OTAHUHU AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATION.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XVI, Issue 1243, 12 August 1859, Page 3

OTAHUHU AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATION.

Quarterly Meeting— August 1. Present : Major Nixon (President), and 32 members. Some amendment*, according to noticpfjnrere. made in the Annual Cattle Show Rules, which were then signed by the President.

The Farmers' Calendar, as prepared by the Committi'o, was approved of by th ■> meeting, ns fallows : — January. -Corresponds to July in the Northern , <• Hemisphere. Mestn maximum temperature 76 ° Mean minimum do.- . : 59 => Average rain| in inches Wheat, barley, and oat Harvest ; drain wet land, burr, fern nnd scrub on larid to be broken up, take up early potatoes, plough bubbles intended for turnips or parsnips. February — Mean maximum temperature 75 ° Mean minimum do 60 ° Average rain, in inches .... 275 Bieak up new land, continue to sow turnips ; sow oats and barley for green food. March. — Mean maximum temperature 7?° ' Mean minimum do t 6ff'° ' AA'erage rain, in inches .... 320 Sow grass seed, vetches, turnips, and Cape barley. Towards the end of the month, if strong indications of rain, burn your bush clearings. Take up potato crops. April. — Mean maximum temperature 70 ° Mean minimum do 53 ° Average rain, in inches . . . 2.75 Maize harvest. Sow grass, rape, and oats for green food. Plough lands for winter fallowing. Burn bush clearings, and sow wheat and grass in the ashes. May.— Mean maximum temperature 65 ° Mem minimum do 49 ° Average rain, in inehep, .... 4*o Begin to sow wheat ; sow spring turnips. Fall woods and bush for next summer burning, and continue through the winter. Look to your drains, and finish heavy carting. June.— Mean maximum temperature 58 ° Mean minimum do 47° Average rain, in inches 3*75 Continue wheat sowing ; sow beans. Plant and clip hedges! Clean drains and water 'furrows. Plant and prune fruit trees this and next month. Give hay and turnips to stock. July. — The depth of the New Zealand winter. Mean maximum temperature 58 ° Mean minimum do 47 ° Average rain, in inches .... 51 7 Finish winter wheat sowing early in the month. Keep heavy stock off wet meadows, and continue to give hay, &c. Plant and trim hedges. Be particular to trim furze. Sheep commence lambing. August . — Mean maximum temperature 61 ° Mean minimum do 46 ° Average rain, in inches, .... 3.57 Finish breaking up land for oats, and sow spring wheat early. Sow field peas. Begin planting potatoes. Prepare ground for spring grasses. September. — Mean maximum temperature G2 ° Mean minimum do 48° Average rain, in inches 3*"34 The month for field crops. Plant potatoes. Sow grass seed, oats, peas, vetches, carrots, and prepare ground for maize. Finish bush clearing. Shut up paddocks for hay. October.— Mean maximum temperature 66 ° Mean minimum do 50 ° Average rain, in in ches, 2*28 Plant late potatoes, maize, and tobacco. Stock heavily Autumn-sown grasses. November. Mean maximum temperature 68 ° Mean minimum do 58° Average rain, in inches, .... 3*72 Sow maize, either for crop or green food. Hay making begins. Sow Swedes and mangold wurtzel. Earth up potatoes. Eradicate dopks. December.— Mean maximum temperature 75 ° Mean minimum do 56° Average rain, in inches, 2*29 Hay making continues. Earth up maize. Prepare thatch for corn stacks. Notb.— lt may be remarked generally that, as there is no fiost to interfere with tillage in the Province of Auckland, field operations are hastened or delayed according as the season is wet or dry, or the soil light or heavy.

Mr. Smythies informed the meeting that Mr. Bycroft of Epsom Mill, had commenced the manufacture of "bone dust," and was prepared to deliver it either crushed or ground ; the ground not to exceed £9 per ton : the crushed at a lower price. Mr. Bycroft would give 2s. per cwt. for bones. * Mr. Smythies produced a sample of the ground bone dust, which was highly approved of, and two tons immediately bespoke by a farmer in the Mangarie district. Mr. Mason read a correspondence with the Government relative to the acquisition of land from the Natives, Hy. Smythies, Secretary.