RURAL TOPICS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXII, Issue 15558, 7 March 1911, Page 5

RURAL TOPICS.

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL. There was an entry of 4000 fat lambs at the Hawarden sale on Thursday.

Three degrees of frost were registered at the Ashburton Domain weather station yesterday morning.

The present season lias been most favourable for stock among the hills in the Cass district, but the recent dry weather has materially affected many of the springs on which the camps depend, and some inconvenience has resulted.

Most of the Banks Peninsula dairy factories report a considerable decrease sc iar in the season’s output, as compared with last season’s. The Little Akaloa factory, however, has experienced a very good season, owing to more suppliers coming in. All the output has graded well, and has been disposed or ac. very satisfactory prices.

It is, after all, doubtful, says the “ Oanmru Mail,” whether the scarcity of fat iambs in North Utam> is soleiy due to the shortage of feed following a particularly dry season. This, no doubt, has helped considerably, but it must also bo borne lit mind that there is not now in the district the quantity of breeding, ewes of a low years a.gu, and that while lambing percentages have undoubtedly been maintained, there have been fewer lambs in the aggregate. The advent of tile dairying industry has turned the attention of many farmers from sheep to cows.

The absence of rain is being severely felt in this province at present, says the “Southland News” anti Southlanders are suffering the nearest approach to a drought that it has been their misfortune to experience. in most parts grass is very bare, this being especially the ease on country where there is an alluvial substratum. On ridges where the subsoil is clay both pasture and crops have withstood the drought well. Reclaimed swamp land has suffered most, and the pasture on this class oi country is literally humect up. Unless rain comes soon there will be a considerable decline in ail classes of stock.

Harvesting is now pretty well over in the Courtenay district, and some additional good yields are reported. Mr G. T. Robertson had a nne piece of solid straw Tuscan, which yielded SE) bushels per acre. A paddock of badiy shaken Bordier wheat went 32 bushels per acre, and a paddock ol peas .gave 37 bushels per acre. Mr W. Finlay had a nice field of Hunters white wheat which yielded 47 bushels per acre. Mr A. L. Josephs peas yielded 44 bushels per acre. Mr W. F. Clinton, Darficld. had a fine paddock of Garton oats, which yielded 48 bushels per acre, and a large paddock of Algerians, which were badly shaken, went 40 bushels per aero. In most cases Bordier wheat suffered heavily during the heavy north-west gale which visited the district towards the latter part of tho harvest. Feed lias come on very woli since tho rain. Kale and turnip crops are looking strong and healthy. Some farmers have lost a number oi ewes on tho rape, but oil the whole the mortality is not above tbe usual average.

The failure of the rape crops has added another to the disappointments which besot tho farming community, says the “ Oamaru Mail,” and following on the many months of exceedingly dry weather, has in addition assisted in disastrously affecting the industrial life of the community to the extent that a large number of men who wore dependent on the local killing and freezing works for employment are now forced to seek it elsewhere. About 120.000 lambs have been railed to North Canterbury, which in n normal season would havo been finished off on rape and slaughtered here. As it is, they are helping to keep Canterbury

freezing establishments, where the factory yards are described as a sea of fat iambs, working at high pressure. A gentleman with considerable knowledge of the possibilities of this district says that the southern portion will probably be cleared of lanVbs next week. Trie extent to which the local works were affected by the absence of stock will*be better appreciated when it is stated that’ in an ordinary season they would be putting through from 15C0 to J_Suo per day; while previous to the time of closing the number handled did not amount to more than two or three hundred twice or thrice a week.