FARMING FACTS AND FANCIES.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1751, 27 September 1905, Page 44

FARMING FACTS AND FANCIES.

(Compiled by ‘‘Gleaner.”) rite ms of interest to our country readers will b&xwelcome. Communications to be addressed to “Gleaner,” “New Zealand Mail,” Wellington.] Mr James Hallam, who for over six years- was manager of the Dairy Union Shannon branch, has accepted the position, of manager of the Fresh Food and Ice Company’s new creamery in the same district, owing to the closing down of the former factory. The appointment has given gp-eat satisfaction to all the suppliers, with whom Mr Hallam stands in very high esteem. Mr Hallam recently reoeivecLa letter from his brother in the Old Country, informing him that a “New Zealand Meat Shop” had been opened at Ashton-U nder-Ly ne near Manchester. The meat, is considered excellent, and as it is also cheap, , the “New Zealand Meat Shop” is doing a roaring'tradein consequence. Mr' A. Leigh Hunt, who has acted first as organiser and subsequently as secretary of the New Zealand Farmers CJo- operative Distributing Company, has been- appointed manager of that company. The company has opened a New Farmers’ Market opposite the Town Hall, Wellington. . _ .. The secretary of Wairarapa Hortioultural Society is paying out prize money and. trophies won at the recent show. The cash and value of trophies, etc,, amount® to £36 14s, which is the highest prize value yet recorded by the society. It'is reported that a few cheese factories have sold this season’s output at s§d f .o.b. As this means over a shilling per pound of butter-fat, the lives of dairyf aimers appear to be cast in pleasant places —at- least- for this season. The Taranaki Crown Lands Board has decided not" to- sell section 4, block 7, Qpaku, containing 1110 acres, but to recommend : the Government to make the section a forest reserve. It was pointed out at the meeting of the Board Oil the 10th- inst- that the land had already been 'taken up and forfeited; that it rises to an altitude of 1250 feet Above the Bateau River, and- lies away from the sun. In addition, whoever took up this land would have nearly all the fencing to do owing to the section being surrounded by an existing r^sferv©* The Ashburton (Canterbury) County Council has 'decided to plant English forest trees on its reserves in future. The honey harvest in the Old Country is .said to be the most exceptional for many years. The prize money allotted to the annual show of the' Manawatu and West Coast A. and P*. Association for. November - Ist, 2nd and 3rd is distributed over - the- following divisions: —£178 for competitions in the show ring, £375 for £BB for pigs, £ll2 for poultry and pigeons,-. £99' for farm, horticulture, heme industries, industrial and art Works, public and technical schools; photography, hemp- and vehicles, £166 for - Manawatu Kennel dub’s division, £lß' for - live stock guessing, and the champion medal® distributed over the live stock £64, making; a total of, £lBlO in round figures. Copies of the prize fist may be obtained free from the Secretary, P.Q., Box 85, Palmerston North.

At af meeting of Xtiverdale (Taranaki) factory suppliers recently, several new" directors' were elected. One of them, in returning thanks to the suppliers for their confidence in him, said: “Gentlemen, I thank those of you who voted: for me in’- the* ballot. X also thank those of you who dad not vote for me, because X am of opinion that you. knew what' you were doing,’* The consumption of in New Zealand amounts to am astonishing; figure. Approximately 7,000,000 cigars, 90;000,000 cigarettes, and nearly 2,000,0001 b of tobacco are consumed annually, and it is maintained that a large proportion of this can be produoed im the colony. But what would smokers' say r to the colonial article ? During the' recent flood’ in Canterbury, one: of the" farms at Waihao was covered by from- 7ft to 10ft of water, owing to the damming , back of the riven at its mouth... The pear tree will continue bearing fruit for several centuries, trees bearing fruit in abundance when at least three hundred years old neb being uncommon. They are much longer lived than the apple, which' rarely lasts more than one Ki ndred to one hundred and fifty years. The pear’ tree also grows much. Larger than the apple, and when tiro hundred years old has often the dimensions of a forest tree. Miss Breen, instructress on the staff of the New Zealand Agricultural Department, has received instructions to take up her headquarters in the Taranaki district for some time, the period not having been determined. Miss : Breen’s- business is to get amongst, the individual butter-makers and give general advise as to cleanliness in surroundings,. etc. f The 'Canterbury Central Co-operative Dairy 'Company has sold its output of export butter for the ensuing season at 10fd per lb. Apparently “Canterbury prime*’ in tEe future ~will he applicable to more than “lamb.’*

Many aristocratic ladies at Home are learning to ride astride. Before a meeting of the Oakura branch, of the Farmers’ Union, Mr J. J. Edwin, a candidate for the Taranaki seat, gave an address. Hie emphasised the point that it was desirable farmers should support a candidate who was not antagonistic to the Government. Continuing, he touched on the native, labour, land, license, tariff, and other questions, and was accorded a vote ol thanks. There was a good attendance, including several ladies. The first cheese factory to be established in the Rangi'tikei district is being erected for Messrs Beattie, Lang and Co., of Wellington, at Tutaenui, near Marten. It will be ready 'to receive milk supplies by about the middle of next month. The same firm has erected a creamery on the Tamaki block, near Dannevirke, an area recently thrown open by the Government, and has acquired the creamery at Matamau, six miles north of Dannevirke. Indications from all parts point to a good season. A Bromore (Canterbury) farmer has a lambing percentage of 114, and several of his neighbours also have over 100 per cent. At a meeting of the Taranaki Crown Lands Board on the 19fch inst., a letter was read from the Minister for Crown Lands suggesting that the proposed price l of sections in Taumata Loan Block be increased to provide sufficient money for opening up*- the block right through by a horse track. The Board passed a resolution stating that after duo consideration it was of opinion that the prices of the sections as proposed at’ present were quite high enough even if a good summer horse road were provided through the block. It was further suggested the amount of the loading for roads be increased without reference to the price at which the land was to he offered.

Most, if not all, sheds on the Waitaki shearing with hand-shears will pay 16s 8d per hundred 1 this season. Last year the employers had to face the Arbitration Court to resist the impossible pinprick rules, with the result that the shearers lost on all points claimed and a reduction of Is 8d per hundred, the amount fixed 1 by the Court being 15s. The highest price will be given to competent shearers only. A settler in the Aushburton district recently came across a cat in the river bed which had adopted and mothered three young bunnies. A ballot was held at the Napier Land Office on the 21st inst., for section 2, block 10, Maraekakaho survey district. There were six applications for the section, the successful one being Morgan Davies, of Hororata, Canterbury. Writes our Ekatahuna correspondent: —The Dairy Union Creamery commenced running this week.—Mr F. Wise has been re-appointed Secretary to the Rongokobako Co-operative Cheese Factory.—The very cold!, miserable southerly weather prevailing for the last few days,, has given the farmers an anxious time, as lambing and calving, on the majority of farms are now in full swing. Serious complaints have been made in various districts in South Canterbury of the heavy mortality among lambing ewes. An investigation was made by the Government veterinarian, and he reported that the cause of death was antepartum paralysis. In every case examined, the subject was a ewe bearing twin lambs. The cause of the disease is (found in allowing heavy breeding ewes over plentiful food, with a minimum of exercise, when their condition predisposes them to 'the malady. To cure the disease (which almost invariably ends fatally if not detected early) an exremely simple direction is given—viz., to see that the ewes are nob overfed, and that they can only get their food by taking the amount of exercise necessary to- keep them in good condition. The malady has never troubled North Island flocks to any appreciable extent, as the pasture is not so rich and plentiful a.t the critical time as in South Canterbury. There have been several cases, however, and farmers interested should ibe on the qui vive now that the lambing season has begun. A very old resident of Master ton planted some oak trees in his garden many years ago. The trees have grown, and the old' settlor is about to have one of .them felled! and sawn into boards .at a local timber mill. With the boards he proposes to make coffins for himself and his aged wife, and keep them An readiness for the day when they will be required. This case, however, is not so remarkable as that of an eccentric old resident of the Hutt, who some time ago had an expensive tombstone carved-in readiness for bis own grave. The order was placed! with a Palmerston North firm, and while it was being executed the old man paid several visits to that town, and showed keen interest in the manner in which his own tombstone was designed and carved. The monument is said to have been completed, and now stands erected in the Hutt Cemetery, and at present an occasional nocturnal visitor to the spot is he whose form will one day rest beneath it. The butter exported from the Moturoa freezing works to date is greater than for the same period last season. The incoming consignments are keeping up well, some 1600 boxes having been stored so far for the next shipment.

As an instance of the state of the roads around Taihape, three loaded drays left the town one morning and didi not reach, the Wainui Junction), a distance of six miles, tall lato that night.' They Started at 8.30 next morning and took till 3.30 p.m. to go Similes, when they were within 2 miles of Ttirangarere. It was estimated it would take another day to reach their camp some 4 miles further on. An interesting case of fowl tracheotomy was recently practised by a Carterton fancier. The fowl, which was a fine White Leghorn, developed engorgement of the thorax through over-eating, and appeared to be dying. The fancier tried various remedies without avail, 'then decided to perform a surgical operation. A horizontal cut was made across the hen’s crop, and a large amount of wheat and stale plum) pudding was drawn therefrom, after which it was noticed that tlhe fowl breathed easier. The wound, which bled slightly, was then sown up with ordinary black cotton, and in a few days the paltient was quite convalescent, and commenced laying her eggs with 'the unfailing regularity which marked her efforts previous to her indisposition.

As an evidence of the effect of a mild winter, it is interesting to note (says the “Waitaura Ensign”) that sheep bought in Southland by northern freezing companies have been very much above the average of previous years. A buyer who purchased a line of several thousand two-tooth sheep, which were frozen at the Dunedin works, states that they averaged' 641 b. The amount of internal fat was fully 31b more than usual. The sheep all round are much in advance of previous years in Southland. It was sixty-five years last Saturday since the first body of the New Zealand Company’s emigrants sailed from Gravesend. In the interval a vigorous young colony has been created and what marvellous prospects of future greatness comprise its destiny! Mr D. D. Hyde, the Government Poultry Etspert, states that the birds in the Blenheim competition have exceeded the output for a given time aifc any similar competition south of the line. Blairgowrie (Scotland) sent out 80 tons of rasps daily during July and August. They sold at £25 per ton. Sheep*-stealing in the Gore district, of which mention has been made during the past twelve months with alarming frequency, continues to be rife there (says the “Wyndliam Farmer”). The latest cases of this) serious crime that we know of affect three landowners at Kxapdale, who have lost within the past month some 250 tip top young ewes and wethers. Yet another prophet has arisen to warn New Zealanders of the danger of the Argentine Republic ousting this country from the markets in which the bulk of its products are sold. An exNew Zealander writes to a Wellington acquaintance as follows: “From Buenos Ayres we came by train for a thousand miles, through country like the Canterbury plains. It possesses a delightful climate, has beautiful rivers and can grow anything. When the Argentine is fairly going, the colonies

will be doomed, for the Republic will win at every point.” At a meeting of the Taranaki Crown Lands Board on tho 14th inst, a letter was read from Mr Barron, Crown Lands Ranger, upon the inspection of 81. holdings, comprising an area of 23,220 acres. The aggregate improvements required were to the value of £23,884, while holders had effected improvements to tho value of £40,513, considerably in, excess of requirements. Sixty-six holders were residing, 15 were not residing, 10 of them being required to reside, and one had not efrec-ced sufficient improvements. Government veterinarians have been told off to investigate two outbreaks amongst stock in the South Island. A contractor at Milton lost three horses in one day from a disease he eo-uid not understand, and several others were affected. At Rakaia it- is a peculiar mortality amongst sheep that has attracted attention. Apropos of the condition of • Greytown, a contemporary remarks:—“Greytown is the place where the farmer’s wife buys Californian fruit from tho Chow. This is a great farming country! Old spuds 3d pen lb —four spuds for 6d! Go on the land, young man !” This is how matters appeal' to our contemporary the “Inglewood Record”: —“A new phase of -co-operation is just being experienced by tile shareholders of the Lowgarth Dairy Factory in the shape of avowed intention on the part of the Mangatoki shareholders to put up a creamery opposite tho Lowgarth. factory unless the latter sell out body and soul to the Mangatoki people. The Lowgarth factory has been doing good, work and paying good prices for butter fat for many years, but, as is usual, some shareholder suppliers became more oi’ less dissatisfied, and shareholders of the Mangatoki concern helped to fan the flame and sent canvassers round the Lowgarth suppliers to lure them away from their allegiance, and to some extent succeeded, hence the threat to ffiuy them or break them.’ The Lowgarth chaps resolved they could not entertain the proposal of the Mangatoki Company, so that an opposition ‘co-op-erative’ concern may be expected to rise into view in the early future. That is just about the way co-operation among farmers is usually worked; they do stick together, and! help each otherin a most remarkable manner; but the help to the outsider looks like helping eaoh other to reach a razor for throat cutting purposes. An amusing incident occurred at a recent sale of horses at Timarn. An animal was knocked down to a buyer, who was unknown to the auctioneer. The buyer, on being asked his name, replied “Voucher.” “What,” said the auctioneer, “the missing voucher? “Yes,” replied the buyer. The crowd present cheered and laughed, and the auctioneer, to continue the joke, turned to bis clerk and said, “Run to the Telegraph Office and wire to the Premier that the missing voucher has been found.”