COUNTRY NEWS AND NOTES.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 13378, 20 March 1909, Page 10

COUNTRY NEWS AND NOTES.

v JOTTINGS FOR, FARMERS. Mr Neil Marquis, veterinary surgeon of Timaru, luttjly discovered in a bullock a parasite which was unknown in tho days when he- studied his profession at Home, and ho bunded it to Mr A. M. Paterson, the Government veterinary surge-on, lor identification (.-.ays the '-Herald '). Mr Paterson says that it is what is known as Aniphistoma conicum. It was found in the first stomach of tho bullock, and is a little white* coiie'-shapeel croattiro, somewhat resembling a blepched grain of wheat. Myrinels of them attach thenwlv.v; to the stomach, and they so i-ap the vitality of the animal, that when another disease l conies along, it is tillable to withstand it. This is the Fir--t time Mr Marquis lias come across it in New Zealand.

Tho Queensland Department of Agriculture has re-ceivetl Irom the Victorian Department ot Agriculture three samples, of onts graded to a standi)ril of the Victorian Department for guielanee of the tratle. In a letter accompanying the samples it is stated that when orders aro sent to Victoria with a coiielition that a Government certificate accompany the consigninc-nt. every bag is s, a i a p] r< | ol ,t. all< j when not up to standard it is re-jected. This regulation has been in force- for somefour or five years .and it is becoming the practice to purchaso subject to the Government certificate. The charge mado to the consignors or whoever lodge.-; the application is ls 3d per ton. The Queensland Department notifies that the samules may be iu.spectcel at the office's in William street. The Department states that- the samples are not free of foreign seed, and persons importing shoulel be? careful to secure clean seed, free fre>m noxious weeds.

At a meeting of the Farmers' Union at Feiltlmg, yesterday, great indignation was expressed at the shortage of haulage to take away fat lambs. It was stated that in every case where trucks were ortlered there was delay in getting them away, nnd consequent depreciation in the value of tho stock. Mr D. H. Guthrie, M.P. for Oroua, was askeel to send the following telegram to the Minister of Railways:-—"Beg to point out injustice being done to Feilding district through want of facilities for transport of fat stock.

The export of sheep from Gisborne to Canterbury has been very brisk lately, 17,300 having been shipped. This year' 6 export of frozen meat is going to be a record one. The Gisborne Sheepfarmors' Company's output is 90,000 ahead of t.ho same period of last year, and but for this it is estimated that 100,000 sheep and lambs would have been left on tlie local farmers' hands this season.

A Tokomairiro employer of labour who is annoyed at the class of men offering for his work (says the "Bruce HerakP'), intends writing to the Minister of Labour, urging the advisability of shipping off these undesirables and importing coolies or Chinamen, or anything that will work. The only other alternative would bo to allow the wages to be paid in beer.

Tlie potato moth has again mado its appearance in tho Clyde district (says the Dunstan "Times"). It will be remembered that last season's crop in Central Otago was practically ruined by the moth, but it was hoped that the wet weather experienced would eradicate the pest. Tho grub of this destructive moth eats galleries in all directions in the tubers, and so induces putrefaction.

At tho Addington Saleyards on Wednesday a line of 60 two-tooth halfbred ewes were sold on account of Mr E. Bowes at the high price of 265, the buyer being Mr Griffiths Smith, of Lawford. These ewes were by Mr Bowes's Wensleydalo rams, out of Mendip Hills merino ewes. They were remarkable for size, shape and quality, and quantity of wool, and altogether a first-class type of breeding ewes for farmers' purposes. Though they came off the riverbed they were in splendid condition.

Ono of the loading Canterbury lamb export buyers, in referring to the weights of lambs, stated to an Ashburton pressman that he is offering the following rates at the present time:— Ip to 3Glb, 4".d per lb: 371b and over, 4Jd per lb; and over 421b 32d per lb.

Mr John Small, of Wheatstone (Ashburton County), who has made an annual visit to Australia for a nu_i__r of years past, for the purpose of talcin„ horses and cattle to compete at tho Sydney A. and P. Show, was to leave Ashburton on Thursday with a consignment of stock, mostly of his own breeding. The consignment comprised six draught entires, two draught rillie.s. five- Short-horn bulls, and two Shorthorn heifers. At former shows Mr Small has been a most successful exhibitor. A.s a result of Mr Small's annual visits to Australia, where he disposes of his stock after the shows, Ashburton as a high-class stock raising centre has beeu steadily and widely advertised

Our Cheviot correspondent writes:—----"On Monday thirty trucks of sheep left Domett for the freezing works and Addington, and the same train pieke-d up another twenty trucks before reaching Waipara. There can be no doubt about the Cheviot line paying now as well any line of its .length in the Dominion, July and August being practically the only two slack months in the year, and then the requirements of the district, for coal are lar_er than at other times. Durin_ the whole year you will very seldom see Domett yard free freun trucks. If the powers that be would only push on the line to Spotswood, and with the river Waiau bridged, this length of line would pay even better, as Spotswood farmers would grow more grain, whilst all property owners livin_ north of the river would be able to fatten their stock with the assurance of getting it to market in that condition, and, with the railway in their immediate vicinity Parnassus, Br-ookdalo, Mondio, Leadervale, Ferniluirst and Hunda'lee would bo more closely cultivated. Well may we exclaim in regard to the bridge- ' How long*- O how long?' "