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Otago Witness, Issue 1899, 13 April 1888, Page 7

there are a multitude of things to be attended to besides tillage operations.

I do not know whether it is generally considered that a wheat crop Old Wheat grown from seed of last year's versus New. crop is more liable to be

rusted than when grown from seed of two or three years old. t Ido not mean to say that such is the case, but I know several farmers who think there is something in it. At any rate it is very easy to try an experiment by sowing two plots side by side — one with new seed and the other" with three-year-old seed, giving both the same treatment in every respect. I remember seeing a letter written by a farmer to the Australasian some years ago, in which the writer said that he had proved to his own satisfaction that old seed wheat is a sure preventive of rust on a certain class of land. It is not "very easy to understand how or why it should be 60, but it may be the case for all that on cer- • tain descriptions of soil. For my part, I would much prefer to trust to early sowing than to any virtue in the seed, be it new or old.

The Canterbury Frozen Meat Company held

their annual meeting last Our Frozen week, and a lengthy discusMeat in sion took place concerning London. the disposal of the mutton in

London. Sir Jphn Hall spoke very strongly about the enormous profits of the middlemen. He said the trade seemed to be very satisfactory to all concerned with the exception of the shippers only. The trade paid the shipping companies, the merchants, and especially the Smithfield buyers, who were making a pile at the expense of the producers by buying our meat at 3d or 4d per lb and selling it again at 9d or lOd. The Chairman of Directors, Mr John Grigg, said that it could scarcely be so bad as Sir John Hall had stated, for if so much could be made by turning over the meat he thought there would be more competition for it. What was wanted was a wealthy company to provide storage for the meat and places in which to thaw it out properly. The meat.is often spoiled by being thawed too quickly, and cooked and eaten too toon after being thawed. Another speaker stated that the Smithfield salesmen formed a powerful company, and having enormous power could form a meat ring and prevent any other body from competing with them. They could and would sacrifice a large sum of money in underselling" other salesmen until they had broken down all opposition in that way. This gentleman said that what we in New Zealand have to deal with was the reduction of the shipping charges, and he hoped within 1,8 months to see the all-round charges on frozen meat reduced to 2d per lb.

The discussion anent the unrighteous dealings at the other end then dropped, and things are, I suppose, to go on as before. The sheepfarmer is to continue to breed and fatten sheep for the amusement of himself and for the profit of others. The sheep must be produced for the freezing companies to make dividends, the shipping companies to get freights, the insurance companies to get premiums, and for the Smithfield market salesmen to make a pile. Of course it is very desirable to make the freezing and shipping expenses as light as possible, but a farthing saved in that way will not make all the difference between a net profit or a dead loss to the farmer. Scores of farmers have during the past year or two sent away good fat sheep, and after waiting about 12 months have received less than 5s per head, and in many cases not more than half that sum. A farthing per lb saved in expenses would bring the prise up another 18d, making the enormous return of 6s Gd for prime sheep of 721b weight.

In contrast with the dismal returns from the frozen meat is the scheme Sugar Beet introduced by Mr Valentine Culture. by which farmers will be en-

abled to make £12 15s per acre by growing sugar beet. I am afraid that the very brilliance of the prospect put forward will destroy all faith in this new industry, although I do not agree altogether with the contemptuous remarks of the Southern S^gndard, reprinted in last week's Witness. These remarks, I think, were cather too severe, and probably quite unfounded in regard to the insinuation that the Count D'Abbans' only motive in bringing forward the subject was to provide himself with a billet as manager of the factory. The industry may be quite feasible, but, unfortunately, it cannot be tried upon a small .scale as a feeler, for unless a considerable area of roots were grown, embracing different varieties of soil and climatic conditions, it •could not be proved whether the industry ■would benefit the dial-riot at large or must be confined to a certain description of soil and to a particular locality possessing a suitable climate. Sugar beet is extensively grown and manufactured into sugar in France arid Germany and other parts of the Continent of Europe ; but it does not follow that the industry will thrive here because it does so in countries at a corresponding latitude. The factory established in . South Canterbury for the manufacture of English flax fibre has not proved much of a success, and in several instances the starting of woollen, factories has not brought any profit to the shareholders. But notwithstanding these failures there is no reason to think that any new industry must necessarily prove unsuccessful. IE the beet is grown for sugar there must be works erected to manufacture it, and if the works cannot be. set going for less than £60J000, why, ' I should say that that fact clinches the matter, for we shall never get capital together sufficient to start art 'undertaking of that magnitude, With respect to the cultivation of the root, I suppose it does not differ much from that of other roots, and may be resolved into deep .ploughing and fallowing, enriching with suitable manure, and well hoeing and cleaning the •crop during its growth. But though a good •crop of roots may be grown it may be defi-* •cient in the most important qualification for the factory. I mean, of course, that the roots may not contain sufficient saccharine matter to make it profitable to manufacture them intojsugar. Their richness in sugar depends a great deal upon the* soil, the mode of culture, the size of the roots, and the purity of the seed. After many chemical analyses, under all circumstances, influencing directly and indirectly the promotion of tjw desired

constituent — sugars, a French agricultural chemist arrived at the following conclusions :—: —

That the leaves of the beet when ripe show nothing in their form or appearance to indicate the relative richness of sugar in the roots. That the round beet with forked roots yield 1 per cent, more sugar than the long taper ones.

That the diminution of sugar in the beet is in proportion to the increase in weight of the roots.

That roots of 21b weight grown on a congenial soil will give the greatest amount of sugar, viz., 15 per cent.

That beets grown in calcavous soil average more sugar than those raised in clayey or sandy soils, or in soils containing a small amount of calcareous matter.

The fermented pulp of the roots is, in conjunction with hay or chaff, splendid fattening food for stock.

The rootis a very exhaustive crop, and requires to be well manured. In Europe compost and plaster of pan's is largely used as a manure.

It is said that a good crop of white mustard

will kill the wireworm, but Mustard v. I think it is necessary to Wireworm. plough the green crop under

to effect this object. The mere fact of growing it will not injure the worm. Mr Mechi had a different plan. Writing many years ago to the Mark Lane Express he said that the wireworm can be easily got rid of by sowing six bushels of salt per acre. The salt must be sown directly the worm is seen. The early spring is generally the time when the wireworm does the most harm to the wheat and barley. Mr Mechi says that the worm, never infests heavy land, but two doses of salt are sometimes needed to kill the pest if the land be y.ery light. For getting rid of slugs he recommends sowing two bushels of lime per acre at night in damp weather, for then all the slugs are found out on the surface.

Since penning the note on beet culture I

have read the Count DAb The Count's ban's letter to the Witness Advice. on this subject, in which he

bears out my remarks respecting the necessity of conducting: an experiment on a considerable area. £400 certainly seems a rather large amount to expend in cultivating a few acres of roots, but on the other hand it would be the height of foolishness to go in for the expenditure of thousands before ascertaining the probability of the undertaking proving a success. Perhaps it would be a good plan for the various farmers' clubs to send a delegate to a representative meeting or conference of those who think the industry worth consideration. I believe that pure seed is of the very first importance, and if that could be obtained I really do not understand the necessity for the employment of an imported expert to superintend the growth of the roots, which operation should not be beyond the scope of any practical farmer.

AGRIGOLA.