GENERAL FARMING NEWS.

"A few hours' rain tvolild alter tlio cattle market u lot," is a remark by an Opunako correspondent of a New Plymouth paper. The work of erecting a butter factory at Jlarakop.i is to bo commenced in a few days. A 'Taranaki napor says that- though the drought lias been very far from disastrous, it lias meant n serious loss to tlio farmiug community, and in' a secondary way to others us well, this naturaliv following when tlio returns from what is a staplo industry are heavily reduced. Last week was a busy tiioiS* at tlio Waitara freezing works (says'tlio "Wailara Mail"), 'over 100 head of cattlo per day being killed. There is n nrospoct of this stato of; affairs continuing for a while. A new dairy factory, called tho Linkwater Dairy. Factory, was opened in tlio Pclorus district last week. Tho occasion was one of much ccrciuony; n fancy, dro.-s procession was among the items. Tho factory JqpV.its ; first supply of milk on -'fnc«daT4ftst-r~AMi(v-Mijiplk'rs'co!itril)iile(l. It is expected that about five others will join in a week or two, and that nest season there jrilJ bo twenty pj; niorol