comp run out-want to be re-invigorated sometimes and fresh blood must be introduced, but on the t)tll(,i, hand this must be done after careful consider- ation. It is comparatively easy by crossing with fresh blood in this way to have a case of atavism Or harking back as it is called, and some anoea- tral trait or coarseness or objectionable character- ise is likely to show itself when this sort of oross- Ing takes places Iivbreeding should not now be Practised if possible, but where it is necessary to fix the characteristic of a strain it has got to be done very carefully. CATTLE SUPPLY. There seems to be a world shortage in the num- of cattle. In an article issued by the Interna- tional Institute of Agriculture the subject is dis- cussed, from which it appears that while the world's Population has gone up 20 per cent. within the test few years the cattle population has gone up less than 3 per cent.—only in Australia and France has the balance been kept. that is to say, the cattle pro- duct kept pace with the human race. In the United kingdom by itself, while there has been an increase 10 per cent. in the population there has only been a corresponding increase of 4 per cent. in the cattle. All these things point to a very serious | state of affairs, more particularly in the face of the *laughter of calves—a subject that we have been hearing a good deal about lately. There is indeed • koly bP n vcry great shortage of beef in the 'ynmediate future, not merely in this country, but throughout the world, to judge by present indica- wens. A RISE IN PRICES. This may perhaps not be an undesirable thing after all, because the majority of well-to-do people eat far too much meat as it is, and on the other hand it is quite easy to do with a great deal less meat, and take more to vegetable diet than ever before. The law of supply and demand may, how- ever, bring about a rise 1l prices where there is a scarcity independent of any other things, and this means that while well-to-do people will not feel tho trouble it will be a serious matter for the poor. While the ordinary person who does not have very much muscular exertion can do with comparatively little meat, the working man who lives by the exer- tion of his muscles must have a certain amount of beef to carry him on. There has been already a very great rise in the cost of cattle and their pro- ducts. and certainly the outlook is not very re- assuring. On the other hand every farmer con- cerned ought to set about increasing h-s livestock if he possibly can, and save and rear all oalvea that he can manage, as there is pretty certain to be a rise in the value of cattle stock for some time to coma. to coma. P.S.—The author will be pleased to answer through this oolumn such queries with regard to matters of Agriculture, etc., as are likely to be of general interest to readers. Letters should be addreMed to Primrose McConnell, 69, Highgate, Kendal.
MARKETS
MARKETS GRAIN. NEWPORT, Wed., March 11.—There was very little business to-day, the market being very quiet. Sharps and bran were a little easier; maize was scarce and firm; oats, barley, and wheat unchanged; and flour rather firm, tines being quoted at 2b8 to 26s fed. HEREFORD, Wed., March 11.—The bull sale affected the attendance. Wheat was quietly steady at 4s. Practically nothing doing in barley, values being nominally at 24s to as. Oats; quiet and steady at 20s to 22s. Maize unchanged on the week. Millers' offalt3 a turn in buyers' favour. CATTLE. NEWPORT, Wed., March il.-To-d;ty there was a moderate supply of cattle and &heep, a lairly good supply ot calves, and an average supply oi pigs. There was a good attendance of buyers and tile stock was bought at good prices. Quotations:— Best beef 7d to 8d, seconds 70 to 7.1tl, and cow bd 4 to 6id; best wether mutton lOjd to lid, ewe 8 £ d to 9d, iamb Is; and calves, -d to lid; porker pigs 13s per score, baconers lis, and sows 9. HElihU'ORD, Wed., March 11.—A moderate supply of beef. There was a good demand on aie whole, and prices were firm, owners buying in anything not .coming fup to expectations—best quality 7gd to 8d, cow beef and second quality 6d to 7d, a very few rough cattle going at 5d -a, dear market. Large supply of stores; smaller animals inquired for and sold pretty well for about 8 to 11 guineas; good barreners also m demand up to 15 or thereabouts. Veal very dear, up to Is per ib.; rearing calves sought after and sold up to £ 4. Sheep in smaller supply than last week, and made late rates—wether mutton up to 9d and lOd, and other sorts about 8d; ewes and lambs fewer and in request, and, consequently, were dear, going up to 70s. Fair supply of pigs, which were pretty well cleared-po)'kers fetched about 8d, and befit baconers, which were called for, made up to 7d; store pigs in keen demand and making money. LEICESTER, March n. -Good supply of cattle, but trade rather easier; Norfolks of the best quality made 7d to 7d, and locally fed Shorthorns 7iel to 73d, per lb. Sheep were dearer, the pitch being rather smaller than last week; light-weight hog.gs made 10^1, heavy-weights .;Id, and fat ewes 8d, per lb. ll) at lambs were rather cheajier, but pigs main- tained last week's advance in price, bacons making 10s 6d to 12s 6d, and porkers 12s 6d to 13s 6d, per s'.ore. LONDON, Metropolitan Cattle Market, March 9. —Shorter supply of cattle compared with last week, but f-luality very good on the whole. Trade slow but dear; best quality Scotch madw, on an average, 9s 2d, and Shorthorns and Dovons 9s, per stone of 14 lbs., Jast weeks prices being on the whole easily maintained. Fat cows and biill,. which were in short supply, realised 7s 3d to 7s 5d. demand being firm. About 4,500 sheep penned, the numbers being rather less than last week, but the supply included some very well-finished lots; trade unchanged,' late rates being again realised best quality Downs made 10d, Cross-breds gld, and fat ewes 8d, per lb. Fat lambs were shown in larger numbers, many coming from the Hitchin district; trade not so good as last week, prices ranging up to lid per lb. SALFORJ), March 10.—(Fewer cattle on offer than last week, but the supply included some prime Polled Scotch and Hereford .beasts: trade very quiet, the high prices prevailing having a tendency to check sales. About 9.500 fat sheep, including 2,390 clipped York and Lincolns; nice light-weight Scotch about maintained last week's prices, but heavy- weights were slightly cheaper, while clips," which made from 7 d to 8jd, were decidedly down on the week. Bacon pigs at Manchester included 30S Welsh, 280 South of England, 79 Yorkshire, and 76 Lincoln; owing to the strong competition in the Dukh carcasp trade, trade was very slow, pri-.es showing a downward tendency. WOLVERHAMPTON, March n.-A sharper and better trade for cattle; Herefords of prime quality averaged 43s per live cwt., while a few were sold to weigh at 3d per lb. Secondary sorts made 38s to 40s, and cow an,1 bulls 30s to 35s, per live cwt I Sheep were also better sold, the faU in price re corded last week being easily recovered, prime teg* making 10Jd. and ewes 8d. per lb. Pigs n rd(]u»- 4 dull request, but with no change in price. Teal calves very dear. LEICESTER, March 7.—There was a better supply of store cattle to-day, principally from Wales; trade ruled very good for all descriptions, Welsh Runts making from L145 to JB19, and Shorthorns to J320. per head, while a bunch of 20 barren cows made jS17 each, which is fully £1 per head more than similar cattle were worth a year ago. Milk cows were much easier to .buy. being fully JBI per head cheaper than last week. Rearing calves continue a good trade. LLANGEFNI, March 5.—At the fair to-day onlv 58 store cattle were shown, all being Black Welsh Runt yearlings; prices for these ranged from J37 to £ 11 10s, the majority of those sold being bought by farmers in the neighbourhood; the few dealers pre- sent considered the prices asked too high to allow of any profit. Store pigs in good request, making from 248 to 30s each. PROVISIONS. WHITLAND, Fri., March 13.—There was a fair ir attendance and supply considering the wet weather that prevailed. Quotations:—Butter—salted in caks Is Old to Is Id, unsalted in lumps Is Od to Is Id. salted in pound rolls Is ld to Is 2d per lb. eggs. 14 for Is; rabbits, 8d each; live fowls, 5s to 6s per couple; dressed poultry. lOd per lb, pork 6d to 7d. beef 8d to 9d, mutton 9d to 10d, and Iamb lOd to lid per lb. KEWCASTLEYVILYN. Fri.. March 13.-There was a fair attenf.here to-day and a good tone prevailed. Butter fair supply and a good demand -it the following prices, viz.lit unsalted lumps for factory blending purposes Is Od per lb., do. in casks waited and blended 16 to Is G £ d per lb., according to quality, ditto in rolls Is a good supply and demand at. 8s 6d per 120: poultry in irreat demand and dear—vonng fowls from 60 to 7d per Ih. or from 4s t. 5s 6d per couple, old fowls from 2s 3rl to 3s per couple, fat ducks very scarce from 4s 6d to 5s 6d per -eonDie. Pigs: Weaners sold well from 20s to 23s each, dead porkers a small supply at 10s 6d tie" score, live porkers sold well from 8s 6d to 8s 9d for light pigs, heavy dn. 8, per score. Sheep a good trade—old sheen 3d to 3JJ per lb., lambs 4d to -Hel. 2 calves 4d to 4(1. rearimr calves from 30s to 35s each: store cattle—yearlings from B8 to EIO each, two- year-olds from £ 10 to £ 15 each, cows and calves from j314 to P.17 each, old do. from E12 to B15 each, ■"ows and calves from -014 to £ 17 each, old do. from £ iE to £ 15 each, heifers and calves from JE15 to 916 each. f;>t bulls from 27s to 30s ner o,\vt.. fat now? from 23s to 95s ner cwt.. meat—beef 7d to lid p-v tb.. pork 8d to lOd. veal 9d to lOd. and mutton 7d to lad. TiLANDIT 0, Sat.. March 14.—The nnrket was a very good one. there being a. plentiful supply and n good demand. Eggs are now becoming ^plentiful. Quotations:—Fresh butter Is 2d, Australian Is 3tl per lb. honey Is Id per lb. eggs sixteen for Is; fish-trout Is 3d per lb.; flannel—white Is Id, shirt- ing Is Id and Is 2d, serge (coloured) Is 6d, blouse flannei Is 2d, apron flannel lis 8d, costume flannel (double width) 6s per yard, blankets 23s per pair, ditto coloured 10s each, turnovers 2s 3d eaoh, wraps 3s 9d. nursing shawls (coloured) 10s to lis each. ready-made men's full-size shirts 6s to 63 6d each; wool—white and grey in the grease 2s M, brown 2s 8d, black 2s 10d, best black fine 3s 8d, German finger- ing (mixed colours) 4s per lb. CARMARTHEN, Sat., March 14.-The weekly market here to-day was weil-attended and brisk busi- ness was done. Quotations :—Butter—in pats Is 3d, in casks Is 2d and Is 3d per lb.; poultry—chickens Is per lb., ducks Is per lb., fowls £ s 4d to 4: ea- h; rabbits 9d and IBd each; isggs fifteen for Is. BUTTER. CORK, Sat., March 14.Firsts 120s, seconds 104ii thirds 98s, fine 120s, fresh from 109s per cwt. Ffair Garon Facli was held at Lampeter on Satur- day, but it was disappointing from every point, no horses or cattle being offered for sale. A few cart- loads of small pigs were sold at prices varying from 2511 to 30.. per head, according to age and quality.
Advertising
(VA r-IRE#Akm,SBEPAR'9ATTOOLRR 0 Write tor full particulars and nearest agent, to R. J. Fuliwood & Bland, 31 to 35, Bevenden Street, Hoxton, London. N.
LORD MIHIAN AT KIDWELLY
ten we did not quite understand, but did he oon- sist of a family of twenty one could hardly imagine him to be happier in hearing his own sweet voice. The ChairIIUin- uen in a political meeting they invariably spoke of the most prominent men. and Councillor Cole ought to feel proud that Mr. Lloyd George's name was mentioned (laughter). Mr. Waddington-Qulto so. and he saw no reason in objecting to Mr. Lloyd George s name being mentioned. In fact he had not all along said a word about Marconies {loud laughter and cheers). Mr. Waddington then proposed a hearty vote of thanks to the speaker, coupled with the following resolution — That this meeting thanks Lord Ninian Crichton Stuart. M.P., for his address, and places on record its unabated support of the Unionist leaders in their demand for a General fcl •tion before the Welsh Disestablishment and Disendowment and Home Rule Bill- are placed upon the Statute Book. Mr. John Thomas. Velindre. seconded the resolu- tion and rote of thanks. The Chairman in putting the resolution and vote of thanks to the meeting said that Irish Home Rule would mean giving Ireland two millions, maintaining their army and navy for them, or paying a total of i 8 million pounds out of our own pockets. It also mc-ant that we would have 42 Irishmen attending our Parliament, voting laws we would have to keep, taxes we would have to keep. &c., and they would still draw their £ 400 a year each. Upon the resolution and vote being put to the meetini one of the first to hold up his band was Councillor Cole himself. Only five- declared against. Lord Ninian in replying said he was very glad to have h{>.('n ab'e to come to Kidwelly. He considerf-d that he had had an extremely good meeting. One thing had tov-ched him m-r(- than anvthing else, iiid that was that Councillor Cole had held up his hand. That showed that there was no ill-feeling, and be i (the gp-alei-) go away with as little ill-feeling (loud cheers). Councillor Cole th-n proposed a hearty vote of thanits to the chairman for the way in which he had conducted the meeting that night. Mr. Smart said that ne had boen asked to propose a vote of thanks to the chairman, and he bad in- tended asking Councillor Cole to second it. but being that he had be on forestalled he had great pleasure in seconding the motion, which was carried with cheers. The Chairman in replying said it was a most de- lightful end to a most tucc-essful meeting. He wished to tender his deepest thanks to Councillor Cole for proposing a vote of thanks to him: and he hoped that Councillor CoJe would later on carry a banner in front of him (loud cheersii. Councillor Cole—No. he would not carry a banner in front 01 him. but would place bunting across the road. The Chairman then thanked them one and all, and hoped t^ey would have the pleasure again of listen- ing to »ome of the leaders of the Unionist party. Lord Ninian was one of the most active men in the House, and was going to make his mark in the near future. Kidwelly would then feel proud that they had been privileged with a visit from him (checrs). After the singing of the National Anthem, Lord Ninian announced a wish to shake hands with Coun- cillor Cole, and clearing the obstacles in the way he was soon gripping Cole by the ha::d and shaking it heartily in the true British fashion. Both chatted for time, and. well. they appeared far from I disagreeing.