SOUTHLAD AGRICULTURAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Volume 01, Issue 2123, 1 November 1894, Page 18

SOUTHLAD AGRICULTURAL NOTES.

(Fbom Otm Own Cobhespondbnt.) The weather has been remarkably fine during the month, but a little more Weather ram WoQ ld be of benefit, There and Crops, was a night's heavy rain about the middle of the month, bat that was about all the rain we have had. The pasture is luxuriant in some districts, bat in ptbers the want of rain is apparent, and the •oil has become very difficult to work for grass and turnips ; indeed some have ceased ploughing because the soil, turning over in hard lumpi, does not harrow satisfactorily. The Cowing was later than usual, bat as the land was in excellent order for harrowing and the breather so warm and calm the harvest may not be a late one. A large area was sown with cats, but wheat waa almost entirely neglected, «ad there is only a slight increase of the small acreage of recent years under barley. It was only lately the majority planted the potatoes, and just sufficient for farm requirement* have been ]»nt in the ground. The cereal crops are looking well at present, but rain will soon be required. There is not a greatdeal of land being laid down to grass without a crop this season, but on farms on whioh it is being done the preparation of the •eed bed is being proceeded with at present. Any time daring November is suitable, but as the pasture usually require! three months before it is fit to carry stock the sooner the feeds are sown the better if the fattening lambs are to receive the benefit.

Cows hare been in very good demand since the beginning of winter, £7 having Cows. been no uncommon price for a good dairy cow if about her most profitable period for giving milk. A week ago I saw a number offered at one of the lending salos held here, the prices ranging from £5 to £7. It is remarked that cows are dearer here than at Burnside, and it it also remarked by some who are not ignorant of dairying that cows are selling above their intrinsic value. At 3d or 3£d per gallon, it cannot be said, however, that milk is disproportionate to the average value of other products reckoned over & series of years ; and if it pays to buy cows for sending milk te the factories, they need not be considered too dear. The dairy factories are now receiving large quantities of milk, and the industry is in a prosperous condition. These who kept on the even tenor of their way during the yeaiß of small prices and slow returns are in a good position to-day.

la regard to the mortality among ewes in a number of flocks in various dieThe triots, I mentioned in my last

Mysterious letter that I dissented from the £' eep Disease, conclusion of some who attributed the deaths before lambing to twin lambs, and I ahould like now to add some coucltmons deduced. The mortality has not been general, having appeared only in a few districts ; but I have not, unfortunately, seen any of the flocks whioh have suffered. It has been asserted by a sheep inspector here that the deaths were probably due to eating phosphorised oats, and others have suggested too little feed as the cause. I believe sheep are sometimes poisoned by phosphorus ; but this has not been the oause in a large number of cases, for in some of the districts where the mortality occurred there are so few rabbits that it is unnecessary to lay poison. But there are so many symptoms nearly alike in a number of ailments that it is necessary even for one possessed of not a little veterinary knowledge to observe very carefully in order to distinguish symptoms of illness. Some ask what good are the Government veterinarian and our sheep inspectors doing when they cannot explain the cause of mortality among our flocks. The veterinarians have already done food by calling attention to unhealthy conditions of life, foul pasture, decaying animal matter, and dirty yards ; and I do not see how they can do much more unless they have opportunities of seeing the flooks before the mortality ceases. Farmers themselves will rtquire to study the matter closely both by reading the observations made by veterinarians and others in the newspapers, magazines, and books, and by carefully examining the carcases. It has been hinted that it is possible anthrax may exist here, but I think it is open to grave doubts if the deaths can be attributed to this disease, though it might be worth considering if there is a possibility of the disease being introduced from Britain or Auttralia in manures. Some time ago " Agricola " and one or two others suggested anaemia as being probably one oanee, and I am strongly of opinion that this is the cause of the mortality in quite a number of cases here. The Chatlon correspondent of the Witness, writing a few wesks ago, attributed the deaths to inflammation of the Uv«r. Now, it Is Jcoown that jg AnomiA fchfirt fixlata what ii called jellQ*

degeneration of the liver. Aotemia meani bloodleisness — a deficiency of the red corpuscles in the bloody— and the disease may have a parasitio or dietetio origin. It has been remarked that the ewes which die have been in many oases in good condition, and it is quite possible, acoording to Robertson, who is quoted by Steel in his work, " Diseases of the Sheep," for animals suffering from pure anosmia to die fat. Robertson also "considers the obscure fatality of ewes at or about the time of parturition, which we have elsewhere noted as associated with yellow degeneration of the liver, to be true anaemia." Steel ascribes this condition as arising "from mismanagement and negleot, generally occurring among animals in wbioh blood formation is checked by disease or by exposure to arduous conditions of life, seen also when there is any severe drain on the system such as in a ewe compelled to suckle more lambs than her supply of food enables her to properly support. This author states that Dr Williams " noticed the prevalence of anaemia and dropsy among sheep fed on food containing an excess of moisture. During the winter of 1872-73 this condition was exceedingly prevalent owing to the inferiority of the grasses, the moist condition of the turnips and the humidity of the atmosphere." I have probably quoted enough to lead those who have experienced losses to consider whether the deaths may have been due to antemia or not, but this information would be of little practical use if I did not mention the preventive measures to be adopted. " The pasture should be more varied or supplemented by nutritive or not too succulent diet; iron and vegetable tonics, also salt may be given" (Steel.) I may add that I have observed flocks of ewes that did very well daring the past season, though fed almost exclusively on turnips, except during the laet month of gestation, when some oaten chaff was given in addition, but during the other seasons of the year the system was kept in a healthy state by good pastures containing a good deal of clover. How far the absence of olover may contribute to anoemia I do not know, bat I know that in one or two districts where losses occurred among ewes olover does not succeed well.