JOTTINGS FOR FARMERS.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13191, 11 August 1908, Page 8

JOTTINGS FOR FARMERS.

Lambs arc now making their appearance on farms in different parts tf South Canterbury, and with the good weather prevailing at the present timo they are doing remarkably well.

Winter-sown crops in the Temnka and Geraldine districts are coming away well now (says tho "Timaru Post"). The recent heavy rains have damaged the grain in some places, and there are paddocks which will have .to be resown; but the rain has done infinitely more yood than harm, and in view of the fact that the subsoil has had a thorough soaking, farmers say that they do not object at all to the little harm that resulted, as this will be more than made up to them in the better returns from both grain and pasture that they will receive this year.

The "Oamaru Mail" reports that in North Otago indications are that cropping will be much hoarier this year than is usually tho case. Farmers are taking advantage of the splendid condition of the ground for working, and everywhere, with the exception of flats on which the water has been lying, operations are being pushed ahead. In some'cases oven turmp land has been prepared. • The possibility of etoob being dear during the coming season, coupled with favourable prospecte, is evidently acting ais a<n incentive to farmers to. crop more extensively. There has been much ploughing on. the lea. -

' As instancing the vitality retained by sheep hemmed in ' and covered with frozen enow in tho back country, Mr J. O'Halloran informed one of our staff that in the severe-snow storm of July, 1876, he had occasion to go out in search of sheep that were snow bound. On the seventeenth day out •Mγ O'Halloran came upon a patch of snow which was discoloured-with a yellowish tinge, and at tbo same time hearing a sheep bleat, proceeded to investigate the place. This was a huge drift in a gully where the snow was Bft to 10ft'in dopth. i Hero the heat from the bodies of from 90 to 100 sheep had caused the snow to Jiielt onehbeaa, forming a cave like a largo inverted tumbler with >a hblo a.% tho top where tho discoloured snow had been observed. All the sheep were alive, and by moving about had hardened tho snow on-which they were standing, but there was no evidence of their having obtained any food for the wholo time. With assistance an opening was made into the, lower part of the gully, , and tho whole lot were rescued. Jlr O'Halloran, in company with Mr C. A. Cunningham; present stocK inspector, rescued other sheep in lots of from cix to twelve in like manner, but a lot of a score on tho twenty-first day of the search were found to have begun to eat one another's wool for sustenance, and immediately they - were rescued from tho warm shelter of the snow they were attacked by pneumonia. While tho previously rescued sheep recovered from tho eeventeen days imprisonment, those which had been penned up for three weeks were in rather a sorry condition. Mr O'Halloran's opinion is that tho vitality of sheep snowed in ie often very remarkable, and that when the snow melts down to tho tops of grass or fern they soon scratch a subsistence. When the flock, however, has been standing out in snow for a month the feet are usually badly crippled, and the hoofs turn up, and tho animal has a painful existence.

In the course of an address delivered before the Otago Educational Institute recently by Mr G. M. Thomson, F.L.S , on '•l'he Variations that take place in Plants and Animals introduced into New Zealand," tlie lecturer said that "in the neishbourhood of Strath-Taieri —I think on the old Cottesbroo'k Una —certain sheep (probably the progeny of a single ram) appeared to bo evidently short-Tvindcti The action of the heart seemed to be defective, for •when the- sheep ivero driven they -wo'jl.l run -with the rest of the flock for a short distance, and then lie down panting. The result of this peculiar affection was that at nearly overy mustering theso short-winded sheep used to be left behind, being unable to be driven with the xost. Sometimes they ■were brought on more slowly afterwards if they were found in easily accessible parts of the run; otherwise they were simply oaught and eborn ■where they lay. As a result of this pc-euliar condition, a form of artificial selection -was set up, the rigorous, active sheep and their progeny being constantly drafted away for sale, while this defective strain increased *vith great rapidity throughout the district; for, whenever the mobs -were mustered for the market, shearing, or drafting, these "cranky" sheep (as they camo to be called) were left behind. This defective character appeared in every fucceeding generation, and seemed to increase in intoniritv, reminding otfe of the Aneon sheep already referred to. At first, of course,-the caaracter was unt recognised as hereditary; but, as tho numbers cf this ''cranky ,, breed increased to a very serious extent and spread over tho district, it case, at lust t:> bo recognised as a loc:il variety. Wkeu tbe runs on which, ihvs? s'uwji

were abundant -were cut up and : vMH or released in smaller areas, the oar* chasers iounci it necessary, for protection of their own interest* tP exterminate the variety, of which man* s ' hundreds were found straggling o ™f the country. This wa* easily au?etfe&! tively dove, because aa sooa ac» '■cranky sheep was observed ft, wi? pursued; but, after running for V*couplo of hundreds yards at » groei rate of speed—for they were, very mW -& it would drop down panting behind , ** , !? big stone or other shelter, anc seemed J incapable for a time of rising and re. " utfwmg its flight. It was wuwxliatelvl destroyed; a-nd in this manner a xa£; : ~' lees—but, to the naturalist, a. Tery teresting—variety was eliminated." *!?' S° m «> figures relative ■&< the rabbit trade in tho State across the ? Murray have just been published b*l Ai.r F. E. Allan, Chiot Inspector W btock in victoria. During the last fivtiS years an average number of 8,285 frozen rabbits have been exported' nually. The skins exported during that ? period havo averaged 19,648,000 a Tear and 7,080,800 skins have been por annum from other States. local consumption of sJsins has about 1,000,Uu0 a year. Thus fortSS? last five years 103,242,000 have been exported or used locally Tf : * tho 35,404,000 skins exported from thb'= other States bo deducted from total, there remains tho fact thtt ■■ (57.835.000 skins, or an aTcrage*<p 13,567,600 a year, have been obtained , ' in Victoria. Mr Allan estimates these 13,567,600 rabbits would consumed pasture sufficient to maintain, 1,500,90# sheep. To the figures ho mentions, Mrtf Allan cays thero must bo added the"nais told millions of rabbits poisoned: destroyed in other ways whose are not preserved. The ckief holds that a great proportion of tl&* rabbits represented by the number ofl skins exported and used locally -oW*? their deaths directly and roctly to tho good influence 'of *i the Vermin Destruction Act, am|s he declares its annual cost of £15,000 is but a triii© compared to resulting benefit- to the State. • SurtlvS a startling statement this; th&M 13,867,600 rabbits would 1 consume p«£| ture sufficient to maintain l.sbo.OOO? sheep. ' ■ ■ rs. -i-stM — ■ ■ ■ ■'■"■^m A cneap potato is the uceire of 'erml father or a family, but the grower '?uM content whenever he gets a new flees? and a good one. Tasmania, which?! gave us a good) blight reeister, v tgiml in prominence amongst those whoteke;a special interest in tubers. A'tettttil received by Mr A. H. Vilo, of Weßine-3 ton, states that Mr H. A. Nichol&f M.L.C., of Tasmania, who was ly tha-ough New Zealand on a trip, has been experimenting ia tulwfl culture as a hobby, and has secured;*.j new. and valuable potato es a rewmrdS of his cultivation. It is said) to poesc^J 1 phenomenal merits, and a limited ber of the tubers are to be sent to New Zealand 1 farmers by Mr Niohofa.?

The lamb-raieing industry hMPvnoip until quite recency, made .«ny/:»pi<p progress in Queensland, but: l»etiy«u|| it appeared to attract cooro and this year bide fair to see nnica •? greater developments than ever. •'Sydney Daily Telegraph ,, the causes of the stimulus are thai e&fc'l out:—(1) That present-daylegMiliqilS is rendering, land-owners ehy of djiirj , ?; ing or agriculture, which employment of labour; (2) nwS buyers have come into the .WA*nd creased facilities for Btock, «nd better (3) a fuller reoognitkm of efi| the rich Downs country for tU* cial industry:—The suitability Downs for high-class etook-raiaing;::)uui| been demonstrated beyond-doubt, it should for a very long time lettryg, stud farms, where pur* merinofjS&fi flocks of other breeds will be k«pt"; IS© evolution of the land eystem»:,M%(B*wS is driving fhe merino.- back :'f : pastoral districte mod-crate-sized areas are lobkinft/lotl*! more profitable cheep to be : enpk>||il in mixed farming. This. -/vs,''al.imf§m being found in the mutton breod*r|iW§| lamb-raising is gaining in" ac vits' possibilities are being tiwiß'Vj ftood. .'• ' ; r *]j" : v^ Our Ashhurton correepondent Lambing is now general in , and Done districts,: and/ihe Jaswjffil far have been exceptionally J. Lambie hae «ver-.2oo;>inbi«DWMS and they are. all doing ATOlu,;;;Tte|WS grass is commencing to are eigne of a very- eatij■ *ipring; : V|^g