GLEANINGS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 6488, 7 April 1908, Page 3

GLEANINGS.

The boned meat question is to be discussed at this years conferences of the Farmers' Union.

Turnip crops in the Waikato are going to be as good a# ever, so well have they recovered from tho recent rains. A select committee of the Marten branch of the Farmers' Union has been set up to inquire ns to the establishment of co-operative brick and tile works in tho district.

Mormon agents (says tho “Standard") have purchased 100 acres near Hastings for tho purpose of establishing a farm for training young Maoris in the arte of agriculture and fruit-growing.

To-morrow tho dairy inspectors at present in Wellington, will visit the Weraroa Experimental Station, in order to witness a demonstration of 1 the method of using and maintaining in a sanitary state the several milking machines on the market.

The Stock Inspector in charge of tho West Coast district, Mr 'Deem, is endeavouring to obtain from the dairy factories in his territory some estimate of the decrease in tho butter-fat value per cow as a result of the late drought. Tlu- Mata Mata branch of the Farmers’ Union considers that the usefulness of their organisation will be very largely reduced unless it takes steps to form a farmers’ party. The branch considers tho Union should take steps to bring this about.

"They work uncommonly well when near the house," remarked a witness at tho. Conciliation Bead at Leestou, .referring to day labourers on farms, "but the further they get away from tho house tho less they do.”

The mechanical labourer works with inanimate tools on inanimate material. Ho learns to nao his tools properly, and ho is a skilled workman. But the farm labourer works not only with inanimate but with living tools, tho domestic animals of tho farm.

At a sale of stud draughts, on behalf of *Mr J. R. Mackenzie, Clinton, last week, conducted by Messrs Wright. Stephenson, and Co., a three-year-old Baron Graceful filly (Baroness) was passed in at 175 gs, and a mare, Nell, foaled 1902, sire, Glcnkenich, dam by British Lion, was sold to Mr James Wylie, Sefton, Canterbury, for lOlgs. It must bo very tantalising to wool growers (says a Bradford authority) to seo their clips squally as well grown as the year previous bringing an average of 3d per lb loss, and all duo to no fault of their own. . But supply and demand has always governed prices, and especially when fashion sits in the judge’s chair, it can either mean rood or ill to any quality of raw material.

Mr J. T. Coombes, Aparima, has just threshed 90 bushels oats to the acre, off a 40 acre paddock, tho whole of which passed A grade by the purchaser, and was disposed of at a topping price. A few years ago, says Otautau “Standard,” tho land on which the oats were grown was a swamp, and a team and a dray taking in pipes got bogged. Tho third egg-laving test at Blenheim closed on Tuesday. The following arc prize winners;—C. Hart. Chnstchnrcn, XlO 1190:' 11. Hawke, Greytewn, XG,

1184; F. Edclston, JJ3, 1180; E. Scott Dunedin, jG4, 1178; Geo. Silcock, Wan

gnnui, JC3, 1173; J, Law*, Blenheim, £2 1144; A. R. Brown, Napier, J£l» 1138 Miss M. Shaw, Blenheim, £l, 1125; A and P. Association, Blenheim, 10s, 1107 Master Rewi Scale, Blenheim, 1101; Marl borough “Herald," 1095.

Crossbred wools do not occupy that high and exalted position that many thought they did, and X am afraid that many New Zealand growers will get a rude awakening when they receive particulars of the sale of their clips, writes a London correspondent. The fact of the matter is crossbreds of medium and coarse qualities are weaker than the vast majority thought, with, as far as one can see, no prospect of improvement. The American Consulate in Sweden reports that the Russian. Government encourages the co-operative movement in Siberia, and that many private “estate" creameries have found it to their advantage to close and join the co-oper-ative creameries.' In there were started 34; in 1905, 118; and in' 1906, 178. Two hundred and. twenty-three creameries, with 510 separators, represent 37,839 farms, with 182,359 cows. All these creameries have been.organised by a. special committee, and besides them there are 400 large and 300 small co-operative creameries, and tho total butter production may be placed at not less than 40,000,0001 b; but the quality is not satisfactory, and the price obtained is now about 8d per lb. As an instance of how the yield of milk has fluctuated this season in the dairying industry (says the “North Otago Times"), we may cite the ex- 1 ‘porience at the Totara creamery. Just before the New Tear, 1400 gallons daily were received, and it gradually fell to 500 gallons, but since the-rain-fall it has increased daily until about 700 gallons are now being supplied. Six years ago, when the creamery was started, there were only about four suppliers, the total amounting altogether to about 100 gallons. Now there are over forty dairymen driving there daily, and wo understand that next season, when the new settlers start, this number will be considerably increased, and the manager expects about 2000 gallons ©very day. Many of tho farmers during the dry weather last year sold off a number of their cows.

The spread of ragwort into the rich pastures of the Poverty Bay district through Tiniroto created some alarm amongst local farmers ’a short time ago. This season, however, the land in the vicinity of Tiniroto is reported by Inspector Ross, of the local Agricultural Office, who has just returned from a visit of inspection to that district, to be in very fair order. Generally speaking, the settlers, he said, had kept tho weed down well, and only stunted plants were showing, but, on the other hand, a few of the settlers had been a bit dilatory. Tho Government stock reserve has had a considerable amount of work and money expended on it this season, weeds having been mowed down as near to the ground as possible. The greatest trouble to tho Department, ho said, were the native-owned and Unindiyidnalised; lands, but he was hopeful of having something done on these near Te' Roinga. In various parts, however, there wots still briars, etc., which required attention.