AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2056, 20 July 1893, Page 8

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

(Continued from page 7.) At a conversazione held in Sydney in connec-" tion with the recent sales of stud sheep, an address on the -subject of the meat-freezing industry in New Zealand was given by Mr A. S. Paterson, of Dunedin, who reviewed the trade from its commencement and pointed out that it had been the means of bringing In £7,000,000 to the people of New Zealand, and that it had not only lifted the colony out of debt, but had added £25,000,000 to its pastoral values. The lands of New Zealand had by the frozen meat export trade been given an assured value which was largely, assisting forward settlement, in addition to which money lenders 'and bondholders now regarded the colony with respect. , A deputation, consisting of Messrs Bmck, James Kelly, D uncan, Meredith, and Hall- Jones, M.H.R.'s, waited on the Minister for Labour on the 12th and brought under his notice the inadequate accommodation provided for shearers on some stations in the colony. Mr Buick explained the views of the deputation on the subject, and in reply the Hon. Mr Reeves suggested an amendment of the Factories Act to meet the case, and if possible an amending bill in ' this direction will be. brought in this session. „.,... A cable message has been . published in Australian papers stating that Messrs Nelson Brothers are reported to have bought the Wellington Export Company's works. The officials here know nothing of any suchnegotia- ; tions, and think it highly improbable, as they know of no one in England empowered to treat on the company's behalf. It is thought the

message is a mistake, and probably intended to refer to the purchase of the Hon. Mr Ward's works, mentioned in the cable. In France a money prize of 2000lr has been awarded to M. Sobribaumfor the important discovery of an effective method for preserving potatoes. The process is said to be as follows :— Tubers are plunged in water' that contains 1£ percent, sulphuric acid. For tubers with thick skins a solution of 2 per cent, of acid has to be used, and the potatoes are allowed to remain longer in the water. After their immersion the - potatoes must be allowed to dry thoroughly before being packed away. It is alleged that by this process tubers can be kept sound for more than 12 months. Any kind of tub or receptacle can be used for the treatment without danger. There are 11 countries in Europe largely dependent on foreign countries for supplies; of wheat to the extent of 240,942,525 bushels, so that the Australasian wheatgrowers may rest assured that there is no likelihood of an oversupply at least during the present generation. The quantities required by each are— in bushels : Belgium, 19,170,059; France, 37,426,407; Ger-v many, 18,767,319; Greece, 9,975,790; Italy, 19,931,234 ; Norway and Sweden, 1,909,362 : Netherlands t 8,591,639 ; Portugal, 3,663,852 ;' Spain, 6,1H>449; Switzerland, 10,867,768,; and United Kingdom, 105,527,648. i The . United States is the greatest exporting country, with 83,343,864 ; Russia" comes next with 83,170,011 ; and India with 30,946,842. Australasia-in-cluding New Zealand— exports 8,178,886 bushels. The production of wheat per head of population throughout the world in bushels is : Europe, 36 ; Asia, -5 ; Africa, 34 ; America, 5*4 ; and Australasia, 9*o. >

The mischievous practice (writes the Scottish Farmer) of publishing as facts the statement that fabulous prices have been received for agricultutal stock has, during the past few days, received a new illustration in the announcement that Flash wood (3604) has been sold by Mr Pollock to Mr Andrew Montgomery for £3000. This is a great exaggeration, and the purchaser of the horse wa'i not Mr Andrew Montgomery, but he and his brother Mr' William Mont- , gomery. Flashwood's price was certainly nob '' £3000, but it was the h'ghest 'price ever paid for a 10-year-old draught horse. Flashwood's price is a record, figure, and without parallel in connection with any other breed of draught horseß. There are six unprecedented prices in the history of the Clydesdale breed which give it preeminence over all other breeds of draught horses — namely, those paid for (1) Balmedie Prince, when a foal ; (2) Prince of Kyle, when a yearling ; (3) Prince of Albion, when two years old ; (4) Flashwood, when 10 years old ; (5) Prince of Wales, when 18 years old ; and - Queen of the Roses, when a two-year-old filly. The Mark Lane Express . says, under the heading "Death from Eating Unsound Meat":— "Chipping Norton and the neighbourhood has been thrown into a state of great excitement by some cases of poisoning through eating unsound meat, which. have resulted' in the death of one person and the serious illness of several others. A dealer and butcher named George • Kempson, of Oddington, took three pieces of beef into Chipping Norton, which, were sold to various persons, among them being Mrs Stanley, landlady of; the Three Tuns, and Mr Alfred Dawee, watchmaker, who, " with their families, ate it, and were soon afterwards seized with violent pains, sickness, and diarrhoea. Mrs Stanley' succumbed, and fcho medical man who was called in attributed the death to the effects of eating the meat, which was pronounced by him and another doctor, to be diseased and in an advanced state of decomposition. At the inquest Mr Woolliains, farmer, Adlestrop, deposed to selling Kempson for £1 two cows which were known as 'screws,' that is, unhealthy, as he supposed for' boiling up for the kennels. ' It was denied by Kempson that this was the meat in question. The coroner's jury returned a verdict of manslaughter against Kempson, who has been taken' before the magistrates and remanded, bail being allowed." * > In the annual journal of the Bath' and West of England Agricultural, Society Mr J.F. Hall, in an article on "Age-limits to the FroHt'of Dairy Stock," protests aagainstt t the common practice of fattening good milch cows at a com- ■ paratively early age. He cites statistical results '. to show that cows over six years of age give more milk; and a higher quality of milk, than younger animals, which is in* accord with the view's of most American dairy farmers;" Mr Hall does not deny -that town dairymen may find it most advantageous to buy freshly-calved cows. and fatten them off as they begin to run short" of milk; but he contends that, the practice of ordinary dairy farmers, who, send even their best cows to the butcher when the animals are from six to' eight years of age, is a mistaken one. - ' „,