AGRICULTURAL JOTTINGS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 994, 20 March 1891, Page 20

AGRICULTURAL JOTTINGS.

The gorse nuisance in South Wairarapa is becoming almost as bad as the rabbit, and efforts arc being made to exterminate it. As stoats and weasels are not procurable, Mr C. Pkarazyn has decided to turn out fifty ferrets this season, and Mr Coleman Phillips forty in the Wairarapa.

Mr Jas. Williamson, of the New South Wales Gardeners’ Union, is pushing forward a large scheme of co-operative farming.

New crop wheat is beginning (says the Timaru Herald) to come into store. It ia not so even and full as in ordinary seasons, but wherever wheat was harvested before the late heavy rains ia in very good condition, and a Bound milling wheat.

Mr Joseph Harris, land agent, Marton, has a number of properties, both improved and unimproved, for sale at Marton, Hunterville, and surrounding districts, and from long personal knowledge of the districts is in a position to supply intending investors with thoroughly reliable information. See advt.

The Stanley Small Farm Association which was lately formed at Campbelltown, has its list of membership already full, and the secretary has received applications for admission from an additional number of persons sufficient to make up another association. The necessary preliminary work is being rapidly pushed on, and tho association bids fair to realise the object of its existence in a very short time.

Last week, in the shop of Mr Halbert, of Christchurch, was exhibited a gigantic specimen of the growth well known as the * puffball,’ which was found on Mr J. T. Matson’s farm, Islesworth, Harewood-road. It was of the gonus botanically known as Sycoperdon, and probably of the variety Proteus. Tho variety is common enough, but tho size of the specimen in question was enormous. It was no less than 3ft 6.)in in circumference, and 22 lbs in weight.

Remarkably fine weather was experienced last week in the Ashburton district, says the Lyttelton Times. One or two very hot days have been experienced, and another fall of rain would be very welcome. The grass has continued to grow at a great rate, and in most parts of the district there is plenty of feed. With the exception of threshing, harvest operations are now practically over. The threshing machines continues to confirm the low estimate formed of the general yield, and also to show that very considerable damage was done by the heavy rains of last month. Owing to recent cable advices farmers are not inclined to sell at late prices, and are fondly hoping that they will before long get 4s for their wheat. At present 8s 3d is the top price offered. Grain is coming into store freely, but at present there is nothing like a crush either in the railway or at private shops.

It is said that rabbits are slightly increasing in numbers again in New South Wales.

It is said the output of hemp in the Manawatu district will not be more than a tenth of what it was lost season. Crops of flax have been used up, and it will be a couple of years before a full growth is obtainable.

A Dunedin paper says that though 70,000 rabbits were distroyed last year on the Clifton and Carterhope estates, * bunny is reported to be as numerous as ever.

Tho Tara grazing farm bore (Barcaldine, Queensland), was continued to a depth of 1973 feet, when operations ceased. The flow is estimated at between 300,000 and 400,000 gallons, and the temperature is 130 degrees.

The Taieri Advocate is informed that the Californian thistle is spreading over the Taieri plain with alarming rapidity. In parts of tho Taieri where the thistle was never Been before it is now flourishing in patches. If all the accounts that we have read of the thistle in other parts be true, then the farmers of the Taieri had better be on the alert.

The fine warm days that have succeeded tho long spell of broken weather have quite revived tho spirits of the hundreds of settlers, who had almost given up in despair, the prospect of obtaining a good barn this season. Both In the Manawatu and Wairarapa districts the air for miles is just now strongly impregnated with smoke from the burning bush j and should the fine weather continue, a largo area of new country will soon be ready for grassing with the first rains ; and the demand for grass seed be keen.

Grass seed is now at what may be considered phenomenal prices (says the Rangiti* kei Advocate). We hoard of one parcel of locally-grown rye grass seed changing hands recently in the Hunterville district at 6s 3d per bushel, and Poverty Bay rye is quoted at Ss per bushel. It is certain, however, that if people are debarred by wet weather from burning the thousands of acres of bush now lying on the Coast, prices will soon rapidly collapse.

The Putikinatives have been goinginforcropping this season, and brought the product of their labour over to Wanganui lately. The line was notalargeone,consistingofsome6osacks of wheat, which they had no difficulty in disposing of to a wholesale house. The sample was a very fair one, the grain being full and even, though a trifle soft, and, with the exception of one bag, free from smut. The succes of this venture, though on a small scale, should be an inducement to them to repeat the experiment again next year.

As showing how well sheep do upon the new land at the Waingaro Springs (says the Waikato Times) Messrs Wilson Bros, last year purchased Napier ewes at 6s 3d. These have clipped Blbs of wool, which sold at 7id per pound, and recently the lambs were shorn, and averaged 51b3 of wool. Thus the sheep alone will more than recoup the first outlay, leaving a fat ewe and lamb as the year’s profit. Ia there any wonder that people are going in for stock that will yield over 200 per cent profit 1

The Timaru Herald says :—ln great contrast with the average shortness of straw and low yield of the wheat crop in South Canterbury this year were some patches on tho old swamp lands below Makikihi. One farmer in that quarter informs us that he cut some patches of wheat with straw six feet high, and proportionately thick on the ground. He estimates the yield from these patches at 60 or 70 bushels. In these cases the surface is not far above the underground water-level, and the roots no doubt penetrated to that reservoir of moisture, while the hot spring and summer made the well-watered plant grow vigorously. On the higher ground in the same paddocks the straw was little more than as many inches in height.

There is hardly a country in the world too remote to supply Great Britain with eggs. Even Australia has begun to send them. But from Russia, Britain had nearly seventy five million eggs last year. France and Germany between them sent over seven hundred and fourteen millions of eggs. Belgium over two hundred millions, and England received two millions from Portugal, and smaller quantities from Norway and Sweden, the Channel Islands, Morocco, Malta, Italy, Egypt, and Turkey. It seems that altogether the Mother Country has to go abroad for between eleven and twelve hundren millions of eggs, representing in value over £3,000,000

The following extract from the Argus’ London correspondent, dated January 9, gives an excellent idea of the weather then prevailing in England:—lf a man born blind had received the gift of perfect eyesight on the 28th of November last, he would still have been quite ignorant of the appearance of the sun on Sunday morning the 4th of January, assuming him to have lived continuously in London. Moreover, he would not have gained an adequate idea of daylight. Experience would have taught him that for. 16 hours out of the 24 artificial light was needed, and that during the remaining eight hours there might be some short and transient intervals during which he could see to read or write without the aid of gas or candles. Further, he would have learnt nothing of the blue sky or cloud shapes, or the hues of sunrise or sunset. The heavens would have been to him a dull blanket or pall, sometimas grey, oftener a dirty yellow, and occasionally a dark brown deepening into black. But on Sunday afternoon the wind for an hour or two shifted to the south-west. Then, as if by magic, the fog fled away, and after 38 days of uninterrupted gloom we once more saw the orb of day. It is impossible to describe the joy with which the sun was greeted, People rushed to their windows to catch the first glance of him. For an hour or two nobody talked of any thing else. We were again pure Pagans in our worship.

Owing to surrounding bush fires on Friday (says the Wairarapa Star of Saturday), Master ton and its inhabitants were treated to a hot air bath, the temperature increasing considerably over summer heat.

The information as fo the block tests of cattle exhibited at the late Smithfield show, collected for the Live Stock Journal, proves several matters of interest. First, the test shows that the percentage of dead to live weight is never so high iu young as in older cattle, and they also prove, as of course is to be expected, that the daily gain is mnch greater in young than in older cattle. But what strikes one as most remarkable on looking over the table of results is the fact that there must be splendid jadges among the English cattle-breeders. At Smithfield the judging of fat stock ia carried out solely by cattle breeders. In America the work is done solely by butchers, and comparing the tabulated results of the judging at Smithfield and at the great American fat stock show, we find that the block test proves tho former to have been in almost all cases correct, whereas in America the live stock judging was proved by the block test to have been in almost every instance wrong.

The Board of Agriculture, London, proposes the appointment of a widely representative and responsible body under whose direction all examinations in dairy work should in futnre be held. Ia the absence of such a provision for nniform teats, the board have hitherto felt themselves nnable to accede to applications for aid on behalf of certain existing examinations, or even to recognise officially the value of aoy particular eaxmination which may be held. It is supposed that the new examining body should be drawn from all the leading societies in any way interested in the matter. An official letter recommending this projeot has been sent by Mr Chaplin to the Royal Agricultural Society, and the dairy committee of that society have agreed that some such examining body as is suggested ia desirable. The examiners would be empowered to grant diplomas and also certificates, not only for scientific but also for purely practical qnalfications, and their awards would be recognised by the Board of Agriculture.

A favourite mark for sheep in use in many parts of Queensland is that known as the •nose mark,’ made by snicking a piece out of each nostril. It does not appoar to be generally known that saqh marks are injurious to the sheep, and in the opinion of the Government Veterinarian of New Bonth Wales ought to be prohibited'. He Bays that tbe wounds in healing leave the nasal organs exposed, and it is a eruel mutilation of important tissnes. The nostrils of sheep and camels are supplied with mnscles which enable the animal to compress and completely close the naßal openings. ' This is a wide provision of Nature to exclude dust, when feeding or travelling, from the air passages. These are the nasal cavities, bronchial tubes, and lungs. Sheep close the nostrils tightly on the Immersion of water, or on being washed. They are attacked by a fly, the yEstrns ovis, that has to deposit its larva on the noße, so that the parasites crawl into the sinews of the head, and there oompleta_th»ir—growth, to the exquisite annoyance of the unfortunate 'sheep. Seeing that sheep in this Colony have ho frequently to be exposed to olouds of dost in yards and on the road s, as well as having frequently to swim creeks and rivers, it is nothing short of absolute cruelty to deprive them of any means provided by Natnra for their protection against any conntingenoies.

THE LONDON WOOL TRADE. The London correspondent of the Melbourne Age, writing on the London wool market on January 23rd, says : 1 Stocks of Winter goods are now quite small, so that manufacturers are hoping and looking for large orders to be placed soon. The trade with America continues to be chiefly for small quantities of fine worsted ooatings. Some rather pessimistic reports as to the state of their manufacturers have reached this side, which, however, do not alter my views much. So far as I can bear the American demand in your markets has been one of the bright features of your season. They are probably overdoiog the thing a little in their desire to ‘ make ’ for themselves, bat this will be a benefit to raw wool so long as it lasts and they keep in good spirits over it. Australian wool is certainly getting in more general use for mixing purposes in the StatCß, and it maintains its advantage in the matter of price over their domestic growths. This latter, of merino type, has lately hardened in value to a slight extent (say OJd to OJd per lb.) owing to large purchases by variens mills. Canadian advices are a shade worse, owing to several failures amongst the distributing houses. The sales held at Antwerp this week do not call for much notice, perhaps yon would like to know that nearly the whole 2000 bales, Buenos Ayres, sold on the first day, had been pat up once before in tbe October sales, when OJd per lb. more was offered (and refused) than owners have now realised, besides loss of interest and charges. Stocks to-day are 1000 bales Australian, chiefly pieces and bellies, and ICOO bales River. Plate wool. Tbe delay in the arrivals of River Plate wool in Europe is of great advantage to your produce, which Is snre to benefit as regards inferior and medium clips. Lambs wool sold at better prices than the fleece wool. The decline of late years of Antwerp as a market for wool causes some little anxiety to those interested in its prosperity. One of the latest ideas being ventilated Is to make Manchester a great colonial wool market when the ship canal from the Mersey has been completed. It is said that, being in close proximity to tho great mansfactoriog towns of Yorkshire, the saving of carriage would be a material consideration, and so buyers would be attracted. The necessity for the presence of foreign buyers does not appear to have struck there simple-minded people, and it is not likely that other districts, scoh as Scotland, would benefit by the obango.

TfiE HIDE TRADE IN ENGLAND. Mr Edwin Elli« contributes an interesting article on the Hide trade in England From this it appears th*t England nnported during 1890 104,892,8981 b. of leather, valued at over sit and a half millions sterling. Of this there was exported 16.027,0531 b., valued at £1,313,830, so that the actual quantity of foreign leather used in England during the year was 88,765,8101 b., representing a value of £5.360,014. Beyond this were imported 7,887,926 raw h'des, va I lued at £3,077.434. A considerable portto. w?th 804,636 cwt.. valued at £1.871,530. Nor was this all. They imported from abroad 484,387 oxen, bulls. and cows, and estimating the value of their hides at 15a . tot.! of S.p* material tor toe boot and .he. trade imported from foreign countries, Ihe hides of cattle vary greatly in value , that from a prime Scot or Hereford may be worth nearly £3, while pother from a Devon or Shorthorn may often be bought for 15s. The value of a hide depends on several attributes. It shoatd be heavy, thick, and of fine texture. There must be no brands or goad marks on it, and it must be free from butcherß cuts. highly bred Shorthorn, fattened from its b.rth and turned into * baby beef.’ at less than 2 years old, may have a beautiful* touch, but sts hide will be thin, weak m texture, aud light Mr Ellis lays it down as a general rule that the best bred bullock, the one that fattens most rapidly, will have the worst hide. Conditions of feeding and climate (temperatare) also effect the nature of the hide con*l<Thebpolled Angus throws a most valuable hide, but at present It is almost always thm and soft, either from Shorthorn presses or changed conditions of keep. The English are. in Mr Ellis’s opinion, the best shod nation on the face of the earth and their boot and shoe factories supply the colonies and foreign countries with immense quantities of their products, while leather belting and mill bands are exported largely to the continent of Europe despite heavy Unffs which appear almost prohibitory Within the last quarter of a century tbamann.acture of boots and shoes has increased in Engiand to an astonishlshing extent, and there are now many hundreds of thousands ofartiaans dependent upon it, especially in Buoh centres as Northampton, Hackney, and Leicester Some of the beat hides m the market are received from the River Plate. The flaying is carefully done, and were it “®" or ‘cruel’ b-anding it would be_ the most valuable hide in the world. in luea e of climate is very noticeable. As » ru ' e , moist temperate region prodnees tha bost hide. 7be hot dry climate it prejudicially. In the case of the Shorthorns of Australia, although they may retain the.r richness of coat and colour thefibre and substance give way before the d^y n ®® 3 climate. Even the Hereford exported t 0 the western Stales of America gets an individuality of its own after a few generations. The Hereford hide, so firm and thick in England, returns from foreign la . nd ® - externally the same, but rTmark Quality and substance. Mr Ellis remarks ino n.mt.ifina«noy in sheep pelts, and states that the Americans are obliged to refer hack to the old country when they want the best * chamois’ or sheep leather.

HOW TO THROW AN ANIMAL. It aometimes becomes necessary to throw a bull, steer, or cow for surgical or other purposes. It must be done with the least possible danger of injury to the aßimal. A very effective and simple device for that purpose is as follows :-A sound, half inch rope is seenred at one end to the base of the horns. A slipping noose must not be used, but a knot tied at the extremlty is drawn Into a loop at the proper place. The next operation is to get the off hind foot mtj a large loop of the rope, which is then drawn taut between the hoof and the ® la " 3 - The operator now stands close to the near hip with the loose end of the rope firmly grasped In his right hand. Seizing with the left hand the other part of the rope he gently bat firmly pulls the head towards him, at the same time taking up the slack by holding all taut with his right hand. Soon the distance between the horns and heel will be so shortened that the animal will come down on its haunohes, and then on its off side. All is held taut while it is neoeasary to hold the animal down to pick out any nails or snags from Its feet, pare the hoofs and anoint for hoof ail or any other purpose. the hairy YETCHThe growth of leguminous plants should be encouraged by reason of their nitrogen fixing nronerties. In France attention has been drawn by M. Scrlbaux to the cultivation of hairy vetch for fodder. It grows on light tan civ soils where it can advantageously re place y iopin. being more robust, better able to resist cold, and is, moreover, eaten by all animals. It may also be grown on fertile soils. it h best sown in the autumn, but may be •own in the spring, employing 30 to 501 b. peTacre, mixed with about 701 b of rye per acre ; and although it can thrive on medioore soils, it is nevertheless benefited by phoaphatio, potash, and calcareous manures. At the end of April or beginning of May it yields a more abundant crop than folium inoarnatum (early red or crimson olover), and yields a second, or in rich soils even a third cutting. On light soils the second orop may be kept for seed, but on n h soils the seed is liable to shed and spoil the land for the next crop. ..... , As an example of as much as about 26,0001 b of green fodder in the first cutting, and 18,0001 b in the second, has been taken off a good aoil per aore. Its nutritive value compared with other crops is shown in the following table. The numbers are per ® ‘ Albuminoid*. Fat. ExtractivesHairy vetch •• f>-7 .. •• |s| Ordinary vetch .. I*2 •• |.| •• 22| Bed clover •• 12 3 -2 3 .. sa z Crimson clover .. *2| .. 2| .. 32 0 Tlieseeds should be soaked in boiling water before sowing.

HOP SUBSTITUTESColonel Brookfield’s Hop Substitutes Bill (England has just been published. ,■ It requires every brewer for sale and every other seller of beer to make a declaration if any bop substitute is contained in the beer sold by him. The brewer is to beep posted up in a conspicuous place outside his brewerv a notice in large letters containing the words • Hop substitutes used aud if he brews some beer containing any hop substitute and *ot».e without it, he is to add a description of the beer in which it is used. He is also to put a like notice on every vessel he sends out containing beer in which there is any hop subtute. Any other seller of beer than a brewer is to post outside his premises a notioe similar to that above mentioned ; also in every bor, sale-room, or other place where he sells beer. Another provision empowers any officer of ths Customs or Inland Revenue, or any officer authorised to take samples under the Food and Drugs Act, to enter the premises of the brewer or other seller of beer to take samples in order to ascertain if any hop substitute is contained in the beer.

A NEW POTATO DIGGER. An apparatus for digging potatoes from the soil and delivering the same in rows upon the ground, the tubers being cleaned by it from all adhering soil (says the Scientific American) has been patented by the inventor, Mr James Gohm, of Newport, R. I. A frame consisting of side bars and cross bar in front is carried by adjustable bars so that the forward end of the frame can be raised or lowered at will. Toward the rear the frame is supported by the cross axle of the rear wheels. This axle is dropped low down between the wheels. A pair of small ploughs or cultivator blades are carried by the forward corners of the frame. Within the frame and carried by the dropped portion of the main axle is a scoop. In front the scoop is provided with a cutting edge and central plough point. At its rear end its floor consists of bars spaced so as to form a screen, and at the rear of the screen a central deflector is placed. Across the centre of the scoop a drum carrying a scries of blades extend, which is caused to rotate by chain and sprocket-wheel connecting with one or both of the main wheels. A pair of handles extends from the rear, while a chain and clevis, or drawbar, is provided in front for the draught animal. In operation the apparatus is drawn down the row of potatoes. The cultivator blades throw to each side surplus soil and weeds. The central hillock thus formed is entered by the point of the scoop. Earth and potatoes are forced backward oyer the floor of the scoop, their passage being aided by the revolving blades. As the screen i 3 reached the earth sifts through and the potatoes roll rearward. As they meet the deflector they separate into two streams, and are deposited on the ground in a double row. Tliub a clear space is left for the attendant to walk upon. The scoop is jointed in the middle transversely. The front end can bo depressed and adjusted by side bolts, which pass through its side and through the frame. The rear portion in operation rests upon the ground. Hooks are provided by which it can be sustained above the ground if desired. GREEN MANURES. -••There is, we believe, a growing appreciation of the value of green manure as a means of accumulating fertility. It is the means nature uses, except that as nature does not ploughsheleavesthe green herbage to rot on the surface and thus make the soil. For many years green manuring went out of favour because mainly used injudiciously. It is difficult to get a large crop of green herbage to be ploughed under for anything excepting winter grain, and for this the mass of decaying matter in the soil makes it loose and porous, often doing as much harm as good. Clover is now rarely ploughed under as green manure, Good farmers have learned better use for it. But we think the small amount of green herbage that can be got by sowing winter rye in the fall, or oats and barley in the spring, to be turned under after a few weeks’ growth for corn or potatoes, are more highly valued as years pass by. It is not the amount of fertility that these green crops contain, but its availability, and above all the moisture they furnish, that gives them greatest value. Though the spring grain may be only a few inches high it is full of succulence, and so also are its roots. All begin to rot as soon as buried, and this furnishes warmth, moisture, and nitrogen to the corn or potato over them. Keeping the potato vines from drying up even a few days often makes an enormous difference in value of the crop. This a very light growth of green manure ploughed under may easily do.

A STORY ABOUT ‘JIMMY* TYSON. Melbourne Bohemia is responsible for this story about ‘ Jimmy ’ Tyson :— ‘ One of the great characters of New South Wales is Tyson, the squatter millionaire. He is not absurdly liberal like some rich men, but he is generous at limes. One day he met a tattered swagman tramping along a lonely road- Stopping his buggy, he said, “ My friend, you want a new suit of clothes. I’ll give you a change!” The man replied that he didn’t know what he had done that the gentleman should Beek to take a ‘ rise ’ out of him, but Tyson, to show he was in earnest, produced a set of store tweeds, which he handed over. In great surprise the swagman took them, Tyson merely exacting the condi tion that he should be given the wayfarer’s old togs in exchange. This being arranged Tyson bestowed a £1 note upon him and drove on. Next day, at one of Tyson’s stations in the neighbourhood branding was going on. In the midst of it a disreputable vagrant humping a “ bluey” turned up and watched the proceedings. He noted that Tyson’s sheep were being marked with the manager’s private brand. In the spirit of honesty he said to the manager, “ Don’t you think, mister, this is a little risky?’ The manager told him to mind his-own business and go down to the hut for a feed like a sensible man. * But supposing Mr Tyson knew you were stealing his sheep this way ?’ observed the swagman. The manager i threatened to kick him off the station* and

the wanderer thought it time to mention that he was himself Mr Tyson, purposely disguised, and that the manager had better pack up bis traps and regard himself lucky in not being prosecuted. He took the hint 1’