FARM AMD STATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2201, 7 May 1896, Page 16

FARM AMD STATION.

(Continued from page 7.) mmm 1 • AeHICULTUIUL AND PASTORAL Hfcws. 'She secretary of the Wellington Agricultural nod Pastoral Association, Mr G H. Scoles, has instituted a series of points prizes/in connection with the association's approaching November show. The points prize schema invites the attention of breeders of Romneyi, Lincoln*, and Ayrshire*, to whom tbeasnociation offers a prize of £50 each. The four principal breeds of beef oattle are lumped together and augmented by the addition of fat cattle of any breed, the prize for this combined list also being £50. An exhibitor of shorthorns also showing fat cattle will have the points soored ■aided together against, %%j, any other exhibitor allowing in shorthorns, Hereforda, and polled Angus, these three being the breed* catered for in this section. Oironlan having been cent to ths principal breeders of rhe colony, and receiving a large promise of support, the association decided to endorse the secretary's propo^d scheme, and include the points prize competition in their schedule. It should be clearly understood that tfrece special prizes are in addition to the ordinary class prizes. Schedules are obtainable on application to the secretary, Wellington. Particulars respecting these special prizes will be found in our advertising oolumns. A lew months ago a Lyttelton resident obtained some small potatoes from an American barque lying at the port. A few of them were given to Mr Orton Bradley, of Charteris Bay, who planted them, and the crop has just been dug. Some of the tubers turn the scale at 21b, and Mr Bradley estimates the yield as certainly nothing less than an average of 35 tons te the .•ere. Some stalks which were on -view in Lyttelton on Friday measured the immense length of 10ft 6in. Experts who have seen the potatoes pronounce them to be of the White Elephant variety.— Lyttelton Times. Tbe Ashburton County Council have decided to pay .£d per head for heads of small birds brought to the council or any of the road boird offices during the months of May, June, and July. This was in lieu of naakiog the usual grant for the purchase of poiaosed grain. "Mr Robert Lees, a farmer at GatlinsTiveraud Mataora, has invented a very, clever little implement, which, is intended to strain fencing wire wh?n slackened and to pUc* it in proper position. Mr Lees has already obtained protection for his invention, and in due course it will be patented.