AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2199, 23 April 1896, Page 12

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

Once more, Bays' the Brae* Herald, oomes the jew§ that sheep-stealing is rife in this distriob. It is now a considerable time since anything; wae beard of losses in this direction, and ire were almoet of opinion that the last had been heard of those depredations. Such, howerer, is not the case, as ona or two farmers in this district have found to their cost of late. It is b very difficult matter to detect the thieres, but should they W d'soavered an example, will donbfcleM be m»..le of them.

The Wyndham Herald says that Mr Johnston Wylie, Mttaura Island, bad » good yield of Dil* this season, tbe crop threshing out ranch better th»n he anticipated. From sojne 45 »ere» the average was about 63 bushels. We hear thai Mr John Spratt had the excellent yield; from, a nine-acre paddock of 100 bushels of pats to the acre. A ietUer named Bradley, at Te Kopnku, North island, lately had an exciting adventure with a bull. He was riding through a paddock liter some cattle* when, almost before he wai

aware of it, he' was rushed by a bull;, whioh gored his horse's side. He quickly dismounted and made off, his horee almost dropping under him before he reached the ground. The bull, gored the horse . three times, killing it on the spot, and then made after Bradley, who was. making for the fence. This he reached, and two other fences afterwards, but they seemed to be little or no check to the bull, which went through them after him. Fortunately Mr Bradley managed to maintain hi« lead till he got to a big drain, and into this he jumped, pretty much exhausted, and glad, of its timely shelter. The bull is to be destroyed.