AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1977, 14 January 1892, Page 11

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

(Continued from ]>(tt/e 7)

The Auckland Herald states that Mr James Osborne, the senior partner in the old-estab-lished firm in Glasgow of J. Osborne and Co., is now in Auckland to see what business arrangements he can make to get a supply of Auckland-made butter sent direct to his Glasgow and other stores. Mr Osborne states that for first-class butter there is practically an unlimited market in Britain during four months in the year, but to secure that market the butter must be of really superior and uniform quality. From the middle of December to the middle of April each year he says the British consumption of our first-class butter would only be limited by the cold storage on board the steamers trading between New Zealand and Britain. Second quality butter in the British market, he says, has no chance at all against the very superior forms of artificial butter that are now produced at a cheaper rate. For butter from New Zealand and Australian grass-fed cows the British market would speedily drop the Danish production, as there the cows have to be stall-fed a long period in each year, and the flavour of the butter so produced is not to be compared with the fine butter which comes from rich and fertile pastures in a genial climate such as Auckland possesses. Already as much as 140s per cwt. has been paid for Victorian butter, and Mr Obborne thinks that for really good New Zea» land butter from 120s to 130s per cwt. might always be expected in the months named above, whatever quantity we are likely to send. The Mutual Agency Company of New Zealand notify that, in order to give producers an opportunity of joining the company, they have decided to place 2000 shares on the market. The nominal amount of the shares is L 4, but it is not intended to call up more than 20s, which is payable on application. Shares will be allotted on February 1 in full to applicants for 25 shares and under, and applications for a greater number will be considered with special regard to the business likely to come from the applicants. The Christchurch Piesb' Oxford correspondent writes : — "The oat harvest is now fairly commenced, and on the whole there will be the heaviest crops ever before reaped in this "part of the country. There are also some magnificent crops of wheat both at East and West Oxford, and the wheat on the plains promises to bag a long way above the average. Mr Wratt, of West Oxford, has a crop of Tuscan on reclaimed swamp land, and Mr James Fisher a crop of pearl, which will compare favourably with some of the best crops on the coastline. A ride round the district amongst the crops and long grass convinces me that the farmers (barring the dreaded nor'-westers) will have a most productive gathering."

The same paper's Northern correspondent writes : — " A continuance of more or less moist wcafchcrduring the past week has caused a filling out in the wheat crops in this district, and since there has been sufficient moisture a month's hot dry weather is wanted to ripen thorn off. The dry weather would not affect the grass crops, which are most luxuriant, nor the turnips or potatoes, for these roots have now enough to carry them through." A report, showing the extent, condition, and progress of irrigation works in Victoria has been presented recently to the Water Supply department by Mr C. E. Oliver, who states that inspections have been made during the year of the works of 28 irrigation trusts and 45 waterworks trusts. Of the irrigation trusts three had practically completed their schemes, 19 were in progress, and in six a commencement had not been made. Of the trusts whose schemes were either complete or in progress 13 were in a satisfactory state, and nine needed amendments aud additions to the total extent of L 11,123. Two of the latter were in a most unsatisfactory condition, and in two others recent floods have caused considerable damage.