JOTTINGS FOR FARMERS.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12852, 10 July 1907, Page 8

JOTTINGS FOR FARMERS.

Mr T. E. Pearson, the Tourist Department's head gardener, who is visiting Canterbury, toul a "I'ress' repotter that the fruit-growing industry promises to make rapid strides in Iμ Auckland district in tlie near tuturo. lhe Agricultural .Department, at liio vwnrang. Lxpet ni.eiuai tuition, ho> showu what can he <:<>no in fruit-g.ow-iug on poor lit ml. and it is now beiieved by competent authorities that stH.-oiid-c.dij laud, not many miies from Auckland Cay. ivili shortly bo bringing in very .ar,/ returns lroiu tilt. l ciiltuie of raspbmies and other sm:»li fruits, Jilthough at present much oi it is gro\vui,_ notmng but goice and biiai. After v wi't-ii oi s t >r.ng-iin.e we-itner (twites our Spring.ii-id a very strong nor -wester sprung up on iSatunlay evening, loiiowtd by «'i very Kticouu , and murh-needecl rain, rai -howcis tell on .Miuday, ioiloued by a line bat coid day on .\ionday. During tne early liotirs of yesterday morning snow set in, and tell at intervals <ili (lav. In tho North Canterbury district there "us i sudden duny in tho weather yestfrday ir.onvinu:. and in the t'arlv hours s:i-o\v fell on tlw rangt-n Alx>iit o or li a.m. a lieary nt h.iil diiturUcd the t.iui.U'rs oi" Haugiura r.'si<i* nie. ThU c,ui.-ed no damage, hut '.viis ehai p wh;ie it lastixi. Later in the day heavy rain, came on, and it- wih prove wry wclcfinn , to tin farmers. Snotv fell in , the North Canteibury dictriM to mar Culveiden. Jtain coini'ieiK'od to fail in A.-hbui-tou at 11 <jc!i:.k on ).ioml:y n.glit, and continued ut ye-sterday. It wiil nrove of inc-aiciilabie vniue in tin country districts, where the lony stn-uii of dry weather iva.s l-i giiininy to bo keenly leil, especially in tho direction of tlio retard.ns of ploughing operations. The rocont <tryr.r«« of tho weather (writes our Dun'sandel correspondent) has made most. larmens short of iced lor 6t;.ck. The yrt*n teed that lva-s sown for use during the lambing season has had to be used now in older tr> keep the sh-eop in condition. hi most caws turnips are gone, and mi l<\>> a mild July and August «nsue, i number oi sheep will l>o forced on the miukot later on. A few faruierK ar : lwldiiig off with the intention of buying them. Oats are scare**, and am liiHs lit tor seed command prices high* , : , than market quotations. Spring threshing hns been general throughout tho lvillinchy district (wriUw our correspondent.). Mr McOonnel'e machine lias l.ocn busy during tho laist woek, threshing mostly oats the high prices ruling lately having tempted some farmers to thresh. CluiU is not too plentiful, and most of the straw is getting used up. Good oat straw is eagerly sought after.