RURAL TOPICS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCVI, Issue 14432, 24 July 1907, Page 9

RURAL TOPICS.

, AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL. Jj A Press Association telegram from ]' Timaru states that the South Ganter- | Jniry Dairy Company lias had a prcfit- [ able year and will pay a dividend of : o per cent and a bonus to suppliers. j The year's turnover was £27,001).

Rain commenced to fall at Methvon on Saturday morning from the east and continued until Monday afternoon. Tho snow js fairly low down on tho hills. Tho rain will have a very beneficial effect on the land, enabling farmers to _ get on with their ploughing and sowing operations, which "have baen somewhat retarded by the dryness of the eoil.

At the last show of the Northern Agricultural and Pastoral Association the prize tor the best fat bullock was takon by Mr G. H. Cone' with a Shorthorn steer, bred by Mr M. Poach, of, Ashley, which aleo> won the first nrize in the class for throe-voar-olds. * The animal was exhibited at tho Rangicra market last woek, and, bv reason of its size, attracted a good deal of attention. Numerous guesses wer© mad* as to AVe |? ht . Tanging from 10001 bto 16001 b. Mr Cone killed the bullock and had it on viow at his shop vasterday, Tho weight proved to bo"l2S2ib.

Farmers in the Dunfsindel district this winter have been nursing the ewee on tho best feed on their farms, tc enable thorn to maintain their condition for lambing time, which is fast approiaclung.

Tho dairy season is approaching, but with few exceptions tho "cows that are duo to calve during August aro in anything but good condition, as there is a shortage of hay and oaten, straw. The Killinohy creamery has been running two or three days a week during tho last few months.

Tho Victorian Government proposes to reduce tho size of the standard wheat bag from 2801 b to 2001 b.

In almost every instance tho so-called "clover-sick" soils aro acid, and lime corrects the trouble. At tho Ohio Experimental Station sis tons of alfalfa per aero was grown on land after liming, where before it was a failure.

Tho Pomahaka correspondent of tho "Mataura Ensign," referring to tho recent boom iiii that settlement whereby all tne oections h.r.vebeen taken up, Days the scene is now changed " from a dark valetudinarian in appearanoo to a land flowing with milk and honey."

The use of sulphate of iron (green vitriol) is spoken, of very highly by M. H. Du Buysson, in the""MoniteuV du Jardinier," as a euro for tho slug nuisance. Tho crystals aro (scattered freely on the soil. The result is that the slugs are killed and the plants uninjured. '

A contributor to the <■' Pacific Homestead; says:—As I have had three yours' experience in tho growing of kale for cows, I can safely say that it beats anything for green feed that I have ever tried. I can grow more of it to the acre than anything that I ever got hold of, and everything on tho farm likes to eat it. As I saw a short time ago that one of tho " Homestead." readers wanted to know all about kale, .1. will say this much about it: Ido not think anyone can say too much for tho kale tas a cow food.

_ The rise in the price of wheat has increased the desire on the part of farmers to get their land in .order for next. Reason's crop (says the " North Otago Times''), but the abnormal dryness mukes it almost impossible to plough lea land, and from those who have (inch kind there is a wish for rain. Those, however, who are holding, on to' steel; desire nothing better than tho present summer-like weather, the continuation of which is helping tho Bteck to pull through a season of scarcity of feed. Stock are doing; well, far better, indeed, than was expected, and rain, unless followed by warm weather, would have a disastrous effect on etock, which have quite two of tho worst months of tho year beforo them.

Mr John Scully, a Southland farmer, who has just returned from a few days' visit to North Otago, informs the " Wyndham Farmer " that the farming outlook is quite depressing. During his stay ■ he travelled pretty well all over the North Otago country, and everywhere evidences of the unwonted dry season were notieeablo. In and around Oaraaru stock-owners were feeding wheat en straw and treacle to their animals, " and you may depend," added Mr Scully, "that there was not a spare hoof to be seen anywhere. I never saw so few stock on farms before, nor such uniformly low condition aniong those that wore retained.'' Ploughing appeared to bo pretty well forward, though some of the ground he saw turned over was quite stiff and dry—as dry as any to be seen in Wyndbiun district during last midsummer. The autumn-sown wheat, a considerable area_ of which had been put in, was looking very miserable. Under. normal conditions it should be now eix to nine inches Above ground, whereas this season there is hardly any evidence of growth whatever. Unless good soaking rains com© soon, the prospect© <ire gloomy for the North Otago husbandmen.