AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1892, 15 May 1890, Page 6

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

A telegram from Wellington the other day gave a little information as to an area of land which is shortly proposed to throw open for settlement iv Otago. On referring to the Crown Lauds Guide we learn that the area referred to comprises 5000 aores in blocks 11, 111, and IV, Catlins, in sections of from 5 to 200 acres each ; 1700 acres in block 11, Glenomaru in sections of from 100 to 200 acres each ; 3000 acres in block IV, and 2000 acres in block V, Glenomaru, in sections of from 50 to 300 acres each; 4500 acres in blocks IX and X, Glenomaru, in sections of from 50 to 200 acres each ; 4900 acres in block IV, Woodlands, in seotions of from 10 to 300 acres each ; and 1220 acres in blocks VII and XIII, Tuapeka West. Thia chows a total of about 23,330 aQres,

and_ it is expected that the greater portion of it will be surveyed and thrown open some time in August. It is understood that it is also the intention of the Government to cut up for settlement run 222 (10,344 acres) and ruu 222b (8000 acres), Maniototo aud Gimmerburn districts, on the expiry of the present lessee's license on March 1, 1891. All information regarding the available land is given in the Crown Lauds Guide, which may be had gratis on application at the Land Office in Dunedin and at all district offices aud receivers of gold revenue in the country. There is every probability of an almost excessive demand for the land thrown open in the Catlins district.

Large purchases of wheat are said to have lately beeu made in and around Oamaru by aa outside firm, and it is highly probable that fully 20,000 sacks will shortly be shipped from the port by them.

The Southland County Council having agreed to pay half the cost of poisoning small birds, applications from a large number of farmers' clubs throughout the district were received on Friday, the total contributions amounting to £71. This will involve the purchase of £143 worth of poisoned grain. It is probable that further subsidies will be asked.

The Mataura Ensign is informed that five tons of cheese from the Mataura factory has realised in London no less than 50s per cwt. The product was shipped as ordinary cargo. The weather since harvest has been all that the most exaoting could desire, and save that in one or two localities the 'ground has been rather dry to allow of ploughing being under

taken with any degree of freedom, a more favourable autumn has seldom been experienced. The roads have continued in good condition, enablingthreshing millato.be moved from farm to farm without difficulty, and carting to railway stations has also been an easier undertaking than usual. On this subject one of our country correspondent* writes :— " What splendid autumn weather we have been getting for wheat Bowingj! All of our wheat has been drilled in in good order, Some of it is quite green already. If everybody would do the same we should not hear so much about rust."

Oats at Is Id per bushel (writes the Chatton correspondent of the Mataura Ensign) do little more Jthan cover the expense of production. The following figures will show pretty well how much it takes to put a 40 bushel crop in the bags ready for market. It^must be remembered ttat last year oats were dear, so that the working of the land would cost more on account of horse feed being dear :— £ s q Ploughing ... ... 0 7 0 Harrowing (four times) ... 0 3 4 Seed, 2J bushels per acre at 2s 6d 0 6 3 Rolling ... ... ... 0 1 3 Cutting and stooking ... 0 6 6 Stacking... ... ... 0 2 6 Threshing, at 7d per 100 bushels 0 2 10 Mill hands' wages, about same 0 210 Total ... ... £1 12 6 This does not include the cook's bill, nor coal. Forty bnshelß at 18 Id ... 2 3 4 Expeuses.,. ... ... 1 12 6 £0 10 10 I would be glad if anyone could show that 1 have made the expenses too great ; but he must bear in mind that work could not be done bo cheap last year as in other years, on account of the high price of feed oats. Some of my neighbours (says the Pukerau correspondent of the Southern Standard) are investing in culled ewes with the intention of crossing them with long-woolled rams. My experience of the kind is very unfavourable. After having kept these old ewes through a winter, they have a trick of dying in the Bpring, when about three weeks from lambing. The heavy, unborn lamb seems to drag the life out of them. After weaning time, if they still survive, they are fit for nothing else than boiling down. The Beoond croßß if ever they have one, is a weak, degenerate objeot, with no constitution, and very subject to lung worm. Be it remembered that while paddook crossbreda and long- wools indicate their ages pretty correctly by the mouth, run-merinos, that have i never had a turnip in their lives to chip their teeth, may maintain a good mouth for many yearß after they are 8-toothera, For crossing with long-wools, however, their constitutions are done for. Moral : Young merinos, half the age and three times the price, are cheaper. Mr H. L. Johnston, of Berwick, has realised 112 buahela of sparrowbill oats from land over which five years ago it would not bave been possible to drive a bullock. This marvellous return is solely due to the drainage scheme which was carried out some time ago. The Wyndham Farmers' Club recently wrote to the Waitahuna Club with reference to the small bird pest, and the reply was read at the last meeting. t The secretary of the Waitahuna Club said the method adopted by his club for the destruction of small birds was giving 2d a dozen for their eggs, and also using Brooks' poisoned grain. Some of the settlers adopted the plan of mixing rape seed with the oats they poisoned for the rabbits; this was found to act satisfactorily where the birds were numerous. About 41b of rape seed with about 161b or 201b of phoaphorised oats was the quantity used. But the club had found that destroying the eggs was the most effectual means of dealing with the pest. The funds were provided by the clup and county council. The club expended £22 last year in securing 22,000 eggs. Brooks' poisoned grain did not act as beneficially as wan expected : it did not seem to bo equally poisoned. Some that the birds ate killed them quickly, while some they took with impunity. Apart from this the Waita huna people thought that wheat was too large a seed : the birds mostly shelled ifc before eating it, and if the grain was not thoroughly soaked with the poison it was of course quite harmless.

Miss E. A. Ormerod's report on Injurious Insects in 18S9 is more than usually valuable for the evidence it affords as to the cause and cure of " clover sickuess," one of the greatest of drawbacks to profitable farming in many parts of England. Mainly through investigations promoted by this indefatigable lady, the cause of the disease has been conclusively identified with the attack of the eel worm (Tylevian devastatrix), and in the volume before (published at Is 6d by Simpkin, Marshall, and C 0.,) she presents not only a great body of evidence in support of this identi fication, but also reports of its euro by the application of 3owt of {sulphate of potasb and lewt of sulphate of ammonia per acre. Tbis dressing has cured a crop affected with the disease in two instances, one ia Scotlaad, and tho other in a field belonging to S'r John L'wes, at Rothamsted, Herts. Another dress ing, 2cwt of sulphate of iron, appears to have got rid of the eelworm ; but tha clover flourished better where tho mixture first mentioned was applied. Further applications are daily being mads to fhn Victorian Minister of Lauds on babalf of i electors for a Bhare of the £150,000 voted by Parliament last session to enable farmers in rabbit- infested districts to purchase wire fenc ing, and erect the sama as a check against the ravages of rabbits. Applications amounting in tho ccrgregato to £75,000 have been lodged with the Ministor, acd the Leader says it is expected that the whole of tba vote will be applied for

before the end of June, the time fixed after which no further applications will be entertained. The repayments of all loans granted to landowners out of this vote have to be guaranteed by the shire council of tho district within which the applicants reside. It will be seen, therefore, that good security i? taken for the repayment of the amounts. A pig-proof paddock (says " Bruni," in the Australasian) is a great convenience on a farm or large estate where pigs are raised in any numbers. When given a good run on grass, the young pigs grow up much more healthy than when reared in small and often not overclean enclosures. One of the best pig-proof fences I have seen in Australia was at Mr J. Reid's estate of Elderslie,.Oamaru, N. Z. It consisted of seven barb wires, the lowest 6in from the ground, and the others were sin apart. The wires were fastened to posts placed 7ft apart. It is some years since I gave a description of this fence in the Australasian, and I believe it has stood the teat of years of übo admirably. Last week I saw at St. Hubert's an extensive pig-paddook made on a somewhat different pattern. Only four barbed wires were used The lowest was run close along the ground, the others were ranged at intervalß of 4in, sin, and Bin. Above theße were two black wires, which were evidently for the purposo of keeping out horses and cattle. Mr A Rowan told me that this fence answered admirably. After finding out what the barbs are like, the pigs never go near tho fence again. The reason why pigs make such desperate attempts to break out of some paddocks is that they are driven to it by starvation. Well fed pigs are not difficult to keep in bounds. The sale of Mr T. L. Peate's Ayrshires on the 10th mat , by Messrs Inglis and Sons, was (says the Sydney Mail), "hard times con-, sidered," rather successful. There were 74 head catalogued, nearly all of which were sold — the pricss for females ranging from 50gs to 6gs, and for the 16 bulls, some of which were by Baron Renfrew, from 16gs to 3^gs. The principal buyerß were Mr S, Wiseman, of Wingen, Mr Cousins, also of the North, and Mr Capp, of Allandale. The following were the prices of the chief lots : — Lovely Jane, 50gs ; Roaina, 49gs ; Edith, 48gs ; , Lady, 43gs ; Blanche 111, 24gs ; Lady Teviofc, 25gs ; Old Kate, 24gs ; Old Jeannie, 19gs ; Ruby, 33gs ; Daisy 11, 25gs ; Betty 11, 20gs ; Daisy 11, 19gs ; Judy, 22ga ; Blooming Heather, 19gs. Bulls : Moutroee, 16gs ; Don, 15|ga ; Rubicon, 12|gs ; Barrister, lOgs ; Freemason, lOJgs. An "Australian Country killed Meat Supply Co." is being formed in Melbourne, and in commenting on the prospectus the Weekly Times says : — " In the States the city of Chicago is the entrepot of an enormous drossed meat trafflo, beef, mutton, and pork being daily forwarded in large quantities by rail to markets 800, 1000, and even 1500 miles distant. ' Kill where fattened ' is the motto of the American grazier, and why we have been so blind to our own' interests in not following in the march of progress in this direction it is difficult to understand. Wherover the experiment has been attempted in the colonies the result has always exceeded the most sanguine expectations, until at length confidence has been established amongst landholders that an undertaking of the kind would pay remarkably well if properly managed. It goes without question that if slaughtering depots can be successfully established in the country right in the centre of the rich pastoral districts, <*nd the meat conveyed to large centres of population it refrigerating cars in a wholesome, juicy, and fresh condition, the demand would immediately prove a heavy strain on the supply. It requires no argument to convince consumers that the beef obtained from a bullock slaughtered where fattened must be immensely superior in quality to that furnished by the gored, bruised, and feverish animals that reach the metropolis in those instruments of torture known as cattle trucks.

The Governor- in- Council; has approved of the following regulations for the distribution of the grant of £250 as a reward for an improvedj machine for digging potatoes : —The reward will be payable only to the inventor, or his agent, of such maohins as shall efficiently, cheaply, and rapidly perform the work of digging, lifting from the ground without bruising or cutting, and place in rowes or heaps, potatoes ready for bagging. Such machine must be an improvement on any machine for jthe same purpose which has been used in Australia. All costs and expenses of forwarding, attendance, and working the machines, at the times to be appointed, are to be paid by the persons entering the machines for competition. Persons intending to compete must give notice in writing of their intention to the Secretary for Agriculture not later than October 20, 1890. — Australasian,

In a recent issue we (Queenslander) quoted from an English contemporary that the whole of the celebrated Sittyton shorthorn herd — Messrs Cruikshank — had been sold for export to South Amerioa. Fortunately for Scotch breeders the purchaser was of opinion that some of the cows were too old for export, and these have been secured by Mr Duthie, of Collynie, who for years has ranked next to Mepsrs Cruikahank as a breeder in Scotland. Mr Duthie'a purchase (18 in all) includes the flower of tho older cows, representing more than balf a score of tho worthiest families, several of them being the dams of some of the moat notable animals that the herd has lately produced

When the value of lucerne is taken into account one is not surprised to find (writes " .Freehold," in the Australasian) that the crop is receiving an annually increasing share of attention. Without irrigation lucerne is one of the best fodder crops that can bo grown in the dry warm diatiictw, and with the assistance of artificial watering its productiveness ia greatly increased. I bave just learned that in tho Bacchua Marsh district a transaction has taken plac3 l which gives some idea of the value of the crop. Mr Thomas Mason, of that district, has let to Mr R. Roberts 53 acres of land under lucerne for three years at an annual rental of £4 per acre. The greatest enemy of lucerne is dodder, a parasitic wend which twines about the plants and kills them. It is a case in which prevention is better than cure, and parsonß sowing lucerne are recommeudod to be very careful in obtaining clean seed. The best plan is to got the seed from a neighbour whose lucerne is known to be clean or from a reliable seedsman. A resident of Mildurn, who has coi/ie rscontly from Americ."., says (.hat the lucerne grown in Victoria is a diff3rent and inferior variety from the alfalfa of America. Tois is a fmbj^ot which th? Department of Agriculture would do well to investigate. Tho S:>u h Canterbury correspondent of the Now Zealand F^rm^r strongly advocates the claims uf tho Shropshire Downs to a share of the attention of Now Zealand shoepfarmori>. The merino for scna >can veritably held its own, but as agriculture stonily piogwsaed, so has that class of fine-woolled sheep gradually receded to the hilly runs, leaving crosses with every variety of heavy longwoola to occupy the seaboard country and Bupplya growing demand for longwools and heavy carcassed mutton. The various English whit6-faced breeds with judicious crosses have for years developed into flocks which for weight of carcass, fleece, pro duotion of tallow, combined with general

symmetry, it would be bard to surpass in any country. With all these satisfactory results in this age of equalising the world's meat consumption by freezing, there is still another important end to be worked out by our flockowners. I refer to the more rapid introduction of a class of sheep, equally stood for weight and quality of fleece, carcass, and internal fat, while the meat in the Eaglish market always commands 20 per cent, in advance of Leicester, Cotswold, "Romnoy Marsh, Lincoln, or other white-faced breeds. I refer to the veritable " Shropshire Down," than which a more desirable breed could not be introduced for crossing judiciously with present flocks and gradually establishing the pure bread I oannot forget the times I have witnessed the sale of wethers under two yeara old at £4 4s each, while any white- faced breeds of equal weight would not have realised more than £3 to £3 ss. Surely there is something worth our great flockowneru' attention in this highly esteemed bieed, so suitablp for our dry plains and undulating down country I have not yet had the pleasure of seeing in Canterbury what I could acknowledge as a trao Shropshire Down, although I have soen some black and Rpecklod facad lines, evidently run out, or of yory secondaiy quality. No«.v that science and discovery has vetitably converted Britain's antipodal ooloniea into farm 3 for supplying their moieties towards feeding and clothing her ever increasing millions, it certainly behoves our farmerß to Btudy the lines of produce commanding the readiest sale and best prices. While our frozen mutton is acknowledged to be very superior compared with that from other countries, still it is capable of great improvement by gradually substituting the black-faced sheep for the present white-faced on our front country. The latter are noted for rapidly making outside fat, while the former lays on quite sufficient (much milder in flavour), and a show of fat is inwardly, on the kidneys and intestines of the Shropshire Downs, while the large family joints possess the most delicate flavour ever valued, and commanding the top prices in Old England, I know of no breed of sheep in which so m^ny desirable qualities are united — viz , weight of carcass and fleece equal to any white-faced breed, wool medium long and of excellent quality, and meat sufficiently fat, without the tallowy, strong flavour always familiar with Leicester, Cotswold, &c. We must not complain of the quality of our fine young mutton, but I will venture to say that if the breed I have been advocating should get established here, they will soon come to the front in the butchers' and consumers' estimation.

Messrs Reid and Gray, the well known implement makers, are (says the North Otago Times) losing no time in endeavouring to supply the wants of the local farmers, who, while desirous of giving the digging ploughs (of which the above firm are manufacturers) a trial, do not care to throw aside their ploughs in use at present. To meet these oases, Messrß Reid and Gray are fitting the digging attachment on to any of their ploughs in use. One of these ploughs, so altered, has been at work for the last few days on the farm of Mr J. B. Taylor, Duntroon, .and as showing the lightness of draught Mr Taylor has five light horses attached to it, and is ploughing to a depth of lOin on ridgy land, Mr Taylor has expressed himself thoroughly satisfied with the work done, and will be glad to show the plough at work to any farmers interested, Several who have already Been it have decided to have their ploughs altered at once. The firm at present are engaged on a large order of ploughs and diggers for Tasmania.