AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

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

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

With reference to this bill, and the ill-fated clause 48, regarding which the Government suffered a reverse on Friday afternoon, leave to introduce it being refused, it appears that

be sides the new tax of 2d per head on cattle the clause included the sheep tax already in existence, from which a revenue of L 16.000 a year is obtained. As the Government cannot afford to dispense with this they intend to bring the clause forward when the bill is in committee. It may not then include the cattle tax, since that was proposed at the request of stockowners, and not at the instance of the Government themselves, who do not want it for revenue purposes.

It is proposed by the directors of the New Zealand Shipping Company to enter upon new lines of business. An extraordinary general meeting is to be held in London on the 14th November to consider resolutions for the insertion of clauses in the Memorandum of Association as follows : — " (1) The purchasing as merchants of frozen or unfrozen meat and other articles of food, and also goods and merchandise, and tho selling aud disposing of the same, aud the acquiring and working of buildings, plant, aud machinery for preserving aud freezing meat and other articles of food, and the doing of any such things either alone or in conjunction with other companies or persons. (2) The subscribing for, purchasing, or otherwise accepting and taking shares in or debentures of any coal mining company in New Zealand, and any meat freezing company in New Zealaud or the United Kingdom, and either holding or selling such shares or debeutures or any of them. (3) The entering into any arrangements for sharing profits, union of interests, co-operation, joint adventure or otherwise with any person or company carrying on or about to carry on any business which this company is authorised to carry on."

At a meeting of the North Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Association it was resolved — " That this association endorse the action of the Canterbury Farmers' League in protesting against the present unjust system of taxation, aud the secretary be requested to write to the Government and to the members representing the district ia Parliament, urging them to do their utmost to get the law so amended as not to press so inequitably upon landowners and country settlers."

Mr John Glover writes as follows in Monday's Daily Times :—": — " In your paper of 6th inst. I notice that you mention that Mr Dun, of Chatton, has acclimatised the Bruce potato. Without in any way detracting from this statement, allow me to mention that I imported this variety, along with 22 others, in November 1888, and that I competed at the Horticultural Society's show held in the Dunedin Exhibition, March 7 and 8, 1890, where with two selections of six and nine varieties — the Bruce being included in each — i gained a first and third prize. My potatoes have for two seasons been on sale by

some of the leading seedsmen in town. I may also mention that during my experience (extending over a period of 30 years) I have never met with such a heavy cropper, combined with such good qualities. The Bruce only requires to be known to be appreciated, and I have no doubt that in a very short time — a few years at most — it will entirely supersede all other late varieties.

At the annual meeting of the Taieri Agricultural Society the balance sheet submitted showed a debit balance of LlO. We learn from the Advocate that the retiring president, Mr W. Jaffray, said he regretted that the shows held during the past three or four years had not proved a financial success, and he could not understand why such was the case, as the Taieri district had facilities for breeding which could not bo excelled in Otago. However, he hoped that the coming show would make up for the lack of interest shown in previous years, and the society could easily be placed on a sound footing. It was decided to hold the next show at Ontram on Boxing Day. The election of officers resulted as follows : — President, Mr J. B. Blair ; vice-president, Mr D. Andrew ; committee — Messrs Jaffray, Shennan, Allan, Gow, and Rutherford.

Mr Newman Andersen, who was engaged in Denmark by the New Zealand and Australian Land Company as a butter expert for their dairy factory at Edendale, has been appointed Government butter expert for the colony. Mr Andersen, who has had two seasons' experience in the colony, will tour the colony giving working lessons in butter-making.

The project to establish a butter factory in Oamaru, with creameries at various centres, has bean abandoned in the meantime, owing to want of support from milk suppliers.

Mr D. Stevenson, of Waitahuna, has just returned from Sydney, where he experienced a heavy loss in the death of his valuable Clydesdale stallion Lord Cranley, which died some 24 hours after being landed. Mr Stevenson expected the horse to realise from L3OO to L4OO.

At a meeting of the Auckland Agricultural Association it was decided that the proposal to make a quarantine station for stock at Wellington would not be 'suitable, and against the interests of the colony generally.

The Agricultural and Pastoral Association of Palmerston North has requested the Government to take steps to prevent the importation of stock from places where foot and mouth disease is prevalent. The association has received a reply from the Government stating that Ministers could not see their way to move in the matter, the examinations previous to shipment and the rigid quarantine observed in New Zealand being considered quite sufficient to prevent disease obtaining a hold in the colony.

A correspondent of the Live Stock Journal lately furnished some interesting particulars respecting the ages to which cattle will breed, and as the animals referred to are registered in herd-books, there can be no doubt about their correctness. The first instance given is that of Royal Maiden, the matron of the Warlaby herd, who died lately of old age, having been calved in August 1876. This cow gave birth to nine daughters and two sons. An Aberdeen-Angus cow named Mina HI, of Kinnochtry, lately gave birth to twins, both bulls. She is 18 years old, and is believed to have produced a calf yearly since she was two years old. Old Grannie, No. 1 of the Polled HerdBook, lived to the age of 35 years six months. She was the dam of 25 calves, and gave up breeding in her 29fch year.

At Arkleby Hall, in Cumberland, a parturient cow was found to be so dangerously ill that she had to be slaughtered ; but by means of the Ctesarian operation, Mr Carruthers, V.S., cut a strong and healthy calf out of her before she was slaughtered. The Ciesarian operation has (says the North British Agriculturist) been occasionally performed on the lower animals — on mares, cows, and ewes — but generally with the sacrifice of the mother's life. If, however, in the case of the lower animals, the operation were performed before the parturient animal is injured and exhausted by uusuccessful endeavours to bring away the fectus, the mortality amongst the mothers might be greatly reduced. Many Wigtownshire farmers will remember the old doctor in Stranraer, who boasted that ho had never been born, and that the mare he drove had never been foaled.

Mr Joseph Duncan, Exchange street, Aberdeen, has (says the North British Agriculturist) sold to a gentleman in Paisley a Shetland stallion, which is one of the smallest that has been seen for some time. The pony, which appears in the "Stud Book" under tho name of Little Viking, stands only 35£ in high, and is a little beauty. It has been in Mr Duncan's possession for several years, and would not now have been parted with but for the tempting offer made by the southern fancier. Little Viking, which was greatly admired by all gond judges of Shetland stock, arrived at his new home last week.

A beautiful little insect, known as the " gipsy moth," was imported from Europe about three years ago by an enthusiastic entomologist of Massachusetts to add to his rare collection of living insects. After a few months the gipsy moth tired of its captivity, and beiug eager to view other parts of tho State, watched its opportunity, and escaped. Since then the progeny of that] gipsy moth has multiplied rapidly and destroyed various kind of vegeta* tion to the amount of hundreds of thousands

of dollars. The Legislature hasjalready appropriated a sum equal to L 35,000 for the payment of a Gipsy Moth Commission to hunt down the little insect and its younger relatives and slay them. Two hundred persons compose the force that is hunting the gipsy moth, and they have to not only examine trees and shrubs, but 'are obliged to overturn stones, examine stone walls, take down fences, and raze out-buildings, not to mention the investigation of old tin cans, which the female moth much affects.

At the students' meeting at Drumlanrig at a late meeting, the Rev. John GHlespie, in the course of his remarks on the Galloways brought under notice, referred to the impressiveness of the breed in getting quit of horns, and impartiug their general characteristics to any other breed with which they were crossed. As an instance of their great impressiveness in getting rid of horns, he might tell them of an experiment of almost historical importance, which had been tried at the neighbouring farm of Tibbers. Some years ago the late Duke of Buccleuch tried the experiment of crossing a Galloway bull with the West Highland breed. Two highly-bred heifers of the latter ancient and picturesque long-horned breed were procured respectively from Mr Stewart, of Ensay, and Mr Malcolm, of Foltalloch. These were put to Black Prince of Drumlanrig, 546, a bull which was famous in the showyard, and had also proved a very successful breeder. The produce were two heifer? so perfectly resembling pure Galloways in every respect, including the entire absence of horus, that when they were grazing at 18 mouths old, along with about a score of purebred Galloway heifers of the same age, half a dozen of the most experienced and skilful breeders of Galloways, when asked to pick out the West Highland crosses, selected the wrong animals. — North British Agriculturist.

An announcement in our advertising columns this week informs residents of North Otago that the New Zealand Dairy Supply Company, of Dunedin, have extended their business to Hampden, where a creamery will be opened on the Ist October in premises situated about half a mile north of the local railway station. Judging from the enterprise with which the company's business has hitherto been conducted, there can be no doubt that both farmers and sompany will materially benefit by the foresight of the management in thus extending its field of operations.

The Tapanui Courier says: — "Messrs M'Ritohie and M'Lood consigued three trucks of wethers to the Canterbury markeb last week, and succeeded in topping the Addington market with the best pen, which brought 22s 7d. Nearly 10,000 sheep were yarded that day at Addington, and although the market was

not quite so strong as during the previous month, some excellent prices were realised for the extra prime lots. All the good heavy crossbreds brought over LI, aud a separate line of Down lambs sold at LI Is. A pen of extra big merino wethers also brought a golden sovereign. For inferior and medium the inquiry was weak, and prices for this class, and also for beef and store cattle, are about the same as in Otago.

Mr L. Hanlon, Government fruit expert, is at present in Canterbury making a thorough aud practical test of various' methods that are recommended for the destruction of orchard pests, at Mr Wilding's orchard at Styx, and subsequently at the Lincoln School of Agriculture, where official records will be kept of the results. Mr Hanlon is also devoting his attention to the ravages caused by the diamond-back moth and tho grass grub. He has a firm b jlief in the efficacy of kerosene emulsion for the grass grub, aud stroDgly recommends it to farmers troubled with the pest. (Continued on page 10.)