GENERAL FARM NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 18, 16 October 1907, Page 2

GENERAL FARM NEWS.

There ia more than one aspect to theblackberry question. Mr. George Freeth, the entorprising wine producer of "the Mount Pleasant district,'remarked to. a "Marlborough Herald" reporter that the eradifcation' of the "noxious weed" is having the effect of considerably diminishing his supplies on which he depends for his manufacturing purposes. However, Mr. Fre.eth hopes to obtain fairly'adequate quantities of fruit during the coining season; though lie asserts that currants'and other fruits will not be plentiful as;they were last season. ■ . <

Tho first consignment of shorn sheep from the Wairarapa district was railed by their owner, Mr.- C. Wagland, from the Masterton Railway Station on .Tuesday morning for Wellington..

A prosperous year is reported .: by 'the Oakura Co-operative Dairy Factory Company; Ltd., whose annual report is to hand.,.- The total amount of milk received by.the Company .was 5,525,4121b.j containing 209,6651b. of butter-fat, from which were manufactured 233,5691b; of butter (104 tons scwt. lqr, 211b.), the overrun being 11.40 per cent. The average test was 3.79, and the quantity of milk required to make lib. of butter was 23.651b. The sum of £8710 ss. Bd. has been distributed amongst tho shareholders, being at an average price of 9.97 d. per lb. of butter-fat, which forms a record in the history of the Company. After writing off thesuffi of'£2l2 14s; 6di for depreciation, there remains the sum of £277,195. 9d. tq carry forward.. "

A well-known local breeder of stud Roinneys reports the remarkable lambing percentage of 137 for a large paddock of that breed of stock.' His average right'through was 117. " ' ■: ■■ ■■>■•-■■■'•■

Mr. E. Short, of Feilding, who recently returned from the Old Country, yesterday, presented to the Manawatu'A. and P.' Association a heautiful silver cup, valued at.loo guineas, for competition in the Romney section.. The cup: contains 172 ounces of silver, and will be oh view during tho show.' Owing to its having arrived so lato in tho season

it will not be offered' for competition" until tho 1908 show.' '. . . . , ' : The proposed co-operative dairy companies' butter and cheese box manufactory will be supported .straight put by Wairarapa farmers, writes our correspondent, -and a successful formation of the association is already almost assured. At the meeting of .dairy-farmers at Carterton .on Saturday, Mr. J. G. Hardness, secretary of the National Dairy Association, announced-himself ;as a firm' supporter of the proposal.' He viewed the export of New Zealand white pine to Australia with an unfavourable eye. ' It amounted to from ten to fifteen million feet per year, he< said, and the matter, was serious for the dairy farmers.of this.country. , /

Speaking at the meeting of Wairarapa Dairy Company delegates at Carterton, • on Saturday, Mr. J. G. Hai'kness, secretary of the National Dairy Association,* said that the fact that the Association,was now registered as a union should bo gratifying to all farmers interested in the progress of the industry.; With this union of factories there would be a simple straightrout method of meeting all labour claims, otherwise dairy companies would be liable to bo dealt with piecemeal.in the phases of industrial strife, and. many factories inconvenienced through being forced to work under different awards. ■' '.-.'■ -.-. >■ . ...-; Wairarapa farmers note-that in many in-' stances the wool is'; showing''the effect , of the wet- winter. In portions-of the Gladstone district spring oats are backward in while autumn oats are patchy'on-the'.stifEer land areas. In the mafprity 'of .in/stances there has been nothing extraordinary about the lambing. . , :' : '•"' ' ' ■'' ! -.--"-' '■'"■' > A silver cup has been 'offered by Mr. Ernest Short to the Manawatn A. and P. 'Association (says our.Feilding correspondent).for the best- Romney ram exhibited at: the .Show", bred by the exhibitor, :Vho must' also own the ram;'■ The cup is.to be won'twice consecutively or three times 'at intervals.'''Mr;' Short is to be'-allowed to compete in the' class,.but not to win the cup.,'The ; ,object inview is'to encourago men' who. breed good animals to retain them for the purpose of improving their flocks, instead of selling theni for fancy prices to others, who will not take the trouble to breed, but prefer to use other people's brains to raise their nocks' to a .high standard.- A lot of xtomney Marsh sheep wero railed'by Mr; Short to-day to' compete at the Hawko's Bay_ Show. Although ■ they were not housed during the past' month, the sheep looked good,,and should do. something at the Show. . .. : : '■- .

It is reported that symptoms- of ! potato blight have been noticed amongst the early crops in Feilding. The damage will-not be extensive,'as there are only a few small plots showing above ground. ; While Visiting several farms, I have noticed that' there is an abundance of fruit on apricot trees. Other fruit trees in bloom have been badly damagod by . the recent storms, so that it is hardly possible that growers can this season-look forward to anything like an average return. , Some leading show exhibitors state that, in spite of all precautions some of their animals which they intend to put forward in the show ring aro below the standard of appearance which desire.. The effect will, be more obvious in tho sheep classes, as thero are. very few breeders who house their, sheep in this district. ■ : . _ .. ', .