EDITORIAL FARM NOTES.

Press, Volume L, Issue 8549, 1 August 1893, Page 6

EDITORIAL FARM NOTES.

Weekly Pres9 TDIB BMALL BIRDS NUISANCE. In view of the alarming increase of ■mall birds throughout the Canterbury district, ib has been resolved to hold a conference of representatives from all the local county councils and road boards, when the question will be fully discussed as to the best means of abating the nuisance. Sparrows and linnets continue to increase notwithstanding the efforts mado for their abatement, and farmers have come to the conclusion that more drastic clauses than any now existing in the Small Birds Bill of 1891-92 are necesBary. The poisoning must be done more regularly and simultaneously at specified times. Such times, however, cannot be fixed by any Act. for the reason tli at poison can only be laid advantageously under certain conditions of weather, such for Instance as hard frosty weather, and after bouts of te*u>estuous weather. The dates must be flxt's by the local bodies who will be the best judges as to the most Bultable times for the work. While every effort must be made to keep omnivorous birds in check, and however efficient any scheme may be to this end there will still lie ample left to do the scavengerlng work of the farm, such as devouring millions of Insects and their larveo, as well as the consumption of countless myriads of the ■eeds ot weeds. Doubtless the recommendations made by the delegates referred to will be largely availed of by the framers of anew Bill dealing with the matter. THE NPXIOUS WEEDS BILL. This obnoxious Bill is to receive considerable amendments before itgoes before (he Agricultural Committee of the House. A circular hae been issued from the Agricultural Department making somo imnortaut alterations in the right direction, but much more will have to be done before the Bill will be workable. The Improvements now proposed are as follows :—To etriko out the letter B wherever it occurs, except in clause 8, and to substitute the following :—After the words weed " mentioned in Schedule A." For the information of those of our readers who may not have perused the proposed Bill we may explain that all the prescribed Weeds are classed under two clauses, viz., A and B. Clause B includes Ox-eye Daisy, Cape Weed, Yorkshire Fopr, Fat Hen, Dock or Sorrel, Hogweed. Wild Turnip, Ergot and Clover, Dodder &c. The plnnts enumerated under Schedule A include ■uchasßathum Burr. Blackberry, Broom, Goree, Sweetbritir, Culifornian Thistle, Star Thistle, &c., &c. Wβ think that these plants should ba dealt with in a stringent manner, except perhaps Ergot, which cannot be controlled by any of the ordinary methods of cleaning seeds. If letter B were eliminated from Clause 8 and the letter A substituted the Bill would then leave little to desire. Clause 8 makes it penal to sell hay or straw, or grain or grass aeedn in which any of the seeds of sorrel, Yorkshire fog, hogweed, or any of the {tlants included in Schedule B. may be ouud. Wo venturu to submit that it would be Impossible to procure seeds or hay, &.C., in which one or more of the eeeda of the above weeds may not be found. Ie will thus be seen how utterly impracticable such a clause would be. We feel sure, however, that the good sense of those who may have to deal with the "■neasure will expunge the obnoxious * "'no.

THE BOT FLY. At the last meeting of the committee of the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association, Mr Murphy reported that with a view to determining the identity of this cotnparatirely new but troublesome horse pent, he had nent npecimeua of the fly aud it* larva to M.Us Ormerod, the well knovru entomolo.s'isr. to tho Royal Agricultural Socioty of England aud to Professor C. V. Rilcy, entomologist to United States Departmeut ol Agriculture, Washington, lieplios to both enquiries have been received by thelait mail. Mr Murphy atated in his letter ihut he telt convinced, that the New Zcalaud fly was uot tho flyknowu in Britain as tho horse hot. Gastro philus equi, but Gastrophilus veterinus. Both Mi>>s Oi'iuorod and Professor ftiley couGrm vhift cpiuiou, Miss Ortnorod entering fully into her reasons for ccmii)g to that conclusion. The Professor writes in reply that ho "thinks it quite likely that tho id<ra that the English sparrow ia of service in reducing tua numbers of this insect is correct. It; isa prevalent notion in this country, end it is claimed by a number of observers that, the horse bob has become uitnust, unknown in certain localities since tha uttveut of tho sparrow." The Professor, JioKVovcr. g»-c>» on to remark thac there is do yrcuf positive that thia ia so. Miss O iiieioJ »fspressos an opinion that the Hi.'* may posHibly have come from North .•\■>;'.•) ica. but. she U not positive on thia v;iL JOCKNAL OP THC BUREAU OP AGBICUi.TDKE, ADELAIDE. Wo !> «v(5 before us the .Tone number of ' '. lii-i Vviluitblc publication, from which we' ? !"i»ri tho followiog Ireni of interest to **\- iv Zi.'.i.'.iud Farmers. In a paper read by oft ol Uie members, entitled ** How wheat ! lnjvil«.l bo su!d," stress was laid on tbe i-cccanlty for selling wheat at its real value. A luetuuer who hud been a miller stated \ but he would rather buy wheat weighing l>s i o GlHb j>er bushel; an ie would Rive more 11-ur and better. Ho hud teaced several fiO bushel lots, aud had ground 43£lb of fcuuerior flour from whear. weighing 661b, on d only from a bushel weighing 621b. v\ hy hhould the farmer not j?efc more for a pi ime sample than for wheat just reaching thu "standard"? They did nob Ret as much as they ought by 21b per bus'oel. lamiera should be paid according to the weight per bushel. This waa the gisA of the discussion.