AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2387, 30 November 1899, Page 5

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

The Agricultural department is arranging for the"Hnspectron> of the apparatus and appliances in use for testing milk, and the granting of certificates when everything is found to be satisfactory. The officer employed for carrying on. this work will also be able to make tests of milk at factories as occasion may arise, and 'otherwise endeavour to clear up th-3 differences which may occur between the suppliers and the management on this question. Mr R. AY. D. Robertson, a present member of the dairying service, who has given the subject of inilk-testing special study, besides having had a large practical experience' will devote a part of his time to this work. Factories desiring a visit from the inspector should apply to the Dairy Commissioner, Wellington.

In connection with the awards made in the hackney stallion classes at the A. and P. Society's show, we have been asked to state that had Mr E. Saunders, one of the judges, been aware that Shamrock and Agamemnon had already competed in the class for carriago stallions, ho would have put them out of the class and awarded the second prize to Viking. Mr Saunders was acting as judge of thoroughbreds, cobs, and ponies, but at the special request of the committee he consented lo judge several classes in the hackney section, so as to enable the judging to be completed in time.

At the Waiau on Saturday Mr Fred Wilson, of Orepuki, landed 21 fish in the course of a few hours, the whole weighing 73ilb, and the largest Bilb. They were caught at the mouth of the river.

We are indebted to the Timaru Morning Post, the first number of which was published on Saturday," November 18, for the folio-wing items: — Mr ]R. P. Brookland, of Kingalown, informs us that he has threshed 185,000 bushels of wheat, oats, and- grata seed during the season just ended. The district to which this return refers is only a email corner of South Canterbury, and will give some idea of the large quantity that must have been put through the threshing mills. — Consignments of wool for the forthcoming local sales are coming intc town steadily, and there is every prospect of a good entry for the first sale, to be held on December 1. If present indications continue there should be good prices — and especially for halfbred, merino, and fine wools, and this should lead to growers offering their wool at the local salop. — It ia reported that Mr James Sullivan, ,of Levels Valley, has sold his farm to the Government for settlement. Owing to -the proximity of the land to Pleasant Point towneliip and railway station, it is admirably adapted *or that purpose. The soil is equal, if not superior, to any in that locality, and hat> Ereviously been worked in a practical manner yMr Sullivan. This land will, no doubt, whoa offered for allotment be eagerly snapped WP.— The low. price p4J§fc f°£ fFWP ift Jko

early part of the year has to a certain extent almost compelled farmers to curtail the amount of crop they usually grow. But the possibilities are that ere another harvest is reaped grain will return remunerative price?. Oats, especially, are already showing an upward tendency, owing to the war in the Trans-, vaal. The British Government hae placed large orders on the New Zealand market,^ which must eventually benefit the growers," and those who were fortunate enough to hold this cereal are now reaping the benefit. — The area of ground under cultivation this year in South Canterbury will be considerably less than that of last year. In wheat and oats there prill be a great falling off, owing to a variety of causes?, chief among them being the very severe winter which we have passed through, which retarded the cultivation altogether. The scarcity of teams when the weather became favourable was also another cause, and in this respect any practical farmer should not be without his own team of horses, so as to be in a position to take advantage

irable weather

At a meeting of the Invercargill Chamber of Commerce, held last Friday week, it was decided to take action with a view to the Government undertaking the grading of moat in the colony, and bringing this produce in 'line with the

system affecting the exportation of butter. The exports from 'Lytlclton last week included the following lines :—llO4: — 1104 sacks wheat, 1834 sacks and 3474 bags flour, 733" sacks oats, 127 sacks meal, 20 packs barley, 138 sacks malt, 301 sacks sharps, 796 sacka bian, 942 sacks chaff, 787 sacks seed, 36 sacks beans, 30 sacks peas, 205 sacks potatoes. — Lytteltpn Times. On and after Wednesday, December 6, there will be open for sale or selection, either i for cash, for occupation with right of purchase, or for leas© in perpetuity, section 6,] block VII, Waikawa, 301 acres; section 23,' block IV, Waikawa, 260 acres; and sections 95 and 97, Waario, 67 and 320 acres.—Southland Times.

The North Otago Times reports' that the, crops aft Wiypwbridge are looking well, and those at Wainao are also in good condition. In many places they are beginning to feel the -effect of the drought, but it must be remembered that last year at this time they looked much worse, and it was about the end of November before the rains came that gave us the finest yields the district has reaped for many years. Mr Jellicoe, one of the candidates for Wellington City, writes the Wellington correspondent of the Lyttelton Times, in the course of his speech at the Opera House, vehemently denounced the alleged rings formed for the purpose of depressing the prices of sheep. He said the shares of tho two freezing companies were now quoted at 100 per cent premium. He went on to say : "A case recently came under my notice of a farmer who had 800 fat sheep running on the Melrose estate, and he offered them to one of these companies, and, after its buyer had inspected them, the farmer was offered the miuiificienl price of 5s a head. Their value, in the farmer's opinion, was at least Bs. He then offered the sheep to the other freezing company. Their buyer went out and looked at them, and refused to make a bid. The farmer then sent them to the Johnsonvillo saleyards. There he found the buyers of each of the companies, and on that occasion neither of them would offer a bid for the sheep. To most men this might mean ruin, but this farmer was a business man, and, ! rather than sacrifice his sheep at ss, he shipped them through Messrs Murray, Roberts and Co. to Lyttolton, and I hold in my hand toj night the account pales, showing that the j sheep for which tho farmer was offered 5s a head realised at auction in Christchurch lie 4d." ,He urged that tho Siate should step in and break up the monopoly. Another illustration of the necessity for combined action lo prevent the export of mii ferior meat is furnished by the Victorian general agent in London. Mr J. M. Sinclair, in a letter to the Minister for Agriculture. Mr I Sinclair, writing under date October 6th, reports that recently the authorities condemned at Smilhfield market 1491 carcases of mutton out of a parcel of 2000, not for being damaged, but for being in a poor, emaciated condition. Tho parcel was said lo come from New South j Wales, and the latter was referred to in the London Press. "This," writes the general agent, "fhows the necessity of care being taken so that only prime, sound, well-condi-tioned meat is exported from the colonies to Great Britain. A great deal of injury lo the developement of the Australian meat ! tra-de, and especially to efforts being made to obtain better prices, is inflicted by forwarding consignments of an inferior grade, and having public attention drawn to it in ' this manner. '

The annual sale of Lord Longford's surplus stock took place at Pakingham Hall, Meath, Ireland, in September, and realised close upon £3000. There was a very large attendance of purchasers, among the number being Bailie Armstrong, Dumfries. Lord Longford is a keen agriculturist, and is highly popular with his tenants. His manager is Mr James Cranston, formerly of Holeetane, -who during the two years he ha-6 held the position has effected very considerable improvements, and has been succeaeful in bringing the etock up to a high standard of excellence. At the sale about 150 head of cattle wane under the hammer, including a. numbor of jjeditrree polled Anjjus cattle, which ietctiud up to £aO, crosses (-which had bren purchased for grazing for a short time), biue-jreys, and bla.t-ks.kins out of polled .Vugus cow? A nhivh brought from £12 to £15

10s each. About 50 pedigree Shropshire shearling-- rams were sold- at from 3£gs to 10gs^ 100 Shropshire ewes and gimmors at from- 47s to 70s ; and a number of excellent cross lambs out of Cheviot ewes, and got by a highpriced Shropshire ram, made up to 33s 6d each. — North British Agriculturist. Shearing amongst flocks in the Oxford district is ,in full swing. Reports of the weights and the quality of fleeces arc very satisfactory. The scarcity of small birds is very 1 noticeable in South Canterbury this year, which can ba attributed to the very severe winter. The birds have either migrated or succumbed.

The annual sheep returns for the year ended April 30th, 18S9, have been published, and they show that throughout the whole colony there has been a decrease of 325,219. The Taieri County is credited with owning 211,416 sheep, ac against 223,884 the previous year. The neighbouring county of IBruce shows a decrease of 14,968. — Taieri Advocate.

Tho Christchurch Press says that a pri vate cablegram has been received from London staling that the December , arrivals of Australian lambs will amount to 75,000 carcases, or 4-5,000 carcases more than last year. The stock of New Zealand lambs to be held over is estimated at 50,000- carcases.

Barley seems to be neglected altogether by the farmer of the present day. On suitable land-jrgood free soil — thi-a cereal grows very prolincly, and can without fail always be depended upon to find a ready market at a fair price. It requires a little more attention in harvesting than wheat or oats, but as long as the elements are favourable, the risk is not great, and farmers would do well to turn their attention to' barley growing,^ and not piifc all their eggs in the one basket. — Timaru Post;

The purf-bred Shropshire rams and ewes and an English Leicester ram imported from Erfgland' by .Mr J. E. Davenport have been released from quarantine. The cheep have -evidently "bean well looked after on the Quarantine Island, and have landed in splendid condition. The ewe that was injured in one of her legs on the voyage out on the -Ruahine has completely recovered. — Christchurch Press.

Mr Donald Cameron, of Alford Forest, has just received from his agents," Messrs Gould, Beaumont, and Co., of Christchurch, returns of the sale of his wool in the London market. He forwarded 97 bales of scoured merino wool, which fetohed as follows : — 10 bales A2s 2£d. 17 bales B 2s 2d, 10, bales C 2s, 15 bales C Is Hid, 18 bales first pieces 2s, 13 bales first pieces Is lid, 2 bales second Is 10* d, and the remaining oddments down to lo 7d. TSe agents cay that the 2s 2^d received for the 10 bales first mentioned is the highest price reported on the catalogue. The wopl was all from Mr Cameron's own flocks, which are sired by rams bought from Mr— Duncan Rutherford, Leslie Hills. Mr and Mrs Hugh Shanks, of Jameefcown farm, Merino Downs, returned from a six monthu' trip to the old country a few days ago, and on the evening of their arrival the residents turned out in full force to welcome Mr and Mrs Shanks home. The function was held in Mr Slianks's barn, aome 50 adults being present, and the evening was devoted to music, dancing, and speech-making. Refreshments were provided by the ladies of the district. Mr R. Weir congratulated Mr and Mrs Shanks on their safe return, and on behalf of the residents extended to them, a hearty welcome. Mr Shanks feelingly -returned thanks, expressed his pleasure at meeting his neighbours again, and referred to Hie altogether unexpected honour they had done him. He made brief reference to his trip through the old country, and stated that he was convinced from what he had seen that there was no place like New Zealand to live in. When be started on his holiday, he left his farm to take care of itself, frit" thanks to the care and attention of kindly neighbours, the place was in perfect order, and had been better cared for than when he himself was in charge of it.

According to Dr Paget-Tomlinson, president of the Sedbcrgh Agricultural Society, the tuberculin test cannot, when properly performed, give a healthy cow tuberculosis by injecting it. He wi-ote to Professor HacFayden asking him ifit were possible to damage a healthy cow by using the tuberculin test, and has received a reply stating that it is quite impossible for tuberculin, properly prepared, to set up tuberculosis in" a healthy cow. This is a gratifying piece of information, but not a new one, as our own Agricultural . department officials have from' the first impressed the fact on New Zealand farmers. One of the moht satisfactory results of the agitation aboui tuberculosis has been that it has impressed upon farmers the necessity of providing better accommodation on their farms, and it has also proved the value of fresh air. It is not often in the South Canterbury district, says the Timaru Post, that grain hae been sown so late in the year as it has this season. At the present time there is a great deal of oats to be sown, and it is very questionable whether it is a wise course to follow, sowing so far on in the season. This practice ie to be condemned. a« being too risky in the face of the weather we are getting. The orop will not be long enough in the ground to mature properly. Under the heading "The Wheat of tho World," Mr James Long writes to the Rural World controverting the gloomy prognoßtications of £sir "William Craokes as to the scarcity of wheat in the near future: — A year ago, in his presidents! address at £h» British Association^ Sir William Croolcet^ ift a manner

incomprehensible in a scientific man, played ducko and drakes with his reputation.. Whether he desired lo make a peg on which tjo hang a theory, < or whether he believes the story he still preaches, or not we cannot say, but one thing i 3 positive, and that ie that he is absolutely wrongs There are 'certain iiidi-' viduals on the other side of the Atlantic who are never tired of asserting that we are in very close proximity to wheat famine, in consequence of the fact that the growth of the population of the world is more rapid thanthe extension of the wheat area; and who, insisting that there it 1 no more available wheat land in tho American continent, tell us that there aro serious times in store. Last year Sir William Crookes laid this down as a practical fact, and in order lo allay any possible anxiety, he followed up his statement of tho case — of which he gave no proof whatever — by showing that the yield could be increased so materially by the help of nitrogen that the wheat area of the future became a matter of very little consequence. In default of sufficient nitrogenous salt, nitrogen is to bo extracted from the atmosphere, and. the averago yield of the world is to be nearly doubled. Of course, the unfortunate farmer comes ia incidentally for criticism. He is to mend his ways, and farm with the aid of greater knowledge. Scientific men, even though they be presidents of the British Association, are not all qualified to criticise farmers and their ways. We have our- faults — aiitl many of us know it — but few among the ranks which Sir William Crookes addreraed " last September hjive any idea of the difficulties which farmers have to contend against-. Sir William's chief authority is a well-Jcnown statistician, who is refuted up to the hilt by men of much -widar knowledge of the actual sbil-df the United States and Canada. Indeed,* an English far- _ - nier'can see in a. six weeks' "trip across to th« ~ Rockies, returning by a different route, -sujjicient'to enable him 1 to laugh at Sir William Crookes, and hiss f ears, and yjsfc that gentleman has even now, a year lifter the event, replied to his critics, and with few .modifications adhered' to" his statements. Tho unusual sight of so 'many threshing machines being employed at this time of the year, says the Timaru Poßt, points to the fact that we cannot gauge with any degree of accuracy the yield of grain per -acre in South Canterbury for last season. The estimated returns were published early in the year. But the actual results cannot be ascertained till the wfcole has been bagged. Then it will be-found that the yield has been equal -to any other year if not a record one for the South. Island. The average prices of British corn per quarter for the week ending September 9 were, as follows : ' Wheat 253 sd, barley 26s sd, oats 16s 6d. For the corresponding week lasfc year the prices were : Wheat 26s lOd, -barley 27s 9d, oats 17s lOd. The average prices of British corn per quarter for the week ending September 16 were as follows : Wheat 25s 4d, barley 27s Id, oats 16s 2d. <sFor the corresponding week last year the prices were :; Wheat 25s 7d, barley 26s lOd, oats 16s lOd. The London Flour Millers' Association's official prices of flour per sack of 2801b for the /week ending September 11 wore as follows : - London whites ' 263, town households 235. For the week onding September 18 the prices were : London whiles 24s to 255, town households 21s to 225. ' At the annual meeting of the Napier Chamber of Commerce a letter -was received 'from Mr T. Ronayne, general managerof railways, staling that a petition from the Lyttelton Lumpers' and Wharf Labourers' Association had been presented to Parliament last session, asking that the weight of sacks of grain should be reduced from 2401b;t0 2001b avoirdupois,.pn the ground thai the carrying of the former weight injuriously affects the men. The committee which dealt with the, petition referred "it to the Government for favourable consideration, and expressed the opinion that legislation should be introduced dealing with the subject. The Chamber's opinion thereon was asked, the Government being in favour of reducing the weight to 2001b. Mr J. H. Coleman said that he thought this was evidence of the decline of the -Englishman. When he was a boy 16 years of age? "at aflour mill, the sacks they had to carry each weighed 2301b ; here the sack only weighed 2401b, and if a man couldn't carry that weight he had better remain at home and mind the babies, and let his wife do the work. Captain Tod haid, from his experience, no man had ever become exhausted lifting grain sacks, after working from morn to night. It seemed to be simply a trades' union movement in order to get more men employed to carry a certain quantity of cargo. The letter was received. Some good price 3 were obtained at the dis-pers-al of the extensive herd of shorthorns kept at Williamegill, near Penrith, in Cumberland, by Mr Anthony Dobson. Lord Rothschild paid 25 guineas for one of the cowb, and Sir Oswald Mosley.'Barfc., 63 guineas for another. For the bull Brilliant Strawberry, Mr George Harrison gave 105 guineaa. As at several recent sales a number of animals were purchased for exportation to South, America. . "

A paragraph appeared in onr laet issue taken, from the interesting farming notes contributed to the Bruoe Herald by "Rusticus." The writer of those notes now calls attention to b, mistake he made in dealing with Mr John Grigg's Friesian cattle : "I led it to be inferred that Mr Peppin had purchased all Mr Grigg's herd. This, lam informed, ie incorrect. Wliile Mr Peppin purchased a large number of animals from Mr Grigg, the latter retained sufficient to form the nucleus of a fresh' hen], and, indeed! at th« Dreaeot time has » herd, oi -2 " i'

purebred Holsteins of very fair dimensions. Mr G. Aitcheson, of Kaitangata, has, I am told, a number of pure Holsteins, and also a number of Hoistein cross cattle, the originals of which were obtained from Mr Grigg."

The remarks which have' appeared in several papers ' on the scarcity '- r agricultural labour in England have been corroborated in a somewhat peculiar manner. - For irrstance, the Technical Education Committee of the Westmorland County Council have a share in the management of the Two Counties' Experimental Farm, and Dairy School at Newton Rigg, near Penrith. The time has come for the filling up of the residential classes thero for the ensuing session, and the usual invitations were issued to farmers' daughters and others likely to desire instruction in the making on scientific principles of butter, cheese, Devonshire cream, and other dairy products. There are many dairymaids in the° county who would willingly use the privileges — which are obtained at a very -low rate — but the answers which have reached the committee a.-c almost all to the effect that, owing to the great scarcity of servants, and especially of those skilled in the dairy department of grazing farm's, the female members of families cannot be spared for the few weeks required for the classes.

Mr H. E. Bacon haying resigned the managership of the Okain's Dairy Factory, the. directors have appointed Mr David Cunningham, assistant in the Wyndham factory, Southland, to the vacancy. Great Britain'? foreign food bill continues to increase year by year ; the imports of dead meat and dairy produce since the beginning of the current year have been the largest on record. The- total value of the imports of dead meat during the eight months ending August 31 amounted to £21,586,200, as against £19,848,4-44- during tho corresponding period of last year, and during the same period there was imported butter to the value of £11,556,634 as against last year's £10,764,201. Tho value of the margarine imported during the same period was £1,628,723, as againefc last year's £1,539,614, and of cheese £3,283,596,.. as against last year's £2,815,561. During the sam 9 period egg 3to the value of £3,056,015 were imported, as against last year's total of £2,665,523. -^ a- The country along the ' Fortrose coastline Is looking splendid. Live obeck aro in firstolass condition, and the grass paddocks aro something to boast of. Some good prices have been realised in South America for the shorthorus sent out from Great Britain during the season. One of these, Celtic Prince, bred by H.R.H. the Prince of Wales, made £738; while Bapton Emperor, which was purchased from Mr J. D. Witiis after the recent Royal Show by Mr Millar, has been sold for SOOOdol, equal to about £850 in English money. Several other animals have also sold at long figures. Shelford Beau, bred by Mr A. Dewhurst, has mado £546 ; Knight Errant, £558 ; and Seneca, bred by Mr H. -Myatt, £522. Mr Crawford Anderson, a candidate for the Clutha seat, in addressing a meeting at Waitahuna, gave utterance to the following sensational remarks: — "Impure milk — that is, milk taken from diseased cattle — is a bigger curse than you have any conception of. I saw the" other day, at Kaitangata, a little girl who was covered with sores, and in conversation with the local doctor he told me it was caused by drinking milk supplied by cows suffering from tuberculosis. ' The eight that little girl presented horrified and grieved me, and. I shnil continue, as I have always done, to insist, both in public and private life, on tho enforcement of eve%' existing law for the prevention of disease among cattle." Though there has been a falling off in the numbers of cattle and sheep exported from Great Britain sines the beginning of the year, there haa been a very substantial increase in the number of pigs sent abroad. Of cattle the total aumber exported during the eight montlis ending August 31 was 1800 as against 2000 during the corresponding period of last year; while the number of sheep exported was 4970 as against last years' s 5420. Of pigs, on the other hand, thoro were 835 exported as against last year's 273. In the aggregate the value of living animals exported during the period under notice amounted to £642,674 as against lost year's £729,148. With reference to Waikawa Valley factory we (Wyndham Farmer), are more than pleased to learn that there is every indication of a record intake being reached this season, especially as all the dairying settlers have now intimated their intention of becoming suppliers. This should be welcome news to those who have the real welfare of the district at heart.

Too much attention cannot be given to regularity in the feeding of all classes of stock. This applies in particular to fattening beasts and dairy cows, both of which are very adversely affected by neglect in this respect. There has been quite a lemarkablc advance in tho number of live stock kept in Great Britain during the past decade. Ten years ago, in 1889, the number of cattle in England and Scotland (Wales, of course, included) amounted to 6,139,555 ; this year the number amounts tc 6,795,720-— -equal to mi increase of considerably over Hilt a million. Still more remarkable is t,he inc. case in the number of sheep -kept. Ton yei.rs ago the total amounted to 25,632.020 : this year they tot up to an aggregate of 27,237.654 — squ»l to an h\-cieu-33 or well over one and a-half millions. In comparison with the caUle and sliesp the increas-o of 113.000 odd in the co?e of piga looks comparatively email. The total number of r>S» this year is 2,623,813, as against 2,510,803 ten years ago. Wo aro pleased to notice from the Havera Star that " tho directors of Riverdalo Cooperative Dairy Factory have recognised tiie victories of their manager, Mr J. S. Laidhiw (late of Edendale), al tho recent Hawera fchow by supplementing tho prize-money won by the factory by an equal amount, and handing the total to the manager," Just recognition too. The Riverdalo manager proved himself an all-round man by carrying off first honours for tho he--t Cheddar-shaped cheese, and for • not less than lewt of separator butter s3ilublo for export." The action of the Riverdnle"-xlir,ectors denote-; that they know hovr to treat 'if -competent miuir>ger." — Wyn Ttti amHEthwu ur.

Bones, including bonedust, are valuable as manure.} becau.-o of the phosphoric acid nnd nitrogen which they add to the soil. Boild hones contain leis nitrogen llian row or green bones.

Ac-cording to the writer of firm end dairy notes in the Hawera Star, all the dairy faclorie? in that gie^b butter district are. going at lop pres.-iiu-o, :>»'! there i' a cc-r^kiervmle increase al! round in the volumo of milk dealt with at this time of ye<u\

The Lyltelton Times reports that weasels are now fairly plentiful in tho upper districts of Ashburtoii. f.-Kt v. c?k a brood of fouryoung one-;, as well as the mals parent, were killed. il.iiiy farmers On not look upon the weasels as a peat, as neither rat nor mouse can exist in their vitinily, and i!ie cifmage done to ths lambs is comparatively trifling. ■Re::dci they arc ca.-i!y ca»^'it in :m ordinary i&t-trap with any olfal. tuch a.-s liver,' dragged

along the ground for. some distance, and then suspended over the trap.. The -weasel- will follow the trail unerringly to its death. Peruvian guano was first imported into Great Britain in 1840, and for a time the exports of tliis fertiliser continued to bo carried on on a gigantic scale. In the fifties it was quite a usual thing for upwards of 200,000 tons to be exported every year. The Merrivale correspondent of the Western Star reports : — The warm sunshine has started everything to grow with great rapidity. Our farmers are taking full advantage of the fine weather in preparing their turnip ground. If it would only last for a fow weeks longer many of the weeds would be checked. It is a great pity our local farmers do not take to the more modern style of growing turnips in raised drills instead of broadcast. One acre of tho former is' equal to four of the latter. — Shearing is now started in most of the large sheds.— Our local flaxmill has made a start in the way of preparing the flax for the market. — It is rumoured that a northern land speculator is again in our midst. The efforts of Prince Scherbatoff to establish better relationship and closer intercourse between the stockbreeding industries of England and Russia are in every sense laudable. The estimable President of the Moscow Imperial Agricultural Society is an ardent lover of peace, and he sees in the agricultural industries of Russia and Great Britain substantial ground upon which to found clear understanding and mutually advantageous co-operation. The Prince, from his intimate knowledge of Russian agriculture and his carefully cultivated acquaintance with rural pursuits and requirements of this country, has arriyed at the conclusion that the two great emprre3 have both much to gain by courting each other's patronage and trade in live stock matters. The chief aim of Prince Scherbatoff's scheme is to open a market in England for Russian cattle, which in turn would creates, demand in Russia for the " widely renowned live stock" of these islands. Other directions in which mutual benefit would ensue are instanced, but tho leading ambition of the Prince, who last summer was the host and guide of a party of British agriculturists in Russia, seems to be to develop and improve the cattle-breeding^ resources of agricultural Russia. British farmers may not a,t first ■thought be inclined to Tvelcom'e a new and formidable competitor in the meat market, but second reflections may allay serious apprehensions on this score, for I , the best quality of home-produced beef is not likely, under any circumstances, to sink further in price, while considerable comfort and encouragement centre in the cheerful pro3pcct of a fresh, and vigorous market — already initiated — for our unequalled pedigree breeds. — English paper. The enhanced value of flax is giving an impetus to the flax industry in the Waikato. Three new mills are beiur< built.. Dr Voelcker is so highly impressed with the value of gorso as an additional food for eheop that he strongly recommends it 3 cu ltivation where soil and circumstances are favourable. Ih view of the wholesome influence it exercised in the Woburn trials, it may bo interesting to noto the conditions under which it was grown at the experimental farm. The land selected for the crop is of a very poor and sandy description, and has shown in the past distinct unsuitability for the growth of ordinary crops. The gorso crop — the French variety — was drilled in May, 1897, after barley had been sown, and without any manure. As usual tho cereal gavo a poor return, but tho gor3e came up fairly regularly. It stood the winter well, and developed strongly in the following summer, the only attention it received being two horse-hooings. By October the crop was ready for cutting, and a yield of 11 tons per acre was obtained. Wo have in the results of this timely cxpsriment valuable evidence of tho merits and use 3 of this wholesome minor crop. Given the light, dry, sandy soils desirable for its cultivation, gOT 39 is worthy of more general attention than it receives, for not only is it suited for fcediner in the form of a handfecd, 23 wo have eeen. but it is likewise capable of affording a relishable i>ito for sheep in a severe winter when left in its natural slatoj^and for which purpose it is highly valued by owners of hardy hill flocks. — ju'ield.

A special meeting of the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association was held last week in Christchurch. "A draft baknea sheet was read by the secretary, which showed that the rocoipts from all sources amounted to 52080 15b 6d. The total expenditure incurred was £1332 133 Bd, leaving a credit balance of £74-8 Is lOd, or 510 more than that of last year..

It is feared the year will not be a good ouo for tho Scottish farmer. Ho has nothing to complain of as to cattle. They find buyers i readily when fit for the butcher* and bring fairly good prices. Keeping beasts are nothigh. Inland farmers do not like thi3 ; they aro breoders. Those in tho low country, howover, who live chiefly by tho fattening of tha animals they have to buy from the upland farmers, think the purchasin? price high enough. They have for years complained that the prices for stcro stock have bean too high — that tho amount that eoiu.r be obtained for fattening fiera was quite inadonuate to make fattening profitable. They have a better chance this year but they nescl H all. Sheep were very unsatisfactory during August and September. Lambs and owes past their breeding time, a-s well a3 lean wethers, have been very chean • and autumn ko'Bp for them has been scarce. Turnip*, too, though likely to bo a goocl crop, are not rrody for" use yet : they are late. Horses big and found bring good prices, but Iho 'common sort coins io Kttio money. Hay has not bulked largely. Prices for it ore likely to be' fairly good. Straw will not bo plentiful, and hay will have to be 1/roughfc in to supplement it. And thero is always tho chance of a severe winter, when hay has to be obtained for sheep on tha hills at any cost. Potatoes are to bo small ; the drought in Axigust stopped thoir growth. Grain will not be over abundant, and with fiueh a harvest of bad weather quality cannot be up to the highe?t point. Nor are prices likely to bo on a high scale. Barley 'has- begun fairly woll at 25s p.. quarter, but it probably will not keep up to (.hat. Oats neWom boom, and wheat is Foareely worth selling. On tho other har.tl, tho farmer's outgoings pre all high, and rising rather than falling- -Labour is a heavy item, aiid everything the tiller of the poil has to pay ay."ay his money for. goes deeper and deeper into his pocket. Improved implements hop to cheapen his work, anci lie can economise n bit now in artificial m!w?ure« and also in fpoclin-? stuff?. A smattering of chemistry helns him in these thing?. Hoard's Dairyimn. the chief Americin darryfarmar's organ is very severe upon Truth, which very unwisely echoes slatoments rn-ule with .reference to rnnrcrarine by many irreFponsible persons. Hoard's !=ay3 the cclitot-3 of newspapers J ake oil knowledge fcr their province, but it would be at least who if the cUtor cf Mr Lahoiirherc'a or^an v.'ere to take the trouble to understand the fubjeota upon which he vlrv 1 ri f e t -. He tolls us that bi:Uer is nollikig iporc ih'in Uic fond eaten by the cow, subject to cevla<n infernal prociV 1 ??. and pre- [ clyjilaled into the miik. La a luaisariuc fac-

tory, ho .continues,, "the. same resulf is effected, and the fat of. cows and oxen is cony' verted into butter without tho intervention of the cow. The component parts of margarine and butter are precisely the same, with the exception of the former npt containing the volatilo, tasteless, and innutritious buttering" So much for Truth. There could scarcely ba a greater display of ignorance. To commence with, "buttering" is the -original name for margarine, and instead of raw fat being converted into butter in the same way that cattle food'is converted in to butter within the system, of tho cow, margarine is a. composition not merely of the fafc of oxen,, but of swine, which is. more* or loss largely mixed with cotton seed and ether oils. Moreover, it cannot be made even to resemble butter without the addition of colouring matter, flavouring matter, and milk itself. Indeed, without tho addition of put e butter, it cannot be made to pass for butter on the least educated palate.

Messrs T. H. Green and Co., bacon curers, who bought all the bacon pigs entered for the Association and Canterbury Time 3 prizes at the Canterbury Metropolitan Show, supply the following as the dead weights of the various exhibits: — Six half-bred Tamworths, three of which were pigged on May 1, and three on May 20, shown by Mr James Dunlop, averaged 1641b ; three Berkshire 3, shown by Mr F. Hubbard, averaged 1611b ; three Yorkshires, shown by the Sunnysido Asylum, ayeTaged 1811b ; and twelve half-bred Tamwortlts, shown by Mr H. Stuart, averaged 174a1b .Three of Mr Stuart's pigs won tho first and special prize in the baconer3* class. — Lytlelton, Times.

It has been arranged by the council of the British Dairyfarmers' Association that a display of Brity-h cheese shall be exhibited at the Paris Exhibition of 1900, and space has been secured for this purpose. It is to~-.be sincerely hoped that the exhibitors will makt» tho display, small though it must necessarily be, for want- of space, of a first-Tats chaVecter. There is an opening for fine British cheese in France, and this belief is confirmed by the results which have. been achieved by a French maker of Cheddar, .who two year 3 ago, camo over to the Condon Dairy Show, and there, not ojily secured, the necessary -plant, but an excellent maker, who had/just completed a course of study at the British Dairy Institute: This gentleman is a large manufacturer of Cam ember t, which is well sold upon the English market, and if he, with, but modern acquired knowledge, can make Cheddar succeed in France, there is no reason, so far as the market is concerned, why an English, maker should not succeed in exporting it with advantage.