Towyn-on-Sea and Merioneth County Times

FARM NOTES. [By AN OCCASIONAL CONTRIKCTOR.1 It is remarkable what a number of well-mean- ing people are always re-uly rxd willing to give advice to farmers. After a bad and unprofit- able season like the last these kindly would-be advisersseem to be more numerous than ever, and also more generous in their offers of advice. This sort of advice is usually given free, gratis, without fee or charge," and generally may be considered worth the cost price. I hope our kind friends will not think us ungrateful, or too proud to accept advice, when we put such a low valuation upon it—but it is really amusing to read or to listen to some of the arrant non- sense tendered to us in the garb of professional advice. It is often said that every man thinks he knows a horse; so it appears a great many think they know how to farm, or to advise others how to do it. We are apt to turn a deaf ear to much of the ridiculous nonsense preached to us by some of our self constituted teachers. Still we must admit that at times we get a wrinkle worth something, it may be from an unexpected quarter, and may be received with caution at first. Sometimes we get valuable advice, which we would willingly instantly avail ourselves of but are unable to do so from various causes, it may be want of capital, it may be want of suit- able buildings, it may be the character of the soil, or the characteristics of the climate, or it may be the want of a suitable market, or many other circumstances which prevent us from availing ourselves of such practical advice. We are told by many practical men thnt p. e must go more extensively into the breeding and rearing of cattle and sheep, that buying store stock and fattening them does not pay because young store animals are scarce and dear; therefore breed and rear more. We nimit it. We >1 onld like to make the change and take advantage of such sound practical advice, but let us se what it in- volves. Our farm, for instance, is principally in grass, consisting of some gOöd old pastures which are capable of making cattle fit or nearly fit for the butcher. That land is let at a high price, too high to be utilised by running breeding cows on, or by running ewes and lambs on (ex- cept those intended for slaughter). We can finish oft the stock for the fat market during summer and autumn; in fact we are obliged to do so ao we have not Loop to carry many through the winter, so must sell in the autumn and buy on a fresh lot in the spring. How can we arrange to carry on a breeding and rearing stock on a farm of this description? or how can it be made to pay? Take another instance. Our farm in every respect is suitable for carrying a breed- ing herd and for rearing a large number of young cattle. We can grow plenty of winter keep, plenty of straw, roots, and hay, and with the help of some light rented pastures for sum- mer grazing, we can carry through the whole year a herd of breeding cows with their calves. the yearlings, and the two year olds, but the drawback is the want of proper buildings. We have not a place fit to keep a bull in; the calves' hits are damp and draughty, so that we suffer frequent losses; the cow-house is an incon- venient, tumble-down, old building; the yards for young cattle are cold, wet, and unroofed; the tvhole set of buildings scattered, badly arranged, aad dilapidated; the owner has not much spare capital; the agent is a very good promiser but never carries out his promises. How can we make breeding and rearing pay on a farm of this description. Take another instance. Our farm is in every respect suitable for carrying a breed- ing herd of cattle. We can grow plenty of food to keep them on all the year round. The owner has put up a commodious and substantial set of buildings, the hauling of which wore out the carts, waggons, and some of tin horses for us, besides putting us to great expense and incon- venience. The buildings are good, out through the stupid self-will of the builder the sanitary arrangements are very imperfect; consequently, abortion of he worst type has set in amongst the cattle-one cow after another picks her calf and refuses to take up her work in the herd again, so has to be sent to Ms-j butcher. The herd was got together at great expense; large Fums were paid for bulls, and sometimes a high-priced heifer or cow was bought in; it was the result of many years work, study, and anxiety. Now it is dwindling to a liadow; the best brx-' ns have had to be disposed of. What is to be done? Can a breeding stock be made to pay under these circumstances? or must we sell them off in disgust at a great sacrifice, and take to buying l' in stores and fattening them? These instances are only specimens of the difficulties to be met with in attempting to form a breeding herd. There are many other instances which might be quoted to show how inconvenient and expensive it is to change our system of farming or stock- keeping, and at what a disadvantage we are placed if the circumstances of farm, soil, build- ings, water, fences, etc., are not all convenient and favourable. The labour available on a farm is also a necessary consideration as it is impos- sible to carry on a breeding herd unless you have a trustworthy cowman. Cottages, therefore, are a necessity on a farm of that sort. Cottages must be both comfortable and near to he work now-a-days, or a good cowman will not stay. How often do we hear the remark I had a right good fellow as cowman, but he would not stay as the cottage was too far off, or was not good enough." Yes, kind advisers, we should be only too glad to accept of your advice, also to act upo it if all other circumstances are favourble. We may change our system from that of breeding to that of fattening at very short notice, but to change the other way and to form or build up a good herd of cattle of any breed requires time, skill, patience, energy, and afairly good balance at the bank. So do not blame us if we hesitate and look round before embarking on an enter- prise of that sort. Another popular advice of our counsellors is to plough less and to put more land down to grass." That advice has been largely acted upon during the past 20 years, as we may see by studying the statistics of the Board of Trade. What is the result? There is now a much greater quantity of grass land to stock with cattle and sheep in the spring and early summer that there is correspondingly greater difficulty in buying stock for the summer grazing; higher prices are demanded and have to be given to secure he requisite number. As that land cannot maintain tl same stock through the winter it has to be disposed (■■(, the number therefore offering for sale in *i;e autumn is increased. Prices are correspondingly 1 ssened, so much so that in a season like the one just passed many cattle were sold in autumn for about the same price they cost in the spring; the consequence is many acres of grass land made no profit whatever. We believe the laying down of land to pasture has gone quite far enough at present. It may lead to a reaction and the plough will yet be set to work in some of the fields recently sown down, especially those fields which are conveniently situated, and in which the soil is of a kindly disposition, suitable for turnip and clover growing; also for producing plenty of straw. It is the growing of winter food for stock which must now be attended to, especially where a breeding herd is kept. Grass land recently laid down will not keep much stock buring the winter. Referring t.) ploughing reminds us that the arable worK on the farm is very much behind for the end of January. Very little ploughing has been done so far; the land being so wet is one cause of the delay; the late- ness of the harvest may be another cause. Every opportunity, when the weather is open, should now be taken of getting the ploughing done, and the teams should be kept regularly at work; de- lays through frost and rain may occur later in the season, when it will be impossible to get on with the ploughing. Besides, it is very beneficial to the soil to have it early ploughed, as it then gets the benefit of any frost which may follow. The fros t has a wonderful effect in making strong soils mellow and kind, and in procuring a natural tilth on it which no amount of horse labour will procure. ,\11 land intended for root crops should be ploughed as soon as possible, and it is time now that most of the land for oats was turned up, so that a stale furrow and a kindly tilth may be obtained in time for the drill. It is not usual to sow so early here as it is farther south. Still we have seen splendid crops of oats, barley and wheat from February sowngs, so the sooner the land is now got ready the better i Me ve v 111 I. e to take advantage of a favourable spell of seeding weather if we should have such an opportunity in February. Gener- ally speaking we consider the first two weeks of March the best time for sowing oats. It is seldom the land is dry enough before that time, and if left till later it sometimes gets too dry and hard, causing more uncertain and irregular ger- mination. The procuring of seed and of manure is now a question to be considered. It does not do to delay he getting of the seed until it is wanted; better to have the seed waiting for the land. The variety of seed to be sown must be decided by each one for himself, as the variety suitable for one farm may not suit another, but whatever the variety the seed must of necessity be sound. There was a great deal of the grain spoiled by wet last harvest, and, consequently, much grain is being offered on our markets quite unfit for seed; extra care mf.18t there fore be exercised to procure good sound seed of whatever variety. Of oats, the Abundance, the Storm King, the Tartar King, and the Potato oat are all good prolific sorts. Of barleys, the Goldthorpe, the Chevalier, and the Invincible are good reliable well tested varieties. So much heavy rain has fallen during the past year it is just possible that on some soils the fertilis- ing matter may be washed out of the land. It is advisable to consider where there is any suspicion of the land being impoverished whether about £1 per acre invested in some good phosphatic manure may not bring in a return of perhaps P,2 per acre in the crop. The other expenses, seed, rent, labour, etc., are the same wheher the crop is good or bad. It does not pay to grow a poor crop so ever at the cost of a little manure Jet lhl have a bumper crop by all means.

NATIONAL MUSEUM FOR WALES. The quarterly meeting of the Carmarthenshire County Council was held in Carmarthen Shire Hall on Wednesday, Mr Gwynne-Hughes, Tregib, presiding. Sir John Williams, Bart., and Professor Angus appeared as a deputation from the U.C. of Wales, Aberystwyth, and laid before the County Council the claims of the Welsh Library at Aber- ystwyth to recognition in any scheme for the allo- cation to Wales of a Museum and Library grant. -Mr H. Jones-Davies, Glynliddau, proposed that, in the event of such an allocation, This Council is of opinion that recognition should be given to the Welsh Library at the U.C. of Wales, Aberyst- wyth, inasmuch as that library has, by the self. sacrificing labours of the College authorities and other patriotic Welshmen, become an extensive and truly national collection of books and manu- scripts relating to Wales and the border counties, aud moreover trusts that the Treasury will mnke such conditions in the allocation of the proposed gvavt as will enable the above library to be ade- quately maintained and deve!oppn. Professor Jones, Carmarthen, seconded the motion, wliicii was unanimously adopted, it a'so being decided that the resolution be sent to the Treasury and County and Boroush M.P.'s.

— FAILURE TO REPORT SHEEP SCAB. At the Llanidloes County Sessions, oil Thursday, before Messrs John Smout, Evan William?, E. Davies, and D. Jones, Edward Lloyd, miller and farmer, The Mill, Llawryglyn, was ckarged with having failed to report an outbr ak of sheep scab onjhis farrn.-Evidence was given by P.C. Hughes who said he visited the farm on January 21. In a field adjoining the highway he found three sheep with their wool torn and on closer inspection re- vealed the presence of scab. Two of the sheep were biting each other, a further pro f if any were needed that they were suffeiing from the disease which flockma?ters all over the country have teod cause to dread. The case was reported to the Veterinary Surgeon at C^ersws at;d on January 23 he visited the farm in company with witness. After examination the Surgeon cer ified three to be affected. When spoken to the defendant denied all knowledge of the attack.- Defen(iant s rolled leisurely in at the end of the evidence which had to be read over to him and admitted the offence. He had taken steps to isolate these sheep and have the remainder dipped according to regu- lations. In ans-wer to the Bench the Constl Lie said that there was only one other case iu the parish and this had been duly reported. P.S. Hughes said tint the police did not wish to press the case but unless they h:1-"I the support of the farmers in detecting the-e on, b etk-s th y could rot report to the proper authorities. In giving the decision of the Bench Mr Smont said the offence was a very serious ime. They did not say that the defendant knew of the existence of the scab, but it was his duty to know. He was liable to a fine of zC20 per sheep but as this was the first offence he would be let off lightly, and they would fine him 5s and costs.