DISTRICT CRICKET.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 528, 8 June 1909, Page 10

DISTRICT CRICKET.

AN OUT-AND-OUT APPEOVAL. ■ (or TELEGKjrn-riiEss.association.)' ■-■ ~ ~ , Christohurch, June 7 _ At tho last meetinc of tho committeo 'of tho Canterbury Cricket Association, a letter was received from tho secretary of the Ota<r O ■Cricket Association, asking for information with logard to rules for district cricket, tho reasons which induced tho Canterbury Association to take such a step, whether in tho opinion of tho-committee the Bclicmo was a success from a cricket point-of■ viowy-'-and wtiotnor it tended to increase general interest in cricket both from the players' and thp spectators' : points of ; view.. ■ ...-.-■• riio following resolution was unanimously earned: 'iThat the secretary bo instructed to reply : .tor:thoi lotter" informing Ota"o that this association adopted a schemo: of district cricket in response to a widespread fceliiiK that such a system had been oxtremely 'su£ cossful in many of the Australian centres and would probably lead to an increased interest in tho game here,' with, correspondiiiK improvement in tho standard of play. After the experience of four years this commftteo is of opinion that much greater interest is now being taken by the general public in the performances of the various teams than was the caso formerly, and such ir. tho increaso in the number of players taking pnrt in tliegamo that it lias become .difficult for the association to arrange for .sufficient suitable grounds. Tho standard of local cricket .does not appear to liavo. suffered oven a temporary check, and added opportunities have undoubtedly produced more mid better young cricketers than wo over' had before. The committee is further of opinion that tho best results of district cricket cannot bo obtained until eacli district has its own ground, but its adoption is calculated t<l lead to that end."

THE FARM INDUSTRY,

■ ♦ DOES SPRAYING POISON FRUIT? SEARCHING TESTS JUST CONCLUDED. i NO DANGER AT ALL. .: Interesting tests on the subject of fruit poisoning have .boon, conducted by the New Zealand Hoaltb. Department this season. Tho tests were undertaken to clear up a myetcry arising out of a recent death of a child, which was attributed to arsenical poisoning. This conclusion was come to apparently without analysis of either the contents of the stomach or of tho uneaten fruit remaining, in the case. When the report camo to tho knowledge of the Government Biologist, Mr. T. W. Kirk, he promptly took steps to test, tho poisoning theory. Ho as.certained'that tho plums in question had never been sprayed with arsenic or any other poison.■.-This-.discovery, of course, quite disposed of-the. theory of death from arsenical poisoning from the plums. Exhaustive Tost Arranged. But, realising that more -than this was necessary, to removo the suspicion which had been cast upon fruit as a safe article of met, iJr. Kirk arranged for an exhaustive test, to take place at the Weraroa Experiment Farm. He invited the Health Department to analyse fruit treated in three different ways as follow:— 1.. Sprayed and gathered within a few hours afterwards.

2. Sprayed and gathered and wiped with a cloth.

3. Fruit that had been sprayed in the usual way earlier in tho season. ' ■ . ' _ These tests were vory severe, and searching. In the first place, fruit is never in commercial practice sprayed just before it is gathered. The spraying is finished several months before that stage, and in the meantime, much, if not all, of the material used is blown or washed away, or rubbed off. Even the sample which had been sprayed earlier in the season (February) was sprayed later than is done 'in .usual practice, and consequently carried more of tho poison. And finally Mr. Kirk's orders to the, men who sprayed the trees in tests Nos. 1 and 2 (in the: presence of the doctors) were: "Put it on thick." The work was done in the presence of Drs:' Makjnll and Frengley, Mr. Kirk,- and Mr. Boucher. spray used was the usual combined spray for insect and fungus pests. It was composed as follows :— 41b. Milestone.. . 51b. quicklime. ljlb. Swift's arsenate of lead. 50 gallons water. ...:.;■■

"Tho Public May Eat Without Qualms." Tho samples were sent to the ' State Analyst, Dr. MacLaurin, D.Sc., LIC.S., and, in forwarding his results to >tbo Biologist, c • -Ifrengley, wrote:—"l have pleasure in forwarding to. you a copy of the Dominion Analyst report upon.- the analyses' inado with a view to demonstrating what amount or tho metals, copper, arsenic, and lead it is possible to ingest by tho eating of apples sprayed ill tho usual commercial ■ way, and also under the exceptional conditions of a very severe test. The result amply bears out the opinion that tho public may, with-, out any qualms,.continue to eat apples, , iri : , to my mind, tho best of all ways—a little refinement of the schoolboy's eating of skin and all, after a preliminary rub on His jacket."

The Analyst's Report. ' Dr. MacLaurin's report .was as follows:— "Specimen: Apples from Weraroa Stato Farm, picked in tho preseiice of Drs. Frengley..,and..Makgill) :and Messrs. 'Boucher, and Kirk;, , ■ y ..-.,■.•:..■.;■.■ ••",;; -f.-_.-;-"§.".;-;-'""--" .. allowed .to dry, : aiid;jmnjediatQlyVpiclve<l.; ; ,:(B) .Some of.. A apples',wiped;with^'a' , duster. ' (G) Apples which had been sprayed' in usual manner during the season. In addition to these samples, a bottle of Swift's arsenate of lead, a sample of arsenate of lead in dry powder, and a bnttio of the epray used oil the apples, were forwarded for'analysis." After.. giving tho results of analyses of. these materials, tho analyst proceeds as follows:—"In order to estimate''tho amount of arsenic, etc., on tho apples, they, wero treated with appropriate solvents, and the solutions" so obtained analysed. "'A' apples gave:— ■ . , Grains per lb. Grains per bushel ' of apples. 401b. of apples. Copper ■...., 0.105 4.20 Lead ... 0.040 . 1.60 I Arsenic ... 0.011 . 0.44 : " 'B' (wiped) apples :—These gave about one third of tho arsenic found on 'A' apples. . ~,...,. "'C.apples, sprayed in the.\isual,manner during season. : These, particular, apples were: sprayed in October , , with arsenate .of lead and Bordeaux mixture, and on five subsequent occasions, namely, November: 7, first 'and last week of January 14, and. second week of February with>arsenate of lead.alone; When tested in ;tho same .way';-:;-as ■■'A' apples, the following results were obtained;— , ; • ■'•:■..

1 Grains per ,• .Grains per ]b. of apples, bushel of apples. Copper ... .-l-goth. '.4-9tbs. Lead' ..: l-250th. •. \ ' if-25ths. Arsenic ... l-900th. , ■ ; ; '4-Doths. "When these apples were, peeled,, no traco of .'arsenic or lead could be detected, and only .the- ; merest trace of copp'er (about l-600th. of a grain per lb. of apples).

The Poison Theory Demolished. . "These. rosults. show," .continues the analyst, "that, apples sprayed, with arsenate of lead and Wuestpne in; the, usual mariner during .the.:, season, 1 ' contain-■ such minute traces'of copper, lead; : and arsenic that they may bo oaten with perfect safety;-V In fact, the amount of arsenic; present is: so - small that one would require' to consumo '.two bushels of apples (skins and all) to get a full medical' dose ,of arsenic.: Even in'the case of apples sprayed immediately before picking, two or three pounds could be eaten without producing serious results, and such apples would be completely freed from arsenic' and load by peeling." . ■ .

ADDRESS TO SHANNON FARMERS,

THE FATUITY OF FLAC-FLAPPINC. SOME BYGONE WORDS BY ME, HOGG. Mr. C. B. Robinson presided at a meeting of members of the Shannon branch of the Farmers' Union held in the Druids' Hall on Saturday night, when Mr. F. W. Venn gave a resume of the Eketahuna Conference which lie had attended as local delegate. Sir. Venn, who has represented the Shannon branch at the conference for Efveral successive years, thanked meml>ers for again, reposing, confidence in him by sending hiri) as their representative. ' •Hβ bad been offered the only vacancy on'tho executive without election, but for various reasons had declined the position, although,' considering the honour done to the Shannon branch by the offer, he waa inclined to accept it. . . j ■There .were, he'continued, about 1900 members in the 'Wellington , Provincial'Union, or only about 15 per cent, of the farmers. This, he told the conference, was a disgrace, as the percentage, instead of 15, should bo something like 50. ~ . . : . Ho had not boon ablo to stay for the banquet, but would havo liked to havo done so, "if onlj to get a cut at tho Hon. Mr. Hogg," who at a function held in Shannon some seven or eight years ago had characterised tho Farmers' Union ns nothing moro nor less than "the national ass'resurrection- ■ is«l. with a few fresh hairs stuck in . its tail."■.Mγ. Venn then went through the remits, giving the views and opinions expressed by himself and others at tho conference.

With regard to the valuation remits, ho said that the way in which valuations had leaped up during tho last ten years was obsolutely unreasonable. His opinion was that llioro was no fixed basis on which , -valuators formed an estimato. Ho contended that while our present Customs duties continued the graduated land tax should be imposed, and ho believed that this remit was carried under_ a misapprehension on tho part of tho majority of tlio mombors.

Ho congratulated tho branch on having added its amendment to the remit concerning tho Dreadnought gift, and ho animadverted strongly on tho present "flag-flap-ping" tendency of the colony. The Gorman scare was, in his opinion '(which was formed from first-hand information obtained from correspondents in Britain and Germany), engineered by the Opposition at Home, and fostered by "the Fleet Street crowd." Ho assorted that, "to his knowledge, there never was a British Government which had dono more for the working classes than tho present one, and as long as Germany could dump her goods into Britain sho was not at all likely to provoke a war. It was a notorious fact that tho Germans, although tho most highly educated of tho civilised nations, had no voice whatever in "their own country's foreign policy. If Sir Joseph Ward could give away from two to four millions of money in the unconstitutional way referred to, it was the thin end of the wedge, and if there was to be a continuation (if such methods, the time would como when' Now Zcalandors would be' in tho same position as tl\e Germans — having no say in their own foreign policy. If his own expectations were realised, tho Prime Minister'would, at no very distant date Ik> our High Commissioner in London, with tho title of Lord Awarua or some such appellation.

Mr. Venn was strongly in favour of compulsory military training, and expressed doubt whether tho. Militia Act of 186G had over been repealed. In connection with this romit, lie thought that tho old men, when it came to fighting, 'would bo just as fit as some of tho present day young men, but though ho had moved an amendment that all men from 18 to .80 (instead of from 18 to 40 as provided in the remit) should bo compelled .to serve, his motion had not received much support. Speaking on the noxious weeds remit?. Mr. .Venn said that he was very much afraid that Californian thistle was going to bo the curso of the Dominion. Ho was informed" that scarcely one merchant in the South Island would guarantee oats free from the curs». He had dono what ho could for fto small holder, who was entitled to more consideration from the union than lie received. Mr. Venn, who. for ,18 years has represented the Tolcpmaru Riding, also touched on Umnty Council matters brought forward at the conference, and, in conclusion, was accorded a.hearty vote of thanks for his ad-' dress.. . . " . . .

KOMAKO-POHANGINA FARMERS. assaulting; "brer rabbit." A -Wetirig of tho Komako-Pohangina branch of tho Farmers' Union was held at Pohangma on Saturday. In the unavoidablo absence of tho chairman (Mr. D. Howie)', Mr. Henry Smart was voted to tho chair. Arrangements wero made to form a wool-classing-class, in connection with'the Feilding Technical School, so as to take advantage of tho services of Mr. Cahill/late of Hnwkes Bay, who has recently been appointed instructor. Mr, Cahill will commence his class on Wednesday- afternoon, v The rabbit question was then disoussed; and, though fast-spreading "bunny" has not yet became a pest in the district, it was 'decided.to act on tho.principle that prevention is better than cure, and a strong committee, comprising Messrs. Howie, Didsbury D. Ross,'Clinton, Smart, Bell, Gawlor, • Alters; Bailey, Closo; Wagstaff, and Coylo (with power, to add to their number), was appointed. The committee will meet every sale day at Bnumai, when farmers aro requested to produce the scalps of slaughtered ;'brer rabbits" beforo Mr. Johnston, rabbit? inspector, Kiwitea. Mr. D. Ross suggested that each farmer should set apart onrf day in tho month for the killing , of rabbits, and this would eventually' lead to their exter-' inination. So far, the rabbits are by no means numerous, but they have been seen on tho river bed, the reserves, and on the hills,, and it is thought wise'to attack them now. ".;. "■'■■• '' ■ LIVE STOCK SALES.

Messrs. Dalgety and Company, Limited, report:—At Wnnganui on Juno 2 we.yarded 1500 sheep and 400 cattle. There was'a good attendance of buyers, and'competition was particularly brisk for sheep, every pen selling under the hammer at a decided riso on recent rates; A nice line of fat and forward vomers,., on account of Sir. G. 1 , . Jfoore, Kai Iwi, made 12s. 3d. The demand for young cattle was good, but grown cattle were dull of sale. We made a good clearance. ' At Waverley only a small yarding came forward,'all of which, with the exception, of one pen of cattle, wero sold at improved prices. ■Thoro. was a good demand for milkiug sorts, nnd an unsatisfied demand for lambs, i Quotations:—Wanganui: Fat and forward wethers,. 11s. 10d.,.t0, 12s. 3d.; good two-tooth wethers-.ills.'.M.j. Cm., busk wethers, 10s.; cull halfbred wethers, 75.; old cull wethers, G.;.j light fat ewes, 9s. 9d.; fat aild forward ewes, Bs. to Bs. 4d.s forward empty ewes,-7s. -2d.; small , tiro-tooth ewes in lamb, 12s. 9d.j cull- ewes, is. Bd. to 65.; medium .lambs, 7s. 2d. to 7s. 10d.; rough four-year bullocks, £i 12s. tid.; two and'a half-year steers, £3 55.; small 18-mouUis steers, .£2 25.; small weaner steers (poor condition), 18s. 6U.; forward empty cows, i>3; store cows, .£2 Is.; cows and calves, £2 ss. 6d. to £2 155.; springing heifers, £i 55.; small heifers in' calf, £2 2s.' 6d. Waverley: Medium mixed lambs, Bs. 2d.; threeyear steers (passed), £i 155.; store cows, £2 65.; mixed weaners, 215.; cows, springing and just calved, £3 7s. Cd. to .£5 55.; store pigs, 12s. Cd. to 15s. . . . ■ ■ •.

INSPECTION OF STUD STOCK. The Taranaki Agricultural Association has resolved to. propose to the Aunual Conference of Agricultural Associations: — ~'' "That tho Government bo asked to examine for soundness all stud horses standing for the service of breeders in the Dominion, with'a , view of issuing certificates of ; soundness., ' , . . "That before any bulls are offered for sale at public auction for stud purposes, a certificate of soundness must be produced, signed by tho vendor and tho Government inspector. . "That Government appointments' of all agriculural inspectors be made from certificated men for each separate department. RABBITS AT CARNARVON.

Somo of the farmers in tho Carnarvon district toldme (says our travelling correspon.dent) that rabbits are much more numerous than they used to be. Apparently some men use all means to cope with the threatened danger, while others take very little pains to, do so. Some are laying poison, somo trapping and shooting, while others seem to depend to somo extent on being pble to afford a day's sport to any of their sportive friends who have a tasto for rabbits.