AGRICULTURAL JOTTINGS.

New Zealand Times, Volume LVII, Issue 2543, 22 June 1895, Page 2 (Supplement)

AGRICULTURAL JOTTINGS.

Mr John Holmes, the well-known Blenhfim merchant aud produce agent has taken up his permanent residence in Wellington, the business of John Holmes and Co. being carried on, however, as usual in the Marlborough capital. Mr Holmes is undoubtedly one of the most public spirited and enterprising business men the Marlborough province has yet had, and his departure for Wellington is much regretted in Blenheim, where he was socially very popular. His firm hold several important agencies, notably that of the Odam’s Manures Co , whose advertisement has appeared in the Mail.

There is a general chorus of approval in tho country papers, especially those published in dairying districts, over the good news of Mr MoEwan’s withdrawal of his resignation. Mr McEwan has gone South to organise the dairy school at Edendale, Southland, and on his return to the North will, it is expected, put the Stratford school in operation as speedily as possible.

Mr J. D. Kitchie, secretary of the Agricultural Department has returned to the South, where ho attended the A. and P Show and Dairy A ssociation’s meeting at Dunedin.

A Victorian farmer who is over on a trip to this colony, and to whom we showed the Leaflets foi Farmers series, expressed his opinion that they should be a most valuable factor in ggrioultural education. Nothing so good or so practically useful, is, he says, done by the Victorian Government, although he admits they have very practically and intelligently assisted tho dairy industry'.

Referring to the development of the live sheep export trade, Mr Donald Fraser, the well known Rangitikei sheepfarmer, writes as follows to the Advocate: —“ It wants capital, and it is too much for one or two individuals. Now allow me to make this suggestion : ‘ That all those sheep owners who never contributed a shilling towards any freezing works shall come forward like men and subscribe sufficient to give it a fail trial. They have enjoyed all the benefit of that outlay for the last 12 or 13 years, which' no one can deny lias been of immense benefit to sheep owners. Now, those, as I say, who never subscribed a shilling towards that industry have hid the use of the money they should have put into the freezing works while they received equal benefit with those who did. I consider therefore that in a spirit of justice they should now come forward and give tho live stock shipment a trial and let their neighbours rest, as the willing horse cannot pull the load for over, while his mate is doing the loaf, ami getting the same feed. This is what I think should be done in this case.

Despite the capture of two persons alleged to have stolen sheep belonging to Mr J. G. Wilson, sheep stealing still goes on up the Coast. The Manawalu Standard says:—“Mr H. T. Flyger, of the Rangitikei Line, has reported to the police that during the present month about 40 of his sheep, which included some valuable rams, have been stolen.

Mr MoEwan is a firm advocate for the combination of bacon curing with the dairying industry. It L, he says, however, important that tbe best quality of bacon should be produced ; and by feeding the pigs on whey, skim milk, and cereals, tbe best quality was produced. The quality that was desired was lean pork, dairy fed, with cereals. The pigs, he maintained, should be sold on foot as the nearest station. It was not quite economical to have the pigs weighing more than from 80lb to 1201 b—it was bacon from well fed pigs of weights ranging between these figures which gave most satisfaction in the English market.

At the last meeting of the Gore Farmers’ Club, it was decided, says the Southern Standard, that petitions be circulated in farming districts, praying the setting up of a Select Committee by the Government to enquire into the advisability of tbe latter taking over the lime deposits in Otago and South-

land. There is little doubt but that the petitions will bear numerous signatures, for the setting up of tho committee will, of course, be but a formal matter. The action of the delegates is, however a very decided step in the desired direction. The present Government have not been found wanting in their efforts to assist those who should, above all, be assisted—the real producers. The committee, if appointed, will no 1 doubt consist of practical men who will not readily be led away by theoretical fads, and they can command largo sources of information practically closed to private individuals. That the country will not lose by the taking over of tho lime deposits goes without saying. Money spent in increasing the productiveness of the land must make a return sooner or later.

The following figures, which we obtained from Messrs Gorton and Son, show the great reduction that has taken place in sheep since 1891. At the firm’s May sale in Feilding, 1801, the average price of wethers was 14s; in the May sale this year 6s 7d ; lambs brought an average price of 9s in 1891, last month 3s 6d; ewes in 1891 averaged 10s, last month os. It may also bo safely affirmed that a better class of sheep were offered for sale this year than in 1891. Anything on four legs sold in 1891.— Advocate.

The Temuka Lender reports that several sheep in that district are losing their fleeces without any apparent cause. The sheep appear healthy, and in good condition, and there is no appearance of any skin disease.

At a smoke concert given at Pahiatua last week to Mr W. Cook, of Wellington, the agent for tho pro priotor of the Forty-mile butter factories, tho guest of tho evening said ho felt certain that the present mode of disposing of colonial batter and cheese through a ring of irresponsible brokers was acting detrimentally to the best interest of the producers in the Colony, and as far as his firm was concerned the only remedy he could see would be for himself or a good representative to go to London before the next season and look into the matter of distribution thoroughly and the rearrangement of it. Mr Cook also said that if the suppliers to his factories thought it would be to their advantage to have the factories cooperative, he would be quite prepared before next season to turn over the factory and creameries to them at a fair valuation, and to finance them through the season on easy terms, themselves accepting all risks.

There are, to my mind, says Bruni, strong indications that the handsome and useful Shropshire is the coming sheep with the farmers of Australia. For some time past they have been bred in considerable numbers in Now Zealand, where their usefulness for raising freezers has been fully recognised. In South Australia there are several stud flocks of Shrops, the originals of which were selected, regardless of cost, from the best flocks in England. In Tasmania the taste for Shrops has been revived. Mr Robert Clark, who lately paid the island colony a visit, informs me that he scarcely saw a farm but on which were either pure Shropshires or high-class grades. The Tasmanians are thinking of following the example of the South Australians in establishing a flock book for Shropshires. If they carry out their intention, I hope they will follow the example thoroughly, and insist that none but pure animals of a high standard of excellence shall bo recorded as foundation stock. In Victoria and New South Wales, stockowners are beginning to take an interest in this breed of sheep, and once they are given a fair trial I feel satisfied they will become established permanently. The Shrops have proved their adaptability to the climate and food of these colonies, from the south of New Zealand and Tasmania to within the tropica of West Australia.

The South Australian Chronicle states that a poisonous weed has made its appearance in the neighbourhood of the Burra, which promises, unless prompt measures are taken to extirpate it, to become a great trouble to stockowners generally. Until the plant seeds it is said to be quite harmless, but as soon as the seed forms it causes sudden death to all stock that oat of it. Already a considerable ‘number of cattle have died through feeding on this plant. At present this poison plant is said to be confined to a few localities and there is a danger that it may be neglected, and thus spread over the country. With the results of permitting the stiukwort to become established before them, says the Australasian, our neighbours should lose no time in .effecting the destruction of the new pest. Of late the stiukwort has made its appearance in Victoria, and what is everybody’s business is nobody’s business, therefore no measures are being adopted to eradicate it while the work may be easily accomplished. If our farmers could see the desolation this hateful plant has wrought on the South Australian farms, they would not hesitate a moment about taking prompt measures to stamp it out. Landholders should bear in mind that a farm on which stinkwort has effected a firm footing is reduced in value fully onehalf as a security.

At Yarryane (native name for Loddon) Farm, owned by Mr John Johns (says “ Thistledown ” of the Australasian), an interesting experiment is being made by Mr Johns in the fattening of vealers for the London market. Some time ago a trial shipment of two calves was made, through the Agricultural Department, but the agent to whom the frozen vealers were consigned was so pleased with their quality and appearance that he distributed them gratis to London friends, and sent back word that he would pay any price that was put upon them, at the same time, however, requesting that more of the same sort be forwarded. This trial shipment was therefore a failure as far as regards ascertaining the valuo of the veal was concerned, but in other words proved quite successful. In order to test the market on a larger scale, Mr Johns is now fattening 20 head of calves, and in a week or two they will be killed and sent to London. The calves are tied up in a shed, in a row close together, and are being fed with just as much new milk as they care to drink. The average ago of the calves when slaughtered will be from seven to ten weeks, and the average quantity of milk consumed will be about two gallons per head per day. The present value of the milk consumed by each calf will be about LI. If the calves weigh 1501 b each, and realise 4d to 5d a lb, then they ought to leave a fair margin of profit to the pioducer. Mr Johns recently shipped 20 large bullocks to London through Messrs Hotson and Co, and is now waiting the sales returns before sending more. He is of opinion that the fattening of vealers will be more profitable at this season of the year than butter or cheesemaking. Mr Johns's calves are very good sorts, being mostly pure Shorthorns, and they are thus better adapted for fattening than some of the smaller-sized milking breeds. His experiment will be watched with very great interest by dairy farmers in general.

The one great important .fact in the pig’s life to make him of value is to start him right. It is astonishing how little value some farmers attach to a litter of pigs. They let the sow hustle for herself at this important time. If she does well, they think they are for-

tunate; if not, they are unlucky. They seemingly do not attach any importance to the fact that tho sow has been a costly creature for four months before farrowing, and if tho pigs are lost this cost is a dead loss. Kvery gmd pig-breeder well knows when to expect the pigs, and will bo ready for them, by giving the sow the best quarters at his command. It is the careless fellow that never looks for them until he sees them.

A Mr S. Tarrant, late of tho llosedalo Orchard, Clunes, Victoria, has an ingenious method of grafting, which is as follows : —Make a grafting wax of equal parts of resin, mutton fat uiuF, beeswax in quantities as required.. Molt and mix well together; bo careful not to burn ; spread on a table old newspapers (not too stiff); spread over tho wax while warm with a brush ; when cold cut in strips Sin, wide, ami wrap round scion and stock ; lap round two or three times, then press with tho hand, the warmth of which will cause it to stick, thus excluding the air. When the stock grows the paper will burst, thus preventing tho liability of ties preventing the flow of sap and cutting off tho scion. When cleft grafting of budding is done fill in tho cracks and crevices .with tho wax. Tho above, it is claimed, will ho found a sure, clean, and cheap method.

A settler at Apiti bus been utilising with advantage wire netting for permanent fencing. The-posts are Oft apart, three wires are used amh4.wo battens between each post. It makes'n-.-first-class fence, and is not only pig and lamb proof, but also Imre proof.

An important despatch (says tho Brisbane Courier ) has been received by the Premier from the Agent-General in London, in which tho attention of tho Government is directed to the necessity of arrangements for the official inspection of all meat before shipment from tho colony. Tho matter has lately been raised by the putting of a question by Mr Sullivan in the House of Commons with the view to ascertain whether all Australian meat is officially inspected before exportation by veterinary surgeons in tho employment of the colonial Government. The Minister’s reply was that the meat was most carefully inspected by the exporting companies; but Sir James Garrick is impressed with tho conviction that tho assurance will not bo deemed satisfactory, and that in the interests of the colony official inspection is imperative. The Premier has also received a letter from Sir Thomas Mcllwraith, in which the same advice is tendered. It appears that at Lake’s Creek a Government inspector, who is a duly qualified veterinary surgeon, is almost entirely employed by tho company at a cost which defrays tho salary of the officer. At Townsville arrangements of a similar nature have beert adopted, but at the other exporting works there is no official inspection, because the Government have no power to enforce it. The extreme importance of the Lake’s Creek system being adopted, however, will probab'y indace the Government to initiate legislation almost immediately, making inspection compulsory. It is evident that so long as there is no guarantee of Government supervision tho entire meat industry is at the mercy of a scare in the mother country, and that the question might be started at any moment by interested persons with disastrous results to shippers. The Premier has also received a mass of printed matter embodying the regulations of the British Board of Agriculture for protecting the public of tho United Kingdom against the introduction and sale of diseased animals-or meat.