GLEANINGS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 6177, 8 April 1907, Page 3

GLEANINGS

Mr E. Clifton, Director of Expertmental stations, loft Wellington tor Auckland or. Saturday. Mr E. Short, the noted Romney breeder of AVaituna West, leaves on a visit to the Old Country on the 25th inst. Mr Short will arrive in England just in time for the show season. The opinion was expressed at a meeting of the Ellesmere branch of the Farmers’ Enion that the Government grain weights should be correct and binding on all others. From July of 190 Sto the end of last month there was a total increase in arrivals of woo! in New South V, ales and Victoria, over the previous corrc- ( spending period, of 101,258 bales. A public trial of the Hartnett milking machine has been given in the Palmerston North district, and lias been described by the Palmerston "Standard” as successful. A private cablegram received in Dunedin (says the "Lyttelton Times”) states that the half-bred portion of the Ashley Downs clip, AVaiwera station, has been sold in London at the record j price of 17d per lb. The Chinese boycott of American goods has led to a considerable extension of the trade with Australia in flour. For the time this has overrun ; tho carrying capacity of the three , steam-hip lines. A supplementary steamer is to be put on to 'meet the increased trade. | Tho Manawatu A. and P. Association has received exceptionally good entries for tho factory butter and . cheese classes of its Winter Show. In . all sixty-three factories have made j entries, and among these are some j of tho leading factories of tho colony. In a number of cases tho entrants will be represented by several exhibits. To-morrow and Wednesday will be carnival days for Levin. The Horticultural Society has a show on those days, and tho recently-formed A. and P Association holds its first show on .Wednesday. An attraction at both exhibitions will bo displays from tho AVeraroa experimental station. In order not to detract from the A. and P. Show, the Horticultural Society’s show will be closed on AVednosday after- I noon. The Victorian wheat yield for this season is stated to be 22.618,043 bushels, an average of 11.13 bushels per acre. Last season’s yield was 21,093,139 bushels, an average of 9.26 bushels. The requirements for consumption and seed this year are estimated at 8,315,000 bushels, which will leave a big exportable surplus. Tho oat crop is set down at 8,845,654 bushels, an average of 93.25 bushels. Last season’s figures were 7,233,425 bushels, averaging 23.18 bushels. The yield of both wheat and oats has only twice been exceeded. A Blenheim Press Association mes sage states that during the 47th week of the egg-laying competition 1054 eggs were laid, bringing the grand total up to 94,031. Tho highest pons for the week were: —Walden 31, AVan. den 28, Bary 28, Hawke 28 (all silver Wyandottes); Brookes (white .Leghorns), 28; Miss Murphy (silver Wyandoltcs), 27. Loading pens to date— Brookes 1334, A. and P'. Association 1243. Thomson 1188, Servajean 1188. Mrs Hodson 1147.

The Government hemp grader in Auckland (Mr AY. H. O. Johnstone) has prepared a return, which shows that for tho month of March ho handled 5557 bales of hemp, weighing 876 tons loewt, and valued at -£29,000. In March,' 1906, 5047 bales, weighing 812 tons lOcwt, were graded, showing an increase for last month of 510 bales and 64 tons oewt in weight. For tho twelve months ended March 31st the hemp graded represented a monetary value of £265,000. This amount represented 50,219 bales, weighing 7994 tons lOcwt. xAs compared with the previous twelve months the year just closed showed an increase of 3009 bales, representing in weight 384 tons 9cwt. The prize-essay competition at the Palmerston Winter Show Conference for a prize of £l2, given by Messrs Lovell and Christmas through Messrs Beattie, Lang, and Co., has attracted twenty-four entries. Considering the difficulty in the past to persuade factory workers to read papers at the conferences this is most, satisfactory. Tho subject, "Butter-making in New Zealand,” should provide very good material for an essay. Competitors are required to deal with milking and care of the milk on the farm; conditions of milk at factory; taking the sample for testing purposes; separating and temperature, according .to season; handling of cream and ripening; churning and washing the butter, and temperatures; salting, work, ing and packing. To cover all these branches of the -industry should effectively disclose the knowledge of the business possessed by the writers.