GENERAL FARMING NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 729, 31 January 1910, Page 8

GENERAL FARMING NEWS.

.'.The'annual show.'of the Koyal Agri-. cultural Socioty of New. South Wales will, bo hold on the society's ground, Moore : Park, Sydney, from March 22 to 30. ,■" ' ,v ■:'.■.. :;..:.., ■"-'

;Tho Hawera "Star" States that a blight has mado its appearance within the,last few days in a crop of onions. The onions, are'only half-grown, and were till quite' recently looking particularly well and healthy. The effect of the blight is to shrivel up the stalk about half-way up, the''stem. A sample was sent into. Ha-' wcra, and as it was not-identified it was sent .on to Wellington. In view.'of ■ the loss, that;-will be occasioned should it spread to. other parts, the report of the llepartment. will be anxiously, awaited..,

. : A "well-known stock agent stated to a Wairarapa "Daily Times" represeutativb that the demand for llomney rains during; tho past few months had been cbptionally keon and; in a • great many ■.instances-';': farmers' and station-holders requiring.';rams: had; made' their . pur-, chases privately—that ;was to say,, direct from .the breeders. A great many of. the recognised breeders' of these sheep in the district .had disposd of. most.of their", rams, and in somo instances would find a diificulty in.meeting such orders as might coinb in: : The demand for Eomneys, lie stated, had no. doubt been accentuated by : : the good prices obtained for ' these wools .'at the - beginning' of the season/ the j Ariibrican buyers being among the keenest: of competitors -in the market.

All • through; the fertile -block of; Eaitieke, .in the Taihapo district, feed is plentiful, and settlers ; are. securing the necessary .stock to keep it down. ; Nearly all:'the settlers who have- burned' their fallen bush have' secured good '-'burns,'. and; this,, with' the recent,rains, means early grass :an'd: rape 'crops; which will considerably' add to the "settlers'; output next;season. ~: T he;,important, question of dairying is also.being discussed in tho Eaitieke,: and those interested'in the dairy company.-that; has been formed ,are endeavouring to • decide. whether to go in for' cheese;or butter, making.. It is considered, that the ..former has tho j most supporters.' :::.;-':;'..;:;';!; '.'.•'.■-..:•

'■:' Blight has made .■' its 'appearance in several'potato crops.'in ;.tho Feathcrston dißWct. ••'.•'•.,: .:.\:\; : ,:\-, : ."'.■. ■'■ •' ,

,i; Throughout our extensive.' dairying and district a very noticeable feature has .been- the-manner in/which cattle have.':put -on flesh; / ..■"They ' simply could not help;it; everything has been'in their ;favdur, .'saidi.a stock .('authority to ' the Hawefa'"Star." '.■■..»■/:'•■'•'.'.■-..■.

. The /.entries for thY.fourth', annual show of the ■■ Horowhcriua A. and P. Associa- . tibn; to. bo held on constitute a i: record.., In, all classed'splendid : entries have been,received,.aiid more'pafticularly. in pigs, cattle,..and- sheep.. , In' the pig. class aw. increase ';, of 'over, one .hundred and fifty per cent ■ has .taken • place, the numbers - being ..over . 60, .against. 21 last year. /.Some, of the best 'breeders -along the coast are represented.. In the'sheep . classes -.■• thirty, more, peris will ■ -have > to be.', provided, 'the '.total : ; entries . in ; this ; class: being; about one. hundred and. thirty. /It'Ms very,-gratifying'.to. the .coramitteei ; to, find the three ; purebred ;cltisses 'of Eqmnoy rams have .filled so .well, there being.-. no -/fewer -. than twenty-one entries.' Well-known .breeders, such ,as 'Messrs. Moncton' and Fetch, E.-'J; Wilson,'' H. E. Allan,:H.:S.. Hadfield,,John Bebbell, D. Gardner,; arid' others-being ..represented. ;Iri dairy; and-fat,cattle .a.twenty-five per .cent;-'increase 'is 'shown, arid ikeen competition will'.take- place 'in' Vthb daily classes.,: .Oyer; .one hundred >■ and thirty ■horses are;.taking.part in the competitions..: vThe'. total -number of horses entered in all classes is closo on two hun;tadiarid:nfty.'V;;>,;' '-;:'*....:'- ' ;V: ,-v: j-All'the arrangements -are 'well.-forward (writes:: our. FeDding; 'correspondent) for the;Feildirig A. and P. Association's sixth-' annual summer show, is to.be hold on, the picturesque, racecourse grounds 'on . Tuesday ■ and'. Wednesday.'. .

• ■Mr'.''-.Totiull,-i60n.,--:of Tothill'and' Coin. ; pany,: Inyercargill,' and-'New:Zealarid:,ro-presentative -for Sutton's seeds,-is at-pre-.seritbii a.visit .to'the North'lsland:'-Mr.' 'Tothill - was in, Palm'erstoh-.Vand,,Master-; ton -last week,;.and- to-'da'yi.'h'e'/expects':to go through. '' ;;:'

; , ; Beo farming is 'steadily.' gf owing in' Ki'ikoura"(states the ,"Suri"); ! - : i arid.i:though this "side; lino" has not yet awakoned ; the., interest; here that, proper /attention to ;it .deserves—particularly" in "a'pastoral district—the.:, l gradual.-advance" in ;the jaiatter. .promises bettor■'-..things. ; -■. '-.-v. : -The quantity:p'ffstraw;:iii' I many.of, ; 'the crops in'the Ashmirton,county is unusually.great.;,"A :farmer;in the lower dis-i: tricts, .used, 91b. of -twine"per- acre in his' reaping,-.,yet; he .'estimates.' that; tho crop ,yill: not/yield ,moro-than;,3oi.bushels peri .'acre.; i'ln--an; ordinary, : seaspn'-9lb. :.'df twine' would "be; sufficient' for 'an "acre' "and ;'a'-h'alf ; of, a GO-b'ushel crop.; ';,:;:; :, -':"v"-'.'.-,-■ --;

■'-.-./ Towards the end of last year■/(says the .fNelson;..Mair.),,:it: was; feared, that .the' hop; crop of-.the,, district '.would'.bo very; poor owing to the growth being backward.: The light rains that-have' falleir.'sittce, however; havo'saved'-tho-'sihiation.to'some' ..extent.-' The'area under-crop is .getting ' smaller;.by: degrees, and the. hops' harvest will not. bo .plentiful, ■;■ but good prices shpuldhelp to maintain,'the balance. ■;

-.:-: Paiaka, the : well-known.-; flax. and /dairy property of .347 acres freehold and 160 acres leasehold, some of the' richest land on ; the /Manawatu, with flax cutable this year, will be sold at' auction by, Dalgety and Col,, at 'Palmerston North on 'Saturday, 2Gth.'February:/ The terms-may.be .arranged.—Advt. ■■:/'> ';/// ■.-,'-.',';' -/-;.'