RURAL TOPICS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXX, Issue 14973, 20 April 1909, Page 8

RURAL TOPICS.

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL. The thermometer on the grass at the Ashburton Domain station registered nearly lOdeg of frost on Sunday night, and • yesterday morning still water was covered with a thin coating of ice. The Killinchy correspondent of the “Lyttelton Times” reports that farm operations are well forward all over tho district. Potatoes are being dug in patches, and some good crops have been secured, but some are very poor. It will be impossible until ,the general digging takes placo to form an idea of the average yield in the district.

A good deal of wheat was sold in Ashburton on Saturday and Monday at 4s per bushel, and as much as 4s was given for small lines of clean and prime seed wheat. Farmers, who are in a position to hold, are not disposed to accept 4s per bushel, and they confidently hope to receive higher prices during the week. Millers are not keen to purchaso at 4s per bushel.

The following will bo tho over all prices for lambs during the current week: —To 361 b, 4|d (unchanged); 361 b to 421 b, 4jjjd (an advance of id); seconds, 4d (an advance of id); over 421 b, B|d (an advance of id). At present the tone of tbe Home market is somewhat better, but the stocks are heavy, and there is an impression that tho present advance in prices is due to the operations of speculators and not to genuine trade demand.

At the suggestion of Mr G. IV. Forbes, member for Hurunui, tho Crown Lands Department have opened lor selection on renewable lease a block of land close to' tho mouth of tho Motunau River, comprising some 271 acres of good, open, undulating land, until recently held under Icaso by tho owner of tho adjacent station of Motunau. It is open for selection in two sections of 142 and 129 acres respectively, and is situated close to the fishing grounds off Motunau. Applications will be received at the Land Board Office until -1 p.m. on Wednesday, May 12.