GENERAL FARMING NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 858, 2 July 1910, Page 8

GENERAL FARMING NEWS.

Our travelling reporter lately had an opportunity of making, an inspection of a crop of rape grown by Mr. R. L. Levin at Taonui, near I'eilding, from Sutton's ' seed. 1 The sheep were practically lost in a jungle of rape, and Mr. Levin stated he had already • fattened over 2000. sheep on these 30 acres. Rape crops as a , rule have cither done very well this season or have proved failures, but the. above would be hard to beat.

New Zealanders ■ who favour agricultural schools may be interested in this from the latest weekly edition of "Dalgety's Review"-.—"The fifth winter school for farmers, was opened at the Haivkesbury Agricultural College on Monday last, when tho principal gave an opening address to 110 farmers oil tho value of agricultural education. . The . students aro chielly young men, the ages ranging from 16 to 45, and all,, are engaged in farming, orchard Work, dairying, or grazing. They come from all parts of the State."

The South Australian Agricultural Department has recently acquired a block of 3000 acres between Petersburg and-Yunta, about 160 miles from Adelaide, for the purpose-of experimenting on the dry-farming lines. The land has been utilised irregularly for farming operations, and it is mostly cleared, being also. provided with a. good homestead, dams, etc. Fallowing operations are being proceeded with, 'and tho system to be followed will be largely on the methods, recommended by Professor Towar, formerly of the Agricultural College, Roseworthy,,who has returned to the United States.—"Dalgety's Review.'"'

.. A Kopuaranga contributor to a Masterton paper' says that the dairying season just ended, has been.a very successful one for the farmers there. One small farm averaged nearly £5 an acre, which, he contends is more than could be'obtained through' cropping in that locality,.; except, perhaps, with potatoes, which are risky.

Ail- aphis has attacked the. CaliFornian thistle, to therdelight -of thoso who' f'sufferedwfrom- this.; troublesome weed (says the • Kopuaranga correspondent of the "AVairarapa-Daily.Times"). It is too early yet to'say if this aphis .will kill it put, but next spring should tell whether the "cure" is permanent or temporary.•"; . . .

The demand for dairy farms is very keen in the Maharahara. district just now,, according to the correspondent of an exchange, which contributor also ; states that one of the oldest residents says .that the . district looks better than it has done for" tweiity years at this season.

: ' So far feed is reported, to be plentiful in Hawke's Bay and the stock to be in good winter condition. .

Co-operation has so advanced dairying. in the Woodlands district, Southland,, that portion of the factory plant has to be replaced by requisites of double the old capacity. ... It is reported that AVaikato farmers are looking forward Ji'opofully to next dairying season, and that there will bo an all-round increase in the numbers of cows. The industry lias been , steadily expanding in the Waika-to, and the output, or'butter-fat during the season now closing has been higher than in previous seasons. . v --

Lambs are appearing in various parts of the country. ;Wairarapa and Manawatu have already " had a few new arrivals. : '

> South Taranaki evidenf-iy ft getting good weather. . The Mereinere' correspondent of the Hawera "Star" says: "Never before in this district has the winter -season progressed, so far with snch mild weather, and stock are looking well. Farmers are taking advant: ■age of the dry weather, and are getting through as much'outdoor work-,as possible. Stumping is the general work in the . slack months, and I notice many paddocks are about ready for early ploughing. Milch cows are in great demand, and high prices are ruling."

A proposal to pasteurise. whey is t'o be discussed at the annual meeting of the Levin Co-operative Dairy Company.

-The amalgamation of, the two agricultural societies at Wairoa appears to have been well received. Among the' conditions of the amalgamation are stipulations that the society shall bo called the Wairoa County- Agricultural and Pastoral Society.; tljat each of tho present societies shall for this year, nominate 12 members of committee; and that the first show sliall be held at Wairoa. Thereafter the procedure of tho society- shall be at the will of the majority. ' ' \