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The Clinton News Record, 1937-12-30, Page 6ee, HE CIAINTON NEWS -RECORD THURS., DEC.• 30, 1937. Timely Information for the Buslj Farmer (Furnished by the Department of Agriculture) Canada Second • Canada is the second largest expor- • ter of apples, ranking second only to • the United States in this respect. In 1986 Canada exported a total of 96,- • 000 tone of apples, consisting almost entirely of dessert and cooking apples. Prize -Winning Essay Among the many agricultural stu- dents in the. United States and Can- ada, the ,medal essay competition of the, Saddle and Sirloin Club of Chi- cagoat the International Hay and Grain Show and International Live Stock Exposition is regamded as a very important event, and to be one of the winners is considered a notably high honour. The contest is held every year by the Saddle and Sirloin Club of Chicago for the purpose of encour- aging writing on live stock topics and is open to all undergraduates of agri- cultural colleges in the United States and Canada. As in former years, there were many contestants in the 1937 competition. The subject seleeted•fer this year's contest was "The Character Contribu- tions of the Live Stock Club." In the best twenty essays selected by the judges, Robert S. Procunier, Ontario Agricultural College, ranked third, and thereby gained the bronze medal. L. T. Sonley, also of Ontario Agricul- tural College, was .placed ninth. Value of Ontario Crops The gross value of agricultural production in Ontario for the year 1938 is expected to be about $365,- 000,000 as compared with $358,000,000 last year and -248,000,000 in 1932, the low point of the depression. The value of field crop production shows a re- duction of $16,000,000, as the 11 per cent. gain in volume of production was not sufficient to offset the sharp decline in prices. Average prices since harvest this season are 19% below the average of prices obtained for the: 1936 field crops. The revenue obtained' from livestock, dairy pro- ducts, tobacco, poutry, fruits and oth- er agricultural products is expected to reach $215,000,000 as compared with $192,000,000 in 1936. As the bulk of field crop production in On- tario is fed to livestock and market- ed in this form, the improvement in total farm purchasing power for 1937 probably approximated $20,000,000. The outstanding feature of the agri- cultural situation this season is the recent sharp reaction in prices. Since June, the farm price of oats has de- clined from 61 cents to 43 cents per bushel; barley from 83 cents to 59 cents; buckwheat from 90 to 59 cents, and fall wheat from $1.24 to $1.01. Hog prices have dropped from $10.52 per cwt. in September to $8.00 at the present time, and good steers, over 1051) pounds, from $8.55 to $7.35 per cwt. Unless prices of farm products show some advance from the present level, agricultural income during the first half of 1938 will be consider- ably lower than during the same per- iod of 1937. 1"" Departmental Changes • J. C. Steckley, Agricultural Repre- tentative in Brant County since 1934, has been appointed Superintendent of the Western Ontario Experimental Farm at Ridgetown, Hon, P. M. Dew - an, Ontario Minister, of Agriculture, announced recently. Mr. Steckley succeeds W. R. Reek, recently ap- pointed Deputy Minister of Agricul- ture for Ontario. Mr. Steckley took over his new duties December 15. Other appointments announced by *r. Dewan were as follows: A. D. Bunions, Agricultural Representative etc Peterborough County, appointed Instructor and Extension Specialist at Kemptville Agricultural School; A. M. Barr, Agricultural Represen- tative for Grenville County since 1.930„ transferred to Brant County, as Representative, F. G. Paterson, Wel- land County Agricultural Representa- tive, transferred to Peterborough County as Representative; Joseph Nilson, Hastings County Representa- tive, as transferred to Welland Couh- ty and H. L. Fair, Kincardine, ap- , pointed to the Hastings position. H. G. MacLeod, of Dunvegan, Ontario, acting as assistant Agricultural Rep- • resentative in Prince Edward County since October 1 becomes Agricultural Representative for Grenville County. 'All the above appointments take ef- fect January 1. Mr. Steckley has been in agricul- tural service work since 1911. He was Agricultural Representative in York County from 1911 till 1922 when • he went to the Ontario Agricultural College, at Guelph, as Assiseant Pro- fessor in Animal Husbandry. On the death of Prof. Wade Toole, in 1928, Mr. Steckley was made head of the Department. In 1934, he was trans- ferred to Brant County as Agricultur- al Representative and has remained there since that thne. How Lang Should the Breeding • Hens Rest Before •attempting to say how long should be clearly understood' what the term breeding hen implies. Although it is a common practice to mate pul- lets and use them for breeding 'pur- poses, most. person e regard breeding hens as being at lease one year old. While ;there are many factors in- volved in determining the length of the rest period, condition o f the birds after the laying year is over is one qf the most important. With poultry, as with other lines of livestock breeding, progress is the result of careful selection and pro- per feeding. It would be a short - Sighted policy for poultrymen to con - eider the returns of egg sales alone. In order to stay in the business and continue to make progress, one must keep the Dock in a high state of vi- tality. When eggs are selling at -high pri- ces poultrymen are reluctant to throw their hens in moult in 'order that the birds may have sufficient time to rest before the next laying year begins. ' There are, nevertheless, certain, principles which cannot be ig- nored if type, vigour and high pro- duction are to be maintained in the flock from year to year. If hens are "all laid out" and thin in flesh, the rest period evidently should be long- er than if they were well fleshed and heavy. Two or'three months is the usual length of time required for the birds to be fit once again for another year's production. Weather condi- tions during the moult also affect the length of the rest period. If the Weather is wet and cold, the birds eat less, consequently feather growth is slower. Many poultrymen also attach too little importance to feeding prac- tices during this resting stage. The birds should have all the grain they can eat, to help them regain the loss in body weight. Water fountains should always be clean and never empty. A good mash will also help to rebuild the birds. When the new feathers are fully grown and the birds have reached their normal weight once again, then they are rea- dy for another year. One gains no time ht trying to force the birds back into laying before they are ready. British Market And y The Canadian Farmer A story of neglected opportunities for the sale of Canadian agricultural products in the United Kingdom mar- ket is told in a highly informative report just issued by the Dominion Minister of Agriculture, Hon. James G. Gardiner. The report reveals the results of an intensive study of the British market which was conducted by a group of Canadian agricultural experts who visited the British Isles with A. M. Shaw, recently appointed Director of Marketing Services for the Dominion Department of Agricul- ture. It was found that other Domin- ions' products were better known than Canadian in Great Britain and that housewives were not familiar with Canadian goods. Practically every product of the Canadian farm which enters the export Market, from cattle and dressed poul- try to honey and canned pears, is dealt with in the repprt, and each item is related to the British merchant and consumer. The report reveals information which the Canadian agri- cultural specialists gleaned from in- terviews with importers, commission agents, brokers, wholesalers, manu- facturers, retailers and housewives in 18 cities in England, Scotland, and Ireland. Farms where herds of Cana- dian dairy cows and beef cattle were feeding were visited, as were fruit auctions, cheese factories, jam manu- facturing plants, and famous foods marts. The party interviewed officials of the British Ministry of Agriculture, Danish and Russian officials, and representatives of the various British Dominions in London. A study was made of the merchandizing methods of other countries in attracting the British consumer, and the advertising and publicity procedure adopted by Canada's competitors was studied carefully. The report includes six general findings of great importance to the Canadian farmer and to all those inter- ested in the export of Canada's farm produce to the British market. De- finite recommendations are also given in the report, advocating an innne- diate adoption of a threefold, long- term policy to win greater and more constant share of the British market. These findings and recommendations areeset forth at length in the 86 page report which may be obtained free on application to the Publicity and Ex- tension Branch, Dominion Department of Agriculture, Ottawa. Throughout Canada .5 per cent of the land intended for the 1938 crop was ploughed by October 31, as com- pared with 46 per cent at the eorre- The Importance Of Green • Feed For Poultry • (Experimental Farms Note) • At all times of the year an abun- dance of green feed is essential to the health of the eoultry flock. In summer it may be provided by free range on the farm, but in wintee it must be supplied by some form of stared feed. Roots, cabbage, sprout- ed oats, and alfalfa hay are common- ly used for winter feeding. Prob- ably alfalfa is the moot valuable ele- ment in the winter poultry ration, and if the following • precaution is taken in feeding it may be used in unlimited quantity. For several years it has been the practice at the Experimental Station at Harrow to chop fine the young alf- alfa shoots for the baby chicks and to use cut alfalfa hay as the sole means of supplying the necessary roughage and greens for winter egg production. A good grade of second or third cut- ting haY is run through a cutting box in about half-inch lengths, steeped for twenty-four hours by entirely covering with cold water, strained, and fed in shallow tubs. For the best results it is fed immediately after the early morning grain and again late he the afternoon. Old stalks left should be thrown out where the birds cannot reach the mor they may be the cause of crop trouble.' - Fair results may be had by feed- ing good alfalfa leaf dry but the ex- perience at this Station isythat the steeped cut hay is better appreciated by the birds on account of its easy digestibility and because it is more palatable. The Rough=Legged Hawk It has been learned of Mr. W. V. Shouse, now living at Booker, Texas, that on January 7, 1917, at Clayton, New Mexico, he caught a large hawk and attached to its neck, by means of a sort of leather collar, a bell and a tag bearing his name and address and the date. Then he let the bird go. About 20 years later, in the Spring of 1937, this bird was found dead at Strongfield, Saskatchewan. Proof of the long life of the hawk was sub- stantiated by the return of the collar, bell and tag to Mr. Shouse who posi- tively identified them. Presumably that bird attained the age of at least 20 years. Its belling and subsequent recovery show how it is possible to accurately record life histories of native wild birds. Mr. Shouse lmew because of the bell that the hawk spent the winters of 1918 and 1919 at Clayton, New Mexico, and the bird is reported to have nest- ed in the same tree at Strongfield, Saskatchewan, for the last 4 or 5 years prior to its death. The bird was a Ferruginous (pro- nounced fe-rooj-in-us) Rough -legged Hawk, one ofthe largest hawks. This and some other kinds of hawks should be welcomed around farm and wheat field in Western Canada because they do much good in keeping down the number of gophers and grasshoppers which do so much damage to the crops. The modern method of recording the tieavels and private lives of native wild birds, which are of great econ- omic importance, is by means of offi- Leal numbered metal leg bands. Any person in Canada who finds a wild bird wearing a leg band shoud report the facts to the Controller, National Parks Bureau, Ottawa, who has cus- tody of the Official Canadian Bird - Banding Records. The study of wild birds in North America by means of bird banding is being conducted in full co-operation between the Cana- dian and United States Governments. Fake Poultry Buyer Oper- ating In Rural Districts Barrie: The latest and most modern exponent of the science of faerning the farmer has made his appearance here. A poutry dealer with the usual truck, crates ,and other paraphernalia peculiar to the does, calls upoa the unsuspecting tiller of the soil and upon engaging him in conversation regarding his flock of chickens, in- forms him (or her) that there is at present a perfectly enormous amount of T. B. among the flocks of the country, so much so that many flocks are in danger of being wiped out Un- less immediate etees are taken to re- move the diseased birds. And right there is where this par- ticular dealer comes definitely into the picture. He has, he annoences, been authorized to cull flacks with a view of stemming the tide of the plague—the culling and removal of the sick thickens -to an aviary hospi- tal in Toronto being performed free of charge. He produces papery pur- porting to certify as to his capabili- ties as a culler and if the now thor- oughly frightened farmer makes, no objections he starts in forthwith to divide the flock. He presently advises the astonished agriculturalist that about one in three is a victini of the dread disease — claps them into the crates and pre- pares to step on the gas when if any demur is made about letting them go without pay of any kind, he proceeds to paint a most alluring word pi :ture to the lady of the house of all the wonderful dress goods he is going to bring her just as soon as he gets the rejuvenated chickens out of the hos- pital and sells theme If he gets a- way with it, the farmer finds upon later examination Of • the flock that to the "hospital". And what can be THE UNKNOWN ISLES done about it?—Nothing. Anyone honeeetebir a call from twee , of these plelanthfopiets • Would be consulting his own interests, eas well as performing a public service by eequesting the individual to reMoVe himself from the premises at the ear- lieet convenience, at the same time lending every possible assistance to that end by the frequent -and energet- ic application of the,boatetoe to that portion of the gentleman's anatomy so admirably designated by nature for the purpose. Birds Aid Insects •Canada ,.pends large sums each year on various methods of control- ling the insect pests which attack farm crops, native forage plants and forests. The destruction, on a large scale, of plant life by insects is per - have more noticeable in the semi -arid regions of the west than elsewhere. Periodically in these regions various species of grasshoppers and crickets reach plague proportions and devas- tate vast areas. Efforts to control these insect plagues are very mater- ially assisted by the work of birds. Where such, cofiditions prevail many species of birds feed exclusively upon these destructive insects which can be secured with practically no effort. This food supply is then so abundant that many more young birds reach maturity than is the case when the food: suppy is relatively scarce. Amongst the bird enemies of grass- hoppers and crickets are the Crows, Swainson's Hawk, Sparrow Hawk, Meadowlark, Brewer's Blackbied, Red winged Backbird, Yellow -headed Blackbird, Lewis's Woodpecker, the Magpie and many others, Even Swal- lows are known to feed upon the small, undeveloped grasshoppers, ac- cording to the Natural Parks Branch of the Department of Mines and Re- sources. Most of the birds mentioned are either useful or harmless but in the case of the crow it is well known that part of the diet consists of birds' eggs and young birds. There has been much discussion concerning the econ- omic status of the crow, whether the harm caused by destroying other bird life is balanced by it good offices in destroying insect pests or whether the bird's bad habits outweigh its good ones. Many biologists believe that the number of other birds de- stroyed by crows is compensated for by the destructioit of harmful insects. The destruction of birds' eggs and young birds by crows is very largely done during the early pert of the breeding season when insect food is relatively scarce. Subsequently the crow turns its attention towards more easily obtained insect food as this becomes available. Off the mainland of British Colum- bia le a group of island about which the general public knows little. 'They are called \ the Queen • Charlottes. Moresby, the second largest, is ahnost wholly mountainous • a n d contains same of the most inspiring scenery on the West Coast Graham, the largest is partly spruce and hemlock forest, partly muskeg and partly mountainous but is noted chiefly eor, the length, the breadth and the beauty of its sea-beaehes. Blue, white -crest- ed cambers break on the shining sands to dissolve in curdled foam and flying spindrift; farther up the shelv- ing beach whiter sands sparkle for fifty yards or more' to high-water mark where thousands of drift logs, smooth and silvered by the weather, lie in confusion. Behind the drift logs are sand dunes and behind 'the sand dunes forest and muskeg where bear and deer have worn deep trails. On the muskeg, White-cheeked Geese and Saedhill Cranes build their nests and raise their young. Strange creatures are cast on the sands; abalones, starfish, sand -dollars, corals, sponges; and a receding tide lays bare polished agates of many beautiful shades. The beaches are a resting and feed- ing place for countless numbers of birds. Little wading birds of the snipe family on their journeys to and from their Arctic nesting ground swarm over the sands and follow the reced- ing waves and tide in search for food. Bald eagles with shining heads, sable ravens and snowy -breasted gulls patrol the shores from which they sel- dom are absent. Cut-throat trout and Coho salmon ascend the many rivers and are taken with fly and teolling spoon. The census shows seventeen hun- dred people on these islands. Half of them are 'Indians living on reserves and many of the rest are Scandina- vians. Canada is the largest shipper of canned' corn, and pork and beans, to New Zealand. At one time Canada was the largest exporter of green peas to New Zealand but recently Australia has gone ahead of Canada. An estimate of wheat production in England for 1937 has placed the figure at 48,832,000 bushels which is about 2,600,000 bushels less than in 1936. Poland is fundamentally an agri- cultural country with 64 per cent of its 35,500,000 population engaged in agricultural pursuits. Rye is the principal cereal crop. In 1936 Cana- dian experts to Poland were valued at $406,835. International ;Statesman y Dead The United States has loet a great •citizen'in the death of Frank B. Kel- logg. He was one of the few Ameri- cans of the peesent generation with an international viewpoint. ,Senater, ambassador to Great Britain, secre- tary of state, and judge of the World Court, he will be chiefly remembered as the co-author with Aristide Briand of the famous Kellogg-Briand Pact— signed by 64 nations pledged to settle disputes by arbitration and not by war. As a result he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Kellogg was sincerely devoted to the ,cause of peace and it was as secretary of state under President Coolidge that there was signed the pact which it was hoped would result in the wip- ing out a war. However, there was no frame work set up for enforcement of the past; it was the same weakness as surrounded the League af Nations. When the crisis came and Japan carie, ed out Manchukuo from China the pact was quoted in vain. Japan just grimly smiled. Again in the case of Ethiopia that country pathetically called atten- tion to the fact that both she and It- aly were signatories to the pact. The Kellogg-Briand pact became just an- other treaty. The breakdown of the pact and the developments of the past few years must have saddened the later years of this great idealist. Like so many great Americans Kel- logg was born on a farm and had difficulty in securing an education. He studied law and became one of the great legal minds of, the Republic. His reputation was first made as a "trust -buster" under Theodore Roose- velt. It was in 1916 he turned to poli- and diplomatic career began.—London tics and his distinguished political Free Press. THE LONGEST MONTH • How, often we hear it said that January seems the longest month of the year! ,The days are short, the - weather is cold, and there is not the busy anticipation of Christmas and New Year festivities that helps us . through the same conditions in De- cember. It is probably the month itt which we spend most time with radii and books. olribera'rthiaens thistwmnitihIlivfe on wibooF1111:bm7alpumrdblimtehere will be many, to read that were given to us or our friends for Christmas. Those who live out of reach of a public library will, often club together with their e, neighbours, and ask for the loan of a free package of books, or a "travel- ling library" as it is called, from their provincial capital. Last year there were about 5,000 packages of books supplied itt this way,—more than half ' of them in Saskatchewan. But when - ail this distribution is counted, Cane ada is much behind the United States and Great Britain in. organizing pub - lie library service, In Prince Edward Island, and in some sections of British Columbia, it can almost be said that nobody is out of reach of a free public library. for here the people have developed - modeen library systems to serve the rural as well as the urban dwellers. This year gives promise of similar schemes being developed in other parts, and it may be that Canadians will eventually cath up with other countries in providing themselves with books. When this happens, perhaps January will not seem so long. CENT -A -MILE ROUND TRIP BARGAIN FARES (hfusinnon Fare.: Adult 75e.: Child 40c.) FROM CLINTON Fri. & Sat., JAN. 7 & 8 to PorttaT.; —oBpe°, Cobourg,rlvilia Trenton Jct., Belleville, Napanee, Kingston, Gananoque, Brockville, Prescott, Morrisburg, Cornwall, Uxbridge, Lindsay, Peterbore, Campbellford, Newmarket, Penetang, Collingwood, Meaford, Barrie, Orillia, Midland, Gravenhurst, Bracebridge, Huntsville,Callender, North Bay, Parry Sound, Sudbury, Longlac, Geraldn, Jellicoe, Beardmore, Fort William. SAT. JAN. 8 to TorontoAlchselety°,Brgintrt DCfturham:, Exeter, Fergus, Goderich, Guelph, Hamiltm?, Hanover,Harrisbn, Ing- ersoll, Kincardine, Kitchener, London, Listowel, Mitchell, Niagara Falls, Owen Sound, Paisley, Palmerston, Paris, Port Elgin St. Cath- arines, St. Marys, Sarnia, Southampton, Stratford, Strati&y, Walk- erton, Wiarton, Wingham, Woodstock. For Fares, Return Limits, Train Information, Tickets, consult near- est Agent. See handbills for complete list of destinations. .CANADIAN 'NATIONAL tk, breeding heti should\ be rested, it spending date of 1936. the best and plumpest birds are gene . The Open Road SUPPOSE you came suddenly upon two roads. One straight, well - trodden. . . the other thin and twisting off into undergrowth. If you didn't want to arrive at any place in particular, you might choose the latter. But not otherwise. Before you, as buyer, von two roads. One is the road of know- ledge, of an advertised product. Thousands use it. There's no mystery about it, no doubting, nothing hidden. It leads the way definitely to a fountain pen, a floor wax, a tooth -paste that will give you satisfaction. When you use an advertisement, you use an open road. When you don't use advertisements, you go the doubtful road. You have only hazy knowledge of the product ahead. No trade- mark or name to depend upon guides you. The result may or may not be worth the effort. You don't know. Read the advertisements. Anything widely advertised—break- fast food, hammer, hair tonic—has proved itself good by advertising. Advertisements put you on the open road to satisfaction The Clinton - ws ec Gives the News of Clinton and Community—Read It