AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1916, 6 November 1890, Page 7

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

Messrs Nelson Brothers have decided to start freezing works at Woodville capable of putting through 500 sheep per day, to be hereafter increased to 1000.

The showers of last week (says the Timara Herald) appear fated to have the benefit they conferred speedily taken away again, as hot and dry nor'-westers appear to be the weather clerk's order now. The effect of the past weather on pastures was well shown by the state of the show ground on Wednesday. We do not remember seeing it so bare of grans on any previous show day. The weather daring the past week (says the Christohurch Telegraph) has been of the most variable charaoter, the* temperature rising and falling as much as 10 to 15 degrees in a few hours. Strong and fitful gusts of wind have prevailed, accompanied by every indication of copious falls of rain, but as yet our farmers and pastoralists have been doomed to disappointment. Several showers have fallen during the week throughout the country north and south, varying in quantity and duration ; the supply is,' however, far short of that required. Grass and corn on the pl*in lands are in many places at a standstill, while those in the usually moist swamps are looking, in most places, remarkably well. A splendid shower fell ou Saturday night last in the Southbridge and Leeston districts, which has given the growing crops a grand start.

In their weekly review of the butter trade (says the Farmers' Gazette), Messrs Dowdall Brothers, Cork and Manchester, say :—": — " The bulk of the Danish butter arriving is far below its usual standard, and has been indifferent all the summer. Many descriptions of Irish have Bhown decided improvement in quality, and are again coming more and more into buyers' favour."

In South Australia, the Chronicle states, the weather has not been all that could be desired