COUNTRY NEWS

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8470, 22 January 1891, Page 6

COUNTRY NEWS

[FROM OCR own correspxn dents. ] Cambridge, Wednesday. E wen's patent self-locking fencing strainei is proving the success that was predicted. Captain Bailey, the manager oi the Auckland Agricultural Company, has had very large quantities used on the jonpany's various estates, and he considers it the best in the market, to which great advantage may lit added that it is also the cheapest. This speaks well for local inventive talent ami industry. At the Farmers' Club meeting last night Captain Soutter made a good suggestion, namely, that the club ' should' assist some farmer in mating experiments on his farm with lime, with a view of ascertaining its value when applied to the Waikato land. It was stated that Mr. Hyatt, of Cambridge West, was making some experiments of this nature, and that one part of a paddock of oats where lime was applied with stable manure, the crop was very heavy and showed a marked superiority over the part where stable manure was applied without lime. This result was supposed to I* accounted for in this way—that the lime assisted the decomposition of the manure, rendering it more immediately available as a plant food, whereas the benefit of the manure used without lime may be got with next crop, if not lost in the interim, the latter being the most probable result. To assist farmers in obtaining lime at tiie lowest possible cost, and in quantities to suit, the railway authorities should be approached with a request that the minimum weight be fixed at two tons, same as manures, instead of tout tons as at present. Many farmers would no doubt be induced to try lime on their land; could they get the same in two ton lots, and at a moderate cost at the kiln. The reason for the boarding up of one side of the fence round the town pump •« stated to be to prevent children falling into the drinking trough. As one child was nearly coming to grief by falling into the water, the Works Committee deemed it advisable to at once make the place safe. Before letting the work for the new fencing between Karapiro and Waikato bridge, it would be as well for the authorities to look up the minute-book, which is stated to contain a resolution to the effect that no work estimated to cost over £5 should be let, except by tender.