CENTRAL OTAGO.

Auckland Star, Volume XXV, Issue 44, 20 February 1894, Page 8

CENTRAL OTAGO.

(BY TELEGRAPH—OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

lit"--: Wellington, this day. Mb Ritchie, Secretary of Agriculture, who has juab returned from a departmental inspection of Central Otago country, informs me thab the crops there have been injured by the late heavy rains. Much of the grain has been laid in consequence, and will be difficult to arrest. There has been great mortality among sheep, consequenb upon a great flush of spring grass following upon a very severe winter, the weakened stock being unable to stand the " Bcouring " effecb of the abundanb young grass. Shearing is now over, and the clip of wool is perceptibly lighter than lasb year. Lambing is fairly good and up to the average. Store ebeep range from Is to Is 6d less tbaa last season, while prices for prime freezers continue to be maintained. The rabbit pest is diminishing in a satisfactory way, the aettlers' methods of destruction including poisoning, trapping, shooting dogging, and ferreting. The turnip crop throughout the South Island is exceptionally good and heavy, so thab the winter fped for sheep is ftssured. Part pf Mr Ritchie's business was •to enquire ab Southern ports as to facilities for cold storage for dairy produce, and he is now in a position to report to the Railway CodBJissionors with recommendations for the necessary accommodation at Wellington, Auckland, Dunedin, Lyttelton and Bluff. Ab Cbristchurch, with Messrs Valentine and Sawyers, a trial of the Wittello Brookside: milking machine was witnessed, and Mr Ritchie is of. opinion tbab with Borne slight improvements further trials will suggest the. machine is likely to become of great practical value to the dairy farmer.