AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1934, 19 March 1891, Page 7

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

Never was harvest gathered in under more favourable auspices than bo far has been the case this year. Unexceptionable weather has prevailed since' tbe beginning, and with ordinary care there Bhould be no complaints whatever of discolouration, or even retardment from ■wet weather. In moat of the northerly and in many of the southerly districts tbe oropa are already in stack, and leading- in is general where this is not the oase. Notwithstanding the heavy toll taken by the small birds and the meagre crops in mo3t of the districts north of Otago, the yield will be a good average one, and the splendid condition in whioh the oropa are being garnered will certainly tell in the prioea realised. Altogether the farmer has every reason to be thankful this season. Complaints are common in Canterbury of the annoyance caused to horses by a fly which attacks them when they are at work and warm. It darts at their neoks and throats, inflioting stings which render the animals frantic and quite unmanageable. The pest is supposed to be tbe brown farrier bot fly (Gaßterophiluß veterinus), the peculiarity of which is that ib always attacks tbe horse at the throat; or chest. The Levels Road Board has paid this season for 20,455|d0z eggf, yet there is no appreciable difference in tbe number of small young bir<ls. The Canterbury Frozen Meat and Dairy Produce Company made a net profit for 'the year ending February 28, 1891, of £3215 4s 6d This will pay a dividend of 10 per cent, on, the paid-up capital and allow £215 4s 6d to be carried forward. The sum of £3250 has been written off as depreciation. Tbe wages paid daring the year have amounted to £12,583 12s 3d, and the working expenses, repairs, &c. to £10,059 6s 4d. The stock slaughtered at the Belfast works daring tbe year included 258,877 sheep, 116,382 lambs, 308 cattle, and a number of pigs. The North Otago Times learns that Mr Stewart Richmond, manager for Mrs Maopherßon, Bridgewater Park estate, Victoria, has selected from the New Zealand and Australian Land Company's herd of polled Angus cattle on Totara estate, tha magnificent twoand a-half-year-old bull " Carndoo " (No. 65, New Zealand B> ri Bcok). He is got by the ohampion bull Solomon II (No. 21, N.Z H. 8.) out of Cowslip (No. 85, N.Z H. 8.). Oowalip's progeny have all distinguished themselves in the show rings. Her 'first heifer, Stately, has won several honours for Meseri Staughten Bros,, of Melbourne, who purchased her in 1887, Her seoond h ii f «r, Sybil, (No. 108, N.Z.H.8.), ia atill in the Totara herd, and has won several prizes in tbe show ring. The bull Spiing (No. 32, N.Z.H.8.), another of Cow. Blip'i progeny, was a prizetakarat Obiiltqharoh

from Lincoln ewes, by purebred Hampshire Down rams. They are said to be the heaviest sheep of the age that have been shipped from New Zealand. Mr George M'Lean, of Criokmoor Swamp, Hamilton (Victoria), reports tbe death of a ewe, whioh has regularly lambed every season, at the age of 18 years. The price realised for cocksfoot during this season has caused some demand for bush labour in Canterbury. No less than a thousand aores at Little River will be cleared and laid down to grass this winter, and we (Time's) understand many other large areas will be treated the same way in other parts of the Peninsula. Good bush hands are in demand, and men willing to work will be able to find plenty of employment at good wages. In the late English agricultural journals mention is made of several farmers being proBeouted for having soabby sheep in their possession. The colony (of Victoria) is, writes " Freehold," in the Australasian, being congratulated this season upon the high average of the wheat props. That an average of 15 bushels per aero is expected is considered excellent ; and so it is, when tbe yields of other years are compared. But it is worthy of notice that, in tha large wheat-growing districts which are averaging from 13 ta 16 bushels per acre, there are many crops yielding from 25 bushels to 30 bushels per acre. Now, why is the averago 13 or 16 bushels when suoh yields as 25 or 30 bushels are being obtained ? It is because many crops only yield from 7 to 10 bushels per acre. But why do some crops only yield from 7 to 10 bushels per acre ? It muet be the fault of the system of farming. The soil oannot ba blamed, nor even the climate, for theso are^' as good where the 7 to 10 bushels crops are obtained as where the 25 to 30 bushels are obtained. The difference is in the system of cultivation. Where the land has bean fallowed end kept cloin, and good seed sown early, the yield ia high. The bad crops were sown late, upon dirty, unfallowed ground. Why should not all imitate the successful farmers, and get #ood cropß, tbu3 usaieting to raise the average ? The scarcity of ioe last summer in America (says an Australian exchange) sat the dairymen to discover some other means than cooling of getting oraam to rico; and as working in a warm temperature is 009 of the greatest difficulties in connection with Australian dairying, the Bubj?ct is specially interesting. It baa been found advantageous to add warm or cold water to tbe milk at the time of Betting in the proportion 'of one-fourth or one-third. Professor Stewart points out that the explanation is to be found in tbe adhesiveness of the milk, whioh under unfavourable conditions prevents the butter-fat from rising to tbe surface, He

shape of a forfeiture. There are, doubtless, a number of these included, and they will be dealt with >n due oourse, but the bulk of the arrears are those whioh are usually a few weeks overdue at the end of the half-year, and the Seoretary of Lands states that there is no exceptional delay in paying up rents. The season has been unusually productive, and it is expected that the revenue from land tenures will be fully made up.