GENERAL NOTES

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2669, 14 January 1916, Page 8

GENERAL NOTES

Haymaking is in full swing, throughout the Pahiatua district, and during thg past few days many crops have bean harvested. A number of oat crops have also been cut, states tho "Herald." A novel method of growing tomatoes is to bo seen at Mr. S. Gilling's orchard, Beach Road, reports the "Horowhenua Daily Chronicle." Tho plants are grown under glass, eacl) plant, at present a largo size, in a kerosene tin. From the few dozen plants thus grown 801b. of ripe fruit has been picked since Christmas, and thero still remains a lot on the plants. Ono great advantage of the methods is. that when the plants have finished bearing, the. soil can be removed _ with the tins, and a fresh lot brought in, thus eliminating the many pest's that thrive in the conditions so favourable under glass. The plants are strong and healthy, and the fruit perfect in form and of good flavour. Caterpillars have appeared in /p-eat numbers in various parts of the Opoiiki district, and oat crops have, suitfred more or less from their ravages (says tho "East Coast Guardian"). Otherwise the are reported to bo excellent. At \Vaia.wa a few days ago, not far from Mr. Ross's property, .'mmeiisi numbers of caterpillars are said to l ave been seen near the road. Most- farmwho found the insect at work cut their oats on the green side, but in a few instances the oats had not readied a sufficient state of maturity to lender this course advisable.

]!/very_ day stock trains, 'heavily laden, are leaving the Feilding railway station for the various freezing works (says the "Star"). As showing tho value to the district of this trade, it may be mentioned that one morning the stock sent away—cattle and sheep—were worth, roughly, £3500. Mr. Dibble, of the Department of Agriculture, says ; the Stratford "Post," is at present' giving a demonstration of the making of stock ensilage with a co-operative-experiment crop of oats and vetches on Mr. Gordon Bayly's farm on Cornwall Road, Ngaere. . The size of the stack is 35ft, by 25ft. Mr. E. Hancock, who has a farm near tho eastern end ( of the Ngaere swamp, on Cheal Road, lias, since going into (pupation recently, made an endeavour to te.;t the possibilities of the swamp l.vnd. Ho has had laid down, under the supervision of the local officers of the Department of Agriculture, an aero of lucerne and' mangels. It is the f- s t experiment yet made on the Nnacre swamp land with lucerne, mid the resuß is being watched with interest by neighbouring farmers.