OUR CANTERBURY AGRICULTURAL BUDGET.

Otago Witness, Issue 972, 5 September 1889, Page 7

OUR CANTERBURY AGRICULTURAL BUDGET.

(Feom Our Own Cokeespondent ) Cecbistchuboh, September 2. THE SEASON.

As far back as Canterbury weather records go this season is without a parallel. Severe and protracted frosts on the plains, heavy snow in the back country, and no rain anywhere are the characteristics by which the winter of 1 889 will long be remembered, There have been occasional local showers, some of them very heavy, but there are districts on the plains where there baa not bsen 3in of rain in tbe last three ntontbs. Last month was the driest of all, and though a little rain fell last week north of the Selwyn it was quite insufficient for the parched ground. Scarcely a drop fell south of that river, and everywhere the cry of the farmers is for rain. The weather records for the past month, taken at the Lincoln Sohool of Agriculture, were as follows:— "Rainfall, total -983 in, falling in nine days ; maximum taken, 2nd, '355. The average rainfall for the month of August since 1882 is 3'9lin ; since January Ist up to date only 13'lin of rain has fallen ; for the same period last year it amounted to 22'159in : for 1887, 22191; and for 1886, 28'463in. Since 1882 the average rainfall for the year is 29'255in, the maximum being in 1886, viz,, 35*242, and the minimum in 1885, 22130 in. The mean temperature in the shade, 43 7 Fahr. ; tbe mean maximum in the sun, 1041 ; mean minimum on the grass at night, 29 7 Fahr. ; on 23 nights we have had frost, the most severe on the night of the 18th, thermometer going down to 21 8 Fahr. Average amount of wind per day, 221 milea ; maximum day's run on the 11th, a gale of 608 miles."

Mr E. G. Stericker, of Sutton Farm, Timaru, reports tho rainfall for August as o'4oin, rain falling on eight days. Frosts were experienced, severe for the time of year. The rainfall in August 1888 was 4 86ia. Since Christmas Day only 7'3Bin of rain has fallen at Timaru. Domestic water tanks and Btook dams on the down country are beginning to give out, and unless a good rain comes soon many farmers will be in straits for water for their stock. Grain crops throughout the province may be said to ba all in the ground, and they were certainly sown under very favourable conditions ; but the advantages thus gained will be more than lost unless we get a good rainfall very soon. The nor'- westers have already done some damage by blowing the dry earth off the lately sown fields, leaving the sprouting eeed uncovered on the surface. Winter wheat and oats look very well yet, the frosts during ploughing having put the land into fine order, but some that are just springing up show the effeots of want of moisture, and tbe sharp frosts of the last few nights have had a further ad yerse influence. The history of grain-growing in Canterbury showa that the best harvests have followed good rains— say 3in a month— in the spring months August to November. Let us hope tbat rain will not bs much longer withheld. Grass is springing a little, but has seldom if ever been so bare at this time of the year, and as a consequence the live stock markets are crowded week by week, mostly with half or three-quarter fat sheep and cattle. Graziers who are so fortunate as to have feed take their pick of the sheep at fairly firm prices, but the residue is at a low ebb of price in comparison with the value of prime fat mutton, whether freezing or Bhop description. Beef is at a very low figure, and some of the large cattle graziers have done much better by shipping to London, even at the low rates ruling there, than they could do in tbe local market. The fact is that as regards beef most of the Christchurch butchers buy privately from one or other of the graziers near town at prices considerably above the auction quotations, getting weights that suit their trade and quality that they can depend upon ; besides, often, a consideration in the way of " terms," and farmers' cattle are with very few exceptions neglected save by the few butchers who combine a bit of grazing with their ostensible business. Really good beef is to be bought at Addington at 163 to- 17a per 1001b, without reckoning hide and offal. Good freezing wethers are worth Ifa to 203, very few being seen in the open markets, a3 most are bought by agenta for shippers direct from the farmers. There ie a fair demand for good store crosabreda and crossbred ewes in' lamb, but merinos are a dead letter, though they are being offered for salo at prices which would leave a V9ry handsoms return to anybody who has grass to put thorn on. There will ba a good sale for lambs and two tooths by and bye, as moat of the big farms are preparing for large breadths of turnips, and will have to buy sheep for them. Sheep in the back country have suffered very badly ; the snow has hardly made a move yet, and slight thaws followed by re freezing has mado it more difficult than ever for the sheep to scrape their way to a bite. Runholders are deriving some aomf ort from good returns for their wool, some very ordinary clips having sqld at surprising pripes. Some of the farmers' clips sold in the local sales have, however, left the shippers a loss. Faults in colour and condition seem to be more conspicuous in London than hard.

Wheat is moving off vsry slowly, mostly in shipments to England on the grower's account. Barley and oata are protty well cleared off. Potatoes are firm at 6Ja 6i to 703— stations within 10 miles of Chriatchurch. ' A big crop ia being planted this season, Butter and cheese are at nominal prices-

THE SOHOOL OF AGBIOOBTUBS.

The writer of " The Week " in his note on Lincoln College in the last number' of the Witness, quotes from the roporfc of the repent q iramiGsioh some concluaioos which are not to &c found m that report, Qa ib.3 contrary, it is admitted that, tho students are thoroughly taught the practical work of tb.e farm, and' not to despise practical labour as boneath them. The report of the farm examiners on the work of ihe past yßar has juafc beou prefceutedto the received liiqat or al} of th.9 csuau^a of the com? miasibners). The examiners are Mesarti John W. Overton and John Rennie, than wbQffi

better farmers would bo bard to find, they say-: — Yffi have the honour to' report that we have [ examined the students at the Sohool of Agriculture four times during the past year, namely, leed-time, "■ shearing, reaping, and threshing. On August 27, the examination in ploughing and drilling took place, when the ploughing done by the students was very creditable, being straight, neat, and in better time than formerly. Drilling waa going on at the same time, and was well done. Having had. such a mild winter ,-the work was well forward, the turnips were being eaten, off with very little waste, and the stock was in good condition. On Deaeiuber ?we examined the students in sheafing. This was much better than we have ever seen ifc done at the farm ; the fleeces were not broken, and the sheep were clsan jshora and very little out, but we must say that the work was slow. The heaviest sheep being kept for the shearing examination makes it more difficult for growing lads to do it up to time. We suggested to Mr Ivey for the future examinations to keep some of the lighter sheep so as to give the students a better chance. . . . On February swe hold tbe reaping examination. The students having this year the advantage of two good machines, M'Oormack and Howard, in thorough working order, and with all the latent improvements, did their work remarkably well— in. fact, better than we have ever seen it done, working the whole day without a stoppage. On February 28 we visited the farm for the last time of the agricultural year to see threshing operations carried out. Reaping was completed, and very nearly all the grain threshed, and this work was done entirely by the students, with the exception of driving the engine. Though the work was not done as rapidly as by a hired machine this advantage was gained, that the grain was better threshed, better cleaned, and should therefore command a higher price. Both engine and combine were in thorough repair. Thg farm was in good order, the fences neat, and the ditches clean, 'i'he 'cutting of the goree fences with the gorse-cutter seems to answer very well, the fence looks neater, and afterwards does not grow so fast as if cut by hand. It also prevents seeding, which will do away with the necessity for so much grubbing The turnips have stood the drought remarkably well, and show the advantage of good cultivation during a dry season. The stock is in good condition. We are pleased to see that active operations are renewed in the dairy, for which industry the farm is so well fitted, both as to situation and machinery, and from which much is to be expected. We think the students should be encouraged to keep a record of the milking qualities of the cows, te3t the milk and cream, and tbus learn the true value of a dairy in comparison with graingrowing. Most people are so apt to look upon it as apiece of drudgery— a work to be avoided if possible. Wo would alao propose, for the consideration of the board, that more experiments should be tried on the farm in order te secure good clean seed, and in this way new kinds of grain might be obtained for seed purposes. It gives u» 'great pleasure to state in conclusion that we had no fault to find in any of the branches which we are appointed to examine, and three or four of the students were thoroughly well up ia all the different work oarried out on a farm.

I may mention that since the visit of Messrs Overton and Rennie the necessary appliances were added to the dairy plant, and the various teats regularly oarried out by the students. The students' fees bave been reduced to £40 The Government propuca! to govern the School of Agriculture by a b^ftrd comprised of a member elected by each of the nine agricultural and pastoral associations in New (Zjaland is so utterly impracticable as to make one wonder that it was ever made. That men of tbe necessary qualifications could be found who would travel at various periods from Auckland, Napier, Taranaki, InvercargUl, or even from Wellington, Dunedin, or Oamaru to do their duties as members of the board is simply ridiculous, The idea ia to imitate the Council of Agricultural Education in Victoria, but the fact is loßt sight of— as it is in many of our attempts to imitate our Australian neighbours — tbat the circumstances and geographical formation of our colony are very different from these of Victoria, New South Wales, and South Australia. Lincoln College requires to be separated from Canterbury College, the unjust financial charges standing against it adjusted, and the institution placed under a board constituted of men like the present and paß examiners, who could and would visit the College at frequent intervals, and bring their own practical knowledge to baar when necessary. Messrs Boag, Rennie, the Overtone, and many others within easy distance are progressive farmers, not despising "book-farming," and the addition ex ojficiq of the chairman and secretary of the Canterbury Agricultural Aasooiation and the Minister of Lands would ensure all branches of farming baing thoroughly taught,^

FROfiBN MEAT TRADE MAB^S. The two freezing companies are already at loggerheads, the matter^of dispute being tbe brands upon the calico bags in which the frozen meat ia encased for shipment. Tbe original company's brand ia

NORTH BB T B X U A R O N3 T

and the new company has adopted exactly the same brand, with the addition of the initials CMCo Ld over the brand The new company (the Christchnrch Meat Company, limited) refuses to recognise the marks on tho exterior of the bags as a trade mark, claiming that only the brand on the label attached, to the ahank of each Bheep, inside the bag, can be considered a trade mark, and repudiating any intention to infringe any right of the other. These labels are distinctive enough, consisting of the title of each company in full, but the new company making use again of the words North Canterbury, New Zealand, the Belfast Company (the Canterbury Frczan Meat and Dairy Produce Export Company, Limited) has taken legal action in the matter.

THB ANNUAL SHOWS.

There is danger of coma of our showa clashing again this year, notwithstanding an appeal to the country societies by the metropolitan association to avoid it. Ellesuaere (Lseaton) leado off on October 24; Timaru, October 29 and 30 j Ashburtoo, November 1 ; while North Canterbury, who caused all the incocv.-iiienee last year, bave not definitely fixed tho day, but speak of Oo ober 24 or 31, tho former date being already appropriated by Leeufcon, and the latter coming between Thuaru and Ashburton, and being wanted by exhibitors at Timaru to remove thair etock and implements to Ashburton.

IBRIGATION.

The poll of the' Rakaia irrigation district on ths loan proposal resulted in the proposal being defeated, the votea being about 5Q short of the requisite number. The opposition was simply passive, only 10 votes being cast againafc the proposala, and if the poll were to bs taken again to-day there would probably be a majority of 50. or 100 in favour of the sohemo. Apathy, aa I think I have previously remarked, is our farmers' worst fault. Considerable extensions are being made in the Waimakariri, gjelwyn, and Goraldine systems, the farmers and others in those dtstriots being firmly impressed with fcO9 benefits of the constant water supply. A complete refutation of the statement that the water races in the seaward part of the Ashburton district— -Longbeach and Ohatmoss, and thereabouts— caused the outbreak of springs and the swamping of the low lying lands there, bas been given by the present dry season. The racea are running as full as eve? or f u.Her, and there is no eigri of tho |an<l heipg permeated with water frotn thejn, or of springs breaking out auywnejpe—indeed, wells a.re in many places going dry for wftpt of rajg,

_ - HOBSE3. Too steamer Bothwell C&ss9 nailed on, Fri-

day for Calcutta via Wellington with 100 horses. on account;, of Mr sJohn5 John Grigg and Boveral lots for other shippers. Mr Grigg'a lot were mostly good stout backs, many of them suitable for ' cavalry remounts. Horses have been rather quieter lately, partly owing to farmers having been too busy to come to town and partly because the markat has been oversupplied with horses from Otago. Really good, upstanding, young draughts are worth £25 to £32 or £33; pedigree fillies up to £40. Good hacka fetch fair prices, but in this class a good one is seldom seen. Well bred trotters sell well,. . ■ LIMB, Many of the farmers near the lime kilaß of Mount Somers are using lime on their -land. Last year's experiments demonstrated its value, and if a reasonable railway tariff were charged on it, there would b&much more used. The Railway Commissioners have made aeoncession of some value to small settlers ; that is, they can now have a truck load made up of more than one article— say lime and coal, or lime and stone— carriage being oharged on the total load at the rate for the highest-class goods carried, instead of the carriage of each article being charged separately at the high rate for small quantities. STEAM CULTIVATION. Two or three years ago I sent you an account of ploughing by steam power at Mr John Dean'n estate near Hororata. A contract ploughman is breaking up part of the Laghmor estate (Hon. John M'Laan'e) near Ashburton, by means of a, traction engine drawing three treble-furrow ploughs (turning nine furrows), Tho work is being well done, and the contractor says he ia working more cheaply than by horse teams. One man steers tho three ploughs. j