LATE AGRICULTURAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 1874, 21 October 1887, Page 17

LATE AGRICULTURAL.

Commenting on the pamphlet on the rabbit question, from which we make a nnmber of extracts in another column, the Southland Times says :— " The statements which it contains will not prove quite acceptable to the Rabbit department, but if they are correct the sooner a change of operations is initiated the better. The late Government, we understand, ordered a large amount of wire netting for the protection of Canterbury— surely a practical confession that the uatural enemies bad not answered tho purpose." The following items are by the Waikaka Valley correspondent to the Mataura Ensign : — In many cases the planting is begun too late in this district-., the result being wet potatoes. This is a good timo for planting here, and up to the end of the month. I notice that some farmers make the mistake of planting the potatoes soon after they are split, and that in consequence many of the splits rot. They should not be planted for a day or two after splitting, until they dry.— Anyone who has had any experience in trapping rabbits knows that a rabbit which escapes from :i trap minus a foot is rarely caught again. But the other day a rabbiter here trapped a rabbit which had previously lost two feet — a front one and a hind one. On this occasion it was caught, as the rabbiter said, by the third leg.— The Wyndham Dairy Factory is now receiving 500 gal of milk daily, with indications of a steady increase. At a meeting of the Temuka Linseed Oilcake and Fibre Company held on Friday evening last, the chairman explained that, as stated in the circulars, the meeting had been called for the purpose of considering a resolution — " That the Temuka Linseed Oilcake and Fibre Company (Limited) be wound up voluntarily." It was much to be regretted that this step had become

necessary, but the outside debts of the company amounted to about £1000, and the directors, faring already guaranteed £4400 to the bank, did not feel justified in incurring any further personal liability. A short time ago the share holders had been called together, and it was then believed that with a small increase in the capital the company would be able to carry on until the sale of binding twine for the coming harvest, which sale would realise sufficient to pay off the accounts owing. The new shares were issued, and it was afterwards ascertained that the fibre in stock was not good enough to make binding twine. The directors, as soon as this was discovered, wished to cancel the new shares, ami refund all moneys paid on them, but they -were told the shares were the property of the company, and they had no power to re- i fund, The directors had each taken two of the new shares and paid for them in full. The \ anaohiuery was all in good working order, and the cause of the present position was the absence of good fibre. A novelty in the cattle market attracted great attention in the Addingtou Saleyards last week, in the shape of a pen of grand stall-fed cattle. They were bought at the extreme rates of the day by some of our leading butchers, and have "cut up" to the entire satisfaction of the purchasers. Owners of horses apparently do not appreciate the supposed advantages of the annual walking shows outside of the large centres of population, or they find that the game is not worth the candle. The experience of nearly all country districts has been very much the same: in each very few horses were shown. At Tapanui two draughts and one thoroughbred were exhibited. A.v Milton only three Clydesdales were shown, namely, Prince of the Isles, Reformer, and Young Salisbury. At Gore there was a slight improvement on this, for four Clydesdales were shown, namely, Lord Clyde, Sir Colin Prince, Vanquisher, and General Outram. In addition four thoroughbreds were exhibited. Evidently, unless greater interest is taken in these events by horseowners they will be discontinued. Mr Rutherford, of Albury, informs the Timaru Herald that the late inclement weather has been most destructive to stock in that district. He has himself had to skin over 500 sheep that had died on his lowlands. They were scattered about, not lying in clusters. The mortality among lambs has been terrible. Our Wakatipu correspondent writes :— " The •crops, considering the late season we are experiencing, look very well, both wheat and oats appearing healthy and strong. But it must be taken into consideration that we have entered the latter half of October, and that it is desirable that the harvest should not be later, generally speaking, than the end of January, while it will take the great majority of crops all their time to be ready — according to present appearances — by the end of February. Rye seems to be gaining in favour as a substitute for oaten chaff with the farmers in this district, in every part of which its cultivation is extending, and as it makes also an excellent green fodder for both great and small cattle, there is a likelihood that to a great extent this crop will replace oats. At the Wanaka, too, the farmers have been sowing rye extensively, and it will be interesting to watch the results of the sowings, and to note whether the crop comes up to expectations and fulfils all that is expected of it. — The weather has so far been rather unfavourable for the young lambs, the nights and days beiug still very sold, and often wet and boisterous into the bargain ; and the young grass is by no means so plentiful as could be wished, or as might be expected at this time of the year. Cold and wet weather, without any heavy downpours, however, has prevailed here for the past two or three weeks." The South Australian Legislature have raised the duty on oatmeal, of which large quantities are sent from New Zealand, to £3 per ton. ; A company to purchase the rights of the Wolseley sheep-shearing machine has been floated in Sydney. Mr F. J. Wolseley, who has ; beuu appointed managing director, receives £10,000" in cash and 1000 fully paid up shares in , payment on transfer to the company of all his . patent rights, also for all patents which he may \ hereafter apply for in connection with any invention of his for the shearing of sheep.