THE RURAL WORLD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20006, 25 January 1927, Page 4

THE RURAL WORLD.

FARM AND STATION NEWS.

By Rustictts.

A new device for cutting blackberry was tp fa-nsxv Xi Nelson recently. It is 'she invention of Mr E. B. Gilbert, of Nelson, and its action is that of a saw instead of a slasher, remarks the Mail. It is claimed that the tool will deal with blackberry in a third of the time ordinarily required to cut the plants.

The Live Stock Division of New Zealand reports the cattle tick shows no appreciable increase in the Dominion and that in some districts owing to dipping and other means it shows a decrease. Experiments made at the Queensland laboratory show that the New Zealand tick is incapable of transmitting tick fever.

“Denmark is full of foot-and-mouth disease; 2CO fresh cases a day were being reported while wo were there,” remarked Mr P. H. Cox recently on his return to Wellington. It is a fearful curse, and now South America has it very badly. We should do all in our power to emphasise the importance of keeping it out of Now Zealand.”

The return of favourable weather has been very welcome to Thames orchardists, who have extended their activities of late by more intensive fruit cultivation and by the purchase of additional planting areas. Apricots and plums are ripening readily, and on one day during the holiday season over 150 cases of fruit were railed from Thames. Trouble was met with in the fire-blight pest early in the season, but was largely minimised by the use of preventive measures. In spile of this the fruit is not nearly as plentiful as at this time last year. The unseasonable weather before and after the holidays has also adversely affected local strawberry crops, which are reported to be a failure. There is an abundance of feed on the Hauraki Plains. Even where paddocks were damaged by rain the farmers merely turned their attention to neighbouring paddocks, in which the quick growth gives a plentiful supply of winter feed.

The importance of the pig industry in the Te Puke district was referred to at a meeting of the committee of the local A. and P. Association, and it was decided to make a special effort to encourage entries in the pig classes at the forthcoming

The export of live pigs from the To Puke and Paengaroa district has already attained considerable importance, and a fleet of motor lorries is kept fairly busy carrying loads of pigs to Rotorua for transport by rail.

The second Dunedin wool sales of the season, scheduled for February 1, have been brought forward a day by arrangement between the Wool Committee and the committee that is organising the Medical Congress local affairs, and the sales are now appointed to commence at 7.30 p.m. on Monday, January 31, and be continued on the Tuesday morning. The offerings are limited to 25,000 bales. A great deal of wool is coming forward, and application has been made to the Wool Committee to increase the allotment, but the answer is in the negative, so much of the clip will have to be stored for subsequent auction. * * * * Two section in Wairuna Settlement, which have been opened for selection, and for which applications close to-morrow, have been inspected by a good interested farmers during the past week. Section 2S. containing 553 acres, at a rental of £44 half-yearly, is only three miles from Waipahi railway junction, and in the course of a few weeks the road will be completely metalled. In station times this section has grown some of the best crops in the district and offers a good opportunity for anyone wishing to become a farmer. Section IS is in the nature of a small run fronting the Pomahaka River, and contains 2004 acres, at a rental of £6O half-yearly, and is attracting considerable attention.

The past 50 years have seen a great change in the methods adopted for the speedy fattening of most of English farm stock, until early maturity and quick returns have now become general. With pigs and sheep the modern method of growing and fattening simultaneously is found in its most intensive form, but with cattle an intervening store period is still very common. In former cases it would appear that the public demand for lamb and pork met with a ready response from the farmer, who doubtless found the new system economically advantageous; in the latter case developments have been much slower. The position has, however, now been reached when the public shows in an unmistakable manner a definite partiality for a particular type of beef. Small joints constitute modern requirements, and the neat little animals which can supply them are everywhere in request. It is impossible to assume that the changed attitude of the public in-respect of any of the above products is based on a scientific knowledge of food values or even on a new standard of economy. The reasons for the change in demand, which has occurred at the same time in several countries, are doubtless many and varied.

[ltemt of Interest to those engaged in agricultural and pastoral pursuits, with s view to their publication in these columns, will be welcomed. They should be addressed to “ Rusticus,” Otago Dally Times, Dunedin.]

founded a groat many years ago and represents to the present owner the life work of his forebears.

Messrs D. Ross, Ireland Bros., and John Chisholm contested the awards in the Romney Marsh sections, in which the general standard of quality was very high. Mr Ross won the two championship ribbons with some excellent stock, but he found a keen rival in Messrs Ireland Bros. (Goodwood).

A handful of crossbreds and a good bunch of fat sheep completed the exhibit which was a credit to the county, and a fair criterion' of the resources of the surrounding districts. The cattle rings were not a whit less interesting than the sheep pens. In all sections the quality was good and the numerical strength encouraging. Though ho failed to secure either of the champion awards, Mr D. Reid (Seacliff) was deserving of mention for the fine team of Ayrshires ho paraded. His cattle were characterised by a uniformity of dairy type that must make them great producers. Excellent entries were also received from Messrs P. Ireland, M. A. Tubman, and P. Walker, the two first-named of whom secured the male and female championships respectively. Mr D. Wright's Jerseys* well known throughout the district as producers as well as prize-winners, brooked Jittlo opposition. The female entry in particular was very good, and with his one three-year-old bull Mr Wright annexed the supreme award. His most dangerous rival was Mr R. Riddle, several of whose stock caught the judge s eye. A splendid array of high-class cattle from Bushey Park made up the Shorthorn section, an exhibit which was an object lesson to fat cuttle raisers everywhere. The animals were of the best Scottish type, early maturers and very finely bred. Two magnificent bulls were entered in the three years or over class —Bushey Park Augusta’s Hero and Pushoy Park Lavender Royal. The former is an animal of outstanding quality, having been imported with his mother, Augusta Corinna, who was in calf to Edgcote Hero, a 10, GCO-guinea sire. Another notable sire at Bushey is Rothiebrisbano Diamond (imp.), and the classes for young stock were filled with the progeny of this sire and Augusta’s Hero. Ringleader, Cupbearer, and Ranger made a fine trio in the yearling bull class. The aged cow class contained two fine old herd matrons in Scotland’s Eliza II and Bushey Park Tea Rose. Winsome II in the two-year-old class and Roscdcw and Tea Rose IV in the one-yoar class for females looked real champions. Those animals all have a record in the show-ring tbit needs little amplification in these columns. The prizelists of half a dozen shows have borne ©loquent testimony to the standard of the stud work being carried out at Bushey Park. The best Shorthorn blood of Scotland, Millhills and Collynie, has been introduced at Bushey Park, and, by the results already attained, it would seem to great advantage. , , The Hampden breeders, Messrs C. and J. Nicolson and Mr T. Hewitt (Goodwood) were responsible for a very creditable display of hlack-and-whites. The field in Friesians is generally left to these two studs, both of which have been greatly improved during the past year or two by the acquisition of new blood. Mr Hewitt secured . both the championships, and the reserves in each case went to Hampden. In class honours the Goodwood stock annexed 24 points, and Messrs Nicolson Bros, were a good second with 21 points. The honours for the day therefore were with Mr Hewitt. The draught horse classes, though not up to the standard of former years, were good. Mr J. M. Smith (Kakanui) again showed some of his string with marked success, securing the male championship and the reserve. Mr J. Dow (Outram) ■was another successful exhibitor, securing the female championship, so that all the premier awards went out of the district. Messrs C. and J. Nicolson’s Fabricana w r as entered in the aged entire class, and attracted a. good deal of attention. The prize list was a lengthy one, and the various honours were distributed over a large field of exhibitors, all _of whose names could scarcely he mentioned here. The light horses were an excellent exhibit, and lovers of this class of stock were treated to a fine display of horsemanship and horseflesh. The championship ribbon for hacks in such a field was an honour well worth the winning. Mrs T. D. Dalziel’s (Dunedin) Chrysler repeated his former successes by securing the coveted distinction. Miss Nicholls’s (Maheno) Plato, Mr G. Roberts’s Puzzle, and others of his string, and Mr I. J. Ross’s bunch were among the best. Miss Greenslade (Dunedin) w r as far from unsuccessful. She won the list hack class, and her mount was adjudged the best lady’s hack. In the competitions the high jump event resolved itself into a contest between Mr Roberts’s Puzzle and another of his string, and with Mr Tom Harris up the champion was beaten easily.