AGRICULTURAL JOTTINGS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 995, 27 March 1891, Page 20

AGRICULTURAL JOTTINGS.

Old horses are sent from England to Antwerp, where they are highly esteomed for food. The Canadian Government have sent an expert to England to report on the prospect of its being a market for eggs and poultry. The Suffolk Union Farm Company, Limited, propose to afford co-operation amongst farm labourers by providing farms to be worked on the co-operative principle by labouring men. In a letter to the London Daily News .Mr F. J. Miller makes the following remarkable statement: —‘ It has been proved that two sparrows during the breeding season will destroy as many as 3300 caterpillars in one week, and efforts have lately been made in New Zealand to introduce the sparrow, in order to save the corn crops from the attacks of insects.’ Says the Manawatu Times: —The Longburn Freezing works are still being taxed to their utmost capacity, and the directors will require to seriously entertain the proposal to procuro another freezing machine to keep pace with the work. For some time past 750 sheep have been killed daily, and yet it is impossible to get through the work. Dried brewer’s grains do not seem to be making progress as rations for horses. They undergo serious alteration by being suddenly cooled down, producing other products, more allied to decomposition than to ferments. The grains swell in the horse’s stomach, and do not possess the elements of digestibility. The grains might be worked in with good maize and oats, but with peas, bran, and rye, tho case, in point of nutrition, is not the same.

The winter shows of stock in England have been remarkable for the successes achieved by the shorthorns. At Birmingham, which is one of tho most important of these shows, tbe champion prize was carried off by a shorthorn (Josephine 2nd), exhibited by H.M. the Queen. The reserve number was a Devon steer, also exhibited by Her Majesty. This steer was thus declared by the judges to be the second best animal in the show. He also carried off the president’s prize for the best animal bred and fed by the exhibitor. At this show the crossbreds were in great form ; they were more numerous than on any previous occasion, and are represented as being • uncommonly good all_ through.’ In the butchers’ test, always an interesting event, the prize was won by a crossbred steer. He was by a shorthorn bull from a polled Angus cow, a cross that has b*?on found to give very great satisfaction in Australia. This steer was 1446 days old, and he scaled 20301 b live weight, showing a daily inorease from birth of l - 40lb. The heaviest beast in this contest was a Welsh steer, aged 1315 days, weighing 24281 b, and showing a daily increase of 1‘991b. In commenting on this show the Live Stock Journal remarks that tho managers offer only one prize for oxen over three years, which seems to indicate that such prizes will he dropped in future. As the writer justly remarks, if an animal. cannot be brought to perfection in three years it can serve no practical purpose to keep it on. In Australia, on the natural pastures of the country, I have known many instances of steers being sent to market before they were three years old.

The largest farm in England is near Lincoln, and is nearly 2500 acres in extent.

In China all the land belongs to the State, and a trifling sum per acre, never altered through centuries, is paid as rent. This is the only tax in the country, and it amounts to about 60 cents per head.

Tbe Egmont Farmers’ Union proposes to hold a general meeting of shareholders shortly for the purpose of increasing the number of shares in tho company, as there are now more applications for shares in hand than can be supplied out of the original capital.

From various experiments the following figures as to comparative appetites have been obtained : —A horse will consume a? much food, besides corn, as eight sheep ; a cow, 12 sheep ; a fattening ox, 10 sheep i a three-year-old heifer or ox, eight sheep ; a two-year-old heifer or ox, six sheep ; a one-year old heifer or ox, four; a calf, two sheep.

At the Chicago show the champion prize was carried off by a shorthorn, but while the shorthorns triumphed 4 on foot,’ the whitefaces had the advantage in the carcase competitions. In the block test the prize in the class for steer three years and under four years was won by a Hereford, 1349 days old, that gave 11231 b of dressed carcase, showing •68lb of net to groas weight. The shorthorn steer awarded the champion prize 4 on foot ’ stood well in the block test; his age was 1275 days, and his dressed carcase weighed 13541 b, showing ’6Blb net to gross weight, this being the highest proportion of any beast in the show. In this test the animals are slaughtered, and when cold one side is cut up, so that tho test is a very severe one. The breeding of the animals competing in these block-test classes shows that the pure stock have no great advantage over the crossbreds. A Galloway grade is second in the class for three years and under four years. A threefourths Hereford is first in the class a year younger, and a Hereford-shorthorn grade is second. In the class over one and under two years a Hereford-shorthorn grade is first. There was one entry for steer under one year, a pedigreed Hereford 338 days old, whose dressed carcase weighed 6221 b.

It is highly satisfactory to read in the Live Stock Journal that the largest and most valuable collection of Cleveland Bay horses that ever left England in one vessel sailed from London in the end of December last by the Pakeha for Sydney. The whole consignment was- selected and shipped by Mr George M‘Cullock, of Mount Cipps, New South Wales, for Mr Philip Charley, Belmont, Bichmond. They consist of the prize stallion Freedom, the yearling colt Ingmanthorpe General, the first prize filly Belladonna, and six mares.

While Australian colonists are standing aghast at the ever-increasing hordes of rabbits, mighty in devastating power, English farmers and country dwellers are adopting new methods of rabbit-farming, promising profits before unknown (says the National Review). From the French we learn that it is possible to obtain from the rabbit a wool softer and finer than that of the sheep—wool that, apart from its beauty, is beneficial for rheumatic folks, and capable of being woven into fabrics that are of the most enduring wear, soft and dainty as lovely lady could desire.

The results of experiments carried on by the Government agricultural chemist in Victoria, to prove the value of rotation of crops and tho use of manures, are worthy of notice. Four plots were marked out, and the following yields were obtained*:—Plot 4, with complete heavy manure, gave in 1889 103 tons of dressed roots per acre, in 1890 44§ tons of dressed roots per acre, and in 1891, with the residue of : the previous year’s manure, 44<J bushels of Steinwedel wheat per acre ; plot 7> with medium manure without potash, yielded in 1889 85 tons of dressed roots per acre, in 1890 44 4-7 tons of dressed roots per acre, and in 1891, with the residue of the previous year’s manure, 38J bushels pe:r acre of Steinwedel wheat: plot 8, without manure, gave in 1889 21 tons of dressed roots por acre; in 1890 19J tons of dressed roots per acre, and in 1891 28§ bushels per acre of Steinwedel wheat. The significance of these results is shown by a comparison of yields obtained from white Tuscan wheat grown in 1891 in the same paddock, but in succession to wheat crops. With complete heavy manure the, yield was 40 bushels per acre; with medium manure, without potash, 33 bushels; and without manure, 12J bushels. It will be seen that the advantage of tho rotation of crops was especially noticeable in the case of the unmanured plots. A comparison of the rates. ..charged for freight on the railways of various colonies shows that the new rates just made in New South Wales place the farmers of that colony on a much better footing than those of any other, while the Queensland rates are the highest of all, as will be seen, from the following figures :—One hundred miles—New South Wales, 9s per ton; Victoria, 10s 6d ; South Australia, 11s 6d ; Queensland, 13s 9d ; New Zealand, 11s 7d. Two hundred miles—New South Wales, 14s 8d ; Victoria, 17s ; South Australia, 17s 9d , Queensland, 22s Id ; New Zealand, 15s 7d. Three hundred miles—New South Wales, 19s ; Victoria, 19s ; South Australia, 245; Queensland, 28s 4d; New Zealand, 19s 6d. Four hundred miles —New South Wales, 20s 8d; Victoria, ,21s Id; South Australia, 30s 3d ; Queensland, 34s 7d; New Zealand, 23s lOd. The Hawkes Bay Herald says :— 4 A remarkable instance of canine instinct has been reported to us. It appears that a sheep dog belonging to Mr J. P. Shaw, manager for Mr J. P. Bussell, Whangamoana, Lower Valley, Wairarapa, was brought by train and coach to Waipukurau, and was there missed. His owner advertised his loss, but, greatly to his astonishment, when he reached home at Whangamoana he found that the animal was already there, having journeyed a distance of 200 miles in 48 hours, and travelled over a road which he had not previously seen.’

The disease among horses known as pinkeye was very prevalent in England in January. In Accrington in one week forty horses died, and a large number died at Blackburn. Land is rising rapidly in value in the Hunterville township. On the street in which the business places seem to be locating good substantial prices are obtained for building sections. An Order -in - Council in last week’s Gazette declares the North Wairarapa subdivision of the Wellington sheep district exempt from the operation of section 67 of the Sheep Act, 1890, Mr Wm. Boss, manager of the Buakiture Station, who has had a large number of natives cutting grass seed (cocksfoot) for him this season, has saved about 700 bags—4oo of which he has sold—which is a very good record. The land from which the seed was cut was all bush a few years ago. Tho above speaks well for the fertility of our Wairoa lands sayß the Guardian. Says theTenui correspondent of the Daily : — 4 A runholder in this district hit on a novel method of exterminating rabbits. On a part of his run where the rabbits were thickest, there grew a large patch of manuka scrub covering about three hundred acres. This he had felled, and when dry collected his rabbiters, and with dogs and guns scoured the surrounding country, driving large numbers of rabbits into the fallen scrub. The wind being favourable the scrub was then fired, and the few rabbits that came out were quickly despatched. For days after hundreds of hawks were hovering over the burnt patch, a sure sign of a big slaughter. In United States disafforestation is going on rapidly. The chief drain upon the timber supply of the country is by the railways, about 73,000,000 cross-ties, or sleepers, being annually needed for the construction of new roads or the repair of existing lines. This is equivalent to about 365,000,000 cubic feet of timber. About 60,000,000 cubic feet additional is required annually for bridge and trestle work, so that a total of over 400,000,000 cubic feet of wood in the shape of round timber may be assumed to be cut every year. This requires the cutting of the best timber from probably more than 1,000,000 acres of natural forest lands, and to furnish this amount continually it is calculated that not less than from 10,000,000 to 15,000,000 acres of well-managed forest would be required. STORING ONIONS. It is often found that onions do not keep well over winter. This is because they are bo hardy that they can withstand more cold than other classes of vegetables, in fact must he kept in a colder temperature, in order that they do not sprout and start off on another season’s growth. Onions do not need freezing to keep well, but a little sometimes will not hurt them. The best facilities I have found for keeping this orop is to take them thoroughly dried from the garden to the third story of a brick building, spread them out on the floor, and let them lie there until wanted for use. But when this is not convenient I pat them in shallow boxes, and store in a loft of some shed or outbuilding, or hay mow, anywhere that they have plenty of air, without moisture, and let them remain there nntil freezing weather Bets in, when I remove them to a dry cellar. Then npon the approach of spring remove them to some dry, cool place. If the boxes used are made of lattice work, with open bottom and sides, bo much the better. The critical periods are during the warm or even mild and damp spells in the autumn and spring; at such times they should not be in close barrels nor warm cellars. Perhaps cold storage would be advisable, in fact, I believe this would be good policy with onion sets, which usually bring a high price, and are often seriously damaged by being sprouted. It is a-mistaken idea that an onion with a long green sprout will do for transplanting, either for seeds or for greens, and I doubt not that half the onions put upon the market, in this vicinity at least, are damaged by being sprouted. Hence the need of knowing how to store and keep them.—O. Moffet in Germantown Telegraph. THE TYPE OF A GOOD FEEDER. The type of cattle that will never disappoint reasonable expectations is the opposite of the narrow-chested kind. This is a settled principle in the case of the farm beast, as much so as it is that to be able to show power and speed the locomotive must have an ample fire-box and boiler. Bight here we come upon an important principle in breading, one that should not be lost sight of where the purpose is to build up an improved stock of grade animals. This is that preference should always be given to the sows and heifers showing ample development of respiratory and digestive organs. A breeder may afford to discount freely in other directions —r that is to say, if he has a guarantee of good digestive and assimilative powers, and the vigorous constitution that generally accompanies these qualities, ho can afford to abate somewhat on the outward formation, because this can readily be improved whenever he has the former as a foundation to build upon. It is vastly easier to bring up the outward aontour to any standard desired than it is to breed in constitution and large vital organs where these essentials are lacking.

The outward shape required in a feeder can, as experience has often shown, be secured in quite a respectable degree in one cross, provided always that a deeply.bred and symmetrical male animal is used in making the cross. The slow progress made by many men in their efforts to grade np comes mainly from losing sight of the fact that no reasonably rapid progress can be made in any snob undertaking through using any other than a purely.bred male.- A half-blood as stated, may be changed greatly in form, showing a marked improvement over the dam from which it came ; but there is no guarantee that it will duplicate itself when used as a sire. The chances are heavily

against anv duplication ; because, used upon a scrub now, Rod itself being half scrub, there are three-quarters of low breeding, and altogether of inferior characteristic, to coufiend against one quarter of improved blood recently introduced. This ie a zigzag mode Of full of variable tendencies, and all efforts made in this way will, as they have heretofore, fail to accomplish the result desired. . When it is considered that daring the dark ages, a period extending over some six centuries, domestic animals were in the hands of serfs, and a more ignorant and Unambitious class has never existed, it is eafiy to comprehend why no improvement Was made, and why an ox could be bonght for ?s., a cow for 55., a hog for Is lOJd., and a sheep for Is 2d: The farmers and breeders having daring the period since the improve, meat of modern times began, hod the fixed low characteristics (implanted upon live stock daring the period mentioned to contend against. This is why unimproved blood ro federally prevails, and is so hard to eradicate. scrub beast has that quality which we so often insist the irfiprbv.ea animals should possess, namely, the qualities that.cbmh oiily through a long line of descent from ancestors possessing uniform characteristics. So it is well to accept these facts of history that we may the more readily understand our position as improvers of what we may have on hand needing improvement. In view of these facts meu of the dullest comprehension should be able to realise at a glance why it is that they oannot improve a scrub with a scrub, or one that has an appreciable amount of scrub blood in h ; s veins. To make haste slowly Is an excellent admonition as to many things, but it would be a great mistake to apply it to the improvement of cattle it is proposed to feed for market, because time is the essence of success—that is to say, that delays in growth and in taking on a marketable Condition eat away all possible Chances for making any profit. Profit conies only with the symmetrically-formed and rapid growers, j those soonest ready for market, as in the case of all such animals of the highest type, the period for feeding is short: On such as yield no profit the period of feeding is usually too protracted, and formation none of the best, There is no location where the itl.formed steer will command a good price, it matters not how remote the location or how near to c leading market. If remote, then the home demand is, as a rule, light, and no one will pay other than the lowest figure, even for good meat j certainly only the lowest for inferior stuff. Hence, as recently Stated in the Journal, there is no place for an ill-formed and slow-going steer except in the can—that is, no other place where he will yield a profit, but bear in miud that the breedet and feeder get none of this. Only the packer makes money out of this description of cattle. SMUT IN WHEAT. From experiments made at Perdue University, Jjalayette, Indiana, U.S.A., the practical conclusions arrived at from careful experiment and observation, show the importance of attention to the following considerations, to secure the highest success in wheat culture : A fertile well drained soil. Rotation of crops with stable manure } or, in place of the latter, green manuring, with commercioal fertilisers that show good results. Early thorough preparation of the seed bed. A hardy prolific variety of wheat, suited to the soil and climate. A liberal quantity of seed, deposited evenly and not too deep in the soiL- Sound, plump seed, absolutely free from all impurities, including the invisible spores or germs of black and stinking smut, sometimes called * bunt. 9 The destruction of smut spores, says the Bulletin, is easily effected, and every farmer who has smutted wheat should treat at least two or three bushels to ensure an abundance of pure seed next year. The copper sulphate or , ‘ blue stone ’ process and the ‘ hot water 9 method were both tried on oat seed last spring with entirely satisfactory results in destroying the'smut. The latter method is preferred, as it does not retard germination.' . - - . •

If wheat to be used for seed is sußpeoted of containing any germs of smut, it should be put through a treatment with copper sulphate (blue vitrol or blue stone, but not copperas, which ia a different substance and ineffective), or’with hot water. The copper sulphate treatment consists in dipping the seed into a solution of lib to lgal of water, letting it remain five minutes with constant stirring to wet the grain evenly, and then Bpreading on a floor to dry, or shovelling over with the addition of land plaster or slaked lime until dry. Professor William E. Latta states the manner of preparing grain. It will be seen to differ materially from the old way of treatment for smut by cold solution. The following is the method as given below : In treating oat seed last spring, we used cold rain water with lib of copper sulphate to one gallon of water. A common wash tub was filled about two thirds full with water, and enough finely powdered copper sulphate put In to give the strength just stated. A bushel of seed was put into a coffee sack, any sack made of coarse open cloth will do, tied near the top of the sack, and immersed five minutes in the copper sulphate solution, turning and kneading the sack so as to thoroughly wet all the seed. The sack was then placed on bars at the top of the tub to drain a minute, after which the seed was laid thinly on au airy floor. The process Was repeated with another bushel of seed, and so on until enough has been treated. To hasten the drying and prevent much swelling of the seed, it was dusted heavily and repeatedly with laud plaster (pulverised, air slacked lime will answer as well), and mixed thoroughly. It is as well to continue the stirring every few minutes for a few hours, and if the seed can be exposed! meanwhile in the sun, or to a good current ol: air, so much the better. As each bushel will take up a part of the solution, it must be replenished from time to time, adding both water and copper sulphate in the proper proportions. Be sure that the copper sulphate is finely powdered, or the solution will he too weak at first, and too strong toward the last. A man and boy can treat six or eight bushels of seed in an hoar.

In treating with hot water we filled two wash tubs, each about two thirds full keeping No 1 at 125 deg to 130 deg F., and No 2 at 130 deg to l3sdeg F. (The present season’s results show that the water iu tub No 2 should have been kept nearly sdeg hotter.—The seed enclosed in a sack as in copper Sulphate treatment Was immersed in tub No 1, then drained a few seconds and immersed five minutes in tdb No 2. Thei first tub was used simply to warm the seed and prevent reducing the temperatare below ISOdeg in the second tub. The seed was spread and dried as in the treatment with oopper sulphate. Care must be taken to add hot water from time to time to maintain the proper temperature.

SAND AS A BEDDING FOR HORSES: White sand IS a valuable aWpoybent of urine, it is cooling to,the horses’ feet; and may be moistened to remove the feverishness of tender feet, and even relieves the heat and tenderness of founder. It prevents staining of the coat of light colored or white horses, and it is an admirable means of thoroughly gleaning the legs and feet by rubbing it up and down in handfuls. It gives a smooth and uniform surface for.the horse to lie upon. An iron-toothed rake readily remov'US litter and droppings, while a few handfuls of clean saud renews the bedding. LUNG WORM. The following is said to be a suoceßful onre for lung worm. Ic is largely used in Waikato Ingredients.—Horehound, green soap, sulphate of iron and turpentine. Taise one eighth part of a buoketfull of chopped, horehound, to which add one foiiith of a blicket of water, and then boil down to One eighth of a bucket} add one bucket of water, then strain. In this dissolve lib. 2o«. soap and sulphate of iron j add one quart of turpentine. Mix all together, then bottle and keep until required for use. It ia well to use the mixture shortly after it is prepared. Dose*—-joz to IoA upon an empty stomach, (7ard the sheep over night). If necessary repeat dose every other day ; but as a rule tWo doses Will be sufficient, v , : TEETH. The Smithffeld club (Eng.) has issued the following code of dentition - Cattle having their central permanent incisors Out will be considered as exceeding 1 year and 6 months. Cattle having their Central incisors fully Up will be considered as exceeding 1 year and 9 months. Cattle having their second pair of permanent incisors fully up will be considered ns exceeding 2 years and 3 months. Cattle having their third pair of permanent incisors cut will be considered as exceeding 2 years and 8 months. Cattle having their fourth pair (corner) of permanent incisors fully up, and their interior molar showing signs of wear, will be considered as exceeding 3 years. Sheep having their central permanent incisors cut will be considered as exceeding 10 months. Sheep having their, central permanent incisors fully up will be considered as exceeding 12 months. Sheep having their third pair of permanent incisors ant will be considered as exceeding 19 months. Sheep having their third pair of permanent incisors fully.,up, and the temporary molars Bhed, will be considered as exceeding 2 years. Sheep having their permanent oorner inoisors fully up, and showing marks of wear, will be considered as exceeding 3 years. : ADVANTAGES OF ROTATION. . Mr. T. J. Willis, superintendent of Sir J. 8., Lawe’s experiments at Rothamstead, speaks as follows upon the important subject of rotation :— * We see, therefore, that the economy of growing a rotation of orops. is due to the special functions peformed by the. different crops. We have, first, the corn orops, which possess the remarkable power of obtaining a supply of food from an ordinary unmanured soil, and also of growing npon the same soil for very long, periods. They derive their nitrogen from the soil, chiefly in the form of nitrates ; and although the crops do not carry off large quantities, they are indirectly responsible for a great loss of nitrogen, owing to the early period of the year at-which they cease to take up nitrates' from the soil. The root crops, on the other hand, oan obtain vary little food from an nnmatnred jsoil, and are largely dependent upon a' supply in manuie, especially of phosphates. But they also taka.large quantities of nitrogen from the soil, chiefly as nitrates ; and owing to their growth taking place in the summer and autumn, more nitrates are formed in the soil and taken up.by the crops, and there is less loss than with the corn orops. As cleaning crops also .the value of roots is very great, especially to the corn crops. The legumin. ous crops, and especially those which are sown with corn crops, such as red and white clover, are great restorers of fertility, although there - is still wanting a clear proof that, under the ordinary conditions of agriculture these crops obtain their nitrogen from the atmosphere. By sending their roots deep into the subsoil, and covering the laud with green vegetation for so long a period, they are able to collect large amounts of food not available to corn crops, the effects of which we find in the increased fertility of our surface soils.’ TO CALM EXCITED HORSES. The best and only thing to do when your horse is excited is to calm him. In a high state of excitement the horse does not comprehend what is wanted of him. Every one has seen a team when one horse would go backward and the other one forward, or, in other words, ‘saw.’ All the whipping and ‘ hollering ’ that a dozen men can do will not start such a team once in a hundred times. The team is excited, and it shows that by every action, and lashing and loud talk only make matters worse. Try to calm the horse by gentle words and actions. Time will he saved if a half hour is taken to soothe the refractory horse. An excited horse is just like an excited child. We have seen a child scolded and jawed at until it could not comprehend what waß wanted of it to save its life. Stop scolding, and calm the child, and the work you desire of it will soon be done. It is idle to expect an animal to do your bid-

r ding so long as it cannot understand what you want done. Two-thirds of the horses that are termed balky are made so by their drivers. A man must understand the disposition of his horse, and be governed accordingly. Another prolific source of excitement to a nervous horse is the orercheck, in all its varied forms. Some have a small extra bit on the overcheck, and that and the bridle-bit is forced into the horse’s mouth at the same time. This quite often frets the animal, and when he starts off is sometimes inclined to aot bad, and the Whip is used on him to make him act better, which too often makes matters a gfeat deal worse. Then the horse becomes excited and often balks, and often gains the reputation of being a chronic * stayer.’ No horse is naturally balky, but is in every case made so by excitable owners as drivers. Excitement in the horse takes various forms. Some are sullen and morose, while other's! ate nervous and jerky. It is seldom that a cool, quiet nbfatt; One that can. govern his own temper, ever has & fractious or ■ nervous horse to contend with. Horsed liiWfl instinctive reasoning faculties, which are in a great measure controlled by their own drivers. FROZEN MUTTON IMPORTS IN 1890. The imports of frozen mutton in 1890 amounted to over three million carcases, being fifteen times as many as in the year' 1883* for example. As new vessels have lately been fitted up for the express purpose of plying between England on the one side and New Zealand and the River Plate on the other, it is calculated that our imports during 1891 will be nearly half as much again as those for the past year. There is an uncomfortable feeling in the trade that supplies are likely to be excessive next year, partly because of the arrangements made for increased imports, but also because the weight as well as the number of sheep in the United Kingdom has increased in consequence of the abundant supply of good feed secured last summer. Imports of frozen mutton are estimated at a quarter of the whole supply, and inasmuch as our native flocks are largely consumed locally, it may be supposed that cities liko London and Liverpool consume unwittingly nearly as much imported frozen mutton as native mutton.— Mark Laue Express. IMPORTANT SALES. Messrs Freeman R. Jackson &Co. announce on another page an important sale of .Valuable farm properties. They have.,been instructed by Mr G-. Hutchison, M.H.R., to dispose of his well known farms, five, in number,’situated near Waverley in the Wanganui, district on Wednesday, the 22nd'df April. The farms vary in size from, about 80 acres to about .400. Around Waverley is some of the finest agricultural land in the North Island and the choice selections made by Mr: should induce buyers from all. parts of the Colony to secure such eligible positions. <

CANTERBURY A. AND P. ASSO- - CIATION (PEE PRESS ASSOCIATION Christchurch, March 19. The annnal meeting of the_ Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association was held tonight, The annual report stated that the total number of entries for the show this year was 1429, against 1448 the previous year ; L61119s was awarded in money prizes, as well as a number of champion gold and silver medals and hooks. The private prizes amounted to L 223 13s. There are 141 life members and 469 annual members. A sufficient number of farmers not coming forward for the proposed farm competition for 1890-1 the Committee had been compelled to abandon the project. The cash accounts showed the receipts for the past year to have been L 3109 18s and the payments L 3261 18s 6d. The actual deficit for the year is LSO 8s 6d, most of which, however, has now been collected. Mr .S. Garforth was elected President for the ensuing year. The Committee were instructed to take most energetic steps towards promoting the establishment of public abbatoirs.

The annual Ram Fair, held under the auspices of the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association on the now show grounds to-day, was very successful. There was a large attendance of buyers and breeders from all parts of the Colony. Over 3200 rams were entered, principally Lincolns, English and Border Leicesters. The sale of Lincolns was not good as compared with the past five years, sheep bringing on an average of ten shillings less than last. year. There was a keen demand for English and border Leicesters, which all sold, the prices ranging from 2 to 7 guineas, the greater number bringing 3to 4 guineas. There was a small entry of Shropshire Downs, and they met with keen demand, every sheep selling at much higher rates than have ever ruled here. Up to 14$ guineas was paid for two 2-tooth rams. The sale of Romney Marsh and merino sheep was unimportant. THE CANTERBURY FROZEN MEAT COMPANY. Christchurch, March 20. At the annual meeting of the Canterbury Frozen Meat Company, held to-day, the report showed a balance to the credit of the profit and loss account of L32i5 4s 6d. A 10 per cent dividend was passed, and L 215 4s 6d carried forward to the new account. During the year 37,556 head of sheep, lambs, and cattle had been slaughtered at the works, besides a number of pigs- The Directors intend making special provision for bacon curing. The report stated that the new department for the conversion of fat into tallow had been a great success.