AGRICULTURAL

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 74, 28 March 1914, Page 12

AGRICULTURAL

PROSPEROUS SOUTHLAND. Idea! weather has prevailed throughout this portion of the Dominion during the past few weeks, with the rpsult that farmers have been able to garner their grain in excellent order (says the Southland Nows). A Western District agriculturist remarked to a News reporter that he had not, for many year* past, experienced such favourable weather for harvesting, which was now practically completed. The bulk of_ the crops was still in tho etack, the majority of growers delaying thrpshiiig operations until such time as there was a prospect of an improvement m prices. At rjresent quotations, from Is 6d io Is 9d, he said, it would pay farmers better to buy their oats than produce them. There was a, very small area under wheat this season, and, consequently local flourmillers would have to go further afield for stocks for milling purposes. Business in btock circles is at present \-ery active, and very satisfactory prices were being realised, as high as 18s being paid for fat lambs. Almost everywhere farmers are now wishing for rain, the continuous'bunshine of the past week or so having dried up grass feed somewhat. What little rain there was a. few days ago was welcomed in the Otaut&u and Dipton districts, but so far as can be ascertained there has been no rain towards the coast for some considerable time. SPREAD OF NOXIOUS WEEDS. A serious matter which necessitates the urgent attention' of the responsible authorities hats been pointed out to us as having very detrimental and extensive effects on 'the pasture lands of this district (says the Feilding Star). An experienced farmer returned from a recent visit to the Taonui district, with a deep-rooted feeling against the manner in which noxious weeds — pennyroyal and Californian thistle in particular — have been allowed to remain unchecked on several farms in the locality mentioned. Pennyroyal is exceedingly difficult to eradicate, and its unchecked growth at this season of the year enable* the weed to gain a, good hold. The Californian thistle is credited with gaining a hold on tho banks of the Oroua river, and | ac this stream would act as a means of distributing the thistledown over a large area, the present position is viewed with a deal of apprehension. Pennyroyal is also flourishing beyond Makmo, whilst thistles have been allowed to grow, flower, and seed, on some farms, on the Kimboltonroad, within four miles of Feilding, in a •jnanner which must seriously impair the productivity of the adjacent holdings. This was particularly apparent on recent dayß when strong winds took the thistle seeds for a considerable distance. Previously clean pastures will doubtless prove a good germinating ground for the seeds distributed in this manner. Something should be done about it. The rabbit exporters at Mataura are all in readiness for the season. Indications point towards a 'successful season-% beingexperienced as rabbits are fairly plentiful this year- It is understood that the opening prk-e will be 7£d at tht> works, at 'which price rabbite.l3 should make big cheques. The committee of the South Canterbury Egg Circle met last week when it was decided to affiliate with tho New Zealand Poultry Association. The secretary reported that they had now found an excellent market and the prospects were bright for the immediate future. The remarkable results shown by the Weraroa State Farm experiment in fattening sheep on silver beet have been duplicated this year, and sheep fed on the beet have done splendidly. Apparently beet is a valuable fodder for fattening. A noticeable feature of the harvest this year in the Tokomairiro and surrounding districts (according to the Dunedin Star) has been the number of respectably-dressed young fellows offering for this class of work. Whether it is that the experience in past seasons has compelled farmers to evolve a self-reliant system whereby they mutually help each other, or that there is no truth in the perennial cry for farm labour that is heard so much of about elec tion time, the fact remains that not 1 per cent, of the men offering this year were able to find employment, even of the most temporary nature. It is stated that certain farmers hold to the belief that to feed ott wheat in its early growth is a bad thing lor the crop subsequently. An Ashburton Guardian reporter was told the other afternoon that two farmers in the Ashburton County, working together, arranged to feed off a part of a crop of solid straw Tuscan wheat. When it came to threshing, it w*b found that tho part of the crop that had been eaten off when young yielded 10 bushels per acre more than the part that had not been eaten off. Then* was, moreover, not so much straw, and the grain was better and bigger. In consequence of the high price ruling for breeding ewes, a good many farmers in the Eketahuna district are not culling nearly "o heavily as usual. They contend it will pay them better to keep the best of the culls for breeding purposes than to dispose of and replace them. What effect thig will eventually have on the flocks is open to question, but it is certain in the interim that tbis class of sheep will rei quire to be better done, especially if the winter is at all severp, and consequently I paddocks will have to be less heavily I btocked or extra food provided in o^her j : ways I According to tha Nelson Colonist, although a number ot the hop crops are light yet neverthelesb some of the pickers are making excellent scores. Several arepicking 60 bushels a day, and me girl has reached as far as 70 bushels. In one garden of only nine bins the pickers have gathered 350 bushels ior the day, which makes tor an excellent average. The "gardens are being stripped fairly quickly, and it is thought that the end of the month will see the great bulk of the picking over, although it will take some of the growers all their time to get finished by that date. The Ballance Co-operative Dairy Company paid out £6374 for milk received during February. Despite the dry weather prevailing during the month, the butter manufactured showed an increase on that of the same month of last year by 2£ tons. Seven suppliers -received cheques for over £100 each. Up to date this season the company has distributed £45,609 among its suppliers, payments being made as follow : —September (including bonuses), £4200 ; October £3150, November £6500, December £8137, January £8200, February £6374. Masterton farmers assert that the past Bfiason, from an agricultural and pastoral point of view, has been one of the most successful ever experienced in the district. The weather has been favourable, the harvest and stock yields good, and the prices generally satisfactory. , The Romney Marsh Ram Fair, which was instituted by the Romney Sheepbreeders' Association two years ago, and has since been held at Masterton, Feilding, and Hawkes Bay, will be held again at , Maeterton next year. The largest dairy farm in the world is nearing completion at Head Lake, Headingly, a suburb of Winnipe-j. When completely stocked, the farm will contain 2500 hoad of cattle within its fences. With 1500 head of these giving milk, the total yearly output of milk and cream should be 3,000,000 gallons. The company which has organised this farm is the Manitoba Co-operative Farm and Dairy Company, Ltd., and it has acquired 2400 acws_of land on the southern bank of the Apsiniboine River. Shipments of Cheddar cheese from Siberia ar« now offered oh the English market at 2s to 3s per cwt. lower than Canadian cheese. It is expected that Argentina, will be the next to export cheese to England, as she is already shipping butter there. A London firm in referring to Siberian cheese says: — "We consider what few shipments have arrived compare favourably with Canadian and New Zealand cheese as regards quality, but the fact that it is a new article, buyers naturally have a prefeienoe for the good* they have been ui«d to, although ififi.sUAS£Siti» ,Jfeg fittk-UUltt fiajag^ c