AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2069, 19 October 1893, Page 7

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

Mr J. R. Scott has disposed of the season's output of a number of Otago and Southland cheese factories at the satisfactory figure of 4£d in the trucks.

One of the veterinary surgeons recently appointed by the Department of Agriculture (Mr Gilruth), who has been in the colony for some weeks, will arrive in Dunedin next week. He will be in charge of Canterbury, Otago, and Southland, and will from time to time visit different parts of his extensive district, but his headquarters will be at Dunedin. The principal object of the department in the appoiniment of these officers being the detection and prevention of disease among cattle, Mr Gilruth will be at all times ready to give assistance and advice to settlers.

Our Wellington correspondent telegraphs :—: — I am able to send some additional particulars of the sale of the Cheviot estate, which will be held at Chris tchurch from 13th to 17th of November. There will be offered 49 freehold farms, comprising 11,936 acres, ranging from 50 to 640 acres each ; 66 village homestead areas under lease in perpetuity, from 5 to 80 acres each ; and 54- farms tinder a similar title, comprising 13,442 acres, ranging from 50 to 640 acres each. It is estimated that the 5000 acres to go with the homestead will carry, as at present, 8000 sheep, and can be made to carry 12,000. The mansion and buildings and improvements are estimated to have cost £10,000, while the 117 acres of plantation is valued at £47 per acre. Everything is reported to be in perfect order and condition, and the upset price of the homestead lofc is fixed at £25,000. Advertisements with particulars will appear in a few days. The Oamaru Mail states that Mr W. Mills, of South Oamaru, who is a great apiarist, received by the San Francisco mail, from Mr A. J. Root, Medina, Ohio, two small boxes of bees, each containing a queen and 40 working bees. These latter were all dead, but as both queens were alive and well, the object to be served by importing the bees was satisfactorily gained. The insects were packed in small

amongst them was one who said that he had to shoot one mare, and out of her stomach he took about half a bucketful of similar grubs. We understand the grubs and section of stomach will be sent to Professor Thomas. They appear to be all alive."

On the subject of big bullocks, the Scottish Farmer thus dilates: — "Big bullocks do not now pay the farmer. This is the doctrine believed in by the judges of fat stock at Brechin. And they have good grounds for the faith that is in them. Two of the biggest and heaviest bullocks we ever remember having seen were placed second to a pair of compact, closelycoupled, well-fleshed crosses, and there is no doubt that the fashion is wholly in favour of this class. Small roasts are all the rage. No gentleman now desires to see the same old roast doing the honours of his table for several days. The small roast which goes out of sight at the first sitting down is the favourite. The farmer who feeds big bullocks loses on both sides. They consume far more food than the smaller bullocks, and in the second place they are far more difficult to dispose of to the butcher. What pays the farmer is the medium-sized, richly-fleshed animal. Young beef is the rage. In a recent case the winner in the fat stock class was a compact, wellfleshed, cross bullock, 17 months old. It was sold for 66s per cwt to the leading butcher in the city. A bullock weighing from 4£cwt to 6£cwt, if well finished, will make as largesized a roast as there is any demand for, except, perhaps, for a few weeks at Christmas time, when & special roast is wanted."

The Waikoikoi correspondent of the Tapanui Courier says that the earlier-Eown crops show a remarkably good braird, notably a ridge of wheat belonging to Mr Weir. The lambing season being finished, percentages are being counted. These show a range of from 66 to 138 per cent. Mr Crawford claims the honour of the highest percentage. It can be safely laid down as a maxim that the percentage of lambs is a sure index to the intelligence and foresight of the sheepbreeder ; more especially in an unfavourable season. I have heard of a number of nostrums being used for mothering lambs — carbolic acid, coal tar, kerosene, and whisky. -One of our most pronounced prohibitionists has be( n very successful with the last-named substance. This is a clear instance of interest overriding principle. The Akaroa Mail reports that Mr George Checkley, jun., has had a big lambing. From one paddock in which there were 92 ewes 130 lambs were docked. The lambs are excellent — not a duffer amongst them — as our informant says, and are the progeny of Shropshire Down rams.

The Lyttelton Times says : — " The first shipment of lambs for the present season is expected