AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1956, 20 August 1891, Page 6

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

"Rural Topics" are unavoidably crushed out of thia issue.

The president of the Ofcago Agricultural and Pastoral Association, in moving the adoption of the committee's report at the annual meeting of the association on the 11, referred at some length to the lack of support that has been received during past years from the country districts. In justification of his remarks upon this point, he mentioned that out of a total of £420 derived from subscriptions last year, the whole sum, with the exception of £34, had been raised in town. He maintained that it was preposterous to 3uppoae that the farmers of Otago could not easily raise £300 or £400 a year for the support of the association, and, with the view of remedying such an unsatisfactory state of matters, he suggested the establishment, in agricultural centres throughout the province, of local sub-committees, who would procure members for the association and induce breeders to bring out their stock for exhibition. Mr W. Cuningham Smith was re-elected president, and Mr Mark Sinclair, vice-president, of the association. With the view of securing a larger representation of country members on the executive of the association, a number of town members were transferred from the committee, to which they had belonged, to the honorary stewards' list, and in their place members holding a mote intimate connection with the pastoral industry were appointed. Mr Henry Reynolds, of Auckland, well known in connection with his efforts to place the distribution of New Zealand dairy produce in London on a satisfactory footing, returned to the colony on the 13th by the Rimutaka. He had a long conversation with the Minister of Lands relative to encouraging the dairy exporf The North Otago Times Bays :— " By the Hauroto, on Wednesday week, Mr A. Balfour, of Ngapara, shipped Lord Haddo, Champion, and Bonnie Scotland to Sydney. All three horses are well known in the district, more particularly the first-mentioned, who secured the championship at Oamaru, as well as a number of other prizes at various shows. The champion horse atO&maru is a good-4iorse anywhere. While the other two animals might not have been so successful as Lord Haddo, they are none the less excellent horses; and if Mr Balfour meets with the success the quality of his horses should assure to him, he should not regret courting the favourß of Sydney breeders." The Southland Champion Ploughing Match was held on the 12th inst. on Mr W. Blaikie's farm, Branxholme, near lnveroargill. The entries were 27 as against 22 last year, and some of the competitors came all the way from the Waimea Plains and even Fortroee. There were nine entries in tfie champion class, seven in the senior double furrow class, four in the "swings," and no fewer than seven digger ploughs. Messr3 J E. Hunter (Benmore). W. M'llwrick (Waikiwi), aud A. Christie (Fortrose) judged the i ploughing ; and Messrs J. B. Lindsay (Isla I Bank) and J. Bennie (West Plains) the goree cutting, teams, outs and ins, &o. The incimation that R. PattersoD, workiog with one of Anderson and Findlay's ploughs, had secured the championship was received with ringing cheers, and he waa afterwards carried shoulder high Scarcely less popular was the victory of W Ladbrook, the Mataura representative in class B, who handled a Gardiner plough ; while Hannah, the winner in class C, also received flattering recognition. D. Patterson, handhug a Reid and Gray implement, carried off first honours among the diggers. . The Canterbury Times says that Mr Reginald Foster, sheep inspeotor, has completed a wecy comprehensive though simple plan for securing the correct brands on sheep. By his system Mr Foster can ensure independent brands for 600 owners, and any attempt at defacing them would be very easily detected. The scheme is one that appears to have all the advantages and none of the drawbacks which usually attend the Tu* our°Lsu ce ce e of July 23 we (Weekly Press) drew attention to the prevalence of the grass grub pest, and predioted tha- 1 ; ifc would probably attack the wheat orop. We suggested that farmers should keep a sharp look out, and should our fears be realised at once run a heavy roller on the affected portion of the crop with a view to crushing those grubs which may be sufficiently near the surface, and to consolidate the soil so much as to impede their progress to the surface. Unfortunately our fears have been realised much sooner than we expected. Two cases have already come to our notice ot the youßg wheat plant being destroyed wholesale by the grub, and we have been asked to advise in the matter. We can only repeat our advice already given, and as above stated— viz • Use a heavy roller— twice, if necessary. Should the desired effect not be achieved, then we know of no better course than to give the land a couple or three bouta of a Croskill'e clod

crusher. Plough and sow with spring wheat. If the soil is of a mellow character a couple of turns of the disc harrows after the Croskill would probably answer the purpose. Much, however, will depend on the mechanical condition of the soil. Unless a crop of wheat is particularly desired, we would prefer a crop which is not subject to attack, such as beans, peas, mangels, or turnips.

At the recent conference of the British Dairy Farmers' Association in Guernsey, Mr T. Monllpied paid the following neat compliment to the Guernsey cow : — " When we come across a shorthorn or a Hereford the first impression on our mind is, What a fine beef animal ; when we see a Jersey our first thought is, What a pretty little beast ; but when we meet a Guernsey the finst and lasting impression on our mind \a, What a splendid milch cow ! You Bee it in the broad golden rim encircling her eyes, in her green and glossy horns and hoofs ; you see it in the orange colour of her skin, sometimes so full of yellow dandruff as to appear as if the animal had been powdered with gold dust; yon see it in the skin as soft as velvet, in her long head and neck, deep wedge-shape shoulders ; in her long prominent milk veins, and finally you see it in that large, deep, well-filled silken bag, so yellow, and enveloped by a skin 80 soft, so fine, and so thin as to almost appear transparent."

The success' which has attended the use of the water drill since its introduction to the School of Agriculture, by the use of whioh uuiformly good brairds of turnips and mangels have baen secured, has (says the Press) led other farmers to procure machines for the same purpose, and more are under order. The recent dry seasons have demonstrated the value of these machines. A farmer who has suffered considerable inconvenience from the loss of his mangel crop in the past season remarked to us that a few aores of good mangels would pay for the machine in the first season. For the benefit of those who hare not seen the machine at work, we will explain that there is a water-tight oompartment in front of the seed-sowing fixture. Into this compartment, which is more than half full of water, the superphosphate is emptied, a bag at a time. The motion of the machine keeps the mixture stirred, and it is lifted and emptied into sponts which deliver it into the ground immediately in front of the seed. The seed coming in contact with the moistened manure is forced up and into the rough leaf beyond the danger of the fly. One machine would easily serve three or four farmers, who might club together and purchase one between them. The cost is about £50.

Tha law in Germany relative to the sale of butterine has (says the Melbourne Weekly Times) been translated by the Victorian Agricultural Department, and it is found that the means for preventing it being sold for butter are not so stringent as the colonial dairy produce sellers thought when they vwited the Minister. There is not* word as to a distinguishing colour, and it Is therefore plain now that neither Germany, France, America, nor Great Britain considers it necessary at present to prevent the preparations from fatty substances being given the Appearance of butter. On all depots in Germany for the sale of butterine there must be plaoed on the outside a sign to that effect. In addition to this the article must be retailed in a wrapper with the word " butterine " conspicuously printed across it, as well as the name of the manufacturer and the vendor.

In carrying out the provisions of the Vermin Destruction Act, the Victorian chief inspector under the statute has found it necessary to have clearing operations executed in many instances at the expense of landholders. As might be expected (says the Australasian), the latter were very muoh annoyed at the invasion of their holdings for the purpose, but it is satisfactory to find that many of them have acknowledged the excellent way in which the work has been performed, and the improvement that has resulted to their holdings. Daring the past year £3000 has been paid to the Lands department for the clearing which has been done on private property by the men employed by the department. Many of our (Leader) readers will be interested to learn that Mr Robert Anderson, of Cape Sohanck, has succeeded in establishing a distinctly new type of long-woolled sheep, to which he has given the name of "Cape Schanck Cotswolds." . . . Originally they were imported from England in 1856 by Mr William Lyle, of Tooradin. This Cotswold flock afterwards passed into the hands of Mr Calvert, of Dreeite, from whom Mr Anderson obtained a draft in 1864. Subsequently a number of Dreeite rams were used in the Cape Sohanck flock, but of late years Mr Anderson has selected a ram from his own stud, which he judiciously mated with picked ewes, also of hie own breeding, with the result that he has succeeded in establishing a new type of Cotswold sheep that have already proved themselves superior to any of the existing varieties of the same breed. The Cape Schanck Cotswolds have been bred with a view to improve the lustre, length of staple, and weight of the fleece. These characteristics^ are now fairly established in the flock, every animal being covered with a heavier and better class of wool than is carried by the ordinary Cotswolds. The quality of their meat has also been improved, the butchers asserting that it is not OEly equal in weight, but muoh finer in quality, the fat and lean b.ing far more evenly distributed than is generally the case with longwoolled mutton. The high price* realised in the market is sufficient evidence of the good quality of the meat. Another grand feature in the Cape Schanck Cotswolds is their ability to travel. Although large bodied and carrying a heavy fleece, they accomplish the journey to Melbourne, a distance of 62 miles, with comparative ease in a couple of days. Thab troublesome complaint known as the "mnnge" in horses has been particularly active during the late humid months in the northern, part of Australia and no permanent cure has j;'yet been discovered for it. Although popularly termed "mange," it has no relation to that disease, but is more of the nature of oonfluentri ngworm. Recognising the fact that before an effective cure can be found the true nature of the complaint must first be discovered, the Queensland Government, at the instance of the chief inspeotor of stock for the colony, has submitted specimens of the diseased skin of horses to the Brown Institution, London, for microscopical examination. The matter is being minutely inquired into by Dr Spencer, of that institution. In his progress report Dr Spencer states that horse-owners mast divest themselves of the idea that the disease is in any way allied to mange. When the provisions of the bill to amend the Thistle Act are brought under the notice of the Victorian Legislative Assembly, the members of that Chamber will (6ays the Leader) have an object lesson on the thistle pest pieced before them. The Minister of Agriculture, who has charge of the bill, has obtained samples of the different descriptions of thistle that flourish in the colony, as well as one of the " Star" thistle, which is becoming a great scourge to farmers in certain portions of the colony. Several other new varieties that have been inadvertently introduced into the colony recently with seed purchased in America will also be exhibited, the

object being to show the necessity for including them in the provisions of the Thistle Act. Mr W. R Yorke, the representative of Messrs Boyd and Co., of London and Liverpool, one of the largest firms of dairy produce merchants in the British dominions, returned to Christchurch (saya the Lytteiton Times) on Thursday last, having arrived at Wellington from England m the Rimutaka. Mr Yorke will make Christ* church his headquarters daring his stay of some months in the colony, but will be engaged in developing the export trade in other parts of the Australian colonies. He has bronght with him some photographs of the cheese which arrived Home in the Rimutaka. They will serve as a very practical lesson to shippers to see that their produce is properly made and packed. A company is in process of formation which, by a simple introduction of a small chest, pro* perly charged, into railway cars, is able to keep the meat contained therein at a sufficiently low temperature as to be able to deliver it fit for market purposes. The patented process ia so .good and simple that some of oar largest paatoralists' firms ace backing it, and it seems we are getting near to an idea which will enliven considerably the dead meat trade. With reference to a paragraph which appeared in these 'columns on so- oalled •••cheat founder," Mr Hngh M'Gregor, M R O.V.Sm differs with the conclusion of "M.R.0.V.5., and writes as follows :—" Let me say that there is cheat founder— a fact which any farmer that has howes must know. Give a horse a drink of water when he is very hot, or let him get an overdose of ra» wheat and let him get a drink of water after and you will have ohest founder. The best cure for chest founder is to bleed well from both plat veins, and the horse will be as well as ever in two or three days. Navioular diaeaße is a disease apart from founder and cannot be oured. A horae with navioular disease has Bound feet to look at, but they are not sound and never will be ; and the reaßon the disease is oalled navicular is beoause all the nerves of the horse are shaken as well a& the onffinbone. Founder can be cured if taken in time, and the horse may beoome as well as ever."