BRITISH AGRICULTURE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2009, 25 August 1892, Page 7

BRITISH AGRICULTURE.

(From Our English Agricultural Cobre-

SPONDENT.) London, July 9. HARVEST PROSPECTS. Corn is now in the ear in all but the latest districts of England, and an approximate estimate of crop prospects can be formed. We do not yet know the acreage of the several crops, though that of the principal cereals will be published before very long by the Board of Agriculture. But it is a recognised fact that the wheat area is a very short one. The crop is healthy, and the ears are of a goodly size ; bub there are too many thin pieces for a great yield to be possible. A bare average may be obtaiued if the rest of theseason proves as favourable as the greater part of the last six weeks ha« been ; but there must be a large proportion of grain to straw to insure even such a result. Barley varies greatly, but on the whole promises to be a full average or more, while oats may be described as the crop of the season, being particularly good in the northern counties, where they are most extensively grown, as well as in Scotland and Ireland. Peas, too, promise to be abundant, while beans have improved so much lately that they may come nearly up to tho mark, though they are too short to give a heavy return. Potatoes were cut off partially in exposed situations, and particularly in low-lying fields where tho air was damp, by a very severe late frost which occurred on June 14 ; but apart from this partial injury, the crop is all that could be desired. Roots promise well in most districts, tho chief complaints being in parts of Scotland, where re-sowing has been necessary to secure a plant. The maggots of the bot fly and the diamond-back moth have done damage in limited districts, the former to mangels aud the latter to swedes. Still farmers generally expect a good bulk of roots, which is fortunate, as the hay' crop now being gathered iv i 3 one of tho lightest ever grown in the greater part of England, though good or fair in the northern counties, in Scotland, and in Ireland. Hops are luxuriant in growth, and aro not much infested with aphis at present. If they keep as f reefrom the pest as they are now, and hot weather continues, we shall have one of the greatest hop crops ever grown.

LOW PJUCES.

Last week the average price of wheat was only 293 3d, or 9s 6d less than in the corresponding week of 1891, and lower than it has been since the autumn of 1889. This is a keen disappointment to farmers, who are greatly discouraged in consequence. There is not much barley in the market at this period of the year, and only griuding qualities. Still, it is not pleasant to see the average down to 23s 4d, or 3s 5d less than it was a year ago. For oats the price is fair, 21s 8d being the average, which is higher than (hat of the corresponding week of any of

tho past four years. Another disappointment, however, has to bo faced in the low prices of live stock and incut. It was hoped that the growth of abundance of feed would bring about nu improvement, instead of which trado is duller than ever. Butter, as usual at this season, is cheap, while cheese brings moderate prices. Nothing that the farmer has to dispose of, except a good hors.o, sells really well.

THE HEALTH 01' LIVE STOCK

It is good news to learn that foot-and-mouth disease has been stamped out, while pleuropneumonia is limited to two districts of Great Britain and a few places in Ireland. Even swine fever, which has not yet been taken in hand by the Board of Agriculture, has decreased in prevalence.

TIIE KFCt'NT GREAT SHOW,

Rpportß on the Royal Agricultural Society's Show at Warwick will have reached New Zealand before this letter arrives, and it is not mcessaiy, therefore, to say much' nbout it. It was one of the most meritorious exhibitions of its kind ever held. The horses wen; not quite up to the Doncaster standard of hist y<vir, though the Shires have seldom been belter shown ; but the cattle wore superb, and the sheep were excellent. Shut t hoi ns, Channel Islands' cattlo, and the Korrios and Dextern were particuluily striking for general excellence. A wonderful improvement has taken place in the breeding of the last two vaiieties since they were brought from Ireland to be managed by English breedei s, who have spared no expensein selectingthebest types forreproduction. Both are excellent for milk, aud the Dexters nre prime btef animals, small though they are. Probably, if they were tested against larger breeds, it would be found th->t, in proportion to the food consumed, they give better returns than anyotlur cattle Tho Dexters are the prime favourites, because they are much better for beef than the Kerries, and some say they are equally good for milk, though this is doubtful. In the implement department there were a great number of machines entered as novelties, in competition for the society's medals, bub most of them were ordy old machines slightly modified. The only entire novelty which I noticed was the new Danish milking machine, which did not strike me favourably. It was exhibited by Messrs Nicholson and Co., of Newark-on-Trent. It is a mechanical milker, and not a suction apparatus, like the other milkers brought out last year. The work is done by turning a crank, which puts in motion two pairs of indiarubber segments, which have rocking, advaueiug, aud receding movements, intended to imitate the action Of hand-milking. Each pair takes two teats, so that all four teats are milked at the same time. Th 3 little machine hangs from a framework which is placed oil the cow's back. Allo ying foj the time occupied in shifting the framework, I cannot believe that there is much saving of time in using the machine instead of milking by hand. The suction apparatus deals with a number of cows at the same time, and when it has been perfected I believe it will come into common use among large dairy herds. There were several) new hay tedders of the •'Kicker" description now so much in favour, because the kicking action strokes off much less of the seed aud flag of the hay than the revolving movement does. Quite a number of new oil and gas engines, too, were exhibited. Next year there is to be a great trial of sheafbinding reaping machines.

THE NEW X A.S. JOURNAL,

The number of the Royal Agricultural Society's Journal just published is a fairly interesting one. It contains a full account of the plough trials held in connection with the Warwick Show, though come months beforehand. There are articles, too, on "Vermin of the Farm," by J. E. Hasting, F.L.S. ; " The Evolution of Agricultural Implements," by Daniel Pidgeon ; "Desirable Agricultural Experiments," by W. E. Bear; "Contagious Foot-rot in Sheep," by Professor Brown ; "Variations of the Four-course System," by Gilbert Murray ; and •• Wild Birds in Relation to Agriculture," by Earl Cathcart. ltats, moles, and field mice are principally dealt with in the first article, and their destroyers in the last. Among the desirable experiments recommended are some to compare the production of meat and milk by large and small breeds of cattle, in proportion to the cost of feeding the animals ; to test roots against such nitrogen-accumulating crops as clover and vetches, both in feeding stock and in growing corn afterwards ; to try one nitrogen-accumula-ting crop against another ; and to compare the effects upon succeeding crops of ploughing-iu green crops and feeding them off on the land. With respect to foot-rot, Professor Brown cites a number of trials, and sums up the results to the following effect (his remarks being condensed) :—(1): — (1) So far as the evidence goes, it justifies the statement that foot-rot is contagious, not only when the infective matter comes into contact with the skin between the claws, but probably also when taken in by the mouth in feeding ; (2) that the disease cannot be produced by the exposure of sheep on wet pastures not contaminated ; (3) that after being thus exposed for months on such wet pastures with impunity, sheep contract foot-rot in 14 to 21 days if placed with affected animals ; (4) that sheep affected with tte disease may improve aud finally recover while kept under conditions which induced the disease ; (5) that as the contagium of foot-rot remains for 10 to 20 days or more in the system without its symptoms being apparent in the feet, infected animals may be undetected, and so, when placed with healthy animals, may be the means of infecting a whole flock.

THE TECHNICAL TRAINING OF STOCKMEN.

Among the short communications to the publication just named is one by Mr Alfred Smith under the heading given above, which is well worth consideration. The writer points out how desirable it is that men who have to attend to stock should possess some knowledge of the physiology, digestive functions, and ailments of the animals. He contends, therefore, that classes for stockmen (including shepherds) should be formd in country districts.

THE JIAROARIKE QUESTION.

Just now the most prominent subject of discussion at farmers' meetings is the failure of tho Margarine Act to stop the fraudulent sale of margarine as butter. A bill was prepared for Parliament in the session just ended, in wh'c-h it was proposed that margarine should either be entirely unccloured, or lhafc ife should be coloured to a tint distinct from that of butter. This is reasonable enough, as it is unfair that the stuff should be made to look like genuine butter. But the agriculturists of this country are such a disunited class that many of them carp at this proposal, and declare that Parliament will never agree to it. Why not ? The Trade Marks Act prevents many English-manufac-tured goods from being imitated, and I am at a loss to see why there should be any objection to the stopping of the deception to consumers by the makers of margarine. It is absurd to recommend, as some do, that margarine should be coloured pink ; but it is quite reasonable to plead for following the Danish example, and prohibiting the colouring of the stuff yellow, in Imitation of butter. The Danish law allows m&rgariue to be tinted only up to a very light shvle o? buff, and the regulation his proved eminently successful in preventing fraud. Mar-

garine is now sold in Denmark for what it is, aud at a fair price ; whereas in our own country it is sold as butter, and at the price of cheap butter — or even, in some cases, at the price of prime butter. The bill introduced to Parliament full through, like many other measures, afc the approach of the dissolution of Parliament, therefore nothing can bo done till next year. But farmers ought to exact pledges, if pos&ible, from candidates at the elections now going on, in favour of more stringent lrgislutiou in relation to margarine. We want a compulsory act — a measure compelling, instead of merely empowering, customs officers to examine all so-called butter that is imported, aud local authorities to send inspectors round to nil butter shops periodically. At present the Margarine 'Act is eutiiely ignored by tunny local authorities, and not efficiently carried out by any. Now Zealand dairy farmers are as much concerned with this question as English arc, and it might help us greatly to get effective legislation if the colonial Government v/eve to repref.ent to the Home authorities the wrong done to shippers of genuine butter from New Zt<al.md by the enormous sale of margarine* ns butter.