AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2004, 21 July 1892, Page 7

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

Mr J. D. Ritchie, secretary of the Department of Agriculture, has issued a circular in connection with the observing of the 4-th of August as Arbor Day. The idea is to obtain something like uniformity in the arrangements for the day, and with this object the following programme is put forward : — " If the proceedings take place within a city or borough, the programme for the day should be as follows : The borough council should have the conduct and direction of the general proceedings. A marshal should be appointed by the council, and as many deputies as he may require. The sites for planting should be determined upon at the earliest possible moment, and arrangements made for having the holes properly dug for receiving the trees. The attendance of as many professional gardeners as possible should be obtained to assist and direct the planting, so that the trees may obtain a proper start. This is all-important. Presents of suitable trees should be invited by advertisement beforehand. A card or other similar momento should be given to every child attending the day's proceedings. In places where no borough council exists, the town board, county council, or road board should take the necessary steps." Practical suggestions on tree planting are given, as well as a list of forest and other trees suitable for planting. Tasmanian papers report the death of Mr William Gibson, the famous breeder of stud sheep, at Native Point, Tasmania, on the 27th ult., aged 73. During the past few years he and his son must have given at least L 40,000 for the erection and support of Baptist places of worship in Tasmania.

At a meeting of the Taranaki Agricultural Society on Saturday, a resolution was passed unanimously, being an endorsement of one passed by the Chamber of Commerce, to the effect " that the society is of opinion that the

grading of butter and cheese by experts in New Zealand will be very costly, that it would not be conclusive evidence of quality with foreign buyers, and it thinks the matter should be taken more in the direction of protecting brands aud trade marks by making it penal to imitate the same ; tho society also suggests that the bill now introduced by the Government on this subject should be submitted to the different chambers of commerce, dairy associations, and agricultural societies, so as to give them an opportunity of considering and reporting on the same before being presented to Parliament. It is stated that the s.s. Doric has conveyed to New Zealand three beautiful Southdown ewes from the flock of H.R.H. the Prince of Wales at Sandringham. They have been purchased by Mr John Deans. We learn from the Tuapeka Times that an animated discussion on the bag question took place at the last meeting of the Tuapeka Farmers' Union, the members.being both unanimous and emphatic in their condemnation of the system of weighing in bags with grain. It is understood that an attempt is again being made by the grain buyers to revive the custom, and unless the farmers take a firm and decided stand at the outset it is not at all improbable that they will be compelled to fall into line once more to resist the aggressions of buyers, as they were compelled to do a few years back. The fact that the dealers are here and there, as opportunity and circumstances permit, quietly inserting the thin end of the wedge — creating precedents, as it were, for future and more general application — shows what may be expected if they are allowed to pursue unchecked the even tenor of their way. The worst feature of the business, as far as the farmers are concerned,, is that individuals of their class are .at .times so circumstanced that they find it impolitic or unwise to resist what they are fully conscious is a gross injustice, aud their acquiescence naturally emboldens the dealers to try their hands with greater freedom. — An interesting discussion took place as to the best and most profitable kinds of wheat for cultivation. Many opinions were given by members, and many arguments and illustrations brought forward in support of individual theories advanced, and altogether the debate was most instructive aud furnished a striking proof of the great good that might be accomplished by such gatherings if only they were taken greater advantage of. The opinion shared by the majority of the members appeared to favour velvetear as being the kind of grain best adapted for the district and most prolific of growth, as well as most profitable to farmers.

A piece of interesting news with reference to combatting the mice plague in Greece by means of typhus bacillus appears in our cablegrame this week. The following., paragraph gives some interesting particulars of the nature of the experiment : — " The Berlin correspondent of the British Medical Journal bears emphatic testimony to the remarkable efficacy of Professor Loeffler's method of dealing with the mice plague in Thessaly. Writing in the current number of the Journal, this correspondent says : — ' Professor Loeffler's bacillary crusade against the field mice of the Thessalian plain has ended in victory. The latest reports announce that the fields are strewn with the corpses of mice. It will be remembered that Professor Loemer some time ago discovered a new bacillus, the bacillus typhi murium, which has the power of producing a certain disease in mice, and in mice alone. A plague of field mice, threatening to destroy the harvest, having appeared in Thessaly, he was appealed to by the Greek Government, and immediately started for Athens. He began his experiments by treating field mice in the**laboratory with injections of his bacillus cultivation, and when these experiments showed his method to be undoubtedly the right one, he started for Thessaly with a staff of Greek doctors. Bread crumbs, saturated with the bacillary substance, were strewn broadcast over certain fields, and as early as a week later the results were visible. Success being now assured, Professor Loeffler will return to Germany, and the bacillus cultivation will be carried on at the seat of war itself."'

I was shown in Sydney last week (writes " Bruni " in the Australasian) a novel system of branding sheep, horses, cattle, and other live stock. This brand was exhibited by the Electric Brand Company, and consists of a brand brought to the required heat by an electric battery. The electricity is generated by means of a steam engine and stored in accumulators. From the accumulators a flexible tube carries the electricity to the brand, which is heated from the inside. It is claimed for this brand that it is perfectly safe, there being no possible danger tojthe person using it, that it brands without making any blotch, does not require skilled labour, and is kept at a uniform temperature. Where there are large stud flocks such a brand might be found useful in branding the horns or faces of the stud sheep. It can also be used for branding horses, cattle, boxes, tools, and any implement or vehicle. At the same stand was shown a brand heated by spirits of wine held in a receptacle which forms the handle. The spirits of wine when ignited play upon the inside of the brand and keep it at a white heat. This brand might be found useful on properties where no steam engine is kept.

The New South Wales Refrigerating Company have decided to erect refrigerating works at Deniliquin. It is intimated in a letter on the subject which has been received by Mr Wooldridge, that as the Victorian stock tax does not include a tax on frozen or chilled meat for export, arrangements will be made to have the frozen meat forwarded from Deniliquin to Port Phillip by rail at special rates. They have placed L 250,000 on the London market through Messrs Westgarth and Co. for flotation ; and even if squatters in the Deniliquin district do not take shares in the company the works will be erected, as an assurance has been given by Messrs Westgarth that "the London people prefer to put money into commercial enterprises of this sort than lend it to Australian Governments." At the same time it is pointed out that the co-operation of the seller of stock ifi very important. The letter goes on to say: — "We do not ask you there to put up small chilling works or guarantee any number of shares ; we say we will put big works in Deniliquin of this company, sufficient to pass through all the stock you can dispose of, and ask you there to cooperate with us. There are big profits in this even now ; by doing away with the middlemen there will be 100 per cent, later on, when we have ' Australian stores ' in London, and the meat sold there retail. We are the only company registered for this purpose, and we confidently ask the support of all stock owners in Deniliquin and district."

Some of the Melbourne police are now taking an active interest in dairy matters. Constable Stokes, of Richmond, it appears from the Argus report, bought a pound of butter from a local storekeeper, and not being quite sure about the genuineness of bis purchase he submitted it to the municipal analyst, who reported that the material was pure butter. The expert's opinion, however, did not satisfy the epicurean policeman, and on the advice of the secretary for Agriculture he sent a sample of the same stuff to the Government analyst, who deposed that the article was oleomargarine, a mixture of animal fats, and greatly inferior to pure butter. The defendant in the case admitted that he purchased about 1001b of animal fat weekly from the manufacturer, Mr Gray, of South Yarra , but never sold it to his customers as butter. The grocer argued that a small label was attached to the bottom of one of the pats with the words "Butter and Oliene" printed thereon. After hearing all the evidence the bench imposed a fine, including costs, of Lll ss, or an alternative of one month's imprisonment. They did exactly right, because the article in question was evidently sold as butter. The grocer — if he wanted to be strictly honest — should have placed the label on the

top of every pat, and not on the bottom of one only, showing what the article exposed really consisted of.

Commenting on the case mentioned above "Thistledown," in the Australasion, says: — " The foregoing case opens up a question of supreme importance, not only to the dairymen of Victoria, but one which seriously concerns all stockowners in Australia. It is freely admitted by experts that reduced fat— a product of the 1 boiling-down ' establishments— wheu properly manufactured, is little inferior to the best dairy butter. I could give many authenticated instances where • bull butter,' as the Americans term it, has been declared by the cleverest chemists equal in quality and identical in composition to the finest butter made from pure cream. Now it is evident that although trade honesty should be strictly enforced by compelling shopkeepers to sell the article under its proper name, it would be a very great mistake to suppress by law the manufacture of margarine. In Australia there are thousands of cattle and millions of sheep which could be more profitably utilised for — I shall not say boiling down, as the days of candle-making are over, but for conversion into butter. Scientific methods of manufacture have lately been discovered. I have tasted the so-called margarine, and in many instances have found it far superior to real butter. There are times in this country — they happened recently — when fat sheep and cattle could have been converted into margarine far more profitably than selling them to the butchers. This is a coming industry, no doubt, and a perfectly legitimate one too, providing the article is sold on its own merits and under its proper name."

Mr Bruce, chief inspector of stock for New South Wales, has made a long report on. the question of dealing with the surplus stock. He estimates that as the result of the late good seasons there are now 2,000,000 surplus sheep in the colony. To prevent the great losses which would result should a bad season come on, he recommends getting rid of this surplus by boiling down old sheep, and the tinning and freezing for export of good animals. He is in favour of establishing boiling down, freezing, and tinning works throughout the colony.

From a report by the British Vice-consul at La Rochelle, dealing with the agriculture of the Nantes district, we learn something with regard to the working of a horse-breeding establishment at Saintes. Very strong views, we are told, are held in France as to the importance of any defect in the breathing organs of horses, and the smallest indication of anything wrong at once disqualifies an animal, whatever be his value in other respects. This is because those in authority are convinced that such diseases are hereditary, and it must

be said that they have every opportunity of testing their theory. For the most careful returns are kept of the parentage of each horse reared ; so that defects of any kind can be traced to either side.

The stock tax in Victoria (writes " Bruni " in the Australasian) has already had the effect that was predicted when it was first proposed. It has quickened the efforts of the northern graziers to find some outlet for their surplus fat stock. In Queensland several companies have been started for the purpose of forming boiling-down establishments. At Barcaldine lately a company was formed in a day, and so energetically has the work been undertaken that it is anticipated that business will be commenced in August next. A large number of cattle and sheep have been guaranteed, so that there will be no lack of material to operate on as soon as the works are ready. Boiling-down works have been established at Albury and at Corowa. A company has been established to slaughter sheep and cattle, with the view of shipping the carcases at Melbourne for the old country. All who have seen the splendid cattle turned off the Queensland pastures will feel that it is a great waste to boil them down for their tallow. Even in New Zealand I have not seen as fine fat cattle as in the pastures of the Far North.

A commission has been appointed by the Government of Ontario to obtain information in reference to the practice recently introduced into the province of dishorning cattle. The commission has been instructed to report upon the reasoHS for and against the practice ; also to report upon the evidence and the trials which have taken place on the subject in England, Ireland, and Scotland.

A movement has (says the Australasian) been set on foot in Melbourne for the establishment of freezing works in the large pastoral districts of Australia in order to provide for an extension of the meat export trade on the most approved lines. The idea is to erect works at suitable inland centres, at which the whole of the operations in connection with the preparation of the carcases will take place in the most effective manner, and to convey the carcases in a frozen condition to the sea coast in railway cars adapted to the Taylor accumulator process. The advantages of the scheme are manifest. The driving or trucking of stock for hundreds of miles will be avoided, so that meat in prime condition will be secured, while the objectionable features associated with carrying on slaughtering operations and disposing of by-products in large centres of population will also be obviated. Tenders are now being invited for the erection of the works. The Melbourne Leader says it has been de-

cided by the Cabinet that during the ensuing financial year the maximum bonus payable on butter exported from Victoria will be l£d per lb when the price realised is Is per lb. Hitherto the maximum has been 3d. As a partial set off against the reduction the Orient Steam Navigation Company and the Peninsular and Oriental Steamship Company have agreed to lower the freights to a fraction over Id per lb, and as l£d will "cover the cost of freight and all other charges, the exporter will be placed in the position of being able to sell his butter in the London market without incurring greater expense than if he sold it in Melbourne.

It appears, according to Truth, that the tenant of one Ash Grange, near Bakewell, has to leave his farm on account of the rent being too great to enable him to hold his own, and that in leaving it he has to abandon buildings aud machinery and fences which have been erected by himself or his predecessors without receiving one pennyworth of compensation for them. The case is a particularly hard one. For very nearly 200 years Mr Bowman's family have been tho tenants of the farm, which is some 450 acres in extent. The rent has grown during the last 100 years from £200 to £900. During the last 50 years the tenant has erected a steam corn mill and buildings at a cost of over £2000. Every fence on the farm has been put up by tho tenant, for originally it appears to have been totally unenclosed. The whole of these improvements have been made by the tenants, and now the landlord gets the full benefit of them. And yet there are people who say that the Agricultural Holdings Act of 1883 needs no amendment !

A few weeks ago I mentioned (says " Bruni ") the weight of a shorthorn cow fed on the pastures of the Upper Murray by Mr R. Smithwick, of Talmalino. Her age was four years and a-half, and her dressed carcase (not including the caul fat) weighed 10101b. This I thought something extraordinary for a grassfed animal, and considered it spoke well for Mr Smithwick's pastures. This week I have received a letter from Messrs H. and S. Rymill, of Adelaide, enclopv ; .•• portrait of a shorthorn cow bred in t'u duowie herd that was awarded the first prize for fat cow in Adelaide, 1887. This cow was purchased by Mr L. Conrad, of Adelaide, and when slaughtered her dressed carcase weighed 13541b. This is truly an extraordinary weight, and the portrait shows her to have been a fine specimen of the well-known Canowie stud. As she was shown in the class for fat cows and was led to the show by a halter, I gather that she had received artificial food. If Mr Smithwick's cow had had another year aud had been fed for six months she would not have been far short of. the Canowie prizetaker, who, I fancy, makes the record for weight of a fat cow. Ido nob think there are many cows of 4£ years in Australia fed on grass that nowadays will match that from the Upper Murray.

The Mark Lane Express says that a new patent has just come upon the scene purporting to be an absolute cure for splints in horses. It consists of a paste of a carefully-studied preparation, and is the result of a discovery by Mr Cave Browne, Cave Malvern. It has been extensively tried before being put forward as an article of public utility, and on no occasion, we believe, has it been known to fail in absolutely removing such ailments as splints, curbs, spavins, and ringbone. It does not blister tho limbs, nor inflict any noticeable blemish, but may on the contrary be applied without causing the least interruption to working horses. Such an excellent discovery is of the highest importance to horse-breeders of all ranks. It is always a pleasant task to chronicle items of news like the following : — "As showing the respect and esteem in which the late Mr Dobbie,jof Clarendon, was held, and. the sympathy felt by neighbours towards the family in their bereavement, it may be mentioned that on Friday 13 two-horse and threehorse teams of neighbours turned out, and carted to the Clarendon railway station about 800 bags of wheat. On part of the following day 12 teams were similarly ongaged,' and carted GOO bags, making a total of 1400 bags taken to the station. The work was most expeditiously done, fully 20 settlors also assisting in loading and unloading the drays."— Bruce Herald. (Continued on page 11.)