JOTTINGS FOR FARMERS.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12974, 29 November 1907, Page 9

JOTTINGS FOR FARMERS.

«ondir'» "Mnrlborough Express" ' -Thecontinued ivbsonro cf rain '8 "nftinsr famiew anxiety. Although the Sβ aro not us yet so drying as those Hast early summer, and tho. dews aio !L,re frequent, the raink-M period is v htly «i° ro protracted. " ,0 cr °i )S many of the drier soils uro coming !L in ear, and if a good rain does not fn β-ithin tho next few wffks tho ears ■II not fiDi tllc returns will bo diesmall. In t-lie heavy •C good clK.fi" will again bo tho W u-that is > -I^"" 1 '"8 thllt tho MlI «- - ronsisUiit, (md 2101 turn «taft« r Christmas. In x>lllo districts t'C turnips are in preat nord of a Uwnooiir, and slujep-larmors are contho qiipstioii of turning th«ir lock oft crop " l t j> lllllllllll-0 dry weather is having rathor a ' ioue effect on fiomo of the crops, I r~' no tioed about tho district (writes Lr EUesmere particularly round Dunsandol way. A good [.:„ eppears to b<- badly needed «vrcry•here. air Mouldey, Doylwton, has a TC ry fine five-aero na<ldock of hay, #hicb is of euch a Jonirth that ho will h . Te great difficulty in, cropping. A resident of long standing in the n»k»ia township, who nas a good jje.ne- .| knowlsdgo of iho surrounding district, informs mc (writes our KHestnero corr apondent) that during tho past fi re ware land in tho llakaia di.strict has increased in value by fully JL'o per we. . A _ __..-,-, _. ,

There is not a great deal of coroal crop sown in tho itmnediato vicinity of the ilakaia township, but what ia tatble from tho railway lino nnd from the main .road ie bright and healthy looking. A number of fin« paddocks of ryegrass aro also to bo seen, while a iiirprisingly largo area of ground is being cultivated for either turnips or rape." Shearing ie vow in full swing, and Umba aro quickly reuching the gltge of maturity. Ii) regard to tho wool snle held at Chiiitohurch, a local oxx>ort informs mc (jwtee our Leeaton corrcepontlent) that bo noticed that Amorioan buyers did sot make much attempt to operate. The top price for finer elasara of crossbred wool showed n decline of over 2d MX lb, whilo coarser eorte did not u«m to interest buyora. "This salo," the critic stated, "hae boon watched with no littlo interest, and judging by the teno of tho market and tho apparent apnthy on tho part of tho buyeite topurchaso, there is good cause to think that vendors must considerably lower their «wtimato as to valuw. Tho greater bulk of the entry was passed in unsold, fannore being inclinod to hold th«ir clips until the second of the series of tho bales. , '

The weather still continues too dry to wit; the majority of tho farmers in the Eilestnere district. Farmom who hare prepared the soil for turnips are liteffcating before sowing. Tho rape feed is not looking bo woll as could be wished, and all tho crops in tho diatriet (both cereal aud root) are very backward this year. Lambs will not be, ready for the market Hβ early as in fcara past. Light but refreshing showers fell in Asjiburton for ijLwut two hours on and will have, the tarn of stimulating tho crops and inligpratins tho postures and gardens. SfrttTOlling by rail'to'Lecstoh yesterday- the member*; pf. the Conciliation Itytol had an opportunity of viewing lie farms adjacent to the railway. The crops generally appeared to bo well fortwj, though it wne apparent that knight's fall of rain'would be very The grass paddocks were in 4M ordor, but the presence of ootwioM brown patches indicated that »fe#refreshing showers would not be