AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS,

Otago Witness, Issue 1875, 28 October 1887, Page 7

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS,

The provisions of Sir George Grey's Land Acquisition Bill will be found among our Parliamentary news this week. From a perusal of them it will be seen that ifc is proposed to vest the initiative for the acquisition of land which it is thought desirable to bring under the proj visions of the act in county councils or road boards. The recommendations of these bodies will be reported upon by the Surveyor-general and a commissioner, whose report on them will be brought before a board sitting in open court, whose'decistons will largely influence the Executive in giving effect to the petition. Provision is also made for taking Crown lands or purchasing private lands at a valuation not exceeding that of the Property Tax Assessment Act, the valuation beiuij made by the Property Tax Commissioner. Sir George apparently wishes his policy to rival that of Mr Ballance in liberality to intending tattlers, as it is intended to not only empower the Colonial Treasurer to advance money for the erection of homesteads, but also for the purchase of agricultural implements and a year's rations. The proposed, methods of settling the land after its acquisition are the perpetual lease and quit rent systems, with the provision that no holder shall be allowed to acquire more than 320 acres

altogether, whether leasehold or freehold. Sir George invites the opinion of practical agriculturists as to the feasibility of his scheme, and will, no doubt, be glad to enter into communication with anyone offering suggestions as to the best method of carrying it out. The lambing season (writes the Waimumu correspondent of the Mataura Ensign) has fairly commenced. In a few flocks there were lambs some months ago, and these now are very large, as the good winter favoured their growth. Early lambs make invariably the best sheep. So far, the season, as regards the number of lambs, is proving an excellent one, the mortality being small, and if it continues, a large percentage may be confidently anticipated. The pasture is springing up abundantly, not only on cultivated lands, but on native pastures; and there is no doubt there will be a surplus supply of grass this season, which will be extremely acceptable to dairy factory men. The Sydney Mail gives the following particulars of the shipment of butter to England made by the Fresh Pood and Ice Company, mention of which has already been made by us : —Last June eight of Pond's enamelled boxes, each of which held half a hundredweight of butter, made at the Pioneer Factory, Kiama, were placed in the cold chamber of the Orient steamship Liguria. The principle object of shipping in June was to have the butter arrive in London in a hot season, so that the keeping quality of the product could be properly tested. Tho butter arrived in excellent condition, and the company have now, under date August 19, the account sales and the following comments from their agents:— "The butter ex Liguria has turned out very well, and has been fortunate enough to benefit in the rise of 10s per cwfc which has recently taken place in consequence of the drought. The difference in price between summer and winter usually ranges from 10s to 20s per cwt, so that, if you elect to ship thestock you have on hand, you can count upon some 10s over the prices now obtained, which were — 2 packages, 108s ; 2, 106 ; 4, 100s per cwt. respectively. You will observe by the account sales heroin that the net landing weights show 181b loss. In explanation, it is asserted that the wood absorbs the brine, and accounts for the deficiency of a little ever 21b per case. Mark the packages of future shipments with letters or number?, and do not indicate the source of supply. Circular packages, although ordinarily used, are not the best for stowage. We think you can do no better than with the excellent square boxes such as this sample came iv. The first two cases, sold at 108s, contained excellent butter, as sweet and sound as possible. The cheapest line was in equally good condition,, but tho flavour was turnippy, indicating a different feed. Our experts are very emphatic thafc the butter if landed in same condition in thr> winter, will have a splendid result. The batter is good, sound, and well made." This information should be encouraging to the dairymen, as it is evident that the butter market, which oi" late has been much depressed, can be considerably relieved by shipments. In London on the 15th of Angust the highest quetations for imported butter were— Normandy, 126s to 1325 ; Dutch, 116s to 120s. The Fresh Food and Ice* Company intend to ship regularly, and will send about two tons from this port on thellthinstank The enamelled boxes are made in Auckland; where Mr Pond's factory is situated. Treating of shearing prospects, the Hamilton Spectator says:—" A gentleman who has just returned from a journey through the stations in the Coleraiae, Harrow, and Apsley districts informs us that at only one station has the Shearers' Union so far proved troublesome to the graziers, this being at Newlands, near Apsley, where a party of shearers declined to work under the station agreement, and consequently ' humped their drums' and sought fresh fields and pastures new. Mr Donaldson, the manager, however, was in no way much disturbed by their refusing to go to work, being quite confident of obtaining plenty of non-union men in time for the season's shearing. Pinehills, Ellerslie, Olunie, Fulham, Gringegalgona, Tahara, and other stations are in full swing — with full boards of shearers working on station agreements — so the union does not seem to bo in a very prosperous condition in the districts named. Our informant describes the country as looking magnificent ; flockowners aro anticipating an excellent clip, and if fine weather could only be guaranteed for the next month or six weeks, the present season bids fair to be a most lucrative one." Some interesting experiments relating to potatoes have recently been conducted at tbe Highland Agricultural Society's stations. Theso have been chronicled by Dr Aitken, and v briefly stated, these are his deductions :— The potato is a feebly rooting plant, requiring its nourishment within easy reach. As it has a prolonged period o^ growth, such slowly-acting manure as dung lying close to the seed tubers is well suited to the potato, and its effect is to produce a greater proportion of large tubers than were artificial manures only are applied. Where no farmyard manure is available, sulphate of ammonia produces more potatoes than nitrate of soda, at any rate in a wet season, but a larger proportion of small tubers. On tho top of farmyard manure nitrate of sncla has proved in all respects the better manun:.