EDITORIAL FARM NOTES.

Press, Volume L, Issue 8581, 7 September 1893, Page 2

EDITORIAL FARM NOTES.

'<>■ Weekly Press THE DAIRY INDUSTRY. Mr Chew Chong, the well-known dairy factory owner in the North Island, * supplies the following encouraging figures to a local paper. He states that one supplier who milks sixteen cows received .£IOO 3s [ 9d for the season's milk, and, valuing the calves and pigs at £44 only, this gives the splendid average of ££9 per cow ; other I suppliers did equally well, in some cases I receiving as much as 4d per gallon for their milk. Mr Chong maintains that 3d per gallon in summer and 4d in winter, with skim milk returned, is far more ' profitable to the farmer than the 3| realised by the various co-operative cheese factories in this and other districts. paying judges for their work. The North Otago A. and P. Association have resolved to pay their judges 10s per day as well as travelling expenses. The funds for this purpose have been provided by doing away with the championships in the various classes. This looks like robbing Peter to pay Paul. It appears that the various classes are to be judged on the one judge system. the one-judge system at wairarapa and east coast agricultural and PASTORAL ASSOCIATION. At a recent meeting of this society one large exhibitor gave notice that he would not allow his horses to attend any future shows unless the one-judge system were abolished, while some members advocated the point system. Referring to the single judge question, the Agricultural Conference which sat in Chriatchurch In May, 1892, decided by resolution, " That as the system of judging by two judges has been found to work satisfactorily, it is desirable that this method should be adopted by all societies." Of course this was optional, but it was an expression of opinion given by a large body of practical experts. CHARGES FOR COOL STORAGE AT LYTTELTON. At a meeting of the Akaroa County Farmers' Association the above question was discussed. It is difficult to see how' the Harbour Board can be expected to make further reductions in the face of the fact that the chamber is not used as much as It might be. The present charges are 4d for 601b of butter for two weeks, and 6d for 601b for a month for storage, including labour of receiving and delivering. It appears that at these Charges the Board lost £231 on the working expenses last year. THE PRICE OF WHEAT. It is difficult to account for the continuous low price of wheat in the face of the poor crop prospects s»id to prevail on the Continent. A gleam of hope, however, has recently come over the gloom which has prevailed for so lons. We gather with much satisfaction that Mr Octavlus Digby, of Ashburton, has received account sales dated July sth, of a shipmentof wheat and oats, which have realised the following prices:—Wheat, 32s 9d per 4961b5; the oats realised 30s per 3841 bs. Although these prices must be considered exceptional, stjll let us hope that they are an earnest of better things in the near«fature. We cannot help thinking that if more pains were bostowed on preparing the land, harvesting the grain, *nd grading It, better results would be secured. THE JOURNAL OF THE COUNCIL OF AGRICULTURE, TASMANIA. The July lisue of thin periodical is to hand; as usual, it contains a large amount of useful information, treating of fruit and other pests and the most approved means of dealing with them. we are pleased, also, to note that the dairy industry is progressing favourably. Some very good advice is given on the growing of. turnip seed from selected roots. To grow true seed no other kind of turnip or cabbage seed must be allowed to flower near the field. If this is not attended to your seed will be hybridised. Growing turnip seed should be a profitable industry in New Zealand, but, owing to the , prevalence of wild turnip, the man who attempted to grow turnip seed on a large scale would stand a very good chance of becoming food for* the lawyers, APPLE SCALE. According to fruit experts in South Australia, where apple scale Is very preva- I lent, the following dressing Is reeom- j mended:—Take fSbs of bluestone, 41b of fresh lime, and 45 gallons of water. If the I mixture is washed off go over the trees j , again. Apple scale is very prevalent in I

New Zealand, destroying large quantities , Kof fruit each year. Now is the time to 1 [ syringe the trees. The theory is that the j spores crack abonfc the crevices of the bark, and develop at the proper period. Every orchardist should try this dressing. | If it does no good, it can do no harm. FARMERS* CLTJB FOR PAPANtTI* We have to congratulate the farmers who reside in the district of Papanui on the successful formation of a club. A large number of persons have already joined. A good code of rules has been adopted 60 that with good, management the club should have a career of usefulness before it. At the opening meeting which was held in the reading room on Monday night the 28th inst. Mr Murphy read an interesting paper on the objects and uses of clubs. He urged the young men of the district to become members, for it was by the reading of papers and holding discussion thereon, and the interchange of ideas that knowledge, was best disseminated. Mr Murphy alluded to what was being done in other parts of the world. Mr Hubbard is the hon. sec, and it is confidently expected that under his energetic guidance the club will grow and prosper, and become a power of good in the district. "THE WILD RABBITS IN A SBW ABPECT.* This is the title of a llittle book which has been recently published in England. It is written for the purpose of illustrating that rabbits can be turned to good account, as will be seen by the following figures. Lord Wharncliffe has been making valuable experiments, one of which was to fence off seventy-seven acres. From this warren an average of 3000 rabbits a year was obtained, in addition to which cattle were fed on the warren to the value of £100 per annum. On an experimental acre, specially fenced in and stocked to see how many rabbits it would keep 110 rabbits were netted, whose market value was 2s 4d per couple, giving a gross profit of £6 8s 4d, and a net profit of £3 4s 4d per acre. It appears that the rabbit in England does not breed nearly so rapidly as it does in New Zealand. The inference to be drawn from a perusal of the book is whether or not master bunny might not be made to contribute more towards his keep than he has yet been made to do. GORE FARMERS* CLTJB. This Club appears to have plenty of go in it, judging from the vigorous manner in which they have taken up the " wheat discount question " as well as the railway charges on grain and other farm produce. It appears that the 2\ per cent discount on wheat purchased and bags extra is only charged south of Oaraaru. Other questions such as the eradication of the Californian thistle and small birds are fully discussed. THE WELLINGTON A. AND P. ASSOCIATION. Every effort is being made to make the new Snow Grounds of Petone attiactive. Trees and shrubs have been planted in belts, which will make the grounds very attractive. SOUTHDOWN SHEEP FOR THE FROZEN CHAMBERS. The English Live Stock Journal, in a recent issue, points out the absurdity of farmers going in for large sheep. It says a prime Southdown wether of 60lbs will be paid for to the last ounce, but the black-faced sheep of 1201bs will not realise the value of more than lOOlbs, and the butcher gets the rest. This is encouragement for those breeders who have patiently held to the Southdown and their crosses.