AGRICULTURAL ITEMS.

Mataura Ensign, 15 March 1909, Page 4

AGRICULTURAL ITEMS.

A valuable draught horse had to be destroyed the other day at Xew Plymouth ownig to a peculiar growth on one ol its liiud legs. Mr T. li. Uoakcs. inspector at thu local abattoir, examined ,thc animal alter being destroyed and lound that the growth was unlike anything he had ever seen. The growth had been steadily forming for a number ol years until i t h„,i reached the abnormal weight ol nearly 701b. On k«mg opened the protuberance was lound lo be soft and white in color and much resembling new cheese in texture. 1 In. interior of the growth was quite tree trom objectionable or mali.'liiant and exuded a clear o!t----jliko luid Specimens will probably bo sent to tin, (.overinnent Laboratory lor anah'His. During the past week about 12,000 sheep, mostly forward stores, have left Sottliland lor different railway stations in Canterbury. This demand from the iNwtli Island, and has very largely been responsible lor values being maintained »« .Southland. Immediately that" del llial. it is considerably easier—there is ""'"argil, in the price of oilher lamb or mutton (~ inaintaiu present values.

WOKK FOR FAH.MEUS. \ory liltle.grassing-down is don,, i],i k month in tho Soutli ishind, nlthc.u-h in tin) .North island it is a good tim« to do P- (si \ vs ''!?" 5t1,,,,5 " '" U »' 'Lvtti.lton nuics ). I lie grass should ho sown as early as possible so (hat it iimv got established boloro winter. At anv time ol the year there is of course always the risk ol failure through dry weather, but this may ho minimised by preparing a hue, well-packed seed-lied. If autumnsown grass lads there is another chance t<> sow it in spring- ,|' it succee<ls it gives a nioi. early pick. Laud should he cleaner in the autumn than in the winfor, and grass should therefore have a better chance of getting ahead of the weeds in autumn. Crass paddocks should, as I sir as possible, be allowed to" go a covering of grass for the. late autumn and for the winter. It will stand the frost better if the ground is covered w,lh a little grass to afford a litllo protection, and it will grow out all the better in spring. Kwes are now reaching an important H'nodin.hcirinanagement.aiKt should Me well kept, Iroin this onward. If „ good percentage of lambs is to bo cxwlni,,l, V"'" 8 lm ' St ,m '" K""' 1 m '^ ■ is ,m» I : "'" IMlt "J 1 "' ; " ,(1 tllls i.i I is now becoming much more »,.,„.. Z LljW'*' 1 "!"" 't w " s - H willl«. no .1 „T" l ""s Se " tw,,lM ' r is tho I'j'mll, i" winch to hav,. l„,„bs arriv•SOl"l'Hl,AN'f):sT;noi',S. A geiitlcniaii who has l„. oll visitinir couiiln is looking ivcll from an agrieulJ";aa,,d pastoral , H ,int of tic h napoi correspondent of the Christ climvli -Press'). There are splendid !'!j»l'S o. oats and a wider area i c 0 , ;;« »«' Iron, I,hght or diamond-hack '""Hi. In about, ten .lavs of tho present !ns'tn l wi]r , r ,< ''l tlliin -'' StS "' ! ' s seen nil] have been secured. As to Melds many ol the crops are r„ua] to evenly bushels per aero. A ewlv • l«. 11» bind has a crop ,lt. high, shee) | «....« moved to the nortU, sa i 7/ , 'l'osent dry weather is .nai,,: ' o husi, ,a,,ds on i;,,;;,^;, ::< l wu";iere , ;" ,s '""' ••"•'' "»«'"•* So 11, S " srt,i,t lllll "o before do le ' , "' ,I,, » ru ,'"«"' arc wanted o :-'-:;/e^;;ib^^' T^i^^;.«