AGRICULTURAL ITEMS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LIX, Issue 6898, 9 April 1883, Page 6

AGRICULTURAL ITEMS.

Ihtbbcowkul.

The recent rains have had a good effect upon pastures—which look remarkably well for tho timo of tho year—turnips, carrots and mangolds. The turnip crop is reported to be unusually good this year, while the yield of all other root crops nbould be above tho average. la view of the rapid development of tho frozen meat tirade, the abundance of feed obtainable fj»m this source it a very satisfactory feature in the result of the farming operations of the past season. In several distriots ploughing for next season's crops has commenced. The agricultural returns for the Waitaki County (Otago) are published as follow : '■ ; ; j | I | I I I ; ! \ ! t

A correspondent, writing to the Southland Timet, says :—" Having seen in one of my papers a few weeks i/ince an account of the extraordinary yield of 1700 grains from one grain grown in a garden, I ask you to find space tor the following. I have now on view here two stools of wheat (I don't know if that is the proper term), one has 32: stalks, averaging 60 grains each, the other 37 stalks, averagirg 57, or 2109 grains from this one seed. There were plenty that would oome up to the average of the first-named, grown in the same field* Anyone doubting the above can see for himself by paying a visit to my place. I would have sent some to town, but it is too far to carry them on horsebsok (IS miles.)" AtJSXBAIJ*.. Mr B. F. Horsely has purchased the GFunningbland station, Wellington district, Victoria, together with 10,000 sheep, 5281 acres freehold land, and 2400 acres c.p., for the sum of £18,676105. We have already published the average yield (4fr bushels per acre) of wheat in South Australia, and now give some additional particulars which will he read with interest. Bespectingthe.questioaof probable surplus which will be available for export, it is calculated that at least 1,900,000 aorea will be sown during the coming season. This will require li bushels to the aore, or 2,375,000 bushels. I'he food want* of the Colony for the year are set down at 1,500,000 bushels, thus making 3,875,000 bushels for home purposes. Deducting this from the total production, there i» a balance of 4,388,000 bushels available for exportation, or 120,000 tons. It is anticipated that this harvest season, coming after two almost equally bad seasons, cannot fail to be one of the most trying that it has over been the lot of the South Australian agriculturists to experience. In some districts not a bushel was reaped from thousands of acres that had been sown, while in the others the yield ranged from 81b to 1,2, and 3 bushels per aoi-e. Three or four distriots are named as having returned nothing j 15 districts as yielding i bushel to 2 bushels per aore; 21 as yielding over 2 and not more than 3 bushels per aore j 23 as yielding 3 and not more than 4 bushels per aore; and 20 as yielding over 4 and not more than 6 bushels to the aore. A few large distriots have yielded from 6 to 8 bushels per aore; a small number from 8 to 15 bushels per aore; and a smaller number still from 15 to 22} bushels per aore. But for these better averages the yield would not have given muoh more than seed wheat for the ooming season. The strong hold already made by the rabbits upon New South Wales territory is brought out in a recent return, whioh defines the rabbit-infested areas of the Colour as starting from the boundaries of South Australia and Viotoria, and running east through Wiloanma and north from the Murray Biver through Cobar. This area includes the whole of the pastoral district of the Darling and portions of the Albert, Warrego, Laohlao, and Murrumbidgee. The area is estimated at 64,697 square miles, or above one-fifth of the whole Colony. The area tinder lease at the time of the last appraisement of eaoh run was estimated at 66,119 square miles. The number of runs is 827. The present rent is £57.680, and if the minimum rabbit rate whioh had been proposed in a measure now before the House were applied to those runs the rent would be raised to £71,262. QLSANIKGB. Paint and repair all tools and farm implements. It is olaimed that cross-bred pigs are the best fatteners. The aire should be thoroughbred. Experiments made by several persons show that dried peat is the best abeorbant of liquid manure in stables. Land had bettor run to waste than he exhausted by imperfect cultivation Till thoroughly and you will reap abundantly. Perfect cleanliness in the stables will aid Srreatly in the manufacture of good butter j n fact, it is impossible to make fine butter from filthily kept cows. Lice may be removed from oattle by rubbing a mixture of lard and kerosene-oil with a small quantity of creosote added upon the parts infested. These are the poll, the spine, tho shoulders, and the brisket chiefly. A delegate from the .Russian Department of Agriculture is now in Amerioa, peeking information on the subject of cattle-raising. Young growing horns may be trained in any dirooUon by soraping the side toward which they are desired to turn. The soft horn then gives way under the pressure of tho growth of coarse horn on tho other side. The best boef oattle, the best hogs, the finest mutton sheep are always taken. The ohoieeit fruits are always saleable. Gilt-edged batter never goes begging for*market. A wise farmer will aim high. Procure your stook of seeds as soon as possible. As seed time approaches, the •eedsmen are orowdsd with orders, and more or less delay any occur. la trying

new ftreiUss |rt only * mmH quantity ttnttl it it known that sou and locality are favourable. Let it be remembered that all thorough* bred animals, no matte* of what kind, whether horses, sheep, cows, hogs, or gouts, have one peculiarity in common, and trust if fineness of bone. It if one of the »ureit indications of good blood and a valuable quality, for such animals give lew offal and watte, while the net is proportionately larger than the tore, as compared with courser kinds.

Sheep will eodure mere cold if kept dry, but sxpoture to storms, either rain or enow, is very hurtful. The water remains in the wool, and in an atmosphere little if any abore frsesiog, it olbille the body for a long time. She coarse-woolled abeep are more impatient of wet than the Itae-woolled, the heavy, oily gum on the wool of the latter keeping the water from penetrating to the •kin. Hens are early risers, and donotlikesttnd. ing around on one foot waiting for their breakfast. The morning meal with them i* the tnoit important one tf the day, Boiled potatoes, turnip*, carrot*, anything in the vegetable line, mixed with bran or short*, leuoned with pepper and salt and fed warn, will make any well regulated hen cackle with ■atufaction. Seed a few handful* of wheat •oreeningi at noon, and at night give a liberal feed of whole grain of some kind. The diieate of the ekin known at "ring worm," ia a fungu* parotitic disease. There fungi are capable qf being imparted from one animal to another, from man to aninmli, and from animals to man. Many difsrtnt preparation* are recommended for the core, which contiits in the destruction of the parasitic growth, but perhaps an ointment mitde of one dram of iodine and simple cerate will answer treey purpose. Any scruff on the skin should be removed with soft soap and warm water previous to the application of the ointment. The best breed for a dairy where the milk is sent to a cheese factory is the Ayrshire. Mo other cow is so pod active for the quantity of food eaten as this kind. Pedigree Ayrshire* are the most profitable of all dairy cows for their cost and keeping, even for butter, as although the milk may not be so rich in cream as the Jersey's milk, yet they give more of it, and in some cases their milk is quite a*, rich as that of any Jereey cow. This breed of cattle is active, and do well upon light, rough pasture where heavier cattle would not.

Total Total ! g § 1883. 188-'. ► a •— — ■ *■' " Number of holdings— Freehold ... 849 372 — 23 Rented 186 123 58 — Fort freehold and part rented ... 06 74 «• 8 Land under cropWheat ... (acres) 31,778 32,535 -— 757 Oats, feed or hay (acres) 1,218 1,537 .«• *ie Oata, grain... (acres) 21,820 19,63* 2.1S6 — Barley ... (acres) 1.763 1,730 33 — Fetatoe* ... (acres) 1,740 1,9.8 — 218 Estimated gross duceWheat ... (bush) 991,799!714,068|280.731| — Oats ... (bush) 839,400|5i7,395|342,005| — Barley ... (bush) 57,160 43,534 13,597 — Potatoes ... (toss) li.eo; 10,20) 2,243 — Quantity of last year's crop held when form filled up— Wheat ... (bush) 28,011 4,880 23,131 — Oats ... (bush) 960 23,210 — i 3,280 Barley ... (bush) 160 2,820 _ 2,660