AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1891, 1 May 1890, Page 7

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

A return prepared by the Lands department Bhows the area of tho land in the colony carrying flax to be:— Crown lands, 119,690 acres; private lands, 179,450; Native lands, 147,262; total, 446.402. With the exception of a few acres in the south of Wellington, the only flax remaining in the colony is grown on the banks of lagoons, rivers, or creeks, and in isolated positions. Until recently it had been regarded as a weed, and has been burnt off. A 30-aere paddock of oats on Mr James Rutherford's farm, Inch-Clutha, threshed an average of 93 bushels an acre all over. One part of it (says the Clutha Leader) yielded as high as 120 bushels to the aero. On account of the fall in the price of flax, the New Zealand Shipping Company and the Shaw, Savill, and Albion Company have reduced the freight on that product to London by 10& per ton, thus making it 90s by steamer, and 80s by sailing vessel. The following table shows the points awarded by the judges in the recent cream separator competition at the exhibition s — Burmelster

The New Zealand Country Journal in an article on weeds has the following with reference to the oxeye daisy (chrysanthemum leaoanthemum) : — " This is a worthless, noxious weed, without one single good quality to commend it, excepting, perhaps, the beauty of its flowers, or some latent medicinal quality ; which are not likely to count for much in the farmer's estimation. It is a perennial weed, and may be defcribed aft a pasture weed frequenting gr&Rp Hr.dn. A very fc^ yer.rs &•/ o this ve^d wad almost unknown in Nn-r Zealand. It Lfis. hewc v erj '-.s^.bli'h'.-' it.' cj* i>i c>vr prwtura !,>r!U3, and i<= apre-idir.^ fa»t. Wn havT notif'ed mr-ny pado.>cl r c <v Mill nf it t!idt little else b?H room tn uton : f "Ota it., hr-.h'n : -J growth its riid;<!-\! ic-.rfes K>vo?iJlnp ovsr t'no ground it siroihora t.he Baev j;ia--..eF, No kind oE stock will touch if -i ar>y f'akp ">1 ks.z.nwi,}) If prevalent in hay it recit c^a the value, Imparts an acrid taste to it, particularly obnoxious to stcck. It will therefore be seen how profitless a weed it is, and yet farmers are quietly permitting it to take possession of their pasture landß. If attended to at firßt, it is easily eradicated, for it usually makes its appearance in solitary plants, which are conspicuous for their large, handsome, daisylike flowers. In this stage it could be stubbed out ; when, however, it has been allowed to spread, there is only one remedy, and that is ploughing up and fallowing or growing fallow crops for a couple or three seasons, In tbia case,

&b in all others of a like nature, prevention is the proper course. The rapid increase of weeds throughout the colony is largely attributable to the use of carelessly cleaned seeds, and farmers have themselves to blame for not exercising more care in the selection of their seeds, which should always be examined before sowing. A small handful of seed _ thrown over a sheet of paper and examined carefully, will in a rough way give a pretty good idea of its purity or otheiwise, A small pocket microscope is of great assistance in examining samples. We once saw a three bushel bag full of all kinds of seeds of weeds taken out of a threshing machine before it commenced work on a clean farm. A very Buccossful trial of the HowardGeddes sheep-shearing machine was made on a recent Wednesday at the grain and wool stores of Mr J. G. Ward, Invercargill. Sixteen sheep were put through to the satisfaction of all present. The Southland News says that Mr A. Jenkins, who had never seen a sheepshearing machine, took off his coat and put through a couple of sheep in capital style, showing that a man knowing how to handle a "mutton" has very little more to learn in order to manipulate the machine satisfactorily. Still further proof of this was afforded by one of the carpenters engaged on the building, who followed Mr Jenkins' example and did equally well. When Mr Brown was at work the sheep were shorn— one in three and a-half minutes and others at an average of about four minutes. A Home paper says the Minister of Agrioulture has commenced remarkably well. He has sturdily refused to be bullied into rescinding the Muzzling Order, and he has placed at the head of the Intelligence Department of the new bo?rd a gentleman who possesses unrivalled qualifications for the position. It is possible for a man to do a great deal of valuable work for his country and yet to be unknown to the public generally. But if tho name of Major Craigie is not familiar to the multitude, there is not au agriculturist in the kingdom who is not acquainted with it ; and the announcement that he had been appointed chief of perhaps the most important department of the Board of Agriculture was received with intense satisfaction, whether by great landowners, cauntry squires, or tenant farmers, Major Craigie is a tall, thin Scotchman of 47, with a long beard of the national hue, in which he lcoks more like a missionary than a major of militia. Born in Perth he was educated at Edinburgh University and Cambridge, Btudying agriculture with distinction at the former under Professor Wilson. He has devoted himself energetically to the subject ever since, con amove, and is now armed to the teeth with statistics and valuable information, gathered from his own experience of estate management and his praotioe as Secretary of the Central Chamber of Agriculture, Government representative at various foreign conferences, and corresponding member of the International Statistical Institute. The prolificnesß of Dorset horn sheep has been on more occasions than one referred to in this column, so that the following from a Dorset County Chronicle, of January 23, should prove of interest : — " The season for the lambing of Dorset horn ewes is now over, the orop of lambs is good, twins being as usual as singles, triplets frequent, and even four healthy lombs at a birth has been known. The Down lambing season is now beginning. Mr Emil E, Hansen, an expert in the Danish system of butter making, has for some months been engaged in a private capacity by dairy farmers in Euroa district, and his services seem to have been attended with excellent results. By adopting Mr Hanson's method of manufacture, largely advanced prices for butter have been obtained. Some individual farmers have proved to their satisfaction that the value of butter made according to Mr Hansen's instructions showed a gain of nearly 8d per lb, compared with the butter made after the usual methods practised in the district. This fact alone testifies to tbe superiority of the Danish system of butter-making. Then it is stated that butter made aft9r this plan is not only more uniform in quality, but keeps much better during hot weather than the less skilfully made article. Our dairy farmers may be strongly advised to make themselves acquainted with the improved method of butter-making, The system Mr Hanßen is introducing is how to ripen the cream to a certain acidity at tbe moment it is required for churning, which proves that this is the only method that gives a | uniform quality of butter, and enables the 1 dairyman in all kinds of weather to produce an article of the highest quality. Mr Hansen is offering his services in a private capacity to any farmers who are seeking advice ; but it seems to us (Melbourne Weekly Times) that the Government might recognise his labours with advantage to the dairying industry of Victoria. A correspondent requests space (says the Australasian) for a statement of his belief that " tbe only remedy or cum for the rabbit plpgue ib for tbe Government to establish curing plaoes in all the leading centres, and guarantee a uniform price to the trappers on their ground, cay, 7d per pair. I am satisfied we would hear no more of the plagues. It would do away with all insppotors, rabbit proof fencing, .?.nd ftll the olbor evils Attached tn thorn," This utter ignoring of the lessons of tho past would be amusing if the interests involved were not of such serious magnitude The proposal to hand over the entire area of the colony to be made a breeding-ground for rabbits is deliciously cool. All experience has gone to show that where rabbits are utilised by being marketed their numbers are never seriously lessened, Rabbit- farming becomes permanently established. The Sydney Mail recently gave a portrait of tbe Ayrshire bull Baron Renfrew, as a champion and winner of a national prize, and made the following remarks on the animal's career :— " Mr Pemell's Baron Renfrew has passed through a chequered career. He was bred by Metiers A, and J M'Farlane, New Zealand, from Fanoy I of Bolide, a cow that they imported at a great cost from Scotland, and selected there as one of the best females procurable. His sire Tevior, now in the possession of Mr Lindsay, of Dapto, was bred in New Zealand out of a oow imported from Scotland, Queen of the West, and by the imported huP Reran TT of DatmKnng Fancy I of Beside ('"in $ en. o of tl.o i^ri, cuwt. t!vt ovtr lifi Wj-ibland, '••o<-i Trvfot p-rb^pn one of tbe 'jet s\>ol.?;Ht{«r« ibat. N;\v Z 'i.land hae pro <\va&\. it is v" wf.n-lor th>.b in 13»rnu LN^ftOW \J' Pi-moll has a uJiauiiJicn. In Ins? the >rc^' : : ivj'7;,rlaad e^HUted the B'v:->>; -.i ( bfi MulboLu-ae National S.'sow. Awi alt,( uu^b )c - s tiißu tLro.j years 010 ho woo ih-t jv ■'>;■> . i;.iic,-:'< all j^ea in a largo cla*x of 21 bulla, the judges being Messrs T. L. Peate and Mr M'Cullocb, th Q n a new chum from Ayr, Scotland, tbe birthplace of Ayrshire cattle. It was after this show that Mr Pemell bought Baron Renfrew j but when exhibited at tbe Sydney Centennial Exhibition, January 1888, he was only commended ; but the fact of the bull that there won the champion prize being unnoticed (although in good condition) last year, and again under different judges this year, seems to point to the fact that Baron Renfrew did not get all that he deserved, His reoord now stands | — First a.t Oaraaru as a yearling, 1885 j first at Put)-

edin, 1885 ; first at Dunedin, 1886 : first in aged class, Melbourne, 1887; highly commended, Sydney, 1888 ; third, Sydney, 1889 j first and champion, Sydney, 1890. At the recent exhibition Messrs S. Hordern, Peate, and Pemell exhibited several of his calves, all of which were prizetakers, and all being of a high standard of quality." Mr John Harding, of the Government farm, Tasmania, spent some weeks in Victoria reoently. He was favourably imprassed with the Dookie farm, but says ; " With regard to their ensilage system, I am thoroughly convinced that for winter feed mangels and hay are far preferable for this colony (Tasmania), and can be obtained at less expanse."

Viotorii ia. J Hanson anc d Wai lin. Umplicity ... 8 Effectiveness ... 10 Jurabllity ... 8 Case of cleaning ... 10 Condition of cream ... 10 tower to drive ... 10 10 8 7 8 10 10 7 7 10 6 10 9