LOCAL EXPERIENCES. TO THE EDITOR.

Otago Witness, Issue 1598, 8 July 1882, Page 8

LOCAL EXPERIENCES. TO THE EDITOR.

Sm,— l notice with regret that" the discussion of agricultural matters of practical import in tin's column has lately almost entirely ceased. As an outsider, I may be allowed to say that the Otagon farmers are very apathetic with regard to the advantages of interchanging their experience in those matters pertaining to the interest of themselves and their brother farmers. Thero are few intelligent farmers who can pass through the four seasons of the year without having gained some information of practical use, yet this information is seldom diffused for the good of others, except in a very incidental way. Surely it is not much trouble to jot down such items as may provoke a discussion, and so be circulated through the district for the benefit of all concerned. Farmers' clubs cannot be established in outlying and thinly-settled districts, and where they are established they are not all that they should be. _ Whenever a farmer observes anything in agriculture worth recording, ho ought to make a note of it and send it to the secretary of his club to be discussed at the meeting ; or, if not a member of a club, it is a very simple matter to send his jottings to this column. I shall be glad of any information with respect to the American disc harrow. There are none in usein my district, and Ihavehad no opportunity of seeing one at work. It is, I should imagine, an excellent implement for reducing the surface to a fine state for the reception of the seeds of roots, grass, clover, &c. I wish to be informed as to its usefulness in working down the first furrow of either tussock or lea ground for turnips or oats. According to published accounts the discs can be set to work at any angle with the line or direction of the work, ■but the question is whether they would work in any but land which has been frequently ploughed. For slicing up a tough furrow, they, would reqtiire to be set straight, and would not disintegrate or pulverise the land so much as the ordinary tine harrows. iTrustin/ some of your numerous agricultural readers will farour me with a reply,-— I am, &c, ! Farmbb. South Canterbury, June 29th