ON THE LAND.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17328, 17 November 1916, Page 7

ON THE LAND.

SEASON'S PROSPECTS. Tho general farmers, dairymen aud sheep graziers all through the Mayfield, Mount Somers, Springbum, Staveloy and Alford Forest districts, as well ,is away at the hack of the ranges in the Mount Possession, Hakatere, Clcnt Hills and tho Lake "Heron country, have, had soveral successive particularly good seasons, and the prospects are even brighter now than they Have been for many years. The whole face of tho country could not possibly look better, and there is a great flush of really good succulent feed to be seen in all directions. • The cereal crops, principally oats, are also looking well, and are showing x>very promise of big yields. There are a few light patches of oats in full car to bo sec-u on the Mount Somers line just above Tiirtrald, but higher up, through the Westerfield, Mackthorne and Yalctta districts, there has been a most vigorous growth, while higher up still, all along the foothills, as well as away back, the growth of all vegetation lias been simply phenomenal, and a run through these localities affords a real treat to ail those who take an interest in the products of the soil. Sheep, cattle and horses are in great condition, and there arc large numbers of strong, healthy looking lambs to be seen, though tho percentage in a number of cases is not going to be above tho average, as the death rate in many instances has been rather serious, and this, remarked ono sheep farmer "is due in a great measure to their having been too well fed. In cases, where thero has been but a moderate amount of feed, the death rate has not been newly so high." This farmer- went on to say that ho and his shepherd had watched the lambs at play in a paddock on a bright sunny day, and suddenly, and without any apparent cause, one or more of tho biggest and most forward lambs dropped dead. Careful post mortems have been held in quito a number of instanaces, and the stomachs have been lined with fat, while the liver has been inflamed and congested, and hard, tough lumps of curdled milk have been found. In other instances again, "wool ball" has apparently caused death, and hard balls of a mixture of wool, dry tussock grass and curdled milk have been found. Tho deaths amongst the twin lambs have been comparatively light, and in no case lias a dead twin lamb when opened up been found overloaded with inside fat. Tho cause of death amongst tho bigger and stronger looking lambs appears to have been caused through tho animals bavins? had more milk and other food than they could reasonably digest.