RURAL TOPICS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXX, Issue 14975, 22 April 1909, Page 8

RURAL TOPICS.

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL. A farmer in the Tinwald district states that he has five acres of potatoes that, have been so badly, damaged by blight that they are not worth ingHalcomb© farm, owned by Mr J. S. Gardiner, at Hill’s Road, Leeston, was sold on Saturday, the purchaser being Mr R. E. Chamberlain. The price was £3B 10s per acre. The New Zealand Flour Millers’ Association has, as a result of a strong demand from tho Commonwealth, advanced the price of bran and pollard by 10s per ton, the present quotations being:—Bran £4 f.0.b., £4 5e locally; pollard £5 5s f.0.b., and locally £5 10s. The Ashburton “Guardian” states that a fairly large number of farmers were in Ashburton on Tuesday from the various districts, for the purpose of offering their wheat and inquiring into the general trend of tho market. The prices offered by merchants ranged from 4s Id to 4s lid per bushel, and at those prices several fairly large lines of wheat changed hands. Some holders stoutly refused to accept even le IJd per bushel.

In the Methven district Mr Charles Spray has threshed out 115 acres of wheat which yielded fifty bushels per acre, while an area under oats yielded seventy bushels. Mr James M’Crenor, of- the same district, has well on to 25,000 bushels of wheat, some of which is expected to thresh up to fifty bushels per acre. Mr M’Creuor has been offered over 4s per bushel for his entire yield. It is his intention to sow about 1000 acres in wheat during the coming season.

At a meeting of directors of the New Zealand Flour Millers’ Association, held yesterday, it was reported that the sacks at present used for wheat., which measure 46in by 24-)in, had been found very unsuitable for Hour, great difficulty being experienced in getting them to hold 2001 b. In some cases millers had been under the necessity of putting only 1821 b in each bag, thus adding an extra sack to each ton. After .some discussion, it was decided to urge that in future wheat should be contained in sacks measuring not less than 46in by 26in.

A meeting of the committee of the, Ashburton Agricultural and Pastoral Association was held on Tuesday afternoon, Mr T. Mawson presiding. The president and vice-president were appointed to represent the Association at tho conference of agricultural associations of New Zealand. Messrs Ma wson, Blackley, Upton and Wood were appointed a committee to frame remits for the conference. Mr H. Stuart, judge of the pig classes at the last show, forwarded a letter demanding public withdrawal of remarks alleged to have been made by Mr Stuart at the show. It was resolved that Mr Stuart should he informed that the committee would do all in its power to protect him, provided that his remarks were made while carrying out his duties as judge, and a committee consisting of the president and Messrs Reid and Upton was set up to deal with the matter, with power to act-. The following were elected a Ploughing Committee :—Messrs J. Allen, J. Small, W. Anderson, T. Capon, A. Drummond, J. Bruce, J. Cairns and T. Taylor (chairman).