GeneraL Farm News.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 3, 28 September 1907, Page 2

GeneraL Farm News.

Timaru Co-operative. Association last-year, did trade to the extent of £900,000, It made a profit of £22,000, from which were paid an 8 per cent, dividend, a 0 per cent, bonus ou purchases and salari'es, and £300 to the reserve fund. ■.. ..■ '

~ It. is reported, that the,plum of a Government estato recently, sold in sections by ballot was obtained, for £330 by a man who afterwards sold.it for £600, : There wero nearly 200 applicants. Forty tons of-fruit trees . (mostly apples) were landed on the MotucKa wharf iii one shipment, recently (says the Nelson "Colonist"). Thooutput of fruit at Mottieka exceeds in some orchards 10,000 cases'per annum."' ■'. The animal report of the.Agricultural Department, tho issue of which has boon delayed owing,to pressure of parliamentary work at tho Government, Printer's, will bo. ready a few days hence. It will, be oven more interesting than usual, and among the chief features will bo' some valuable reports of crop experiments.-'. -- The Ruapehu, in harbour, brought two' Border Loicestor sheep ■ and a shire hackney colt ;: for Mr. John Little, of Canterbury, a Border'Leicoster ram for Mr. ; J. D. Ormond, of Hawko's Bay, seven Border sheep, for the Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, and some Romnoys ' for tho Wellington district.CRASS RECOVERING. OUR RECUPERATIVE; POWERS. . , The reports to hand.from all parts of tho .Dominion indicate that grass' is rapidly recovering, _ even in the districts so badly afflicted by.- the recent drought. \ Sheep and.cattlo, horses, and other"livo' stock, though not, in every case in "good condition," are everywhere in good health, and'grass is said to be fast increasing. Condition must consequently soon be restored, and,wo shall rapidly forget about the drought troubles of the past. Wo hear often of the marvellous growth, of grass ill Australia after the break-up of a drought. Apparently wo only need 'a brief, spell of. dry weather'to give us the same, result in New Zealand. A good out-and-out drought, though soro on the pockets has; a stimulating effect on' tho s6il. ' A drought cracks 'and dries the soil and causes air to penctrato to a considerable depth. Fixed plant food is consequently rendered soluble, and subsequent rain carries to tho plant roots a big flood of availablo food. , The longer tho drought, the better the fertilising effect. Its operations are deeper than those of si fallow. A fallow only affects the surface. Nevertheless, when-everything is reckoned up, wo are better without tho drought. "A little plant food and oftei?' is the best policy in tho end. The recent storms have hot done much damage. The few injuries done to stock have been chiefly in cases whero land was flooded. Lambing is exceedingly good, and even after the losses are deducted the average will bo equal to that- of last year, which was itself considered phenomenal.