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New Zealand Mail, Issue 1266, 4 June 1896, Page 6

Mr Sawers, dairy instructor, has resigned his position to take another important position in connection with tho industry. 'The Minister for Agriculture has relaxed the proclamation prohibiting tho importation of vine cuttings or eyes in so far as to allow of their introduction through the Agricultural Department under the following conditions:—!!) They must bo accompanied by a certificate that they aro from a district frco from phylloxera, and that they have been thoroughly disinfected before shipment; and (2) they must be addressed to tin; Department of Agriculture at 'Wellington, where on arrival they will be examined, and, if found clean, will bo immediately forwarded to their destination. A meeting of tho Advances to Settlers Board was held on Friday, when loans amounting to £30,000 were authorised. Mr J. G. Wi'son, M.H.R. for Otaki, gave an address at Feilding on Friday regarding the frozen meat market, and a committed was appointed to confer with him as to tho bost moans cf. improving the industry. It is alleged that settlors in tho Kangituta district have this year thrown away thousands of pounds through, not thatching their stacks. A large stock-owner, residing at Pigeon Bay, Canterbury, who buys wherever ho can, often sending stock from Nelson, has been through tho Horowhonua and Manawatu districts looking out for stock, says the Farmer. It is a long way to come to make purchases, but this gentleman is of opinion that he can trade succes-fully and profitably by shipping cattlo at Foxton, and if arrangements can bo made, it is likely that the steamers trading at tho port of Foxton will be often used for carrying stock across the Strait. . Four of the United States consuls in Franco have made reports on mushroom cultivation in that country. The industry is a very considerable one, employing capital mand around Paris alone of over £1,2-30,000, tho production being valued at nearly £OOO,OOO, while 00 wholesale firms in Paris deal exclusively in mushrooms. In the department ot the Seine alone there arc said to bo over 3000 caves in which mushrooms are grown, and in those live about 300 people, chnmpiijnonmdes, who rarely see the daylight. Tho caves aro usually exhausted st me quarries, the descent into them being by way of ropo ladders. A mushroom bed yields daily for about throo months, and then the soil is exhausted and is of no more use, and a new bed has to bo prepared.