MISCELLANEOUS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 73, 27 March 1895, Page 2

MISCELLANEOUS.

Messrs Bird and Potter, shipping agents, are sending a representative''to .oris to endeavour to secure.tho admission pf Australian .cattle inbo France. 'Tussock 'in the" * Canterbury Titnes ' of Thursday lasb says thab the moral pf the Ram and Ewe Fair held a fortnight(back under the auspices of the Canterbury A. p. Association is that fat lambs will pay bebber than rams unless the labter are of the besb breeding apd condition. The advantage of having tha be.b machinery availablp for separating the grain from- the straw in the cereal crops, has beon ipsbapced on two ppcasipps publicly during this month (says bhe Bay of Plenty f Times ' of Friday last), once when the Counby Chairman stated* thab wheab threshed by Mr (iardiner's engine and combine broughb 3d per bushel above that operated pn by the prdinary horse power machines in the district, fthd again this week in Court when ai farmer claimed damage, for depreciation in quantity and value of his, grajn through the defective work of pop of theso lasb - mentioned machines, piittipg the loss ab, about 4d per bushel below the market rates, The <Julf lino of oteamers havo still prders to ship 800 head of live cattle ab intervals from Sydney to the London market. Bound about Whangarei mosb of the season's burning off ia pver, and I am plpased bo hear the burns have in most cases been entirely successful. UpleßS a private purchaser is found, there is nob a great markeb demand this season for cocksfoot. The price, however, is decidedly satisfactory, but those who hold on to their seed will probably find theroselve. nob able to realise the present jniirkob price, unless they are able bo hold stocks until next spring, wbep business ia generally brisk. Rain wojild in cioab districts be welcotpe, as buabfarpiers have in many cases spwn their seed on burns, and rain is wanted to give it a start, The Governmenb has now authorised tbe preparation of a new '• Flora of New Zealand." It is to deal nob only with all indigenous plants, bqt, for the benefib pf settlerß, ib will deal alsq wibh acclimabieed flora.

An efforb is being made in the Ohaihau district (Bay of Islands) to starb a dairy factory in the district. A meeting of settlers was held and now a Committee is canvassing thp disbripb and will reporb to a meeting to be shortly convened. The burns about Okaihau, Bay of Islands, are, I learn, extensive this year, and as most of them have proved successful a very considerable area will be added to the pasture land of the district. About Ruapekapeka and other norbhern districts I am pleased to hear that the dry weather has been taken advantage of, and in most cases the burn has been a good one.

Pastures ore looking exceptionally well for March, but as the cold weather will shortly check growth rain is needed to give the grass an impetus to grow while the weather still remains warm enough.

A dilatory and slow niilker causes great jnjuiry to the cow. and, except when cows are going dry, is bhe cause.of a rapid falling off in tho milk supply.

Sometimos we come inbo hard places when we are hauling or ploughing, the horses stick, and do not pull right together. When one pulls, the other jibs, and so on. To remedy this, unhitch the ineido traces and cross them, and re-hitch them across each other, so as to havo the same horse hitched to bhe same side of each singletree. Then they will pull the load out.

On roads in thinly settled regions where much hauling of heavy loads is dono, broad tires should be used. Narrow tires soon cub a road up badly, making deep rubs, which grow continually worse with use. With 4-inch tires roads can never rat. I could never understand why they aro nob more generally used. With heavy loads bhey run much easier, fatigue tho horses leas and, as before remarked, conserve the roads instead of spoiling them. Once they aro given atrial in a teaming community, they are always used. In catching a horse always pub bho reins over ibs head and around its neck firct thing you do. You can then adjust the bit and headstall ab your leisure. This enables yon to hold the horse securely (the reins acting as a halter) if he endeavours to escape ; and it prevents the possibility of the reins being dragged and trampled in the dirb. Form a habit of doing this and other things the besb way.