NOTES AND COMMENTS.

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

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

The eleventh annual grain show of the Western District Agricultural and Pastoral Association, which was held on Thursday (29th ult. ), does not appear to have been a success, there being only 85 entries, as compared with 150 last year, while the attendance of visitors was small in proportion. The local Star attributes , this 'result to two causes, — the first being apathy on the part of the Association, and tho second the experiment of raising tho charge for entry, to the various competitions. If the exhibits wero few in number, however (continues our contemporary), the quality at any'rate 1 showed no?doterioration, and in some instances they, even excelled in that respect those of former years. Captain Stevens took first prize with a very fine sample of wheat grown at Beaurabnt station, weighing 66|lb. Mr Fletcher's sample, grown on Jacob's river flat, was also an excellent exhibit, ahd the judges had no difficulty in assigning a second place to it. Mr W. K. Hazlett'S was the only exhibit of barley, and on'account of its superiority it was awarded a first prize. There 'was very fair competition^ in oats. An exhibit of sandy oats by Messrs Acheson Bros, was, although admittedly superior to the others, disqualified by l the judges on the ground that they thought from its extraordinary bright colour that it had been artificially treated. In consequence of this they awarded first prize to Mr W. K. Hazlett for a sample weighing 461b, Dr Hodgkinson's being placed second. On Mr Acheson learning the grounds upon which his exhibit was disqualified, he produced satisfactory evidence to prove that he had in no way artificially coloured it and that the grain was in its natural state. The judges therefore removed the disqualification. Mr J. A. Hall's was the only exhibit of tartarian oats— a very nice sample— for which an hon. cer. was awarded. Some difficulty was experienced in deciding between Mr A, Ward's and Mr W. K. Hazlett's exhibits of sparrowbill oats ; the former was ultimately awarded first honours, doubtless on account of its being tho heaviest by a trifle. Mr A. Jones, of Groper's Bush, exhibited a new kind of oat— the Russian potato— and if the qualities which are claimed for it are sustained, there is little doubt but that it will come into general favour. It is a very early, good milling, smut-proof oat. The sample weighed 29Alb per bushel, and the crop realised 57 bushels per acre off ridgy stubble land. The exhibits of grass seed were extremely few, two only of rye-grass, belonging to Messrs R. Hazlett and W. Hoporoft, and weighing 2l}ib. and 2&f 1b per bushgl reaper

lively, in which order the prizes were a,w,arded. Roots were fairly well represented— at any rate in quality if notin quantity— Messrs W. K. Hazlett, M'lntyre, Bailey, and Hoddtmson being the prize-takers. . . . The exhibits of seeds were confined to two classes, which have not previously been shown at the show, viz., grey peas ar&l rape seed. Of the latter Mr Fletcher showed a very fine sample, and was 'awarded first prize. He had a good crop, but it was much thinned by the'ravages of imported lairds. It is only a year ago, we understand, since grey peas were first grown in the district, and experience has shown that they prove a profitable and useful crop. Mr Fletcher had five acres of them, which yielded at the rate of about 55 bushels to the acre ; Mr W. Hopcroft had also a good crop of them off his faipn at Gummieß Bush.

The remark is frequently made, ' Cut idswn the forests, there will bo plenty of timber to last our time ; convert the forest lands into agricultural holdings, and cover the country with men, women, an children.' Those who make such remarks are evidently not aware of the fact that in many parts of Europe and elsewhere the cutting down of, the forest? resulted in converting countries formerly fertile, arid well peopled, into absolute deserts, necessitating the removal of man and beast to look for food elsewhere, which ought to bo warning's to the people of this grand country to conserve theiv native forests ere it is too late.— Paper. bv^D. M 'Arthur, Inspector of Forests. '.

The Auckland Star of a recent date says s— Upwards of 600 kegs and cases of butter and about 150 cases of oheese, in addition' to severa smaller' parcels', from the south, were shipped by the Arawata, wnich'left for Sydney Jpt ' evening. We understand that- on account' of the present state of the markeVhere /^it. F is .very profitable for merchants to dispose" o/'b'otn cheese and butter in Sydney ', IJ ' '-' The Timaru Herald is of opinion' that the export of meat from New Zealand is going to assume large proportions. Our contemporary however, is inclined to believe that it is growing into magnitude too great for the country at first, and adds that "thesoorierthe owners of pastoral country— yes, and agricultural courilry too— realise the prospects of this frozen meat trade, and make provision for them, the better it will be for themselves and the public", <

It is stated, on what is regarded Las good authority, that an acre of grazing land in Lincolnshire, England — a county famous ,for it grass — will carry an Ox and a sheep, from, May Ist to October Ist, and - during that period tha ox will gain 2801b and the sheep. 4olb infnet weight of meat when- slaughtered. Thd'acre will thus yield 3201b of meat in 153 dSys' grazA Yorkshire estate of 22,678 acres has just been sold for £500,000 exclusive of timber, which is yet to be valued. , The annual rental of its farms amounts to £12,000, and there is sporting over 9600 acres of moors. The property ha 3 been held intact ever since the Conquest. The first recorded owpier w.as Earl Edwin, a brother-in-law of King Harold,-' and a grandson of : , the famous Countess Godiva. . li ,' ' 'The importation of eggs intb -Great Britain last year was 750;000,000 or about t#o dozen for each man, woman, and child in _the country. Their money value was over- £2,opo,opj^ The Price Current's report of hog-packing in the West shows 574j800 hogs packed during the winter. The aggregate for twelve months ia 10,551,000 hogs, or 1,692,000 hogs less than the preceding year. , 4 •; j „*„ ]