GLEANINGS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7047, 8 February 1910, Page 9

GLEANINGS

Stoats and ferrets are said to bo a veritable pest to farmers in fhfe Marlborough Sounds. . - Rape and early-turning, as well as winter turnips, are badly in want of rain in Southland. The Department of Agriculture intends prosecuting some settlers in Taranaki for failure to destroy ragwort. Everything points to an abundance o T winter feed in Marlborough. No injury to crops has resulted from late rains. The salt spray carried inland by ths. etorm at .the end of the year has seriously affected the fruit crop of Taranaki. The Southland chaff market is overstocked. Clean bright samples are worth 40s on trucks at country stations; inferior is almost unsaleable. At the Horowhenua show to-morrow there will be seen one of the finest displays' of pigs yet made in this island. Seventy exhibits will be penned. The co-operative experiments being conducted in the South Island with Chou Moellier —the French marrow cabbage—have proved very successful. Up to SC tons.to the acre have been grown. . The Kakaramea ’ Co-operative Dairy Company commenced making cheese in its new factory on the Ist instant. The milk supply is falling off, though grass is now. more plentiful • than in the spring. The recent rains have not affected southern grain crops to the extent anticipated. Th'oy have done considerably more good than harm. The pastures hav© been completely restored and excellent crops of potatoes, turnips and rape arc to be seen in most districts. The farmers in the Marlborough Sounds are emleavotiring to form a company ,to take over the freezing works at tVhakata.tiuri. The works were principally used for the freezing of fish, but if the company i« successfully floated more sheep than fish will be frozen. Lambs are not in such good nick in Southland as they should bo, owing to the considerable spell of dry weather experienced. The best prices given have been from 10s .to 17s Gd. No business is being done in stores, holders being not Inclined to take anything like what is equivalent to the prices which fat lamb buyers are giving. Two-tooth ewes are selling at 13s to 14s; good forward wethers are quoted at from 10s 9d to 11s, 9d. At a general meeting of the Marlborough branch of the Shearers' Union, it was decided that the following remits be submitted to the conference to be held at Wellington in March next: — (1) That fourty-edght hours shall constitute a week’s work, work to cease at 12 noon on Saturdays; (2) that all experts shall be required to hold certificates,of competency; (3) that, all sheep be made free from dags at sheepowuer's expen**© before being shorn; (4) that the Inspector of accommodation bo authorised to examine the eanitary conditions of woolsheds; (5) that no member be permitted to uw broad comb? unless these nr© provided by the sheepowner for all hands.