AGRICULTURAL ITEMS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LIX, Issue 6874, 12 March 1883, Page 3

AGRICULTURAL ITEMS.

Ihxeecobokial. The Ham and Bwe Fair held under the auspices of the Woirarapa and Bast Coast Agricultural Society was held during the second week in last month. _ The number of sales effected was fairly satisfactory, but the prices obtained were not equal to tbfse of last year. Among the Lincoln rami, Mr James Stuckey was top of the list, with 14 rams taken by Mr Mackey at £7 2s fid per hea3, but Mr D. MoMaater was well up with 8, sold to Mr Biddiford at £!> 2s fid. Messrs J. and W. Bidwill beaded the list in the Bomney Marsh with a brace of rams, sold to Mr Grey at £4 2s fid, while Messrs B. and A. Johnston were the only ones who did any good with Merinos, some 80 being run in a mob, and sold in numbers to suit purchasers at prices ranging from 2Ss to £3. In Ootswolds, very few passed under the hammer, but a few others were sold privately at £5 6e each. A few head of cattle were also sold, but the prices realised do not call for special mention. The export of wool from South Australia last year reached a total value of £2,400,863, the increase in the quantity exported over 1881 being about B,ooo,OColbe. It is thought doubtful whether the general wheat average of South Australia this season will touch five bushels per acre. The cause of the failure ie stated to be duo to four extraordinary hot wind days in September, which injured the wheat plant in bloom. The results from the threshing machines continue to demonstrate that the oat and barley yields in the coast districts of Victoria are as high above the usual averages as the wheat yields in the northern districts arc below. Although stripping has quite finished in those latter localities, the wheat cornea forward so slowly as to strongly support the position made out by our recently published wheat estimate, showing that the total yield would give a very narrow surplus beyond home require* meuts. QIiIiAKINOS. A Maine dairyman reports that he has a •cow giving milk so rich that one pound of butter is obtained from every five and oneeighth quarts of milk. The cow is a pure Jersey. The following is said to be a good preparation for brittle hoof* .• Beef suet, rosin, Bardadoes tar, of each two parts j beeswax and castor oil, of each one part. Molt over a slow fire or in n pan of hot water. At an agricultural gathering recently hold at Lundeaburg, in Germany, some interesting experiments were made in the use of electricity instead of steam lor the threshing A Joint Stock Company has been formed in the United States of America for the pjgohaso and importation into that oountrjVf shorthorn cattle, Mr 8., F. Vaumetser and Mr Leslie Combs, of Kentucky, hare been appointed agent* of the company to visit the loading herds of tne breed in the United Kingdom, and moke selections. They will make a tour of Scotland for that purpose. Those who plough flirty stubble land will make much trouble B for themselves by burying the seed* of oats, drake, which.will.raring up for years after. When the fleidisdirty it should be harrowed or lightly scarified, which will cover all seed* so that they will geminate and spring up with the first rains, when the plant* oan be ploughed under. The prices obtained at the American short* horn sales for the present year have averaged £7 a head more than last war, the average price having been £3B 10*. sold daring the year a total of 8420 head. The Duchesses and other scarce Bates sort* continue to bring thelargost prices, but A Wild Eves heifer of the Kirklevington tribe brought £BOO at a public sale, while £IOOO wa* refused privately for another. Those who keep » number of fowls often ere not aware of the great value of thohr manure. This should be gathered every week

from under the roosts, and mixed with at leaet twice the bulk of dry earth. One hundred fowls will moke a barrowload of manure a week, which, mixed with two barrowloads of dust, is equal to 160 load* a year, sufficient for 20 acres of land if sown broadcast at sowing time, and is equal to 2 owt of guano per acre. In the States the milk companies require farmers to whitewash stables and milk-houses once a year. But anyone who has one* enjoyed the luxury of a whitewashed stable will not be likely to discontinue the practice. Armed with a email force pump and a barrel of whitewash, more white-washing can be dene in a few bonis than oan be done in a week with a brueh. Peat are a good cleansing crop, and the wheat crop following is benefited considerably. Pea-straw, it need hardly be said, Is a nutritious fodder, and so are the stems or stalks of beans. The brood bean grows prolifically on the plains, and like peas, is a splendid food for all kinds of stock, but the stalks need to be first run between rollers, and then out up with a ohaffoutter before they oan be used ,as fodder, and then the chaff should be mixed with chaffed hay or straw.