RURAL TOPICS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXI, Issue 15332, 15 June 1910, Page 8

RURAL TOPICS.

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL.

On Monday morning 12£ degrees ol frost were registered at the Asliburton Domain, but yesterday a north-west wind was blowing, and at midday the Bun was exceptionally warm. Farmers state that_ tiiey would prefer frosty weather with a fall of snow to the spriug-like weather that prevails.

The red clover crops throughout the Asliburton County during the past few years have been partial failures, owing to the absence of humble bees, but this season thero have been some particularly, fine crops. The clover gathered off eighteen acres has been threshed for a farmer in the Seaview district, and it yielded forty-six large-size sacks, giving a return at the rate of £ls per acre. In the Wakanui district thirtysix sacks have been threshed off twentytwo acres. The quality of the seed in both instances is first-class.

At a meeting of the Ashburton Agricultural and Pastoral Association yesterday afternoon, Mr D. G. Wright, of Surrey Hills, said there was great need for amendment in the law as it referred to the care of dogs and eheep worrying. In his district, during the past three months, five farmers "have suffered severely through having their sheep worried. Careless farmers failed to tie up their dogs at night, and that was the cause of tho whole trouble. As tho law stood, a farmer or his employee could destroy a dog found worrying sheep, but if a passer-by witnessed the dog worrying his neighbour's sheep ho was powerless to prevent it. On Mr Wright's motion a committee was appointed to draw up a letter to be sent to the Minister of Agriculture, urging him to make the necessary amendments to the Act.

A meeting of tho North Canterbury Ploughing Match Committee was held at Rangiora yesterday, Mr T. Wyllie in the chair. Offers from Mr H. C. D. Van Asoh and Mr J. D. MaodonaiH of special prizes of £3 3s first and £l-ls second for a youths' double-furrow match, in which no help should be given to the competitors, were accepted." Tho committee expressed regret that owing to the programme* being complete, Mr A. E. Tutton's offer of a special prize of £5 for a three-furrow event could not be accepted. A ground and special prize sub-committee of nine members "was appointed. Mr R. M'lntosh, of Lqbum, was added to the General Committee. It was decided to hold a luncheon on the match ground, • and a dinner in tho evening at the Oddfellows' Hall, Amberley. It was resolved to award certificates of merit to go with the first, second, third and fourth prizes. The date of the match was finally fixed for Friday, July 22, entries to close on the previous Tuesday.

A meeting of tho Ashburton Agricultural and Pastoral Association was held yesterday, Mr D. Wood in the chair. A committee-, consisting of the president and Messrs D. O. Wright and D. M'Donald. was appointed to confer with the Poultry Society on the question of holding the winter show during the third week in May. It was stated that if the show were held at an earlier date, say, a week before the Dunedin show, the Agricultural Department would be in a position to exhibit at Ashburton. Mr H ; . 0. Cox (Styx) wrote urging the Association to include a class for Devon pigs at the spring show. Tho matter was referred to the Pig Committee for a report. The Ploughing Match Committee reported that it had matters well in hand for the annual ploughing match. A veto of thanks was prised to Mr T. Mawson (president for 1909) for an enlarged framed photograph of hiniße.'f, and itwas decided, on the motion of the chairman, that after his term of office had oxpij-ed, the Association should bear the cost of purchasing photographs of ox-presidents. Thirteen, now members were elected.