AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2045, 4 May 1893, Page 12

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

(Continued from page 7.)

(Continued To those who have been lookiDg year after year for a reduction in the numbers of sheep grazed in the Northern Hemisphere as the result of the ever-increasing suppliesf rom the Southern Hemisphere, it will come as a matter of surprise (says the Argus) to find that in spite of the extremely low prices ruling for wool the sheep in both Great Britain and the United States continue to increase in number. We mentioned some time ago that the latest live stock returns for the United Kingdom showed a small increase in the number of sheep and lambs. We now learn from the report of the statistician of the Agricultural department of the United States that the returns of January 1893 show an increase in the number of sheep of over two millions, the number being 47,253,553. This increase seems to be to some extent at the expense of cattle, which show a small decrease. The ••American Sheepbreeder" says: —"A new grass of great promise for the South-west and the Pacific Coast is the Japanese rye, Agropyrum japonicum. It somewhat resembles fescue grass, though it is perennial, and the seeds are somewhat bearded. It begins its growth early in the fall, and lasts until late m the summer. It is greedily eaten by stock, and promises to be a most useful grass." The Live Stock Journal notices the sale of what is said to be the oldebt flock of sheep in Yorkshire, the ewes having been bred in a direct line for over 100 years. The owner of the flock, Mr Day, aged 82 years, was present at the sale in the best of health. Great care must have been bestowed on the breeding and management of these sheep, for they are described as being beautiful in shape, heavy m wool and mutton, and splendid in quality. The prices realised show that the farmers appreciated them highly; many of the ewes sold at from 60s to 725, while the hoggets (over 200) averaged nearly 445. What a remarkable change has taken place in the prices obtained for high-class shorthorn cattle within the last 10 years. At the late Birmingham show the champion prize for best bull in the yard was awarded to Fitz-Fife, calved October 2, 1891, by Duke of Fife, dam Lady Conceit. This youngster was thought good I enough to have his portrait given in the Live Stock Journal, and yet when put up for sale after the show he realised only 150gs. His portrait shows him to be a shapely youngster of a taking roan colour. A few years ago a bull that had | achieved such a distinction would have realised at least three times the money. While the | boom in shorthorn cattle was on ridiculously high prices were paid for fancy and prize stock; now the depression seems to have sent them down in price far below their real value. A bull that could carry off such a high prize as the championship at Birmingham must surely be worth more than 150gs. The importance of the Government bonus to the existence of butter factories in Victoria is (says the Leader) shown by the balance sheet ] of the Framlingham and Ellerslie Cheese and Butter Factory Company for the year endiDg 28th February. The profit for that period was £68312s Bd, and the total amount received in bonuses on buildings and butter exported, £2043 15s 4d. So that a heavy loss would have been sustained were it not for the bonuses. The total receipts during the 12 months were £13,330 5s Id, which included—sale of butter, £10,871 4s 6d; sale of skim milk, £348 16s 2d; bonus on buildings, £700; bonus on butter exported, £1343 15s 4d. The expenditure amounted to £12,64612s sd, the principal items being—paid for milk, £10,378 6s lOd; salaries, &c, £739 6s 3d; working expenses, £453 12s sd; butter boxes, £459 4s lOd; interest, £177 4s lid; preservitas, £125 16s 2d. The overdraft at the end of the year was £285116s 3d, but this will shortly be reduced to £1000. It will be a surprise to many of our (Australasian) readers to learn that Mr Craig, of Stratford, the importer of the new milking machine of which so much has been heard recently, has abandoned dairying and is now going in for sheep. The sale of his dairy herd took place last week. The milking machine was also exposed at auction, but it failed to find a purchaser. During the last few months there has been much correspondence in the British agricultural journals on the subject of longevity and prolificacy in cows, and several very interesting instances have been made public. Though most of these records are remarkably good, not one equals that of a cow well named Fillpail, which was given in the Bridgewater Mercury about the end of 1885. ■ This cow was a cross between a Devon and a Guernsey. This cow's record is so remarkably good that we give it in full: — Her first calf was in 1864; her first year's butter made about £12 15 0 Her second calf, January 26; butter... 14 15 0 Third calf, February 4; butter 15 17 6 Fourth calf, February 9; butter ... 15 12 6 Fifth calf, February 17; butter 16 15 0 Sixth calf, February 4; butter 17 5 0 Seventh calf, February 25; butter ... 18 5 0 Eighth calf. March 1; butter 17 10 0 Ninth calf, March 4; butter 16 15 6 Tenth calf, February 26; butter ... 18 5 6 Eleventh calf, March 7 ; butter 17 19 6 Twelfth calf, February 19; butter ... 16 7 0 Thirteenth, calf, February 4; butter ... 18 5 0 Fourteenth calf, February 29; butter... 17 13 6 Fifteenth calf, February 4; butter ... 16 7 6 Sixteenth calves (two), January 27; butter 15 I 9 ° Seventeenth calf, February 1; butter... 18 9 0 Eighteenth calf, January 31; butter ... 17 10 0 Nineteenth calves (two), February 9 ; butter r ... ... 16 8 0 Twentieth calves (two), March 3; butter 14 o U Twenty-first calf, March 29; butter ... 12 17 0 Twenty-second calf, May 2; butter ... 7 8 0 Total £353 17~1 Not the least remarkable feature in this record is the way in which she carried her butter-yield into old age. There is no appreciable falling off in the money value of her butter .until the twentieth calf. . The butter exported from Victoria last ye&r amounted to 7,097,8911b, of the value of £365,924, whereas for the previous year the quantity exported was 4,691,7851b, representing £228,173. In the exports of green fruits there was also a considerable increase. Last year the quantity exported was 91,812 bushels, representing £19,177, as compared with 53,584 bushels, valued at £16,635, exported the previous year. At a recent meetiDg of the Condobolm Pastures Board (says the Sydney Mail) a lengthy discussion took place regarding the rabbit plague. It was eventually decided to place the following resolutions before all the stock boards of the colony with a view to united action being taken by each board on the adoption of the resolutions to urge the Minister to take action. The pest is fast extending over the Condobolin district aud right along the Lachlan. The following are the resolutions: — No. 1. "That this board is of opinion that provision should be made in the Land Bill now before Parliament to give power to local stock boards to combine and levy rates for the construction and maintenance of rabbit-proof barrier fences; also to confer powers on the boards to take over, acquire, and pay for any lines of fencing 'already constructed,' when such are in the

opinion of the boards fit to form part and portion of such lines of the barrier fences." No. 2. "That before any stock boards be empowered to erect a line of- rabbit -proof fencing a ballot of landholders within a distance of 100 miles of the non-infested side only of such proposed fence must be taken, and the majority of these owners will have to be secured in favour of the construction of such fence." No. 3. " That for the purpose of raising funds to erect, maintain, and acquire rabbit proof barrier fences, the owners of land within 100 miles and on the non-infested side only of such fences be rated as follows : Owners within 25 miles of such fence full rate, owners within 50 miles three-quarters rate, owners within 75 miles half rate, owners within 100 miles onequarfcer rate." No. 4-. . " That all owners of holdings who have enclosed their properties with rabbit-proof netting fences in good repair be rated at quarter rate." The Buenos Ayres Standard publishes the following comparison of live stock in the province in 1881 and 1890 :— 1881. 1890. SB* ::: ::: «S «:»g 8T ::: ::: *$JS I #B Thus in nine years the cattle were doubled, while there were decreases of 17,000,000 in the sheep and of 400,000 horses. The breed of the horses has, however, been much improved. The pastoral products of the province of Buenos Ayres are valued as being worth £12,000,000 per annum. For the whole of the Argentine Republic the annual value of the pastoral products is placed at £23,280,000; of which wool represents £7,220,000. Horse-breeding is evidently much more in favour in England now than at any previous period, though for many centuries past the country has been famous for the excellence of the horses raised therein. The breeding of hackney and harness horses haß come very much to the front during the last decade, and so much in vogue has the industry become that lately an English hackney breeder paid 5000gs for a favourite stallion. The London Spring Horse Show, held on February 28 last, is an instance of the great interest taken in raising high-class hackneys and harness horses. There were 605 entries, consisting of 108 thoroughbred stallions, 29 hunter stallions, 233 hackney stallions, 66 hunter mares, 147 hackney mares, and 22 geldings. The show was the largest of the sort yet held in England, and the increase in the entries since 1885 has been very great. In that year only 129 stallions and colts and 38 mares were shown. The plan of getting rid of the rabbit pest by means of poison is nob without its drawbacks. At Huntly, Victoria, a farmer h&s just lost 14

cows and a horse by poison. The stock strayed out of the paddock and ate poisoned apples set as a bait for rabbits.