EDITORIAL FARM NOTES.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 9022, 7 February 1895, Page 2

EDITORIAL FARM NOTES.

>■ 'Weekly Press." THE DAIttY INDUSTRY. We have received three pamphlets issued by the N.Z. Department of Agriculture (Mr J. D. Ritchie, secretary). No. 1 is Mr Valentine's special report on the dairy industry as carried on in other countries and as" it should be carried on in New Zealand. There is very little which can be regarded as new in the report, beyond the fact that it gives an insight into the general working of the industry. The other two pamphlets are compilations by Messrs J. Sawera and J. T. Lang, dairy experts, treating of the industry. Specifications are given as to the cost of erecting and equipping cheese and butter factories and creameries, as well as copy of article* of association for tbe guidance of those about to enter into co-operative dairying. A NEW BABBIT POISON. Mr W. G. Stronach, of Mount Pisa Station, Otago, has succeeded in manufacturing a poison which is ao attractive to rabbits that they take it moat readily to their certain destruction. It is stated that 521b of the mixture laid oh Mount Pisa station resulted in the slaughter of 1053 rabbits, AtKawaran 421b was laid, when 1453 rabbits were gathered nest day, 9090 were gathered in three day*

WHERB TO ÜB AItS ALL ABOUT BUTTER. A Mr Hay of New South Wales wbllo iv London recently asked oue in the trade " Where he should go to learn about butter; to Denmark?" "No," said he "goto Victoria." Mr Hay, however, did goto Denmark, and the great'difference he observed in their management was in the atcrilwa'ion of milk. The milk is transferred from a can into a tank and heated to 160 to 170 degrees, then cooled, separated, and reduced to 60 degrees until It is churned. Another feature 13 that none but first quality butter is allowed to leave the country. These are peiota which our factory owners should donsider. GRADING BUTTER, We gather from our New Plymouth files that.the new act has brought anything but comfort to the butter producers in that district who are not satisfied with tho branding done. We believe that there should be a general depot in London where all butter and cheese should be graded for quality, and. that what is wanted here is merely an inspection iv order that ali butter would have to be shipped as wha it really is. Buyers are not likely to accept colonial handling as an absoluto guarantee of superior quality, at least for some time till the system has shown that It may be relied upon. Whether this will ever eventuate remains to be proved, but the Government should ta,ke every care that the work done at this end is done by thoroughly capable and reliable men. THE HCMBLE BSE AND ITS JCEST. It is generally bclioved that this useful insect selects holes in dry banks and amongst stones for its nest. Its choice has takeu a different form in Canterbury at least. Mr Reuben Withell, of Brookside, has left at the oHisa of the Canterbury A. and P. Association a complete humble bees' nest, made in a sparrow's nest, and he asserts that it is quite a. common occurrence to find them in possession of similar habitations. TH3 SCHOOL OP AGRICULTURE, LINCOLN. At the last meeting of the Waikato Farmers' Club, the chairman, referring to the Lincoln School of Agriculture, con gratalated Mr G. G. Stead on his moiiou tabled at a meeting of the governors of that institution, "That a special commit tee be appointed to consider the feasibility of enlarging the scope of the Agricultural College at Lincoln and widening its sphere of usefulness." Mr Stead he said, quoted largely to show how much had been expended, and how meagre were the results up to ilio present. Mr Button, one of the members present, referred to the feasibility of establishing an experimental farm at the Wnikato. Mr Richard Reynold* stated that he had recently visited Lincoln College. One of the experiments he saw was a paddock laid out in strips of various kinds of grasses with a view to testing which one was preferred by sheep.' Other experiments were being carried out, and; he contended that the results should ba made generally known for the benefit of the farming community. He commended Mr Stead for advocating the issuing ot quarterly returns of trials, &c., and ho moved—'* That this club support the Board of Directors of Lincoln College in their endeayour to widen the sphere of usefulness of that institution, and request that Mr Stead's suggestions be given effect to." The motion was unanimously carried. We may add for the benefit of our Waikato readers that arrangements are being made for the more frequent publication of the work being carried on at the School of Agriculture.