AGRICULTURAL ITEMS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXIII, Issue 9089, 28 April 1890, Page 3

AGRICULTURAL ITEMS.

A little rain fell throughout Canterbury last week, but not nearly sufficient to satisfy the requirements of farmers, and at the time of writing there is every prospect of continued fine weather. Fairly good progress has been made with autumn ploughing, and the bulk of the threshing and carting is now finished, but there are still complaints of the difficulty in getting grain away from side-stations. Shares in the proposed Wanganui Freezing Company have been well taken up, and it is expected that the Company will be floated very shortly. The prices obtained by Mount Gambier farmers for their potatoes being regarded as much too low in view of the prices realised m the Adelaide market for the same produce, the growers recently met and formed a Farmers’ and Potato-growers’ Union, which has already improved the local market, the minimum price (£2 10s) agreed upon, being now readily obtained at Mount Gambler, and a further rise being in prospect. The A delaidc Observer says that at a meeting of the South Australian Flourmillers, Association on March 25, the matter of deterioration of wheat as regards the percentage of gluten contained, was discussed in relationship to the London market, where the strength of the samples is one of the principal matters considered in connection with the value of the wheat. It was stated that of late years there had been a gradual reduction in the percentage of gluten, and that few samples averaged more than ten per cent. Farmers should bear this in mind in selecting samples for the present season, and should remember that the bearded wheats, which were not in favour with the millers in years past, have grown in favour inconsequence of the large percentage of gluten which they contain, and would now be accepted at full rates. They should also remember that these boarded wheats mature some weeks before the ordinary samples, thus greatly lessening dangers from red rust; in fact, if the bearded wheats had been sown, we should have known little of red rust in the Colony. Crows have made their appearance in numbers in South Gippsland, and are doing good work in the destruction of grasshoppers. Sheep feeding on grasshoppers is, to say the least of it, an extraordinary circumstance. A drover was driving a flock of sheep from Stawell to Hamilton, says a correspondent of the Leader, when grasshoppers in millions passed over. The sheep devoured all within their reach greedily, and appeared to be greatly delighted with what they evidently considered a dainty repast. The potato crops in Victoria are turning out better than expected. It was feared the drought had seriously affected the tubers, but a satisfactory average yield is now confidently looked for. The cause of the drop in the prices of farm produce and flax in New Zealand is, says the Leader , explained by the fact that last year Australia, suffering from drought, made free demands for help from New Zealand, and took large quantities of her produce. This year Australia not only supplies home consumption, but has a large margin for export. As for flax it is shrewdly surmised that the market is being worked in London, as it undoubtedly ism America, by “corners.” This could easily be effected toy a powerful syndicate first of all encouraging over production, and then suddenly checking it. The subsequent period of restoration of tone through the shortness of supplies would be the syndicate’s opportunity. These surmises may bo groundless, but they are entertained, at any rate, and will help to keep the trade alive, for it is further surmised that a first-class article in quantity to just feed the market must bring profit.

The stock of ostriches ia South Australia is growing, and the industry connected with these birds, it appears, has been progressing satisfactorily. One Company possesses 715 birds, and the more the industry is extended the less expensive and the more remunerative does it prove. Camels, too, are good investments. Large numbers of these animals are now employed with excellent results. The most unsatisfactory feature of the report is that which refers to dogs. The Chief Inspector details the measures now used for the reduction of this pest. These measures, however satisfactory in themselves, cannot possibly be successful unless all the persons interested combine in enforcing them. It is unhappily the case that many stockowners observe ' a “ masterly inactivity ” in the matter. , 1 Something approaching a definite arrangement (says the Leader) is at length being arrived at between the Minister of Agriculture and Mr Smith Ellis, of South Yarra, regarding the specific for ’red rust in wheat which the latter gentleman claims to have discovered. Mr Ellis’ terms' for disclosing the nature of his remedy is a guarantee of the payment of .£IO,OOO on proof being given that the specific is as effectual as he asserts. Mr Dow has accepted Mr Ellis’ offer, but some difficulty has arisen concerning the appointment of judges, the Government claiming the sole right to appoint adjudicators while Mr Ellis desires to be represented on the tribunal. The matter, however, is likely to be settled ia a few days, and, if an amicable understanding is arrived at, fall instructions will be immediately issued in pamphlet form and distributed throughout the Colony detailing the method by which Mr Ellis proposes to overcome this deadly enemy of cereal crops. A somewhat novel method’ of rabbit destruction in districts where the rocky nature of the country prevents the digging out of burrows, has been tried with success by Mr Andrew Jackson, Eabbit Inspector of the Ararat district. The destroying agent is bisulphide of carbon, but in the mode of introducing it into the burrows consists the novelty. Mr Jackson’s plan is to first set steel traps at the mouth of the burrow, which, if properly done, is certain to catch as a victim the first rabbit that comes out. The struggles of the animal serve to keep the other Inhabitants of the burrow inside pending the arrival of the operator with a can ot carbon, some cotton waste and twine. The Inspector considers it essential that the death-bearing rabbit should be caught at the mouth of the burrow into which it is again despatched, as being acquainted with the various chambers it makes at once for the one where the community is hiding, and so long as.it is able will remain with them doing its destructive work. The next step is to prevent the re-occupation of the burrow by the rabbits and the plan adopted’is simple,- and less expensive than plugging or filling up. Knowing that gas tar "is highly obnoxious to rabbits. Mr Jackson’s system is to smear the entrance to the burrow with this material, and a few shovelfuls of earth being thrown in the work is complete. Mr Jackson finds that so. long as the least smell of tar is perceptible no rabbit will attempt to re-open the burrow. At Ben Nevis, where this was first tried, burrows operated upon several weeks, previously were found on inspection to be. unopened, though an occasional daub of tar is recommended during the summer. The system possesses some elements of novelty and certainly merits a fair trial. Kussia is making an attempt to provide bacon for the English agricultural labourers as well as a large quantity of their bread. Last month the first consignment arrived in Liverpool, a mild cured lot of a better duality than the American, though not so good as the best Wiltshire or Irish. It was from the Imperial Government factory at Griazi, from which place it can be sent to England in seven days. In a recent experiment of the Michigan Agricultural College, the average half-bred Lincoln consumed 1541 b of food in eight weeks, and gained 341 b, or a gain of lib to 4-5 lb of food consumed. An average half-bred Shropshire consumed 1331 b of food in the same time, and gained 211 b; ratio, lib to 6 - 31 b. A pure-bred merino consumed 1251 b food in same time, and gained 221 b; ratio, lib to a*74lb. It is reported that the Canadian Mims-

ter for Agriculture has been arranging for the purchase in England of a considerable quantity of the best two-rowed seed barley* with the object of selling it to farmers m different parts of Canada at cost price. Most of the barley at present grOwn in Canada is of the four-rowed variety, and large quantities are exported yearly to the United States, The farmers, however, are desirous of growing barley suitable for the English market, and the Minister for Agriculture has decided to assist their efforts in the manner indicated.

The Estates Gazette has been publishing a series of reports on the condition of agriculture in England. From the reports which were furnished by leading firms of valuers in different Counties, it appears that in dairying, as well as in fruit and vegetable-growing districts, land, in some cases, has realised from ,£IOO to .£l5O per acre, and in some of the pastoral and breeding Counties, such as Westmoreland, there has been a decided improvement in the letting of farms. In all the Counties far better demand is reported for the smaller farms of 50 to 150 acres than for larger ones. In purely arable districts the long prevailing depression has left its mark on the agricultural industry. The population of London consumes an enormous quantity of milk, and the supply is drawn from almost every County within 150 miles of the city. Milk is sent in large quantities from Bucks, Herts, Beds, Essex, Wilts, Berks, and Dorset, and a good deal also is received from Hants, Sussex, Oxen, Leicester, Notts, and Derby. It is sent up in cans, which are almost all of one uniform size, each containing 8 barns, or 17 imperial gallons, a barn gallon being 17 pints. The majority of sellers contract for six months or a year. The prices vary from Is Id to Is 4d per barn gallon in summer, and from Is 4d to Is 8d in winter. It is, however, the case that from November to February the London milk sellers are generally short, and willing to pay higher prices. The milk must always have been cooled, guaranteed pure, and be despatched by certain trains. It must reach, too, a standard of quality. This is usually 12 per cent of solids. The ordinary retail price to residence is 4d, but in the West End some firms charge sd. Hitherto (writes the Home correspondent of a contemporary) the Canadian farmers have mace, no efforts to secure for themselves a portion of the profitable dairy produce trade with England, but now they appear to be gradually grasping the fact that it will be to their advantage to enter the lists, and as they can produce butter, cheese, &'c., quite as cheap as New Zealand or South Australia, and freight from America is so much cheaper,. it cannot be denied that Canada will develop into a u most formidable rival. Latterly some very large shipments have arrived, and on the whole commanded fairly high prices. A new feeding stuff for cattle has just been brought out in Denmark under the name of herringmeal cake. It consists of 75 per cent of fresh herrings and 25 per cent of coarsely ground oats. The former are passed through a crushing mill, the oats are then added, and the whole is made up into cakes. Cows take them readily, and no disagreeable flavour is noticed in the milk. They are recommended as a substitute for oil cakes on account of their greater cheapness. A striking illustration of the lowness of prices of agricultural produce in the United States has been furnished by a western correspondent of an American agricultural paper. “It now takes a load of potatoes,” he says, “to buy a pair of boots. A big fat steer buys a very plain suit of clothes for everyday wear, and it takes a good cow to buy an overcoat of the same grade. A load of corn (maize) supplies cap and mittens, and a load of oats might furnish a suit, of underclothing. So about as cheaply as a farmer can dress as he starts for town ha will carry on his parson the cash value of a big steer, a good cow, and thirty bushels or more of corn, oats, and potatoes.” Prices may ba low in England, but the cash value of the items named above would, at any rate, clothe a farmer and a small family for a year. Good reports are given of the lambing season in England, the percentage of twins being unusually large. In a summary of the agricultural products of the United States for the year 1889, The Sural World says that as a whole they average considerably lower in price on Jan. 1, 1890, than they did one year ago. Flour is rather more than Idol a barrel cheaper now, corn 2cents per bushel off, oats Scents lower. The prices of pork products are nearly 20 per cent lower than a year ago. Western beef is in heavy supply, with prices fully Accents lower than twelve months ago. Butter now ranges 2cents to scents per lb lower than Jan. 1, 1889, cheese Icent lower, eggs 2 cents lower, hay Idol lower. Apples are fully Idol per barrel higher now than a year ago, potatoes lOcents higher, and poultry Scents or 4cents higher. Hops are lower, tobacco firmer, and wool slightly off from the quotations of Jan. 1,T889.