EDITORIAL FARM NOTES.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 9014, 29 January 1895, Page 2

EDITORIAL FARM NOTES.

"Weekly Press." BAIU.U7 GRASS. This noxious grass is rendering itself very conspicuous by Its rapidly increasing presence in our pastures. Several enquiries have come to band as to how ill should be dealt with to prevent its spreading. It is difficult to jglve definite advice on this head. - The grass has . been known to farmers for years post, but it is only within the last two seasons that it has increased so rapidly in the pastures, more especially in those more recently laid down. No kind of. stock cares to touch It, hence it seeds at will. Last year Mr S. Garforth exhibited a sheep'spelt, which was ope mass of the awns of-this grass they having penetrated to the inner skin, no doubt causing very great annoyance to the animal. One farmer informed us that he employed men to go with hooks and bags cutting the stems and carrying them onl of the paddock; to his great disgust the paddock was hardly finished, when he found that the gross was shooting into ear fegaln. We cannot suggest any thing better than cutting- it over-as frequently as it shows Its seed, but this is only practicable when the pest grows in patches. When it has obtained possession, there appears to be nothing for it but to break up tho land for roots for a couple of seasons. The farmer referred to dreads the spread of barley grass in his pastures more ! tliau tbo Califorulau thistle. „

INTERCOLONIAL FRUIT CONFERENCE. We have received a prospectus of a proposed conference to be held in Hobart during the second week in April, under the auspices of the Tasmanian Department Of Agriculture. The Department of Agriculture in Wellington has been approached with a view to securing cooperation in selecting and appointing delegates to attend from New Zealand, persons familiar with the requirements of the fruit industry in all its branches With a view to making the Conference as practical as possible, the Council has de cided to ask the Departments of Agriculture throughout the colonies to suggest subjects on which papers shall be prepared, and also the names of persons best, able to prepare them. This Is a wise provision, as it will secure uniformity. It will be far better to have alimited number of good practical papers, not occupying too long in order that ample time may be afforded for their discussion. It is also suggested that each colony should make a representative fruit exhibit, which might be stimulated by the offer of a departmental prize for the best collection. II this means the largest collection, irrespective of utility, we do not see much in it. Let the prize be offered for the best assorted collections of the various classes of apples and pears, especially those best

adapted for export and dessert. DAIRY FACTORY IN MARLBOROUGH. The dairy farmers at Springlands are to be congratulated on the opening of their factory which appears from the published report of its opening, to have the most modem methods of butter making. We would remind the dairy farmers of Marlborough, that they must do their part in the matter of keeping good stock, feeding them well and see that they have at all times clean water to drink. Clean milking yards are also necessary; and milk. j coolers—which no doubt the factory will supply at the lowest co9t price. THE MAsTEOTON A. AND P. ASSOCIATION Are to be congratulated on the success of their year's operations, their balance sheet showing a credit balance of £653 13s 9_, their position being over £200 better than last year. Their Ram Pair is fixed for the 6th and 7th February. WAIKATO A. AND P. ASSOCIATION. The annual meeting of the Association was recently held. The report speaks hope- j fully of the prospects of the Association. Mr James Hume and Mr John Fisher were elected respectively as President and Vice president* EOMONT AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL ASSOCIATION'S AUTUMN SHOW. The programme of this event, which is to take place on the 4th and sth of April next, is to hand. The exhibits are to be dairy produce, including Cheddar, full cream, Stilton, Gruyere and Gorgonzola cheeses; also separated and hand-made butter. The prizes are on a liberal scale and should attract a large number of entries. * ALTERED CONDITIONS. We are pleased to note that many of our northern contemporaries seem to be grasping the condition and prospects of farming in this colony and are devoting considerable space to urging farmers to recognise their positions. The Monau-aftt Timet makes the following remarks on ths subject, viz., " It is Idle for farmers to expect a return of the higtv values which have ruled ia the past. The clear duty of the settler is to work his land on the basis of existing prices. Low as these are they are yet high enough to provide a margin if the land Is utilised to its highest advantage; one of tho first essentials to this is flrst-olass stock. IS THE HUMBLE BE- NECESSARY TO THE FERTILISATION OF BED CLOVER? Mr W. Tisslman writes from. Renwick on January 17th:—"Dear Sir.— In your issue of 3rd. Inst I notice a reference to the question of wbettfer the humble bee Is or is not needed for the fertilisation of red clover. A great many years before this Insect was known In New Zealand the following incident occurred to myself in this town of Renwick, I was out for a walk one Sunday afternoon with some of my children—then very young, now married—in passing a field off red clover in full bloom, the bright purple flowers attracted the children's attention.

so we went into the field to gather aome Both my wife and' I were struck with tbe great number ot bees, the common honey bee, at work amongst the clover. As the time of year was somewhere about nildsummer it occurred to mc to find out whether fertilisation had taken place. I selected one of the largest and beat formed of the ripe flower-heads and, to my great astonishment, rubbed out over sixty seeds from it. I tried several more ripe heads and got more or less aeed out of all of them. But to satisfy, myself that the seed was really and not spuriously fertilised, I planted the Beed I had got in a. bos ot common garden soil and a large percentage of the seeds came up, grew, and "brought forth seeds after their kind." Being a micro ]

ecopist, I now examined the tongues of Borne of the bees and found that they were of various lengths. Some were abnormally long. If I had not kn&vra the gender of the. owners I should have said they were the old ladies. But about the fertilisation of the red clover there was no doubts whatever. A few weeks afterwards Mr Bedwood, of Spring Creek, told mc that, In his orchard there be had found theaametbiaa occur. Now the only explanation of the fertilisation of red clover in Jtow Zealand, where the only bee in existence was/the honey bee, must be found in the well, known theory, or pethapa law, that life and Its conditions are materially altered by environment. The trefoils art great boney-bearera, and the scarcity of flowers must have produced this elongation of, the tongue of the honey bee to enable it .to gather, sufficient honey for its winter store. Evidently the humble bee wa* not wanted." . .

THB TXMABP A, ANP _*. ASSOOTATZOK.

This body has been discussing the question of only, paying half the.prize money awarded when there is no competition. One exhibitor wrote complaining of this practice, on the grounds that It was unfair to make the only exhibitor suffer because there was no competition. We sympathise with the complaining exhibitor to some extent/ At the Canterbury Show it is clearly understood that the factof there being only one exhibitor in any class, does not entitle him to a prize. The exhibit mast be worthy of a prize, and if worthy, the judges are expected to make the award. Champion, medals aro never awarded where there is no competition, which means two or more eehibitsrs in the class.