NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1581, 11 March 1882, Page 7

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Aprivateletterbylastmailsays: — "Thefrozen meat per Europa has turned out to be of very superior quality. I had a leg of mutton from a sheep which we bought amongst us, and though it was cooked too soon after, thawing, it was superior in flavour and texture to any English mutton we have had at Home lately. The large quantity in the ship (about 8000 sheep) has rather perplexed the consignees, and this morning (13th January) there were still 3500 sheep on < board. She reported 2nd January. Considerable quantities have been sent from her to provincial towns, but as the ship must be cleared 1 out by Wednesday next, the, 18th inst., and as our riiafket for dead meat' is pretty well supplied, it is not certain that all can be placed without some sacrifice. It is understood that the price obtained so far is about 6d per lb. For four sheep purchased by us for different friends we have paid 6£d and 6sd per lb. Had the Europa been compelled to clear out her cargo, say, in a week or 10 days, a serious loss muiSfc have been incurred, as the meat wouM not keep well this mild weather, and there is no cold storage for it.'*

The Eev.-'J. Berry, who, during his short stay in England, delivered some lectures, chiefly setting forth the advantages of New Zealand 'as a field for emigration, has lately received a letter ' from the manager of the, Easex Industrial School and Home for Destitute Boys, at Chelmsford. From this the Lyttelt»n Times extracts the following : — " I have i lately made inquiries and had an' interview with the Agent-general in London, and understood from him that we can send suitable lads, —healthy fellows 16 years of age—^who have, had a good education up to Standards V and VI, and. are accustomed .to. field work, having ibeen half-day at school and half -day at work in ■■ our home for a numbers of years, provided £5. be paid for each one in New Zealand by the person nominating. I thought there would be plenty. 6i farmers who would be glad of a valuable help such as above described, and who would be willing to pay one-half the amount, or £2 10a towards bringing him out. In that case we will pay the> other £2 10a, and send the boy provided with a good outfit— two new suits of clothes, box 1 , &c— immediately 1 on- receipt of .your instructions. If you approve of thiß scheme, I shall be much obliged to you if you will put this in work arid make the experiment with three boys, as I- feel sure it will be to the advantage of all concerned. We have nine boys in Canada, all of whom are doing well, and I want to make a beginning in New Zealand. Hoping to receive a favourable reply, — I am, &c, Arthob Pash, Hon.' Manager."

Qne of the largest sales of station property which has taken place in Australia was made in Sydney recently. A Btation known as Barrabogie, containing 227,824 acres freehold, situated on the Murrumbidgee River, to which it has a frontage of 25 miles, and stocked with 138,000 sheep; 129 cattle, and 122 horses, has 1 been sold by auction' for the sum of £440,000. The " purchaser of this princely estate was Mr Fifczwilliam Wentworfch.

The harvest yields in this district (says the Oamaru Times) 'will, we believe, fall somewhat short of the expectations of the most sanguine grain-growers, as the threshing, which has been going on for some time,' proves. In the Kakanui district the result is not likely to show, much above 20 bushels to the acre, although the crops when standing gave promise of more. The north-west winds may be held accountable for the loss of a good part of the expected yield. In the Ngapara district (where the average was expected to be higher than in any other part of the county), the yield, from the same cause, will not be more than about 24 bushels. Kurowarid Hakateramea are better, these districts having been favoured with more seasonable rain than those situated south of them. The crops in Waitaki county and Hakateramea are, however, expected to show a higher average than those in any of tho Canterbury districts, with the exception of Waimate and Waiho.

An experiment of great interest to flockmasters throughout Australia is now 'being carried out by Messrs M'Farland Bros., of Barngo, New South Wales. With the view of increasing the weight of fleece on their sheep, Messrs M'Farland have selected a number of stud merinos from among the most celebrated flocks in Vermont, U.S.A., which have lately arrived in Victoria, and are now in quarantine. The sheep (says the Argus) are of an entirely different type from the Australiari'nuerino, being remarkably dense in the wool, with stout bodies on short' legs. They have the peculiarity of being covered with wrinkles or folds in the skin, and on these folds the wool is of a very coarse character. The amount of yolk or f natural grease in the wool is very heavy, and the wool is not nearly so bright and attractive as Australian wool but the fleeces are remarkably heavy, and as high as 301b to a fleece has on several occasions been reached. I'he American wool loses greatly in the prqeesa qf scouring, qqt the retu,rn, of scoured wool is much h,eav»er pep fleece than is (he c^o with Victoria' fleeces,