AGRICULTURAL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXXI, Issue 10271, 13 February 1894, Page 2

AGRICULTURAL.

' In August; last the Department of Agriculture supplied several varieties of seed potatoes to persons interested throughout the colony, with the request that they would report on the result of their experiments, and which particular variety was best adapted to each district. A Napier experimentalist has informed a local paper of the results of the seed grown by him. Five pounds of the “Magnum Bonum” kind were planted on Sept. 8, 1893, flowering on Nov. 20; they wore dug on Jan. 16, 1894, the weight of the crop being 311 b. Tho same quantity of seed of the “ Bruca” variety was planted on Sopt. 8, flowering on Nov. 18 and were dug on Jan. 19, 1894, weighing 80Mb. Tho “ Main Crop Kidney" potato (51b) waa sown on Sept. 8 (manured), flowered on Nov. 7, dug on Jan. 8, and scaled 17-Jlb. Tho ‘ Imperator” (51b and manured), sown on same day, flowered on Nov. 7, 1893, and were dug on Jan. 12, turning 29j-lb. Three pounds of “Sutton's Early Regent” (manured) wore sown at the same time, flowering also on Nov. 7, being dug on Jan. 18, and weighing 19£lb. The last variety, “Sutton’s Abundance,” cf 21b, put in on Sept. 8 (manured), flowered on Nov. 7, and were dug on Jan. 18, weighing 6-J-lb. Owing to excessive wet, the tops in. all cases had run to twice their usual height, which may have lessened the yield, bub tho returns should be of great use to the Agricultural Department in deciding which varieties of potatoes are moat suitable to the different districts. The native cuckoo, about tho most useful bird in the colony to the farmers at the present time, does not receive as much consideration at their hands as it deserves. For destroying small birds' eggs and young it has no equal. Several have been tea n in different parts of Canterbury lately, pulling the eggs and young birds out of the sparrows’ nests and dropping them to the ground. Unfortunately two specimens have been shot by people who did not know what they were, and wished to get them as a curiosity. They should be protected and encouraged in every way. Being naturally shy and very scarce, they all the more need carefully protecting, as they are the very best natural enemy to the email birds. The Department of Agriculture has had a test at Clutha Island of methods of eradicating the Californian thistle. We say “methods,” but only one competitor for the .£250 bonus offered by the Government put in an appearance, namely Mr J. P. Campbell, cf Owaka. Mr Campbell’s specific is simply crude sulphur, melted and crushed, sown broadcast on the surface —the thistles being first, we presume, mown closely down—and he claims that every vestige of vegetable and insect life will be killed, at a cost not exceeding 15s an acre. There is nothing new in the use of sulphur for destroying weeds—it has often been recommended for the purpose—but being insoluble, it renders the ground barren, or partially so, for years afterwards. It is surprising that only one claimant came forward for so valuable a premium. Tho practice of threshing from the stock has met public condemnation from a fresh quarter—the threshing machine owners, la conference assembled, at Temuka last week, they complained that threshing from the stock caused great loss of time, especially if tho weather was broken. Stook threshing also absorbed good labour that would be better employed in building stacks properly, and was thus the cause of loss of time through badly built stacks. According to the speakers, many farmers built their stacks anyhow and anywhere—dotted about in places where the machines could scarcely be got to. Farmers would do well to note these complaints. The price for threshing is cut down to a minimum, and with man’s wages on one hand, and bad harvesting and stacking on the other, the mill-owner finds it difficult to live; even where everything works smoothly there is very little in it for him.

Mr C. Featherstonhaugh has not yet exhausted* himself#, frozen mutton question j long communications from him still appear in the Australian papers. In a contribution to the Sydney Telegraph ho has scumbled upon a truth that it will be to the advantage of Australian pastoralists to remember. Ho says:— “We think there is much misconception as to what is called cross-bred mutton. We Australians turn up our noses at it, and if our butchers send us coarse billowy mutton we cry, 4 Away with it; we cannot eat it.’ In our travels through New Zealand in the early part of this year we attempted loyally to eat mutton on all occasions, but the mutton in the North Island ‘put us through.’ We could not ‘ stomach it.’ For the moat part it was coarse and tasteless, and nob over tender. We wondered at the taste of the British consumers who preferred such stuff to the Australian merino. But ‘hoolie, hoolie, nae sue fast.’ On arrival at Christchurch we made another start, having been told we should find a material difference. We never tested nicer meat than was put before us in Christchurch in the shape of chops from a half-bred sheep. Tender and succulent, with a good flavour, we never got such a chop in any Australian metropolis, though we may have eaten quite as good in the bush. We at once exonerated the British consumer.” The action of the Tasmanian Government in reducing its Stock Department to. little more than a mere name may lead to intercolonial complications, seeing that the maintenance of an efficient Stock Department was an obligation imposed upon all tho Australasian colonies by reso lution of the conference of stock inspectors held at 'Wellington little more than a year ago. Tasmania has until lately admitted cattle from a pleuro-iorected island, and has every need to bo most strictly careful that no disease trains a footing within her shores. The Wellington resolution was not without its penal clause, the following being the full text: —“That it is desirable that an efficient and competent ntaff of inspectors of stock be maintained in each colony to prevent the introduction,,and to arrest the spread of contagious or infectious diseases in each colony, and to give the other colonies confidence that tho stock asked to bo introduced are free from infection, and that where stock come from a colony in which such a staff is not maintained the colony into which they are proposed to be introduced ho entitled to put on auch restrictions as it may deem necessary to impose by way of guarantee that such are not infected.” The export of stud sheep ie a trade of such importance to Tasmania that it will bo surprising if the breeders allow it to be endangered in this way by the retrenchment policy of the Government.

A great agriculture congress, under the auspices of the National Agricultural Union, took place in London on Doc. 7. About one thousand one hundred delegates and sixty members of Parliament wore present. Lord Winchilsea, who presided, said that since the conference of last year the state of things had become more alarming, and was rapidly assuming the proportions of a national disaster. One main cause was the mmuttons share they boro of the rates and taxes of the country, to the increased railway rates, and to tho gross amount of fraud and adulteration that goes on in the sale of produce. He moved a resolution approving of tho action of tho union. Mr F. Cholmondley, a Yorkshire agricultural labour candidate ia spanking to tho resolution, said he would bo no party to making the Agricultural Union a cat's paw for furthering the landlord interest, and propping up the discredited system of a decaying squirearchy. The resolution was adopted. Sir Richard Paget moved a resolution calling tho attention oF Parliament to the excessive share cf public burdens borne by agricultural b.nd, sud Canon Pinckney a resolution in favour of State aided pensions for agricultural labourers. Both were

carried. It waa also agreed that tho protracted crisis ia agriculture required that next session of Parlimcnt be devoted to agricultural measures ; that the congress respectfully urges on the railway com•paniea such moderate rates of carriage as will enable them to send their goods to the best markets; and that foreign produce ought not to bo carried more cheaply than their own.

Wo learn that in reply to a deputation from the Central and Associated Chambers of Agriculture, England, who waited upon him recently to urge tho desirability of the adoption of a uniform standard of weight throughout the country, Mr Mnndellft, President of tho Board of Trade, said this was part of a very large question. The whole question of weights and measures throughout the country was in great confusion. He was entirely in sympathy with them as to tho desirablqpesa of uniformity, and thought grain ought to be sold by weight; there was a good deal of opinion in favour of tho cental. But the British farmer wag slow to move, and custom was in opposition to them. A considerable percentage of the wheat, barley and oats sold in 1891 were sold not by weight but by Imperial measure. Uniformity of practice is evidently not yet. The dairy industry is certainly not overdone yet in Canterbury. Last week (writes our Ashburton correspondent) it was almost impossible to get butter at any of the stores in Ashburton, and the price asked was nearly double that obtained by the farmers some years ago. Good dairy cows have been dear, certainly, this season, but there has been an abundance of feed, and the weather for butter making better than usual at this time of the year. With the improved appliances now at farmers’ disposal, and the paying prices offering for a good article, it is strange that they do not produce enough butter to supply the local markets. Anything like a well managed dairy-farm this year must have proved far more profitable than grain growing.

The question of starting a small cooperative dairy factory near Ashburton has been mooted several times during the last two years, but so far the idea has never come to any practical result. Within a radius of a few miles cf the town there are soma three or four hundred cows kept. If the owners of these cows would subscribe something like £250 between them for the necessary premises and plant, there ia little doubt that the business would soon develop, and tho result would be profitable to the shareholders and a great benefit to the district. Mr Grigg for some years has ruu a private dairy at Longbcach, the plant and machinery for which could not have represented a larger sum than that stated above, and- every pound of butter ha made has been eagerly bought at a price considerably above that of hand-made butter, and that must have paid him well. It might possibly take some time before owners of cows get into the way of sending their milk to a factory, but it would also only be a question of time before they appreciated the many advantages of doing so; and as the local market would absorb all the butter produced the undertaking would soon.be a financial success.

The weather on Friday, when Mr Withell’s cows were inspected, was very wet, but after the business of the day had been disposed of and Mrs Witholl’o hospitality enjoyed, a couple of hours’ very pleasant and profitable conversation ensued. What Mr Valentine had to say about affairs st Home was new to most of those present, and Mr Ritchie and Mr Sawers had a fund of information on dairying to draw upon. Mr Murphy and Mr Ferguson added their quota. On the subject of the care of tho night’s milk, Mr Sawers strongly urges-the importance of setting in a cool place, in shallow veasels, as quickly as possible after milking, and stirring it at least twice the same night. Some of the Ellesmere people are able to set their milk pans in running .water, which is a great advantage. One supplier adopts the plan of dividing the night’s milk equally into the whole of his creamery cans, ynd in the morning collecting it into the number of cans which, it will fill, using the others for the morning’s milk, thus obviating the necessity of purchasing setting pans. The shallower the milk is kept at night the bettsr. It is satisfactory to learn that everything in connection with the Central Dairy Factory is going on swimmingly. The extensions and improvements are now completed, and the establishment is second to none in the colony. The carboanhydride cold chamber enables the butter to ba kept ia perfect order until delivery to purchasers or ship, and the “ fern leaf” brand is in high favour, both locally and in London. Shipments to London have been sold at the top prices for New Zealand butter, and within 4s per cwt of the finest Danish. Additional creameries will be established for nest season, which will further decrease the cost of manufacture.

The London Live Stock Journal says;— “The fact that this country spends £16,000,000 annually for. foreign butter and cheese ia one which cannot be regarded as flattering to our agriculturists, especially when it is remembered that the highest market prices are in many cases given for the imported produce.” The late hot, close weather has interfered very seriously with the quality of the butter at private dairies (says the Taranaki Herald), a majority of the farmers finding very great difficulty* in producing a marketable article. Happy tho man who has dons with the milk when on the factory weighing machine. I fear that many stock-owners have not yet made themselves acquainted with the requirements of the Stock Act of last se3ii>iß,and the Regulations gazetted a few weeks ago in accordance with the powers therein contained. 'l'b G Act and Regulations contain tho whole law relating to live stook, and every owner of sheep or cattle should obtain a copy, which ho may do from the Stock Inspector of his district. Harvest is the first consideration with farmers just now, and small markets and a smaller demand is the rule. Prices all round, however, are well maintained, and trade appears to be in a sound condition. Mr Eyam Marks says that ho could easily distinguish Canterbury mutton at Smithfield by its superior quality. This contradicts what some of the trade circulars have recently said about the article.

The Hawke’s Bay ram fair was a case of disappointed expectations for most of those concerned. Among tho southern breeders represented were the New Zealand and Australian Land Company, Messrs John Reid (Ekleralie, Oamaru)i J. B. Sutton and F. Sutton (Southland), Menlovs (Oamaiu), Hon M. Holmes (Oamaru), P. C. Throlkeld (Flaxton), and F. M. Rickman (Ashburton). Some of these gentlemen withdrew the whole of their sheep at auction, and though they sold several privately, the trip was by no means satisfactory* It ie to be hoped the later fixtures will have a better result. Mr F. M. Rickman announces hia annual rale of stud sheep, to take place at Ashburton on Feb. 22. They consist mainly of Shropshire Downs and’ English Lsicesterfl, both rams and ewes, and a descriptive history o? the flocks appealed in the Canterbury Times a few mouths ago, showing that tiiey are of the bast blood in the colony. Mr Rickman also offers a number of carefully-bred half-bred rams, which are in great favour just now. The sheep are all clean and healthy, and no doubt tho sale, like last y sat’s, will be satisfactory to both sailors and buyers.

Mr P. C. Throlkeld also announces a sale of stud sheep, which will be conducted by Mr J. T. Ford in conjunction with the New Zealand Land Association, at Inglewood on March 16.' The Inglewood {locks have bad frequent notice in the Canterbury Times, and I am informed that soma further account of them is on the stocks. Breeders never repent buying Threlkeld sheep. Mr Charlton's report on the mortality amongst cheep on the west coast of the North Island and its remedy is meeting

with some hostile critisiem ; hut the Veterinarian maintains his ground, that the sheep were evidently gorged with food, and required exercise and semi-starvation for a time.

Now that the sheep dipping season is at hand, flockowners will be laying in their supplies of dipping material. A thoroughly efficacious dip is as valuable to a sheepfarmer as an ineffective one is the reverse; and there is no lack of both in the market.' One that is being introduced in New Zealand with high credentials is that made by Messrs Ness and Co., Darlington, England. This firm’s exhibit had the highest honour at the World’s Fair, and secured three gold, two silver, and'one bronze medal at previous exhibitions, and these credentials should guarantee the dip to be one of the best made. I see it stated that an officer of the Australasian Shearers’ Union baa invented a machine for testing whether or no eheep are wot whan the question arises during shearing. '■ Mr J. Pluss, one of the largest hat manufacturers of Austria, a member of the Vienna Chamber of Commerce, and of the Imperial and Eoyal Council of Customs, Austria, has addressed a letter to the various Australasian Chambers of Commerce, urging the adoption of some other material than tar for branding sheep. He states that the wools of Buenos Ayres, which are marked by a red substance, are entirely free from this evil.

A farmer in the Woodville district is reported to have adopted a very successful means of feeding his calves. Young grass is cut, put into a big tub, and boiling water poured over it. After standing about two hours the liquid is run off, making what is known as " mush.” About a quart of milk is then added for each calf. The calves take it readily, and do well on it. The mixture is said to ba far better than hay tea, while feeding on whey, even to a small extent, has been a failure. The championship of . the Birmingham Pat Cattle Show was carried off by Mr Clement Stephenson’s Aberdoen-Angus heifer. Bridesmaid of Benton. “With the President’s prize value £25, the Elkington Cup value lOOgs and the Thorley Cup value lOOgs, in addition to £SO £3O and £2O bread cups,” says • the Live Stock Journal, “ the' Birmingham trophies grow more handsome as time goes on. When in the afternoon the winners of the various breed honours were assembled for the final adjudication, it was seen to be possible that all the three champion awards might be secured by one exhibitor; the difference in the conditions being that the president’s prize goes to the exhibitor of the best animal bred by him; the Elkington Gup to the breeder of the best animal, and the Thorley Cup to the exhibitor of the best animal. After a weeding out the contest settled itself into one between Mr Clement Stephenson’s Aberdeen - Angus heifer, Mr Bruce’s cross-bred steer, Mr Wortley’s Hereford steer, and Mr Fletcher’s Shorthorn heifer, the records of which stand thus: —■

It will thus be seen that the four came very close together alike as regards ago and weight. But there was no getting over the attractiveness of Mr Stephenson’s heifer, and she won with general approval.” A writer in the Pasloralists’ Review speaks of “ three ostrich farms now existing in Australasia, one being in New Zealand.” I may remark that there are at least two ostrich farms in this colony—-that of Messrs L. D. Nathan and Co., Whitford Park, Auckland, and that of the Canterbury Ostrich Farming Company, Limited, Christchurch. There are besides many farmers in the North Island who have a few birds. lam glad to hear from Mr George King that the Canterbury Company’s ostriches, which are at Burwood, are doing well. The two Australian ostrich farms are at Port Augusta, South Australia, and at Korang, Victoria, and while both are successful enterprises the latter is the more profitable of the two.

At the Smithfield Christmas show, the Dexter Kerry heifer, which won for her breeder, the Priuce of Wales, the first prize in the class for Dexter or Kerry heifers under three years, was sold at the remarkable price of £55 to Messrs Maylon and Sons, provision merchants, London. The age of the animal was 2 years 8 months 3 weeks and 5 days, and her gross weight 8 cwt. Assuming her to dress 62£ par cent of dead meat (the percentage estimated by a number of expert gentlemen who examined the animal), the price of £55 live works out at the rate of no less than .£ll per dead cwt. The English papers regard this ao a record that has never before been equalled. Draught horses are being brought from Sydney to Wellington for sale. A Poland-Chiua boar, shown at the World’s Pair at Chicago, tipped the beam at 9501 b, and was able to walk home from the railway station to his owner’s farm a distance of three miles, in less than two hours,

Age. "Weight. Gain, Days. lb. lb. Aberdeen-Angus heifer ... , 1,040 1,876 1-80 Cross-bred steer 997 1,882 1-88 Hereford steer 940 1,848 1-96 Shorthorn heifer , 1,006 1,929 1-91