GLEANINGS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7024, 12 January 1910, Page 3

GLEANINGS

Caterpillars are very numerous in the Gust district in Canterbury. Some ot the crops arc not worth cutting. Tho crops in. (Southland are excellent, and there is an abundance of stock feed. Tho cereal crops are as green us leeks. On Friday last ft refreshing shower for crops generally, and for rape and. turnips iai particular, fell in the South Canterbury district.

Good yields from rye-gi*as3 threshing aro reported from same Canterbury districts, the seed being bright and heavy. Mr B. Clifton, Director of Experiment Stations, Mr A. H. Cockayne, Biologist, and Mr W. A. Boucher, Assistant Director ol tho Fruit Division, returned to headquarters yesterday. Messrs J. W- Deem, A. K. Blundell, D. Ross and H. T. Turner, supervisors of rabbit and noxious weed inspection,, are at present in Wellington, consulting with the chief of their division, Mr E. Clifton.

Tho Pahiatua branch of the Farmers 1 Union wrote to the Department of Agriculture suggesting the advisability of placing a distinguishing mark on all epayed cows and heifers. The secretary of the branch has received a letter from tho department statihg that the suggestion. would bo considered when an amending Bill is brought down. Tho continued dry weather, varied only by tho even drier nor’-wester, has forced along the crops iu this district in a most distressing manner (reports the Oamaim “Hail”)* so that in many coses oats lAvve yellowed without the oar maturing, and cattle have been put in to t tho straw down. There are good crops, however, really good ones, but they do not occur with a gratifying frequency.

Some idea of tho immensity of th© rabbit pest may bo obtained (says a Dunedin correspondent) from the fact that on the Mor von Hills run, an area of about 350,000 acres, to be thrown open by the Government in. February', the number of rabbits cleared off the ground in 1909 ran into millions, and th© annual coet <xf clearing them off has averaged something like .£4OOO for tho past five years. At the meeting of tho Christchurch Fruitgrowers''- Association (says the "Lyttelton Times”), Air F. Sisson presiding, a letter wns read from Mr T. W. Kirk stating that the Minister of Agriculture was prepared to guarantee a Id a pound on apples shipped to England by cool storage. General: appreciation of the offer was expressed, but it was decided that owing to the shortage in tho applo crop, caused by the heavy storm iu the lato spring, it would be impossible to ship apples to England this year. It was resolved to reply to this effect, and, at the eome tune, to ask tho Minister total formation jis to cool storage and the Pest apples xor shipment. At a meeting of the Auckland A. and , Association, Mr Joseph Barngh was deputed to represent the association at a conference to bo held at Christchurch to dismiss matters affecting the interest °-,, th t e f rozen “eat export trade, Jlr JlakFl 1 nominated aa deputy delegate. Mr Salmon remarked that action should have been taken five years ago to regulate tho supply forwarded to the English market, and so bring about uniform prices. Tho president agreed that the recent glut could probably have been, obviated had such a course been adopted.