COUNTRY NEWS AND NOTES.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14406, 13 July 1912, Page 15

COUNTRY NEWS AND NOTES.

JOTTINGS FOR FARMERS.

At the first winter show to ob held at Taihapo on Thursday next by the llangitikei A. and P. Association, Air E. iSiiort, of Parqrarigi, intends giving a demonstration on irtomney sheep, illustrated by specimens or' his own breeding.

Mr A. TV. ttutherford, junr.. of Brookdak , , was in town yesterday, superintending the landing of a merino stud ram irom tho s.s. Moana. 'llio ram is a strong combing typo, and is of the Wanganella strain, and was bred by tho Willandra Estate.

An important subject that will, in all probability, come up tor discussion at tho Provincial Conference of Agricultural and Pastoral Associations, and that is not on the formal order paper, is the question of the establishment of a Board of Agriailture to assist or replace the present position of Minister of Agriculture.

At the Palmerston North National Dairy Show \thero were nearly IOoJ entries for the weight-guessing competition. As a number of people guessed the combined weight of the two sheep, it was decided that the results Ue taken on tho guess for ono sheep only. This was won by Mr H. C.. Young, ot Hawora, who gains tho trip to Christchurch at National "Week.

Our Taihape correspondent states that the heaviest snowfall for years fell last week, in tho area between 'i'aumarunui and Taihape, both along the Main Trunk line and" inland on either side. In some places the snow was twelve inches deep on the flats. No losses of stock aro reported, but tho present weather is having a bad effect on the condition of sheep. A. runholder near Taihape states that iris flock has not boon dry in the coat for several days owing to the lack of sunshine, and that for three days, owing to tho snow and frost covering the grass, feed was unable to bo got at.

Our Cheviot correspondent writes: — With the exception oi a few fine days in the beginning of tho month, July promises to he as wet a month as Juno was.. Ploughing is very much retarded in consequence. Tho following., are some of the prices paid to farmers for their produce:—Potatoes, best quality, £o per ton; oats, /rood feed lines, up-to 2.s (kl per bushel, sacks extra; fowl wheat, 3s per bushel, sacks extra; oateheaf chad, best .quality, 50s, in paddocks. The shortage of benzine lias retarded the cutting of chaif to a considerable extent. Feed is getting very scarce now, owing to severe frosts, but very few farmers are overstocked, as was tho case a few years ago, and all "ivill come through the winter very well.

By tho lloana thero arrived two merino rams purchased at tlio .recent sales in Sydney for Amur! breeders. Cno is a six-tooth ram, selected for Mr ;\. "\V. Rutherford, junr., of Brookdale, by tho New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, and is from tho Willandra flock, which is practically AVanganolla blood. This sheep has plenty of size, is of good shape, and is well covered all over with a nice medium quality wool. The other sheep, also a six-tooth, was purchased by Mr E. l>. Giles, of Mount Pamass:ris, and is from the Xardry Hock, and shows a Tasmnnian typo. This ram has r. deii.se flc-cco of fine, long stapled wool. They are excellent sheep, and will form valuable additions io tho respective llcclis in which they will be used.

When Mr Murray, as Premier of Victoria, recently visited Scotland, ho was =o niueh impressed by tho up-to-dato methods for dealing with potato crops that he secured one of tho machines on the spot, and had it sent to Victoria for demonstration purposes. The <levico is drawn by two horses, and by | means of mechanical hands unearths the* potatoes at great speed without ! causing damage. It is estimated that j the machine is equal to 10 skilled men. j Practical exhibitions have already been i pven at Oakleigh, Brighton. 'Wanbra, Ballarat, Warrnambool, and throughout* the Victorian potato-growing districts, and have much impressed farmers interested in tho industry. The object of the exhibitions is to make a direct appeal to farmers., and to prove, the advantages of labour-saving appliances as I applied to agricultural pursuits. Up to the present mechanical potato-diggers lmvo not been popular, but departmental experts (says the "Argus"') ■ claim that" tho latest appliances are ', free from the defects which tended to | limit their usefulness. I

CHEVIOT

A meeting of the Mackenzie Domain Board was held on Wednesday. Present —Messrs Rentotil (chairman), IToJgson, Oliver, Lewis, and ' J. Vaughan. The chairman reported that all the timber in the Spring

Creek plantation would be cut out in a few months. It was decided that tho contractor bo notified that ho must comply with certain conditions of the agreement. Correspondence was read from the County Council, drawing tho Board's attontion to certain drains being blocked in the (Spring Creek plantation, causing Hoods to neighbouring owners. It was resolved to have the drains cleaned out at once, Mr Vaughan to have full power to act in this connection. The secretary reported cash balance £95, outstanding rents and royalties £125, with current Accounts owing amounting to £36. The chairman reported that tho work of cleaning, planting, and fencing the Botanical Gardens reserve was getting well in hand. Some difficulty was experienced in getting suitable* labour. Accounts amounting to £8(5 were passed for payment.

ASHBUIITON

At the quarterly meeting of the Ashburton Methodist Circuit the ilov. W\ J. Elliott, who presided, reported tho membership to be as follows:—Ashbnrton 177; AVakanui 14; Greenstreet 2; total 193. Tho disbursements had oxcoeded tho income by £4 7s Bd, which, added to a, deficiency of £2 lls 8d on March 31st, left a debit balance of £G 19s 4d. It was decided to make a donation towards tho Waihi circuit funds, which had suffered severely as a result of tho miners strike. >

The western side of tho new concrete swimming baths at tho Ashburton High School caved in on Thursday. For a distance of about sixty feet the whole wall fell down flat, and about another fifteen feet fell from its original position.