THE RURAL WORLD.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7928, 11 October 1911, Page 2

THE RURAL WORLD.

WELLINGTON WOOL SALES. SEASON 1911-1912. Catalogue Date of Salo. ■ Closes. Tuesday, November 7th, 1911 Nov, 3 Monday, December 4th, 1911 Nov Thursday, January 11th, 1912 Dec. 30 Tuesday, February 13th. 1912 Feb. 5 Tuesday, March sth, 1912 Mar. 1 A. AND P. SHOW DATES. October 18th and 19th.—Hawke's Bay A. and P. Association, at Hastings. Entries close October 4th. October 25th and Z6th.— Wairarapa and Bast Coast P. and A. Association, at Carterton. Entries close October 11th. November Ist, 2nd, and 3rd.—Slanawatu and West Coast A. and P. Association, at Palmerston North. Entries for all classes except Jive stock close on October oth; live slock entries close October 13lh. November Bth and 9th.~Bgmont A. and 1. Association, at Hawera. Entries close October 28th. , November Bth. 9th. and loth.—Canterbunr Metropolitan Spring Show, at Christchurch '* , . _ November 15th and 16th. —Wanganui A. ana P. Association. , November 21sfc and 22nd.—Nelson A ana P. Association, at Richmond Park. November 22nd and 23rd.—Taranaki A. and P. Association, at New Plymouth. November 29th and 30th.—Stratford A, and P. Association, at Stratford. January 31si.—Bush Districts A. and V Association, at Woodvillo. February 7th.—Central A and P. Association at Waipukurau.

SPUING SHOW SEASON OPENS NEXT WEEK. i The first fixture of the 1911-12 show season will be opened under the auspices of the Hawke's Hay A. and P. Association at Hastings next week. Prom that timo onwards, for the next few months, similar events will bo celebrated in all the leading agricultural and pastoral centres throughout the_ Dominion. Studmasters and. their assistants will have a busy time in preparing their stock for exhibition and in conveying the animals to the different centres, where their merits ara to be apprised in open competition. Every year marks a general all-round improvement in the various classes of stock that are on exhibition, a fact which proves that the standard of flocks and herds throughout the Dominion is being brought to. a higher state of perfection by careful selection and the infusion of new blood fi’Oin the leading strains in the Old World. The Ct six months has been remarkable the number of high-class animals that have been imported, representing the best types of cattle, sheep, and horses. These animals have been well distributed, and no doubt many of them will come under the judge's scrutiny and be subjected to public criticism at one or other of the forthcoming shows.

Looking back over a period of from fifteen to twenty years, people marvel at the changes that have taken place in the procedure of . farming, and the improvements in the standard of the flocks and herds during that time. To what can these altered conditions be attributed? There are many causes that might be mentioned, but for the present it will suffice' to draw attention to the benefical influence that has been brought about by the formation, and enterprise of agricultural societies., These institutions stand for progress, and are of material benefit to every section of the community. They have been the direct means of bringing owners of stock and producers into friendly rivalry, thereby providing an incentive to improve their stock in every possible way, with the result that the whole of the wealthproducing stock in the country has been improved out of all knowledge in a remarkably short space of time. Whatever opinions may he held regarding the multiplication of agricultural

fixtures, it cannot be denied that these events stand for progress and stability in the agricultural world, not only in the encouragement given to improving stock, but also in the general advancement and initiation, of any movement that is calculated to better the position of the primary producer. Public displays are only held once or at the most twice in a year, yet the work is going on all the year round, and for this reason district associations have a strong claim to public support. If thoughtful consideration were given by those who are directly benefiting by the work of agricultural societies, they would sec that it is to their interest to bestow more liberal support than is being done at present. During the year many societies have deplored the lack of support that has been forthcoming from farmers and business men, and many useful features in their work have had to be suspended from want of the necessary funds. There arc very few farmers arid tradespeople who cannot afford to belong to at least one association, and their assistance should be given voluntarily. A membership ticket usually entitles the holder to concessions on the day of the show, which practically amount to the return of its face value. Were it not for the liberal donations that are made annually by enthusiastic members and promoters of associations, it is doubtful whether many of them would bo able to keep going. There is still room for agricultural societies to extend their educational value, and many problems regarding the future are receiving earnest consideration. In the meantime it is the duty of all to lend a helping hand, so that those having control may not bo hampered from lack of financial support.

MANAWATU SPUING SHOW ENTRIES CLOSE ON FRIDAY. Live stock entries for the Manawatu show at Palmerston North close on Friday nest. The committee's decision to open the exhibition halls and side shows in the evening has attracted a largo number of exhibitors and heavy entries are being made. Correspondence should bo addressed to Mr W. T. Penny, secretary, box 85, Palmerston North.

GLEANINGS’ Tho cow-testing morement is spreading in Taranaki. Suppliers to the Kaupokonui factory are testing 3278 cows this year, against 2000 last season. A lino of 1000 sacks of wheat was sold in Timaru the other day at 3s 9d per bushel f.0.b., and another line was sold at 3a lOd. The Timaru and South Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Associations support tho Manawatu proposal that part of the totalisator tax should be used as subsidies to associations to encourage horse breeding. Porty-ono double-decked trucks of sheep passed through Ashburton on Friday for Addington and Eangiora from the south. The sheep were principally fat wethers, and were in prime condition. A farmer a Willowby, Ashburton, in order to test tho efficacy of old poisoned grain, distributed some he had had in is possession for ovor twelve months. Ho finished distributing tho grain- at 10.30 a.m. one day and at noon on the same day he picked up 108 dead birds, and later 100 more. Hordwick breeders in the Cumberland Fells never remember whicks (the local ■name for maggots) having been so deadly among their sheep as this summer, and leading flock masters state that tho abnormal heat has been responsible for increasing the rate of mortality from 7 to 10 per cent. The sheep when struck

by the fly hide in the crags and bracken and suffer a living death.

A potato prodigy is reported fromSpalding, England, where Air Thomas Hatchett, fruitgrower, lifted a single root of the King Edward variety which had B.llb of tubers attached of remarkable size. One weighed 21b, and was B:]in long and 12in in girth. The next largest weighed lib lOoz, and was 85111 long and round, while a thud scaled lib 3oz. Those farmers who grow only a few acres of maize can do much better with the crop by paddock-feeding pigs than bv marketing the grain. This system of pig-feeding, the inspector states, has much to commend it, and is no more economical way of marketing the crop than in the form of pork or bacon. A writer in the Sydney "Mail," dealing with the fat lamb trad©, in urging tho Commonwealth producers to try and improve their methors of handling and marketing, makes the following reference to the lamb trad© of this country ; "New Zealand's trade is also better managed than our own, and she has a splendid asset in the so-called trade mark 'Canterbury.' Needless to say that every carcase sold in Great Britain as ‘Canterbury' did not come from that province, and there are, no doubt, thousands sold annually under that name that never saw New Zealand. Tricks in every trade are common, but there have been far too many—and are still—in the meat trade."

The entries received for the Hawke's Bay show constitute a record. The total number for the year being 2212, as against 1040 last year. The horse and cattle sections .are particularly strong and a small increase is shown in sheep entries. In tho draught horse section thero are between 80 and 90 entries against 45 last year. Shorthorns are thp strongest class in tho cattle section and include entries from Messrs W, Howard Booth, W. C. Buchanan, and A. McLean. Herefords, Polled Angus and Jerseys are also well represented. The sheep entries are drawn from a wide area and many of the leading purebred studs will be "brought into competition.

MANAWATU A. & P. ASSOCIATION

SPECIAL TO THE “TIMES.” PALMERSTON, October 10. The monthly meeting of the Manawatu A. and P. Association was held today, tho president (Mr A, C. Conway) m the chair. The Wellington Racing Club notified that J 312 10s had been allocated to supplement prizes in events calculated to encourage the breeding of thoroughbreds. The New Zealand Warehousemen's Association forwarded a donation of .£5 ss. It was decided to purchase six registering turnstiles in us© at the recent Wellington Exhibition. Forty-five new members were elected and two resignations received. The Manawatu Association's scheme for securing part of the totalisator revenue as a subsidy to A. and P. Associations to encourage hors© breeding was favourably entertained by a large number of kindred societies, the only dissentient being the Northern Wairoa Association, which objected to tho principle of the Government raising revenue by any form of gambling.