CENERAL FARM NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 16, 14 October 1907, Page 2

CENERAL FARM NEWS.

A rumour, .emanating from Palmerston North.is to the effect that an attempt was made to form a ring in London early in the season for the purposo of "bearing" tho oolonial butter market. Since then it is stated there has been dissension amongst those forming the combination, offers for the season's output of'butter are-now coming freely forward. This season will equal those of last year. - - ■ • ■; ■ Mr. Webb, stock inspector at Wairoa, is to ■be transferred -to Nelson. Mr. ! 'Higoett, late noxious weeds inspector at Hawera, has been appointed stock inspector at Stratford, vice Mr.- Budge, who 'goes to Hawora.' Messrs. Brown (Auckland), Parker (Napier), Blair, (Invercargill), and M'Phorson (Chrintchurch)' will in future act as stock inspectors as well as dairy inspectors. ' . : ' ' . Mr. George GreyJ the resigning secretary of tho Hutt Valley Horticultural Society, is to bo presented with a gift in appreciation of his services to the Society. Mr. B. Wood-, ward will succeed him. Another show will 'shortly bo held.

The directors of the Cheltenham Dairy Company have decided to pay out 10d. per lb. 'to suppliers for buttor-fat. -.-/They expect to procure a .figure for their ensuing season's output which they bolievo will be the highest yet recorded in the Dominion." ■

Formalinj so much in evidence in the Wellington, Police Court on Eriday, in the charge against Henry, Bodloy, of adulterating milk, was described, by Dr. as a solution of formjc aldehyde—a form of alcohol, and a very-strong disinfectant. One part in 23,000 would be, an effective preservative of- milk. Dr. Frengley, later in the proceedings, ridiculed the idea that the odour of'formalin, which was said to emanate , from: the health ; inspeotors, could have affected the milk under examination. .... . . ,-. ~ ■.-.

Our. Feilding correspondent states that soinp ; of; the dairymen in ; that district have be&i reduced to great straits by ; the severe weather. . One was fortunate enough to,purchase) a straw stack from , a sheep farmer whose animals turned up their noses at such faro, but tho cows took to it with groat avidity. V '■■' ' -■' ■■ ; - ■:■..'-■.)■".

The weather at Pahiafjua (writes our correspondent) continues .vory rough, and is , seriously interfering with local farmers. > Tho Ballance; Dairy Company is paying out £2200 on Tuesday next. This is a considerable advance on the figures for the same period of last year, but it is behind anticipations, owing to the unfavourable weather. Tho drainage of the Piako swamp will, it is stated, cost nearly' £50,000. The surveyor is still on tho spot engaged in maturing his plans, and it is understood that a portion of tho work, v for which the'money has already been voted,' will bo begun before long.; . "■ '•' ".. ■..". ; ; ;-.■■ FLOWER SHOW TACTICS. :: There are dear good people who have a sense of comfortable deliverance from evil when they discuss.the.wickedness of business competition in great cities (says the "Pall Mall Gazette'-'). They are.to bo envied the happy lot that, whilo not precisely making a virtue of necessity, knows littlo of ,tho neces : sity that makes a mock of some of the gent-, ler.; virtues.. But for., downright; competition commend us to the cbuntiy flower and vegetablo shows'. One had heard of the man who sits up with a shot gun keeping guard upon his big goosoborries: it would appear that ho knows what he is doing. At Weston, near, Bath, a grower named'Hobbs was sent for : fourteen days to'prison, recently, for visiting a rival's garden and sticking needles into his beans, cabbages, marrowsj and onions. He explained- that, ..suspecting the ; rival in question of winning, prizes , with bought vegetables, ho had.wished to<satisfy himself that this was not the case. At the show,-ho would be able to recognise , his little' punctures.' The Bench, however,' took the .view that it was hot, a perfectly harmless sohemo, and that in any case it was to be defined as wilful damage., .'.'..-.