AGRICULTURAL JEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11680, 15 June 1901, Page 7

AGRICULTURAL JEWS.

RAINFALL OF 1901. I" the Old Country the rainfall in March was above the average at most stations. For tho first quarter of the ye.r the fall was below average at nearly all station'.-. In London it was 3.80 in, or 1.39 in below average; at Yarmouth, -''.Loin, or C.s'-in Wow; at Loughborough, s.l'ttin, or 0.28 in l*dow; and at North Shields, 5.36 in, or 0.401:1 above avc-r----3.2C. INFORMATION BUREAU. It seems that the Government of Cape Co'amy ha? recently -~,,,. i.r> London two amends of the Agricultural Department to be attached to the. Vgeitt General's Odioo {,-,- the purpo-f: of establishing p.n lid-trmatioti Bureau, whereat intending agricultural emigrants can obtain detailed information of (he prospects in Cape Colony. Thi- step ; > a result of the numerous inquiries reeo:::':;/ '■■< the Government regarding Ike s.j-icithur.cl and pastoral capabilities of the C -j'.«j|i\". LIVE STOCX KXPORT3. Tho ni'iiibev of cattle ported from Great I'.ri.aiii ihirb.-j th,> three moiuSis ending March 31 was 125. against 4h 9 . in R?-:X\ the value beimr £<2'i'C," a gainst £H. 1%: :uk! of !:•!'•.•■) the number was 729. a;j';ii.-t'ls;o, and the value £211',. a?, ins:, £16,940. T'i--e diminished ii i:■-!!• 't-~ and values show the serio-is efte'-ts <<( the prohibition iii Sou'li America. Of pies. 28. against 35. were ixThere were 27.501 animals of other hh ds evpoiied, against 23.01-0, the \idne be-ini £10,516, against £11,640. IRELAND: CALF SICKNESS. In Ireland there appear-: to iie .-id! a graa-I tied of trouble on areoniit of scour in cal\e=i. hi not a few lootlitis : ' something like an epidemic has: prevailed, the .animals practically resisting all attempts at treatment, and dying off in numbers. The malady h;-.s been worst in the creamery districts, where the calves are largely fed on machine-sepa-rated miJl:. Profe-sor Nocard. the eminent Freiiih veterinary authority, is "ng.igcxl in I'.e----h-nd at (.lie instance of the Irish Veterinary Department it; carrying out an ur-v-'-..:.:)-'n into the ontc-reok on the spot. Professor »i----c.tnl i; working in conjunction with Profer-or Jfettain, Principal of the new Itisit Vct'Micary College, and it is hf>p<xl that a remedy for the malady may bo lottn 1 before very long. WAGES of SHEPHERDS. The report on agricultural wa-res recently issued by the Labour Department of the IJoarJ of Trade contains a good deal of information as to the remuneration of thrpherds in different parts of the country. '.Fids is sii mm arisen! in an interesting article published in the recent number of the TV., -d of Agriculture Journal. It is dated thai 'iamb money" is commonly paid where large frX'tc-j are kept i"i ail parts of England. i>xeent tho notth. The cnlcidatyd earnings of shepherds, including all allowance.--, are said Li be l.itrhest in Lincoltißhiro and Notts. In itland different systems of hiring prevail, and in many parts the shepherd is .allowed, to possess a number of sheep of his own, which are kept with his employer's flocks, and from the returns of which l.c receives his whole remuneration. BEEKEEPING. Recently, at Birmingham, the twenty-first animal meeting of the Warwickshire Beokeepers' Association was held. Sic .1. Sawyer presiding. The lion, secretary (Mr. .T. N. Bower) read fclie annual report, which recorded the most successful financial year in the society's history. The committee again called attention to complaints received from depots as to the packing of honey. Many inquiries had been made for sixpenny bottles of honey. The chairman, in moving the adoption of the roper!;, said that honey was an important urticie of food and commerce, and certainly an important remedial and medicinal agent. He ventured to think that Hi" £70,000 worth of honey winch was im-jio-tcd into this country might well be, supplied by the cottagers of England. If th--y con!! ho induced to apply themselves to the production of honey (hey would Cud it a mor.i profit-aide industry than, for instance, poultry-keeping. He firmly believed that a, cottager taking up bee culture and. the production of honey might be expected, with average intelligence, to pay his rent out of the proceeds. BRITISH FOOD IMPORTS. The value of live stock imported for food purposes: into Croat Britain during the three mouths ending March 31 was £2,074.794, as compared with £2.26-1,163 during the same period in 1800. CI cattle, 106,672 were-re-ceived, against 110,239 hit year, the United Siatos sending 90,166, against 72,608: and Canada, 7254 against 8207. The number of sheep and iambs imported was 88.189. against 361.633, the difference being due to the absence of Argentine consignments. From the United States 32,058 sheep were sent, against 36.814 last year; and from Canada 6451, against 1330. The value of corn imported was £14,483,894, against £11.391.280. Dead moat of the value of £9.635,771 was imported, against £8,465,500. The quantity of fresh beef was 974.0530wt. against 966,308cwt: and of fresh mutton 897,504ewt. against 898,486cwt. The value of butter ' imported was £5.101,801, against £4.834.305 last year: cheese, £1.025,066. against £1,102,180; condensed milk, £168,122, against £460,387; and eggs, £1.051,399, against £1,104.150. TRIAL OF SHEARING MACHINE. Farmers lately visiting Chichester market, were treated to an exhibition of sheep-shear-ing by machinery. Representatives of the Chicago Flexible Shaft Company, of 6, Dcn-ham-stroet, London, S.E., gave a demonstration of the new hand-power machine in iiobgen, Messrs. Brothers' repository. Mr. Newton Clayton, of Selsey, the well-known Southdown breeder, who had purchased one of these machines, brought in ten of his sheep to be operated upon. They presented a beautiful appearance, when shorn, he ng entirely frae from cuts and ridges in thy wool, and the fleeces were removed entire. It would havo been a difficult matter to have found an ounce of wool on any of the sheep after (hey were turned loose from the --hearer. There were about two or three hundred farmers present, and it took a good deal of crowding to give all an opportunity to see just how the thing was done. The time required to shear was very much less than required by hand, and the sheep presented a much better appearance than when shorn in the old way. It is very evident from the work clone by these shearing machines that tin) day of hand-shearing is rapidly passing HORSES. Remount buyers were at Piershill Barracks, Edinburgh, recently for the purchase of her at, the ages of from six to eight years, 14 hands 1 inch to 15 hands 21 inches; and cobs from six to eight years, 14 hands 2 inches to 15 hands—market prices to be given. Greys and entire horses were declared ineligible. It seemed curious to rule out the greys in (he barrack square of the Scots Greys, but there are few of this colour bred in Scotland nowadays.

The number of lior?cs exported from the 01,1 Country during the first three months of tin? year was 6440 gainst 7952 ia-sfc year. Belgium took 3869. Holland 1639, Franco 353, and other countries 479. The value of the horses exported was £108,924, aeainst £142,285. During the same period 10,179 horses were imported, against 13,539 last year, the United States sending 6762, against ir'O?.; Canada, 134: and oil.in- countries. 3823, against 3427. The value of the horses imported was £279,426. against £372,814 last year. The mounted force, which Lord Kitchener will have at his disposal for the final stages of the great war in South Africa will I" 1 one of the largest and finest ever placed in the field by any nation. The regular cavalry will comprise some 14,000 men, and the colonials about 50,000. There are 7000 to 8000 regular mounted infantrymen, and the Imperial Yeomanry will eventually reach a total of over 20,000. The artillery comprises over 12.000 men, and has more than 300 12pounder and 15 pounder guns. Altogether the mounted troops will exceed 100,000.