GENERAL FARMING NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2131, 24 April 1914, Page 10

GENERAL FARMING NEWS.

■ In many,ways the present season has been a pe'ouliar. one for' Southland .(says' the "News). For , instance, in several, orchards.there wer'o.a fow days ago to• be seen pear and apple trees l>earing good crops of fruit and again in bloom Flowering shrubs, native, and otherwise, have been blooming out of season. In certain districts manuka has been' blooming quite profusely lately, arid some weather prophets state that this is a euro sign of a severe winter.' ■ . . , The Pabiatua branch of tho. Farmers' tinion has decided to forward the following remit to the Provincial Conference of the union:—"That, in view of tho many successful co-operative movements that havo been initiated by the ! Farmers' Union from time to time, it is highly desirable, in tho interests, and for the protection of farmers, that tho sale and exohango of farming propertics should be undertaken by the union through the agency arid co-operation of each local branch." A record mob of fat sheep arrived at the Waingawa Freezing Works on Wednesday.. Tho total number, including, wethers and lambs, was 6200,' and the entire mob came off one farm in the Lower Valley. .. Mr. Robert Walker, a member of a well-known Woodlands family, has been appointed factory manager of the Woodlauds Meat Works, in succession to Mr. Daniel Hanuan, who has accepted an appointment with the Gear 'Meat Co., Wellington. Tho increaso in freight imposed by thj> -shipping companies pn wool, and dairy produce was alluded to by Mr. T. Hodgins at tho annual mcoting of tlie-Pahiatua branch of the Farmers' tlnion on Tuesday. He said that' the question was a largo and difficult one to handle, and ho did not know whether tho salvation-lay in State-owned boats. Anyhow, ho thought it was up Lo the farmers to make some protest at tho steady increaso in the freights. Frozen meat had so far escaped, but he believed that the increase on.it was coming. It was resolved that the attention of the* Dominion Executive of the union bo drawn to the largo 'increase in freights on tho staplo. products of tho farmers, and that it be asked to keep watch and prevent, ii possiblo, any further increase. The motion will take the form of a remit to the Provincial Conference of the union. 1 Forty-four years .ago. , News iton I from "Evening Star," Duncdin, Apri • 11; 1870:—Wo have often been sur ' prised that New Zealand, with pasture; : equal to those of Great Britain, is com. ' pelled to import cheese from thenco, i! J required of jbno quality. We are glac to say that'his anomaly is not likely t<

continue, as from a sample furnished us of cheese mado by _ Mr. James Stephenson, of Taicri Plain, it is evident that tho attention of farmers is tinned in that direction. It is manufactured |on tho Cheddar principle, and is rich and well-flavoured. It is no drawback to it that it is Tather now; for that is an attribute corrected by a few months' • keeping; as it is woll made, and, like all good cheeses it is palatable, at any ago. Evidently another, sourco of Customs revenue will sbou be superseded by colonial industry; for no one: would buy an' English' cheese who could obtain Mr. Stephenson's" cheddar.

This season there arc flowing into Canterbury thousands of ewes from other 'parts of tho 1 Dominion—from the North Island, Southland, and tho'Chathams . (states "Prime Canterbury" in file "New Zealand Farmers' Stock and Station Journal"). As a rule, North Island ewes are not very well spokon of in Canterbury, it being stated that they have to bo kept for a season before, they give anything, like good results. Southland sheep, though not equal to the Canterbury-grown, find ready sdlo, and it must,pay to send them to Canterbury, in ■ spite of tho fact-that Southland itself has a shortago in its'flocks. Tho influx of these sheep" into Canterbury shows, _ in my opinion, that grain-growing is giving place to' fat lamb production. And yet thero'is'not much wonder that such is tho tendency. Both wool and mutton are on such a good footing as Tegards prices and prospects that farmers are finding that it pays them just as well, if not .hotter, to grow rapo and turnips, instead of wheat and oats. Another strong factor in favour of sheep is the fact that they give less work and worry than' grain, and these are important items nowadays, when labour is in such an unsettled'condition. ' Mr. A.' Ross, president of the Pahiatua branch of, tho Fanners' Union, has been appointed delegate to the Provin-cial-Conference of the union at Wanganui next month. Twenty-four new .members were elected, at the annual meeting of the Pahiatua branch of the New Zealand Farmers' Union on. Tuesday. The Stratford A. and P. Association are instituting a visit to tho Moumahaki State Farm on May 7. j Tho Taranaki Metropolitan Agricultural Society's Winter. Show is to, bo held this year on June JO, 11, 12, and 13 ill ithe King George Coronation Hall at New Plymouth.' It is hoped to make this year's winter show tho biggest yot held by tho .society. Californian quail havo increased to that extent in the Clevedon (Auckland) district that they constitute a pest. A letter was received at tho annual meeting of tho local branch pf the Farmers' Union from.Mr. Judd, strongly urging that steps bo taken to reduce tho numbers 'of tho birds, as at their present rate of increase they wero becoming a very serious' menace to farmers. The union, is considering tho. best courso to adopt-to deal with tho post. Professor Howard, of Leipzig, in a ■ bulletin issued by the International Institute of Agriculture, discusses tho profitableness of sbeep-keeping in Germany, in.comparison with the keeping of cattle, and pigs. While cattle increased from 15,776,702 in 1873 to 20,158,738 in 1912, ho points out, and pigs from 7.124.09S to 21,885,073, sheep fell off from 24,999,406 to . 5,787,848. Many years ago, it is pointed out, the great fall in tho price of wool and the cessation of opportunities of exporting sheep to England and France, rendered sheepkeeping generally unprofitable. But since the prices of wool and mutton bavo risen, tho case has been altered, and. under some circumstances, the writer thinks, sheep pay better than either dairy .cattle or pigs.

In China—that strange country from ■ whence como tho poll-taxed agricultural methods aro 1000 years oldsome even older. Bit different from tho up-to-date New Zealand farmer, who uses tho easy running, sturdy, Richmond Oil Engine Good for your place, too. Get •particulars from Albert' J. Parton, Plumber, Carterton.—Advt.