AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2253, 6 May 1897, Page 14

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

Last week the killing at the Christchurch Meat Company's Islington works was a record for the colony — namely, 28,157 sheep and lambs, Canterbury produce. The biggest day (Friday, 4905) is also a record. The Wyndbam Farmer says that Mr James Gait, of Marairua, has jast introduced iuto his flock 10 two-tooth Romney rains bred from Mr James Holmes's celebrated Waimahaka imported stud sheep. The following extract from a letter by Mr J. M. Sinclair, the commercial representative of Victoria in England, to Mr E. H. Lascellcs will, says the Melb-nroe Argus, bs of interest to all connected with the grain trade :—": — " I hold the same view as yourself with regard to the fntnre price of wheat, that we will nob see a very low range of values for some years to come. iThe financial depression ia the Weßtern States

of North America, the recent failure of banka throughout Kansas, Nebraska, Dakota, and Illinois, will give a severe check to grain-growiug there. In Russia tha stress of low 'prices has placed the farmers in an impoverished condition, and iv India tbe present famine will cbecfe production for years to come. The Argentine farmers are in trouble with the locusts, and Mr Goodwin, the inspector oi grain at Buenos I Ayrep, writes me that (he deposition ot their eggs over a wide area of the grain region promises trouble nhead next season. Prices for wheat have fallen here recently, and are t.-ace-able to the operations in ' futures' being carried on in the Americau markets. This gambling in •futures' operates badly against the farmer, and it is surprising that legislation has not been brought to bear against ifc in every country. The Germans have taken this question up, and other j countries should follow. Wheat, would bo 36 5 here at present if it were not, for the market I being ' beared ' by the ' future ' operators. For next searon my advice to you is, Put in every acre of wheat jou possibly can. The January rains, which fell so heavily in the colony, will give tbe subsoil a good soaking, and enable early -sown crops to root well." The WaUahuua correspondent of the Tuapeka Times sends that paper the following items :— Threshing operations are nearly brought to a conclusion iv this district, with the exception of two or three stacks of oats that have yet to go through the mill. If the weather keeps fine these also "ill he fiuished in a few days. The yield of oats has been very fair in qxmlitv, arid'has given ncore satisfactory returns |ia quantify than was anticipated. Yet it is' considerably fchort «r last season's yield. The staple crop of grain grown in this district is -Oftt« The soil is too light for tbe profitable growing of wheat, except in small isolated patchea of gronnd, where the yield is fairly remunerative. Barley is also cultivated to a small extent, but from the risky nature of tbe crop, on account, of the heavy winds which ■sometimes sweep over thiß distric", the farmers fl-h;. aby of cultivating it to any «• tent. What, is gr° wu ' however, is of very fair quality. The turnip crop gives promise ot a, fairly good yie'd.—The rain we have had this last *two or three weeks has checked the spread of the blight that be?an to make its appearance during Ibe previous dry weather.— l noticed a small patch of first-rate mangels tbe other aay, many of- them being 9in to 10 a m diameter. It is somewhat; surprising that more attention 5a not piven <o tbe cultivation of this root. It is largely cultivated in the old country for feeding and fattening cattle Taking weight for weight, the mangel is allowed (by those moft competent to give an opinion) to contaiu fully 30 per cent, more nutuiion than tbe besfc-j-roven swedes, and is much Ws subject to blight.— "sheep-dipping is about finished in this iMstrict The larger fl-ckov. tiers commcriCPf; (Hoping parly in the month, aud last week fiVshed eff with Ihcse in their outlying stations. A considerable number of the email holders have availed themselves of the Waitahuna Farmers' Club's dipping arrangements, about 5000, I am told, having passed through the club's yards. — The arrangement proposed by the Farmera' Club of mixing a certain amount of powder dip wifih tbe liquid dip has been carried out. The mixing of 31b of powder dip with the liquid (both Little's) givos lOOgal of pood, strong, reliable dip, capable of destroying any kind of parasite with which the cheep may be infected.