RURAL TOPICS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXI, Issue 15333, 16 June 1910, Page 2

RURAL TOPICS.

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL. The Oxford Agricultural and Pastoral Association has been successful in an endeavour to secure the services of the Agricultural Department’s horse Sir Talbot for the district during the coming season. The matter rvas taken in hand by Mr John O’Halloran, who bespoke the assistance of the Hon D. Buddo and Messrs G. Witty, G. W. Forbes and C. A. C. Hardy. Mr Buddo has written to Mr O’Halloran, stating that the Minister of Agriculture has informed him that the services of the horse will bo at the disposal of the Oxford district.

The fat sheep and lambs offered at the Ashburton yards on Tuesday wore in uniformly good condition, showing that the stock feed is still holding out in a romarkablo manner. In the absence of continuous heavy frosts, graziors state that they will be in a position to fatten off a large number of lambs and. sheep before the freezing season has closed. For stock-fattening purposes the season has been the best experienced for many years past, more particularly when it is considered that the acreage in turnip and rape crops was comparatively small. Prices of fat sheep and lambs at Tuesday’s sale were, slightly on the up grade, and those farmers who bought store sheep and Limbs earlier in the season have mado a handsome turnover.

The weather has been very favourable r farmers, writes tlie Scargill ccrrcs'.ndont of the “Lyttelton Times,” and although work was backward a short ime ago, it is now well in hand again, utuniri-s-own crops are looking exceptionally well, especially barley and oats, ..inch havo been sown for feeding in. the ■.inter. All early-threshed grain lias been sold, but owing to the fall in prices flic later lots are either being held by the fanners or have been sent into store in anticipation of bet tor.,prices later on. Oatsheaf chaff has mot a good demand, and heavy consignments liavo been sent away. A fairly large amount of wheat is again being sown, and the conditions for sowing are all that could be desired, while the ground has been in splendid working order. Stock are doing well as lar as feed is concerned, grass and turnips being plentiful.

Now Zealand lamb shipments for the fortnight commencing May 19 totalled just over 600,000. This puts into the shade the heavy May shipments of last year, which caused the disastrous collapso in the market twelve months ago. Owing to light stocks on hand, exports do not anticipate, however, that Canterbury lamb will again be sold at 3d per Ibj but even now London is beginning to be very uneasy for the prospects at Smithficld during July and August. July shipments, it is now practically certain, will also be a record.

Mr John Brown, of Anarna, last Thursday drilled a paddock of wheat near his homestead. On Friday morning Mr Brown distributed a quantity of unpoisoiiOd grain, but on Saturday morning ho sowed a large quantity of poisoned wheat, which the birds devoured voraciously. On Saturday evening 119 birds wore picked up, and those gathered on Sunday and Monday brought the total to 250. Mr Brown states that lie is quite satisfied that the birds need to be enticed to a certain locality to bo dealt with satisfactorily. It is noteworthy that tho experiment was made during fine weather, and not cold'weather, which has been considered necessary to mako the birds take tlie grain.