AGRICULTURAL JOTTINGS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 996, 3 April 1891, Page 20

AGRICULTURAL JOTTINGS.

The decision of the United States Government to admit partly prepared rabbit skins into America free of duty may to some extent encourage the destruction of rabbits in Australia.

A very important sale of stud shorthorn cattle, the property of Mr Samuel Gardiner, of Bundoora, Park near Melbourne, takes place on Tuesday, the 14th inst. The herd numbers 115 head of females and ten head of bulls. This famous Brunswick herd is well-known to all breeders throughout the colonies, and no doubt there will be a large at tendance of buyers at the sale, which will be conducted by Edward Trencliard & Go.

A Wimmera (Victoria) farmer has recently gathered in the whole of his harvest, which was sown, and reaped, and stacked on co-operative principles, every hand sharing with the employer the risk and the gain. The fact that all are satisfied, and that the men have got infinitely better terms for their labour than they would have secured by wages, may serve as an inducement to unite in similar arrangements in future.

It is a popular fallacy that if a waggon has the greater part of the load placed over the forward wheels the strain on the team is considerably eased. Probably nine out of every ten farmers and teamsters believe in this traditional practice, which they know by experience is the correct thing. It is true that the closer the load is to the team the more easily it will draw—if it is a log on the ground ; but put it on wheels, and be the road smooth or rough, hard or soft, it makes little difference. If anything a long tongue gives the team an advantage on rough roads.

Bonedust, raw, if applied in considerable quantity, say 4001 b to 5001 b per acre, will last for years. The finer it is ground the sooner it will be decomposed. About 2001 b per acre is the usual amount applied. Upon grass-lands—pasture already seeded—sow broadcast and it will gradually give up its solvent matter to the soil. For land to be seeded, sow after ploughing, and harrow thoroughly into the soil before sowing the grass. Grass seeds should not be dragged in as we understand the term, in the seeding of grain. Reduce the soil to fine tilth after ploughing, sow the grass seed, and cover lightly with a bush drag or a smoothing harrow, and then roll the soil down smooth.

While the average yield of potatoes in the United States this year is given by tbe Department of Agriculture is only 57J bushels per acre, an offer of prizes by the American Agriculturist for heavy crops has brought to light some cases of extraordinary productiveness. The first prize, £IOO, was won by a farmer in Wyoming, who, it is said, raised no less than 974 bushels on a single acre of virgin soil. The profit on this acre, apart from prizes, was £143. The land was rich in potash, and copiously irri gated by water containing much saline material.

The Stock-Keeper announces that Sir Bedivere, the famous champion St Bernard, has been sold by Mr T. H. Green, of Thorndale, Wallasey, Cheshire, to Mr E. B. Sears, oF Wyoming Kennels, Melrose, Massachusetts, for £I3OO, a higher price than has ever before been paid for a single dog. MiGreen had formerly refused £I6OO for Sir Bedivere.

In the bar parlour of the Golden Lion Inn at Newmarket, England, is a picture of a horse that died in its 62 nd year, while its owner, Mr Harrison, was 75. .... This is probably the same animal as that referred to in Youatt’s work on the horse. A Russian cob that had for many years done work for successive Bishops of Salisbury, died at the age of 48, and it is on. record that a horse, wounded at the battle of Preston in 1715, lived on till 1758. How do Australian records compare with these?

Cast-off brewers’ horses are sold in London at £3O per head.

Mr Riddel, the proprietor of the celebrated Blackhall stud, in Renfrewshire, has recently sold, in one lot, to an American dealer, no fewer than 60 pedigree Clydesdales.

There is a great demand for sheep in the Havelock district, in the Marlborough province. A mob of 1000 passed through Havelock last week for the West Coast, via Nelson.

In January a serious fire took place at the College of Agriculture, Downton. The domestic offices , were burnt, but the lecture rooms, laboratories, library, and the greater number of the rooms in the older portion of the college were saved. The college classes were only checked for a few days.

The cocksfoot harvest in Akaroa Peninsula is a big thing. An estimate for this year is 36,000 sacks, or over 5000 less than last year. In 1886 the product was 57,652 sacks. The same calculator reckons there will be a shortage of 17,200 sacks this year, as compared with last year, for all New Zealand.

Anglo-Australian writes:—Yet ano ther important consignment of roller flour-mill machinery is going out to Sydney. The machinery includes quite a number of 4 roller mills, and is being despatched consequent on the stock of Messrs Rhodes and Co., of Sydney (agents for Mr Henry Simon, of Manchester), being well-nigh cleared out.

Hop-picking is now in full swing in Nelson, where this year four or five hundred acres will be picked. The crops are good all round, and owing to shortage in Europe and America inquiries have already been made from Home for the New Zealand crop. One hop journal estimates the world’s consumption at 1,689,000 cwt., and the crop of 1890 at only 1,044,08 )cwt.

South Australia is already droughty. The South Australian Chronicle says : Complaints about scarcity of water are increasing in number, and the desire for a change in the weather is consequently becoming more general. The almost total absence of rain this year and the extraordinarily cool summer we have had are giving rise to some anxiety, these conditions being regarded by many as probably indicating a diy autumn and winter.

Fires in corn mills are but too common, and this is well shown by the annual table of these fires in the United States and Canada in 1890, published in the American Miller. In all there were 315 mills so destroyed, the total losses being £850,420, of which £329,613 only was covered by insurance. In 14 cases the loss was over £IO,OOO, and in 125 cases over £2OOO. The largest number of fires in any month (38) took place in April, and the smallest number (17) in October.

The method of treating wine by electricity, which was devised by M. Do Meritens, a well-known French electrician, has been tried at the works of MM. Pollet, Bercy. The wine is passed through a small tube containing silver discs connected with the poles of an alternating current dynamo giving 25 volts. The current destroys the ferments in the wine, thus enabling it to keep better. Some Algerian light wines cannot be exported owing to these ferments ruining in it, but the process will cure this defect.

Nelsons’ freezing works at Tomoana are to be enlarged and improved. A Napier paper says improvements and enlargements are continually going on, and yet the firm cannot keep pace with the increase of their business. The present engines in use are all to be removed, and the engine-room and boilerhouse will be filled with engines about double the size of those now in use. The boilers will be removed to another site adjoining that where they now stand. A few years ago it was thought a wonderful sight to see those five Cornish boilers in a row, but they will be as shadows compared with those that are to take their place. The alterations will, roughly estimated, mean an r, expenditure ..af ..from £25,000 to £30,000. £36 per day is the little bill for firewood alone, and this will be doubled when the alterations are completed.

AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION. IVe now 808 a vast diffiereooe bctweon the educated farmer and he who plods along in the good old ways of his forefathers, AH around the former are evidences of prosperity. His profits, enchanced by the application of science, are larger and enable him to surround himself with all that convenience or taste may prompt. The other labours on —each saooeedihg year finds him where its pfedbcSsaor left him, arid after the toils or a, long life he has rhadfe blit little progress- - for his industry has been applied lh such amanner as to secure the smallest results. What makes the successful lawyer so efficant in his profession ? It is because he has spent years of time and thousands of dollars In making himself thoroughly acquainted with all its principles and details. Let a man attempt to pursue the profession who is ignorant of the law and he would, of course, fail. Let him be but slightly acquainted with it and his business and his profits would be small. So in regard to the ofch*T professions and the mechanical trades. Those engaged in them must know hour to do the work before they can do it. \\ by should it be different in the case of the farmer? It is true, almost any man can plant a potato, or a field of corn, and may possibly get ia fait crop, even if ignorant Of the first principles of any science, but the soil must be favourable or he cannot. If it refuse to yield its nutrition and cause tiro grain to grow, he cannot compel it. The only alternative left for him is to abandon it. But let him foe versed in so entitio agriculture and the difficulty vanishes- Perverse soils yield readily, and obey commands Science unlocks their treaeures and they p-.ur them forth, and the cultivator is enriched. The time has come when he must understand his business, and be able to give a teason fdt what he does. The field will retaliate hi 3 neglect or abase by witholdiug the rioh products which he otherwise might secure : and the sterile aspect of many a farm iu the older portions of our country—once ricti and productive —furnishes & proof, botl# of the violence which has been offered to nature, and the retributive vengeance, with which she resents the abuse of her prerogatives. This demand _ for mechanical BkTll, for an intimate acquaintance with the laws and reconrees of nature, and the plain instructions of a rational and practical philosophy, is increasing upon us every year and every day. It is our duty to meet it. We must meet it, in order to secure increasing and permanent prosperity. We should encourage the desire, and famish the means by which to gratify the aspirations of those who wish to become msrters of whatever pursuit or calling in life they may chose to select.—Sacramento Themis. CARING FOR THE SOILMany farmers neglect entirely to enrich their lands by furnishing the nutriment to essential to cereal or plant growth. The smaller species of vegetable are generallycalled plants, but Webster says plant, in its most general sense, * comprehends all vegetables, trees, shrubs, herbs, grasses,’etc. All lands need some rest and fertilizing, except lands Which are subject to overflow, which are fertilized by the water depositing fine particles of earth (i.e., new soil or vegetable substances. Thus the water does the work for that kind of land which you must do at some time to lands not subject to such physical influences. Because some farmers have grown, (on uncommonly rich soil) wheat for years, sncaesfnlly, is no reason why you should expect you can do the same thing on a land of common richness, and not on land able to hold its prolificness beyond the ordinary power of continuance. On such a extremely fertile Boil as would produce the same crop annually for a number of years, there was sufficient sustenance restored by the straw and roots not taken off with the cron, to maintain its power of producing. But rest assured, whatever is taken off the soil in its greatest abundance by the removal of a crop each year, must in some way, sooner or later, be restored or replaced, or else the production of that hind of a crop will greatly fall off each year and its prolificness for that kind of a crop may terminate. The working or the employment of the soil does it good, but it must be fed, like man who, whiie at work or employed, must be Supplied with necessarits to keep up a good and strong constitution j for what is exhausted most from the physical strength of man by action or exertion, mnst be renewed. So, also, there must be restitution to the soil, of whatever {outside of the supply of the elements—water, air, etc.) has been exhausted from it, so abundantly, while pro ducing any specific crop. It must be restored or returned, in order to maintain the strength necessary for another yield. Time and experience have proved the above assertion. If any tillers of the soil up to the present time, from your own experience or observance, are not able to concur in the opinion above written, but dissent, a little more study and experience in husbandry will undoubtedly cause you to concur. SOUTHDOWN SHEEPIt has long been a settled eonviction with sheep raisers in England, say s Phil Tlmfton in the Breeders’ Gazette, that there is more proGt in producing mutton than in growing wool- American farmers who handle sheep are rapidly coming to the same belief. Even the breeders of Merino sheep are constrained, because of the growing demand for mutton, to claim that their favourites are sheep of more than ordinary merit as mutton producers. This seems the more remarkable considering the well-known fact that the Merino lias been bred almost exclusively t hese many years lor wool alone —so exclusively, indeed, that individual fleeces have in some instances been said to exceed in weight. the carcasses from which they were taken. Although merit in some degree, as mutton producers, may be found in each of the known breeds, none can excel in this respect the Downs, or blackfaced breeds of sheep ; and among these, for mutton of the highest quality, rich, tender, well-flavoured, and nicely marbled —that .is, having the lean fairly well intermingled with the fat —the Southdown has always been awarded the first place of honour.

Were it not for certain qualities in which others of the Downs are preferred, the Southdown would to day be holding the ground alone against the heavy-fleeced, long-woolled sheep —the Cotswolds, the Leicesters, and the Lincolns. To meet these in size and in woolproducing as well, and yob retain the valuablo mutton qualities of the pure-bred Southdown, lei to t*he development of the Oxford, the Shropshire, the Hampshire, and other Downs —all crosses in various degrees of the Long-, wools and the Soutlidowns, or remote docendaiita of the latter. In going, however, after even the best of these, we discover ourselvbs following the Will o’ the wisp, having lost sight of that fine quality in mutton found onlv in the pure-bred Southdown. In the purity of its breeding no other of Qur domestic animal stands higher than the Southdown sheep. The differences of typo shown in the different flocks is duo more to change of feed and pasture than to change of blood or breed. As by change of treatment the Southdown is found to vary somewhat in typo, so also ban it been made to improve in size. To the late Jonas Webb was given the credit of having brought them to average 201 b to 251 b per quarter at 12 months old, and that without the loss of uny of the fine quality of mutton. Since then, lambs have been fattened to 251 b per quarter at nine months old. Great as has "been the improvement made in this direction, greater yet is possible ; and that, too, by keeping strictly within the lines of pure breeding. In bis history of Southdown sheep (see Yol. I. of the ‘ American Southdown Record’), Mr Henry Wood says that the first and greatest point is to maintain extreme purity, to allow no cross to diminish the inestimable value of purity of blood. He says also that the direction in which improvement in Southdown sheep is desirable is in uniformity of character, strength of constitution, excellence of Wool, development of symmetrical form, mutton producing properties, smallness of bone as compared with weight of meat, yet, not ouch smallness as to prevent the. carrying tff ah increased amount of flesh. In view of such expressions from so noted a breeder as JVIi Wood, is it not right that the American Southdown Association should exercise the utmost care to have the pedigrees of imported Southdown sheep well authenticated ? Animals coming direct from the Webb, Walsingham, and other well-known flocks, may no doubt be safely admitted to registry on the same terms as American-bred sheep, but when, as an insurance against the admission of impurely-bred animals, the Association is compelled to gather for itself by correspondence the necessary evideuce of purity, we see there is good reason for a higher entry fee in the registry of imported sheep. It is only in the sense of protection against, errors, impositions, or frauds, that this higher rate is charged. The American Association has said it will repeal the bighrute rule as soon os English breeders establish among themselves a flock-book of Southdown sheep. My opinion is the rule will be rescinded if the leading English breeders will only agree on a committee whose duty it shall be to pass on all pedigrees of imported Southdown sheep presented for registry in the ‘ American Record.’ Since English breeders have insisted so strenuously on purity of breeding in these sheep they will best serve their own interests by giving the American Association what it asks for. THE CHICAGO LIVE STOCK TRADE IN 1890. The annual reports on the business done in theTTnion Stockyards.in Chicargo in 1890 are now coming to hand in this country, So far as cattle are concerned, the year was not a satisfactory one, although the total number ao ld—3,484,280 head —was the largest on record. These numbers are 460,999 in excess of 1889, and 872,737 oyer 1888. The great excess in numbers was in tae last six .months, and with it came a heavy drop in prices.- For export cattle the market got into quite a panic, owing to the disastrous effect of the dock strike in England, and prices declined from Is 8d to 2s Id per 1001 b. Shippers to England, however, lost heavily, one shipment having sold here at £1 per head less than was paid for the animals at Chicago. With the beginning of the new year trade is better, however, and prices are about as they were a year ago—viz, 17s to 22s per 100 lb. Butchers’ ‘ bears’ have been an over supply during the year, the result being that during the months of August and September best grades sold as low asfrom 7s to 9s per 1001 b—a ruinous price. Values are now 9s to Ils per 1001 b, or about Is less than a year ago. For ‘canners’ the supplies have been the largest and the prices the lowest on record. Large numbers of cows and heifers sold at from 2s 8d to 4s per 1001 b, and price's are still 2s lower than a year ago. So far as hogs ave concerned, large supplies and low prices have been the rule during the year. During the greater proportion of the year values ranged below 2d per lb, the bulk of the sales being made at from 14s 6d to 15s 3d per 1001 b, or from Is 8d to 2s 8d lower than in 1889. In all 7,063,825 head were sold. Of sheep 2,182,667 head were received, and for good sorts there lias been a fair trade, but too big a number of inferior sorts has spoilt the market. In May as much as 26s per 1001 b was paid for really good sheep, but since then prices have somewhat decreased. In the above values the quotations are for live-weight-stock. THE VALUE OF HARROWING. The farmer learns by experience that the repeated harrowiDg found necessary in seedingin grain, especially wheat, and in preparing the ploughed seed field for sowing are not so much needed for dividing and opening the soil a 3 for making it compact—‘firming’ it, a 3 gardeners and florists say. 1 he hoeing or cultivating of the around about growing plants is, however, not to compact it, for it has little or none of that effect, nor of loosening or dividing it, for it merely pares or slices the surface, leaving this paring often in large crusts. Nor is it specially to let air in, for air will follow at any rate, wherever water dries or leaches oat to make room and way for it. Why then do we hos, or how does hoeing so greatly promote growth of plants ? One evident reason is to suppress all weed growth, but it is found

I highly useful where there are no weeds at all living, and the reason of this other mysterious line of "ood Bervice is that it secures more constant and better supply of the moisture indispensable to the feeding roots—the most active and healthful of which are near the surface, where the moat and the ‘ beat cooked ’ food for the slants is naturally to be found. Wo say • naturally ’ because nature always places and keeps it there, while man too often displaces it, and even buries it cut of reach of the warmth needed fitly to pro pare it. By hoeing—stirring the surfaceyon out off the fine capilliary ohaunels by which the moisture rises to the extreme surface, and those crusts and broken pieces that you have loft on tho soil act as a iiml.h* retaining the moisture below for uea of the the feeding roots, as a means for them to continue receiving and conveying foo 1 for the plant. Where you have pressed the ground firmly into place with your foot the capillarity is restored, and there you see the soil dark with moisture, which is being evaporated, just as on the unhoed soil. Frequent stirring of the surface is necessary because every fall of rain compacts the surface again, and wo must again cut off the capillarity— the means by which the soil water passes upto be absorbed ob vapour in the hot air of the summer day. We find hoeing in the early morning does ti e most good, and has long been observed. It is because the heat of the day is prevented from drinking so largely of tho ascending water laden with plant food, which if not prevented by the mulch of loose dry surface, will escape, leaving its solutions of food behind it, wautefully drying on the surface until another rain comes to carry them back to where is is possible for the roo:s to get them. THE BUTTER AND CHEESE TRADE. LIVERPOOL AS A PORT FOR NEW ZEALAND PRODUCE. The following important letter has been receivede by Mr R. W. Yorke from Messrs Boyd and Grant, of Liverpool, and has been placed at the disposal of the Christchurch Press for publication :-=-=• W. R. Yorke, Esq , Christchurch. Dear Sir —On account of the miserable manner in which the London dock companies do their business, we think the colony ought to bestir itself in getting the liners to put on a fortnightly vessel to Liverpool. We have had great trouble with the dock companies in getting delivery of our goods. The London merchants, we understand, have had meetings with the Chamber of Commerce, and the latter body have tried to bring pressure on the dock companies with a view of getting delivery of our goods discharged from tho steamers quicker than they are at present. Now with reference to butter, this delay is a very vital Bubject. Presuming the dock companies take which they do) 14 days to unload their steamers, the butrer that hits been kept in a cool chamber during the voyage, when the cool chamber is opened and the butter is unloaded at a slow rats it beoomes sad and loses its quickness in flavour ; moreover, the butter that arrives in March that is subject to these delays of 14 to 15 days, not ouly loses its freshness but losi a 10s to 20s in market value on account of the new butter coming in from the Continent. With reference to the cheese busineis, that branch of dairy produce is still very badly CArri&d on* Out of tnreo shipments we have had from New Zealand lalerly, tvio of them have been froz9D, thus entailng a loss of 10s to 15s per owt to the producer. It may be that the buyer who does not understand frozen cheese will be deceived, and on tion pay mere than its value. The offset of frost on cheese causes it when put on the counter to fall away under the knife like so. muoh chicken feed, the curd being disintegrated and returning to the same form as it leaves the vat, with this exception, that it is harder, brittle and sour, and instead of tasting like cheese it tastes like sour bread. This a great injury to tho cheeoe producers of tho colony, and, in consideration of the excessive freights on dairy produce, surely tho steamship companies ought to give some guarantee as to the protection of the merchandico iu transit. With further reference to Liverpool as a port for New Zealand produce, the goods that arrive per steamer to this port are invariably on the quay within 48 hours of the steamers arrival. For instance a steamer that arrives from America on the Morday has her goods unloaded on the Tuesday and on Tuesday afternoon we are enablod in all cases to distribute our consignments to our customers. There is also a big population in the immediate vicinity of Liverpool whioh ought to be fed with colonial produce. _ . Another point we wish to point out is, that in view of the dairy produce from Australia and New Zealand going to Loudon, that market ia over well supplied, whereas what New Zealand goods come north have to pay a very high rail freight.— Y/o remain, yours truly, Boyd and Grant. 20 and 22 Mathew street, Liverpool, January 21, 1891 THE HORSE. WHEN TO BREED YOUNG- FILLIES. There is quite a different opinion among breeders as to the proper time to commence breeding fillies. . We have lmd considerable experience during the past fifteen years iu breeding mares, having bred a large number during that time, both for ourselves and those who patronised the stallions we have kept for public service. We have always advocated breeding the fillies at two year old, if it is the intention to breed them at all, as in our opinion they will foal their- first cott when three years old with less danger to themselves than when four or five years old, for the following reasons—the mare not being so fully matured as at four or five years old her bones and muscles are not so firmly knit, hence will give more readily ; also the foal of the three-year-old mare will generally be smaller at birth, thereby lessening tho danger of the mare having trouble. Wo have never known a three-year-old mare to have trouble in foaling, although we have known quito a number of fine mares being lost by not being able to foal their first colt when five to seven years old.

Two-year-old fillies should not be bred too early in the season; it would be better to have them foal in July than before grasß comes in the spring, as they will do far better if they can have a run on the grass a month or moro before foaling. We believe that mares that have their first colts at three years make better and more regular breeders, and in our opinion the breeder who allows a two-year-old to run over without being stinted to a well-bred, matured stallion is losing valuable time. Wo say breed the fillies to matured stallions, for iu breeding horses, as with all other kinds of stock, if young, immature females the stock will rapidly degenerate into more scrubs. —National Horse Breeder. DR- KOCH ON RABBITS. Professor Anderson Stewart in an interview with the Berlin correspondent of the The Times, thus summarises his conversation with Dr. Kocli about tho Australian rabbit pest: —‘ I asked him definitely to take the matter on himself, but ho at once said that he would not. I then asked him if he would allow tho Australian Governments to send to Berlin Eome fit representative to work as long as necessary under his direction. He again said “ No,” for if he had to supervise the work and give advice, he might as well do it himself. Ho said he know there were infectious diseasos, for he had himself seen them, and he believed that it was merely a matter of two or threo years’ work for competent bacteriologists if they would take up the matter and work at it intensely, doing nothing elso. The diseases occurred from time to time in various parts of Germany, France, and Russia, and ho had known the rabbits in his own laboratory simply swept away by them. Someone must be ready to deal immediately with the diseases when thoy appear, and one must observe nature and not try to master her. He knew that the disease affected not rabbits only, but also hares, and they spread from animal to animal as truly infectious diseases, without any inoculation whatever. He does not think that the offer of a prize for the discovery of a disease which shall-satisfy such-and-such conditions is a good mode of procedure, but would strongly advise the Australian Governments to appoint at least two capable bacteriologists, who should be well paid, and who should do nothing eke but study the diseases. One might be in Europe and the other in Australia, to work into each other’s hands. They should be liberally supplied with all necessary plans and means, and should simply work on earnestly until the end is reached. He is convinced that it can be done. He gave me express permission at my request, to make public the result of the interview. He was at one time quite warm about the matter, but does not care to take it up now—first, because it had already been nibbled at by so many, that it was no longer fresh, and, secondly, because an Australian medical man had some time ago spoken of it to hitn,and lie was then interested and gave certain advice, but nothing was clone, and now his interest was gone. If it had been new he would certainly have taken up the matter.’ THE VALUE OF LARKSPUR. Mr Brett, Inspector of Stock at Tirana, recently reported to the New South Wales Department of Agriculture that he has been ’making experiments for the last two years with tho larkspur plant, as a means of destroying the grasshopper pest, and he is fullv convicced that the colony can be cleared of the pest in two years, if united action is taken. His’plan is to fence off small lots, of say one or more acres near the breeding ground of the grasshopper, which is generally found on hard red land, with a patch also in each paddock near tanks or other water. The larkspur grows well all over Riverina. The grasshoppers eat it in preference to anything else, every one that takes the smallest portion of this plant dies iu a few hours. A correspondent writing to the Sydney. Morning Herald also recommends the extensive cultivation of the giant larkspur in those localities whero the pests breed and travel; but considers the castor oil tree by far the most fatal to them. In fact, says he, ‘ the locusts will fairly bury up llieyou’ig plants so thickly will the dead accumulate underneath them.’ The botonist to the department states that although the larkspur will bill locusts, still he would not recommend it to be sown indiscriminately. If the plant once got well established in pastures, sheep or cattle would bo poisoned in hundreds. It is such a prolific seeding plant that it. would spread very rapidly unless well looked after and as it is often beautifully green when the surrounding vegetation is somewhat dry looking, it makes a tempting morsel for all lierbivora, ‘ If I could be fully convinced,’ he writes, that tho larkspur would not escape into pastures or into cultivation, I would then recommend that lines of fencing be erected parallel to existing fences, and in places where they would bo likely to intercept the locusts. The fence might be made one or two miles in length, leaving a 12-feet space between them, 6 feet in the centre of which could be ploughed and sown down with larkspur,* This .would leave 3 feet on either side of the plants, which distance would keep sheep or cattle from eating them, and would, with cq.re, suffice for beeping the pla’hts within bounds. Areas might also be sown within the railway enclosures, the same care being exercised that the plants do not escape to pastures of cultivation. The caster oil plants might also be treated in the same way, but very great care must be exercised to prevent the seeds escaping into pastures or into cultivated areas, for this plant has already proved to be a pest in some places in the coastal districts. THE POINTS OF STOCKThose who take an interest in the judging of stock by points wifi be glad to hear that the Minister of Agriculture for New South,' Wales has authorised the publication of a work by the Chief Inspector of Stockr-STi-Bruco, on The Points of Btock"and ThenRelative Values. JTlwj'Tprinci.pal. advantages claimed for the point system in judging are that with ordinarily competent judges it assures correct awards, educates judges, exhibitors and visitors by meanß of thejiwaxA

papers, which should be headed by diagrams of the stock, with the points marked thereon, and posted on the pens of winning animals, and moreover does away, fo a great extent, with the present difficulty in obtaining judges, for, instead of threo judges being necessary for each class as at present, one will do under suck a system. In this boob prominence is given to the money value of each point in determining its numerical value, and in order to better arrive at this, the stock are classified according to purposes for which they may be best used. For instance, horses are classified as heavy dmight, light hai-ness, saddle and racing ; cattle a 3 beef cattle and dairy cattle ; sheep as fine woolled and coarse woolled ; and swine as bacon pigs and pork pigs. There are diagrams of each class of stock, with the points marked on them, and with reference numbers to descriptions of what are the best characteristics of each point ; the value of each point is also given iu a handy tabular form. In fact the whole publication is so arranged that it may be a practical handbook to this subject. For instance, if a person is desirous of determining the merits of Merino sheep, ho can compare the descriptions of tho points with the actual points of the animal (the diagrams will considerably aid him in doing this), and so arrive at their value. The same may be done in the case of pigs, cattle, &c ,and in order that there may be no difficulty in tho way of agricultural socictie.s adopting this system of judging stock, specimens of award papers are given in each ease. THINGS WORTH KNOWINGWood ashes fed to pigs in email portions is said to be very conducive to the health of the animal. Feed cno pint of oats, of bran, and 4oz of linseed meal, for a day’s ration to tho six months old colt, and gradually increase it ao the oolfc grows older. This is a good ration. To fatten an old animal is difficult for several reasons. The system weakened byage calls for a less vigorous appetite, and sufficient food for new growth la cot eaten ; digestion is weak, and assimilation is imperfect, and thus the cost of the food ia ouS of proportion to the increase in weight. It is always more profitable to turn off mature animals while they are still vigorous. At ten years the limit of profitableness in a cow is fully reached, if not passed, and it is time then to get rid of her, whiie feeding is not thrown away. Moreover, as the feeding for fat is a long process when the animal is thin, it ib bettor to begin the fattening soma months iu advance, if it is a cow, the feeding should be begun while she ia milking, and kept up during the season, then while the weather is etill warm she should be dried off and put on the finsl fesdiug. Thia should be gradually increased so loDg as the appetite is maintained, and a frequent change of food should be given. The wide-awake farmer visits other.farms than his own. When ho finds conveniences, methods, and crops better than at home it inspires him to greater effort. PACKING WOOLThe following hints on packing wool are taken from a work issued by the Government of New South Wales : ... Refuse.—One great eyesore to buyers is the neglect of not giving proper attention to bits of twine which lie about the floor and eventually find their way into the pack with the wool. Another very objectionable practice is the cutting < ff the part of sides of the pack to facilitate the sewing ; these bits of rag also find their way into the pack. This latter is done with the idea of not losing a half pound in weight. To prevent trouble to the pressers, a hag should be fixed convenient to the press, and the pressers instructed to put all bits of twine and bits of packs into the bag, and not on the floor. This precaution would tend to have the desired effect. Neglect of these precautions becomes expensive to growers —a buyer is very chary when he comes across twine amongst toe wool and will often move on without making a valuation. The hemp, &c. is very destructive to the delicate woolen and worsted machinery, often causing a smash, and even if it happens to pass through and find its way piece, the sharp eye of the merchant’s piece-overlooker readily detects the fault and the piece is rejected and sent back to the manufacturer as damaged. . , ~ .. Mixing Sorts.—The cutting up of small clips into little lots and mixing different sorts in bales should be avoided as much as possible. These lots have to be sold separately, and mostly at a price considerably under the real value. Selectors and farmers would do justice to themselves in studying the matter. Branding.—Branding is another important matter deserving consideiation, and should be done with good, bold letters on one or two sides, as well as on the top of the bale. In giving description of the sorts always use figures, as Ist or 2nd, instead of letters, as A, A. A, B, 88, &c. Letters give no information to the valuator, or as to the style of wool contained under A or AA, &c, and, if pushed for time, he might pass on to other lots marked Ist or 2nd as the numbers lead the buyer what to expect. Always brand every>bale in rotation as it comes out of the press, whatever the sort may be, as by so doing much labour and many mistakes will be avoided. Never brand _a sort of wool better than the class for which it is made ; it is sure to be found out after j then that particular brand will be looked upon with suspicion, and probably mist sale for some time, especially if business is at all quiet. Selling and Reserves.—ln disposidg of wool a little more discretion allowed to the selling brokers would often be of advantage. The auctioneers are in a far better position thau the growers to ascertain the real values, and frequently when within a farthing of the growers reserve, the lot has to be passed in. Again it frequently occurs that a grower has too high an opinion of his wool, and therefore overestimates its market value. Brokers invariably fight hard, and get the very last cent out of the consignments for their patrons, and in general will do better for them than they could do for themselves. The great object of these descriptive museum catalogues is to advance the interests of all concerned in the wool industry, and cly drawing attenti n to matters in which there appears to be room for improvement it is hoped that all concerned will he benefited.

-—An attempt has recently been ra da by tho United States Board of Agriculture to ascertain the approximate number of live stock now existing on the face of the globe, and tho conclusion arrived at by the compilers of tuo report is that in the esse of horses the world contains at this moment no fewer than 60, 455,504 heacL