AGRICULTURAL AFFAIRS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXII, Issue 66, 15 September 1906, Page 12

AGRICULTURAL AFFAIRS.

■ ♦ In an endeavour to save the coming season's potato crops from the blight a number of Otaki growers have ploughed patches completely isolated from other cultivation. Mr. John Rose, of. Kegworth, near Blenheim, one of the leading potato groweis of the Wairau Plain? states that he is this year dipping his seed before planting, an idea he has had for some time past. During 1905-6 Victoria exported to oversea markets 59,330 head of poultry, worth £14,957, and 36,836 dozen of eggs, worth £2341. An Otago farmei has sustained very serious loss of sheep, the result, it is supposed, of worrying by dogs. Apparently over four hundred have been destroyed. Reports from all parts of the district (writes the Poverty Bay Herald) state that, the lambing has been heavy and the mortality exceptionally slight. It is many years since the district had such a favourable lambing season. The Sanson correspondent of the Manawatu Standard soys that recent cold winds have played havoc with the early lambs, and in some cases fifty per cent, of those born have died. In nine weeks the Waimate County' Council paid one man £52 5s as bonus for killing small birds — chiefly larks, goldfinches, and linnets.- This beats the record of the two businesslike Timaru schoolboys who invested in an incubator. Practically the whole of the Taranaki land district is gazetted as an area infocted with blackleg. A small block between the Patea River and the boundary of Hawera County is treated less stringently than the remainder. Sheep clean up a pasture better than any other stock. The great botbnist Linnaeus found, as the result of experiment, that of the indigenous pasture plants of Sweden sheep ate 387 out of 526 species, while horses ate only 262 and cattfe 376. / ______ Rumours have been afloat in Sydney (says the Australian Meat Trades Journal) that there were big orders about for beef for Vladivostock, but as there is littflo beef procurable in Australia, the order will have to go elsewhere. The annual meeting of the Wangaaui Freezing Company was held Jon 29th August. A dividend of eight per cent, was declared. Messrs. A. Burnett and W. Ritchie were elected directors, and Messrs. Rodwell aud Silk auditors. The Ohio Experimental Station states that fanners of that State are losing £3,000j000 annually by not treating their stable manure- as it should be treated. About, half of ite value is lost by permitting it to' lie all summer in the yards. At a meeting of the shareholders of the Auckland Farmers' Freezing Company, at Hamilton, the. action of the directors in arranging for the purchase of Hellaby'a freezing works and property was approved by a large majority. Good ploughing demands tw,o. things — namely, that the work be done when, the soil is neither excessively wetf nor dry, and that the furrows be evenly and properly turned. Any deviation from these two general rules means that the ploughing ds; verging on to poor work. The North Otago Farmers' Co-opera-ttve Association, with a subscribed capital of £35,485, shows a net profit for tho year ending July, 1906, of £3248, which with tho sum of £844 brought forward ! from last year makes the total available for distribution among shareholders £4092. , Excelknti lambing returns (says the j Maryborough Herald) are being reported locally. Mild and favourable weather has been experienced, and the results are exceptionally good. One sheep owner obtained 120 and 140 per cent, from flocks in the Lower Wairau district. The number of rabbits received -.or export at the Mataura freezing-works this season, although in excess of lant year's tally, is by no means so largo «» the returns for previous winters, showing conclusively that rabbits in Southland are being steadily reduced by trapping. . T»^o does not take the place of iiitihsers or manure, and the farmer who is led to use it so will be disappointed. Lime is indispensable to the growtJi of clover on some soils; but before it can materially benefit the clover it must he preceded by liberal manuring or fertilising with materials carrying bvjth phosphoric acid and potash. Lime may produce an increaso of cereal crops on some soils, but only when used in connection with judicious manuring or fertilising. The Scottish Farmer of 21st July writes: "Inverness sheep and wool failhas revived with tho revival of tho sheep and wool trade, and the market is unusually buoyant. A crucial question is how long the present inflation or sheep and wool prices may continue It is not how long farmers here would like it to continue, and the answei ought to be, until Australia is again fully stocked." s Farmers here (writes the Waikato Times) have taken full advantage of the splendid weather prevailing, a largo breadth of oats having been sown during the last fortnight, and work gene* ally is well forward. Sheepfarmers aro rejoicing over a good lamßing, the season having been particularly favourable for that branch of farming. The Matamata correspondent of the same journal writes: We havo had warm growing weather during the last week, and pastures and oats are looking much better. Settlers have got their oats in for the season. Farmers in the bade parts of the district (says tho North Otago Times) have had httlo or no rain for a couple of months, and tho state of affairs is beginning to wear a rather serious aspect Wheat sown some time ago has not vet sprouted, the soi) being as dry as dust m some places. Rain is badly wanted m theso localities. Tho area g'oine into potatoes this season in this district will be exceptionally scarce, and should there bo the ordinary yield there should be a considerable surplus for export It is, howover, unlikely that the crops will oscapo the ravages of tho blight, and should that bo so it may be expected to about equalise the larger area. The Farmers' Advocate expresses deep regret that the admirable roports published for the past two years in tho Gazette dealing with the weather and its effects on the rural industries of the colony, have been discontinued. Tho reports were not only valued by tho farming community, but were of great general interest. The Rev D. C. Bates, Government Meteorologist, it appears, lias prepared these reports on his own initiative nnd responsibility, but has found the extra work too heavy. "lie should not be called upon," remarks the Advocate, "to give his own time to work of such a national character. It is hoped that some arrangement will be made whereby the Meteorological Division will be placed on a proper footing, and that Mr. Bates will be given fuller opportunities for rendering the services of , which ihe is. capable tg tie rural interest* of the colons." .