ON THE LAND.

Feilding Star, Volume 4, Issue 729, 11 March 1926, Page 7

ON THE LAND.

NEWS, VIEWS AND COMMENTS

The grass seed season is now in full swing ■ behind. Wanganui. Goon' bush burns up country are reported, and the so bring in their train largo orders lor seeds.

Potato digging has commenced m various parts of the Rangilikei district, and in many cases the yield is well above the average-. Several local farmers have been offered £8 10s per ton, while a considerable quantity has been disposed of H £9’ • A Masteftoii stock agent ex-

plaining. the dullness in the sheep (market' recently, y/tated that hlu s was to be expected. As something like 70,000 to 80,000 sheep have changed hands ill the last lour weeks in this district most requirements were now filled and the demand was naturally waning.

A valuable draught horse, belonging to Mr A. T. Hubbard, carter, of Masterton, was killed through be ing poisoned by a, weed. The l horse was- Igrar/ng with t|wo others, all of which suffered, trom the ellects ol the weed’. The services of a veterinary. surgeon were obtained, at id two were- saved, but a maro valued at £SO died.

“Shows’ are a wash-out. There s no tote,;” a young agriculturist was heard to remark, at the Waikato Central display at Cambridge. oirro just about right,” added a- farmer of tlie sere and yellow, who went on to deplore’ the fact that the value of shows was more or less lost on the rising New Zealander.

Farmers in the Karioi- tlistrict are realising tho value of top-dressing and several large consignments have lately been sent up there. One station took 100 tons, and a firm interested in a Karioi property recent* lv sent up 300 tons. Tho effect on the country treated is very beneficial, the growth of grass being richer and stronger.

“J have just been up on the bills” said Commodore Warle, commander of tlie Australian Fleet at a reception at Wellington, “and have looked on I. over your harbour.. lam not going to say what 1 think of if, because ••] may get myself hamstrung when I. return to Sydney it 1. do. (Laughter). But I will say that it is a d— — good harbour. (Laughter and' applause.)

An excellent, sample, ol wheat has been grown at AVangaeliu. The grower commented upon the fact that wheat, growing liad gone out ol favour in : the district, and lie remarked that wonderful crops were grown in the Fordell 'district many years

The. value of good Merino fleeces is indicated by the fact that wool from Tangiwai station, near Karioi, has just realised top price lor the season in Wanganui. Tlie return per lb was 19/,d about fourpence above the next best price paid locally this season, and the sale was effected privately, the buyers being the Wanganiu Woollen Mills. As well as,, demonstrating the demand for lino wools, tho - price shows the present buoyancy of the market, and brightens prospects .for the next sale.

The extinction of the drover cannot be far off ,if the practice of conveying sheep to the freezing; works by motor lorry is generally adopted’. It is said that the sheep can be delivered in much better condition, straight from the pastures, without

the fatigue of foot travel. .The Pi 'ime Minister, Mr J. (1. Coates, bad a- word to say on the subject while taking to farmers. He pointed out that they had to provide for high-speed' travel for that wa>s the sort of traffic, they were going to have. A member of his audience remarked that tile travelling stock will check the speed of traffic, but the fVernier reminded him that, once the roads wee built, stock would, he trucked in most cases.