LATE AGRICULTURAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 1834, 14 January 1887, Page 17

LATE AGRICULTURAL.

•The continuation of scorching days that wo have experienced during this somewhat phenomenal summer is beginuuig to _ tell on pasture land, although in some districts we learn that feed is btill plentiful. The crops aro in almost every case described as looking well, though in some instances some .vhat' stunted and showing signs -of maturing at too eaily a stage. Harvesting has actually begun in the Wakatipu and North Otago districts. A few showers would be of great assistance to ripening crops in the majority of cases, however. The hay crop has been mostly secured in good condition, and in cases where grass is grown for seed the results are proving most satisfactory. The turnips have had every chance, a few days of rainy weather having prevailed after tho crop tfasgotin, ajid failures are dgtaseq'tfently fpw aftd

far between. ' Complaints of the ravages of the small birds are also 'much less general than has been the case in previous seasons, and we have scarcely heard of one case in which resowing has been necessary. The potato crop is as a rule promising also ; so that for the agriculturist at least the season may be said to have proved so far a fairly favourable one, even though there are prospects of breakers ahead for pastoralists on account of a coming shortness of pasture.

The Wyndham Dairy Factory is proving a greai success so far as milk supply aud the manufactured product are concerned. No less than 60,000 gallons of milk were received last month, over £1000 being paid for ifc. The cheques received by some farmers actually came to as much as £80.

Our Wakatipu correspondent, under date 10th January, writes: — "The heat continues with unabated fierceness ; indeed, it may be said that it is increasing rather than diminishing. Most of the natural grasses are completely dried up, and cropa are coming on all too fast, for weight of heads and length of straw must be greatly curtailed by such weather as we are having at present. Harvesting has already commenced, Mr W. Pox, at the Shotover, having cut and stooked a considerable quantity of barley, and during the coming week several farmers will be in the midst of harvesting operations, which are beginning much earlier than usual in this district. Taking all things together, the sheepfarmers will perhaps be greater sufferers by the drought thau crop-growers, as a total failure of food on the hills is threatened. Many — indeed, I may well saj the majority — of the grain crsps in this district still look and promise exceedingly well, aud are so far only threatened, while a few fields are already pasL redemption." Mr Thos. Waugh, in the Southland Times, draws attention to the fact that a perennial creep-ing-rooted thistle, which, he btates, is the worst weed ever introducer!, has been allowed to grow for some j'ears past. "It is," he says, " in' several of our streets, and also in East luver* cargill. These thistles, observed at different places are, I believe, all of one species. It has doubtless beeu introduced in straw received in packing cases from Britain. It is here like the rabbits and the sparrows, and likely to remain. The bur or spear thistle, commonly called the Scotch thistle, is by comparison a harmless weed, for it is biennial and dies as soon as it has flowered."

The local Mail says that the humble bee is becoming quite common in Oamaru. Last weftk Mr Blair found one in his garden, and Mr Dausey has also seen one ou two occasions. The humble bee is ceusiderably larger than the common bee and has a hairy black body with yellow or orange bands running across ife. In an article on "the natural enemies of the rabbit the Wellington Press says : — A stoat has been found t» ti avel 18 miles in 24 hours, and wherever it goes the rabbits fly in terror. A few stoats wiil keep all the rabbits over a large area scurrying about, neither feeding nor breeding. Life is not worth having on such terms, aud before long the rabbits either die or leave for parts unknown. It is this which makes the stoat so valuable for eleawng out tho breeding places of the rabbits iv mountain country inaccessible to man. It is not difficult to cope with rabbits on the low lands, but that is of little use if they have sanctuaries in the rocky summits, from whence fresh hordes come down to take the place of those which are shot or poisoued. We are convinced that the natural enemy is the only real remedy for the rabbit nuisance, aud wo trust it will not be resorted to the less on account of an individual case of injury to a child by a ferrot. Messrs Tafce Bros.' produce agency iv Sydney has been formed into a limited liability company, with a capital of £100,000. The business is said to do a turn over of £140,000 per annum. Otagon farmers who have consigned their produce to the Messrs Tait during the pa?t few years will be pleased to learn that the merubers of the late firm will retain the management of the business. We are informed that 6ome settlers on the Peninsula have found it more profitable to ship their dairy produce to Sydney during tho past two years than to sell it in the local market.

The North Otago Times is informed that the cutting of wheat was to commen ;e in the Hakaterainea Valley this week. The sample is said to tho best that has been grown iv the Valley, and and if harvested in good order should, as usual, command the top price. — The Pulmertton Times states that the country is suffering for the want of rain, the thunderstorm ou the Ist inst. having hadnoperceptible beneficial effect. The crops on the whole <ti-e looking very well, and the grass as yet is plentiful enough. If we do not soon have raiD, however, the consequences will bo rather terious, aud the rrops will be fchort, especially oats aud graiu that were sown late. Several shipments of apples ftom Hobart and Melbourne by the Wa'uarapa have been seized by the Customs authorities in Wellington in consequence of the presence of codlin moth amongst the fruit. Harvesting operations have beeu commenced in many parts of tbe Oamaru district; and though the hot weather of the past week has in many cases caused the grain to ripen rather soon, we are informed that most of the crops will be of fair to average quality. The Timaru Herald states that Mr Douglas, of Waihao Downs, has commenced harvesting his barley crop, which is excellent in quality and promises to give a good yield. During the past year the Waitahuna Farmers' Club have purchased 7452 small birds eggs — over COO dozen.

The Southland Times gives the following description of Taylor's hydraulic tree or stump extractor, which was tried recently at the Newington Estate. It resembles an ordinary shear-legs, having at. tho apex a cylinder of cast iron of great strength, containing a ram sin in diameter, and 3ft in length. From tho top of this is suspended a strong wrought iron yoke, to which is attached n^toub cable chain, which in its turn is attached to a 'clamp that grips the tree to be removed. On ono of the legs is attached a box contain-JDg tho pumping gear and the necessary amount of water (about a bucketful), and from the pucr>p a tarts- eighth pipe is connected with tbe lower cud of the cylinder above. Each stroke of thft j".imp i aines the ram a quarter of an inch, and thu* lifts tl-e slmup or tree perpendicularly from tho ground. Being on wheels it can be shifted fiota one tree to another with little labour, aud is so simple that anyman could learn to work ifc after seeing it once in use. Of the speed with which it can work the following figures are a proof :— lt was gripped to a stump a? 342 p.m.- nnil in three minutes' time hail broken groui.tl. In Jlniisi the stump was lifted, and in three ruinutes more the extractor was backed against a large tree and was gripped ready fov work;"

| Recently, we believe, the Government inquired into the feasibleness of giving worjc to a number of the unemployed in cutting the grass growing along the railway lines. The most of the grass "is cocksfoot, and, it was intended to faave tho seed j §nd, £eil it-, the proceeds to pay tor the cost of

cutting. This plan, we believe," has now been abatdonedjbut the Railway departmental quite willing to grant "permission to anyone desirous of cutting the grass. We believe a fair price can be obtained for cocksfoot seed, aud the -employ* merit offers a good opportunity to tbosg who cannot obtain work otherwise.- Ou certain parts of tho line cocksfoot is growing quite luxuriantly. — North Otago Times.

The Southland News advocates vigorous and united action being taken to cope with the small bird pest.

In an interview with a Sydney reporter Messrs Chaffey Bros., the irrigationibts, who are about to commence operations in Australia, spoke rather disparagingly of a pest which is by no means regarded as a plaj thing in New Zealand. " Rabbit's ! " they said, "oh yes, we have any quantity of what you call rabbits on the land, but they are only 'cotton tails.' Tho rabbits that give the greatest trouble in America is the jackaes rabbit, a bigger animal, more like your hare. We think nothing of your rabbits, which are called • cotton tails,' but the jackass rabbit is a terror. He is described by Artemus Ward or Mark Twain as a streak in the atmosphere, and is said to be able to eat any wooden fence that can be put up. The • cotton tail,' give us much less trouble, probably because the coyotes keep the small rabbits down, but the legs of the jackass rabbit are too many for them. Ifc is a part of our undertaking to clear the land of 'cotton tails,' and other vermin and to keep them awny ; we will probably erect & rabbit-proof feuce round every square mile. Another condition is that we are not to retain more than 5000 acres for our own use, so you see we would bo practically compelled to sell the land at its market value. No doubt the first few sections will have to be sold at prices that will not return our outlay, but we are confident that better prices will follow eottlemeut."

In commenting on the appearance of wireworm iv Canterbury The Press cays : — If tho report about the potatoes having been grown from imported seed is correct, there is every hope that the pest may be crushed at once. Iv addition to the destruction of the whole crop of potatoes, we would, however, btrongly recommend that the ground be dosed with loewt or 16cwt of gas lime per acre. The gasworks are handy to Opawa, and the dressing named may nwko all tho difference. The neighbouring growers should also examine their potatoes very carefullj for this worm.