THE COUNTRY.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15612, 9 June 1916, Page 2

THE COUNTRY.

NEWS AND NOTES, PRICKLY PEAR POTASH. (fnoil OTTR OWN" CORRESPONDENT.) SYDNEY, M»y 31. Agriculturists all over Australia are greatly lamenting the dearth and exceedingly high cost of potasli, which has for many years been very extensively used as an essential element in the artificial fertilisation of Australian soils. The shutting out of the usual supplies from Germany and the effects of the war on supplies from other places have hit farmers aud orchardists pretty severely. i3ut the expressions of dismay and alarm in such quarters are interrupted by news from Queensland that there is an excellent prospect of our needs in the matter of potash being supplied in relation with the process of ridding Queensland of a dreadful pest. Millions of acres of good laud in Queensland are covered with the spiny curse, and great sums of money have been spent by the Government and by private enterprise, tempted by the promise of a rich reward from the Government for a successful and economical method of getting rid of the pest. AMr 0. C. ltoberts, who is said to be getting excellent results with a method of poisoning the pear with arsenious chloride gas, has also established a plant for the production of potash from the killed and burnt pear. The plant, although not a large one, is said to be turning out about three-quarters of a ton of potash daily, and it is to be largely extended forthwith. It is claimed that the potash yield will more than pay the cost of clearing the land of the prickly pear. Altogether, it looks as if science and perseverance are going to turn a curse into a blessing, with the accompaniment of the making available for settlement of great areas of fine land, much of it close to existing railway lines. It is estimated that there is enougli pricklv pear in Queensland to supply the Empire with the greater part, *if not the whole, of the potash formerly obtained from Germany. JOTTINGS FOR FARMERS, Two hundred rani lambs have been recently purchased in the Gore district for shipment to Sydney (says the "Ensign"). Most of the well-known dis--trict breeders participated in the business. Sheep-stealing is very prevalent in the Waioawa district. Mr.J. B. A. A'Deane,~of Ashcott, who recently lost 110 wethers from his estate, is offering a reward of £100 for information that will lead to the conviction of the thief or thieves.

ASHBURTON. Private George William Dell,''whoso name appeared amongst the wounded in oi;o of this week's casualty lists, is a son of Mr J. W. Dell, of Lynnford, Ashburton. Private Leonard Nohelty, who was also wounded, was a resident of the Methven district. Mr W. G. Hillier, who has severed his connexion with R-cid and Gray, Ltd., after 15 years' service as manager of their Asliburton branch, was the recipient of _ a cheque as a mark of appreciation of the esteem in which he is held by the firm and his fellow-employees. It is not Mr Hillier's intention to leave Ashburton. METHVEN. A meeting of the residents of Methven was held at the Road Board office on Monday last to consider the question of approaching the Government for a supply of current from Lake Coleridge for lighting and other purposes for Methven. At Cliristchurcsh on Wednesday Messrs W. Morgan, Henry Maguiness, Stanley Smith, and Donald McDonald interviewed Messrs Parry and Birks, Government electrical engineers, in the matter, and. as a result it is thought that there is a good chance of the township obtaining current. \ TEMUKA. The rainfall, which has been general throughout Canterbury during the past week, has brightened the hopes of the farmers, and especially was it welcomed in this district. One pastoralist remarked that it was the best rainfall for three years, and would do the country 110 end of good. A wet autumn was predicted by those who make a special study of our climatic conditions, and although the fall was late in coming, it is none the less welcome on that account. On Wednesday Mr G. B. Smith, of Orakipoa, received word from the BaseRecords Office in Wellington that his son, who ldft here with the 12th Reinforcements, had died of disease. The Prime Minister and Minister of Defence sent their sympathy to J\lr Smith and his relatives in the loss that they had sustained by the death of their soldier lad. On Wednesday morning a letter had been received from Private Smith, and his father had just finished reading the letter when the telegram containing the sad news wa-s delivered. Corporal E. Henderson, of Kakahu. who has been invalided home, arrived in Temuka on Wednesday evening, and was welcomed' a£ the railway station by a large crowd of people. Addresses of welcome were delivered by Sir T. Gunnion, deputy-mayor, and Mr T. Tilbrook. Subsequently Corporal Henderson was entertained at the Royal Hotel by the Returned Soldiers' Association and the Patriotic Entertainment Committee. Corporal Henderson left New Zealand with the Main Body, and was wounded in the advance at Cape Helles, in the knee, on May Bth*. . He spent some time in England before leaving by the Tahiti for New Zealand. Mr W. Blyth, secretary to the Temuka Anglers' Club, is inviting anglers to hand over to him for the use of the men in camps old waders. A J Seadown, near Temuka. the rainfall for the month of May totalled 3.51 inches. Rain fell on eleven days. The Temirka Citizens' Miniature Rifle Club fired a match on Tuesday evening for a trophy presented by the Timaru "Herald" Company, which was won by V. Nicholas, with a. score of 70 off the rifle. ROMNEYS. TO THE EDITOR OF "THE THESS." Sir, —""Breeder" says I prove nothing by showing that two-tooth Romney wethers on grass alone returned a minimum of seventy-six shillings an acre for 18 gjonths. It is quite hopeless to continue a discussion with one so opinionated and bigoted as to be unable to admit that these figures prove my original- contention. They prove that Romneys—l am not writing of mongrels—possess such constitution. fattening, and freezing qualities (99 per cent, graded first class), that ewes similar to those wethers are eminently calculated to produce firstclass lambs to Southdown rams.. My original suggestion that a farmer would not rnin himself by running fifty Romney—not mongrel—ewes with the rest of his flock, still holds good, ( despite "Breeder's" attempts to prevent its acceptance.—Yours, etc., ROMNEY.