AGRICULTURAL AFFAIRS.

Evening Post, Volume LXVIII, Issue 128, 26 November 1904, Page 12

AGRICULTURAL AFFAIRS.

A North Canterbury settler" k receiving 5001b of milk daily from his herd of 16 cows. He attributes the excellent yield to feeding on Swedes and providing straw for his cattle through the winter. Wool is now coming in fast to Waipukurau (Hawkes Bay) from the coast stations, several large sheds having finished shearing. Last season the substantial sum of £8000 was paid away for milk supplied to the Opouriao (Bay of Plenty) cheese factory to some 35 suppliers. With all the abundance of feed, fat etock, especially early lambs, are none too I plentiful, and farmers would readily prefer less grass and more sunshine, remarks the Wairarapa Age. I The crops as seen from the railway line 1 between Timaru and Fairlie are now making vigorous growth and looking well, but it is evident that the. harvest this [ season will be a late one. There is one particular crop in the Cricklewood district growing on land the rental of which is 4s per acre, quite equal to most, and better than many of the crops on the dearest down country farms. The Albury creamery has now thirtythree suppliers, who send in 700 gallons of milk per day. The Fairlie creamery has sixteen suppliers, sending in 420 gallons per day. The blackbird is becoming a menace to the farmer in the Wairarapa district. It is said that it feeds on the young green rape, and one farmer in the Opaki states that the whole of his rape crop this season has been practically devoured. A settler in the Eketahuna district has discovered that the oil of the burr (known as "biddy-bid") is a- splendid thing upon which to rear calves. He ! intends submitting a sample of the oil to the Agricultural Department for analysis. Quite a number of dairyman are using the liquid extract of burr upon which to fatten their calves. In conversation with a dairyman who makes good use of this weed, the Auckland News correspondent elicited from hhn that its qualities were far ahead of any substitute for mother's milk he had ever used. In some of the settled parts of North Otago weasels are deemed a bigger pest than the rabbits they were introduced to destroy. The weasels are not content to dine on rabbit, and have acquired a strong liking for poultry, with the- result that poultry yards suffer severely. Just now particular prominence has been given to the subject by weasels having destroyed all but four of a fine clutch of mallard ducklings, hatched out for the Waitaki Acclimatisation Society, in a single night. At the same time forty chickens were also taken, and the floor of an outhouse had to be pulled up to get at the weasels and stop their depredations. The* potato crop at Onehunga and the outside districts will, it is feared, be a failure this season owing to the appearance of blight. Whole acres have been stricken, and the loss, especially to many who rely upon the annual early potato crop, will be considerable, and cause much hardship. The blight first attacks the tops, which wither up. It then goes down the stalk, affecting the first potato, and afterwards spreading to the remaining tubers. On examination the potato bears a dark brown, discoloured appeSrance, and on cutting it open the discolouration is found to have spread inwards, rendering the potato unfit for food. The Oamaru Mail in its report of the North Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Association's show last week states that the entries show a satjfactory advance, the total of 839 entries being 40 in excess of 1903, and the largest recorded during the past ten years. This is very gratifying in view of the fact that the determination of the implement combine to confine its patronage to the larger centres has withdrawn a large amount of that support extended to previous shows. Indeed, it was anticipated in some quarters that this action would prove a serious shock to the local Association. This has not been the case, however. At the gathering of farmers at the Albury creamery a question as to the best breed of dairy cattle cropped up, and the ultimate decision went in favour of the Shorthorn, with a dash of either the Jersey or Ayrshire breeds. One settler who is milking eleven cows said that he was at present getting from them 4361b of milk per day, and he made £15 to £16 per month from this small herd. These cows were of the Shorthorn-Jersey cross. He had one cow which yielded 601b per day, and another settler said he had one from which he obtained 501b per day. Discussing the j rearing of calves, it was generally agreed that they should be given as much fresh milk as possible while young, and should be carefully tended in the cold weather, and every care taken to ccc that their [ growth was not impeded, if the best re- | suits were to be obtained. One settler said that when feeding with skim milk, | he had found it very beneficial to add a little salt to the drink. The unexpected rains in the middle of last month (says the Australian Pastoralists' Review just to hand) were continued in most places until the result was one of the most widespread and beneficial downfalls ever experienced. The first effect was the saving of the Victorian harvest, which will now in all probability be about equal to last year's, and the partial saving of the South Australian and New South Wales harvests, which will not be very far behind last year's figures. As regards pastoral work, the benefit experienced in South Australia, Riverina, and the greater part of Queensland has afforded immense relief, and in Victoria and the rest of New South Wales it has been considerable, whilst the dairying industry has been given a splendid fillip in the midst of the export season. Most of Queensland is now all right until the usual summer rains set in, and throughout the continent the outlook was never safer at this time of year, though Riverina could very well do with more rain, and there are spots in Queensland which have been left out off the recent downpour. Tho quality and condition of the New South Wales clip is, on the whole, very satisfactory, though large supplies of burry and seedy wool have come down. The regular wool sales have been attended by a record number of buyers, and prices have been well sustained, and in individual cases sensational figures have been reached. Last year the top price for greasy wool in this market was 14id, reached by a famous Muctgee clip (Cooyal). This year Cooyal reached 15^d, but latei this was beaten by Belltrees wool bringing 16d, and just before writing tins some Gunning wool has established a fresh record of 17^d. These high prices have been given for American orders. The outlook for the New South Wales frozen rabbit trade is very good just now ; largo orders from London are awaiting fulfilment, and prices there are remunerative. However, the chilling depots throughout the States have great difficulty in obtaining a regular supply of rabbits, ns only tho.«e caught in the vicinity of the works are suitable for freezing, thus only a very small supply of the rabbits which infect the State are available for export. Last year's wheat crop in South Australia produced 13,180,000 bushels, and, according to a preharvest estimate made by the Register a few days ago, the production this year is expected to reach a total of 13,300,000. The area under cultivation was increased this year, and it is expected that 1,900,000 acres will be reaped, and that the average will be approximately 7 bushels per acre. Freddie : '" What's the difference between a politician and a statesman, dad ?" Cobwigge : " Well, when they run against each ofrhor the politician gets elected."