AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2396, 1 February 1900, Page 14

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

A few weeks ago we (North Otago Times) mentioned that a good many of the wheat crops in the district, that were in flower at the time, were injured by the heavy frosts experienced. We now learn that in some places crops that appear all right to the eye have absolutely nothing in the head, the frost having killed the germ. The area, however, so far as we can learn, is not large, for at the time many of the crops were too far advanced to be affected. The cultivation of raspberries is receiving a good deal of attention from settlers round Motueka and Riwaka, in the Tasman Bay district. On each of the la&t four or five triph the little steamer Wairoa has brought over to Wellington (says the New Zealand Times) between 30 and 40 large ban els of fruit for the local market.

Farmers on. Waitohi Flat are loaingr Aalu-' able wheat crop? by the ravages of the Hessian fly. Mr J. .Eraser and more than one of his neighbours have turned sheep into good big paddocks of wheat that a short time ago promised good yields, but now are lying down or going down by the action of the pest.— Timaru Herald.

"Who dare say that the farmer is not a keen man of business and in some instances a capable man of business as well? A Dunediu traveller was bent on disposing of that necessary article binder twine, and gave a quotation to an Oamaru farmer for, say, five tonF. The farmer made a few inquiries, and then accepted the offer. He took the market on its rise, and cleared £40 by his deal. This is about as good as a dredging claim on the Molyneux, and is better than wheat-growing-last year. At the Oamaru Magistrate's Court on Monday Duncan Sutherland was charged with that being the occupier of lands known as Omarama station, and containing 170,000 acres, he did not continue to destroy the rabbits thereon. A fine of £20 and costs (£2 19s) was inflicted.

It is said that the Hessian fly has been very destructive amongst some of the wheat crops at Hampden this season. It is stated that a valuable draught horse belonging to Mr Noble committed suicide last week at Mangaweka. The animal jumped over the fence and then over the cliff into the Rangitikei. It is stated that the outbreak of swine fever at Mataura has been stamped out, thanks to vigorous action by officers of the district Stock department. A special train of 28 trucks of sheep passed through Timaru on Sunday from the south. The sheep were for the Smithfield freezing works.

Shearing has just finished on £he local stations, and we hear the clip, taken on the average, is a satisfactory one." We learn that the crops at Hawea Flat and Tarras are excellent again this year, ' yielding an abundant harvest. — Oromwell Times.

A qttantity of oats intended for shipment by the Olaverdon, from Oamaru, werereiected as not being fit for despatch. The shippers, who had probably bought at low prices, found themselves in the awkward position of having to replaco the rejected lots with oats at a lusher price. The steady growth of the dairy industry is plainly and unmistakably shown by the increase in the exports to the Home markets. The Rakaia left Wellington on January 3 with the largest shipment that has ever left a New Zealand port. The total was 924tons of butter, which at £84 per ton represented a total value of £77,616 ; and 273 tons of cheese, worth, at 5d per lb, £12,740, giving a grand total of £90,356. The Clinton farmers obtained very good prices for their wool at the recent Btmedin sales, and, in consequence, are very iubilant. In spite of the abundance of wet we have lately had, all the crops are looking splendid, and with good weather there should be some record yields. The heavy rain last week interfered with the grass-cutting, which was nearly completed. This is much to be regretted. Farmers affirm that they never knew men so scarce, and they hope that there will be more surplus labour available by harvest time. Turnip-thinning is going on apace, and some of the boys are making very good wages at it.— Correspondent Clutha Free Press. The Albury correspondent of the Timaru Herald writes : — After a somewhat trying spell of scorching hot weather, which was beginning to tell a woful tale as bearing on agricultural prospects, root crops and young grass, a very welcome rain has just been experienced, which, it is needless to -say, will be highly appreciated, coming so opportunely. It will go far towards filling out the heads ; in the now fas maturing corn crops, and will also revive root crops, and practically mean as assurance of good crops where the strike was satisfactory or the ravages of the fly > not ' too disastrous, and, of course, will resuscitate pastures, which were fast -failing of late. The Queen had a very good sale of her fat 6tock at Windsor on December 7. This is ' an annual function, and buyers attend from.

all parts. After an enticing lunch, the animals were put up ; there were 50 fine fat bullocks, Devons !f?erefords, and crossbreds. 600 Down sheep, and 100 bacon hogs and porkers. The sale realised over £3000. The harvest promise in the Ashburton district is superb, and the oats are nearly all cut. The wheat shows quite as well as it did last year, and, if the critical time is got over well, a large number of the farmers will be freeholders in the fullest meaning of the term. — Lyttelton Times. As an instance of what oulling one's cows will do, Mr Wichman, of the Auroa road, Taranaki, was taking 8361b of milk from 22 , cows per day in the early part of this month. This is about equal to an average of lOjlb of butter per cow per week. The Kalibit department is again beginning to show signs of life. During the past fortnight there have been numerous prosecutions against settlers in the -Tapanui, Milton, and Waitahuna districts for failing to take adequate steps to keep the pest down. In most of the cases the defendants, recognising from experience that it is useless attempting to justify themselves, simply pleaded guilty and &o got off with the minimum penalty. In three of the cases heard at the local court, says the Tuapeka Time*, the defendants had ' evidence to prove that the,y had adopted the . usual measures to keep the pest down, and I that, though the poisoning had not proved so successful as it ought owing to the continuous wet weather, the rabbits were less i numerous than at any other previous time. ■ But his worship was obdurate — the inspectors had given evidence that thore were still rabbits on their " properties, and that being so, fines were inflicted in proportion to the a.reas affected. „, r The scarcity of trucks is responsible for a good deal of ill-feeling in country distiicts, says the North Otago Times. The Haulage of the oats for the bteamer Claverdon has necessitated the Railway department making a special effort to accommodate farmers, but the supply has not been equal to the demand, There has. on this account, been a rush for trucks as they are left at the sidings, farmers tumbling their grain into every unoccupied truck. ' This has led to quarrelling, and the quarrelling to ill-feeling, and it is stated that it will take six years to assuage the rancour that has arisen over the scarcity of trucks. The Australasian Pastoralists' Review of January 15 supplies the following statistics as to harvest prospects in Victoria for the year ending 1899:— The forecasts of the wheat harvest agree that it will be very satisfactory, as r.iie aggregate yield will be slightly larger than last year, while the distribution of the crop through the various districts is more even. The total yield is estimated at 21,000,000 bushels, valued at £4,500,000, making an average of 9.37 bushels over an area of 2.260.000 ■ acres sown. The average yield is a trifle less I than last year, but the area sown is larger, ' so that the total yield exceeds last year, the chief difference being in the large quantity from the Wimmera district. The exportable , surplus is estimated at ,13,000,000 bushels, or 350,000 tons, which, at present values, represents £1,750,000 sterling. As regards the provision for shipment, the charters for Victorian loading during the next four or five months cover about 150,000 tons, which will leave about 200,000 tons still to be dealt with. Early in the year the principal outlet will_ have to be found in shipments of full cargoes to the English Channel ' for orders, supplemented by 'parcels direct to English and Con- ' tinental ports. 'Business will doubtless also , be done with South Africa, and probably the i millers in this colony will make every effort that as large a proportion as possible of what is shipped to that destination ibhall go in the form of flour. It is possible that the Mcdi- , terranean may again jfurnish an outlet for a, ! certain quantity, and shipments may also be '■ made to India and other outside destinations. The oat harvest is estimated at 5,£00,00U ' bushels (5,523,000 last year) for 260,000 acre* (253,000 last year), giving an average of 20 bushels (against 21.7 last year). The barley yield estimates are: Tav maltmjf parley. 35,000 ocros (33.561) at 184 bushels (23). 677,000 bu«hels (77b,000) ; and for feed barley, ■ 13,000 acres (14,200) at 24 bushels (23.5), 312.000 bushels (335,000). -The ' area cut for hay is estimated at about 500,000 I acres, from which an average yield of one ton ' per acre is expected. | Five persons were fined last week at the ! Magistrate's Court. Pajmerston South, for ' breaches of the Rabbit Act. The fines varied lin amount- from £2 to £5, with costs. One 1 case was dismissed through ths defendant not having received proper notice, and another information was adjourned till the next sitting of the court. • ' The Fortrose correspondent of the boutli land Times writes : —There is a fairly good movement in stock throughout the district. I Mr I. W. Raymond sold several thousand | of the Forestvale sheep privately at rattling good prices, say 12s for wethers and 11s for ewes. There 'seems to be a keen demand for sheep, but such prices as the above must j "be largely in favour of the sellers. Of course i a deal in ewes at the prices qxioted would ■ be a better spec, than buying wethers at present prices. The price for frozen mutton I is no higher at Home, and it is hard to see I the justification for present prices. Feed is I abundant, . but I should think it would be ! better to allow some of it to waste rather than 1 run ,tjhe risk involved ift buying at advanced

rates. From all accounts, the turnip crop is not quite as good as it might be. I don't mean in our own lcoality, but taking the whole of the district. Patches are splendid, and other patches are almost the reverse. Still, one hears of very good crops. Mr Foster, near the Mataura Island, has, I hear, one of the finest crops in the district. There are a few fine crops about here, notably those of Messrs Christie. Kidd. and Riddle. There is plenty of moisture to bring the backward crops along.

The Haldane settlement is about to have the benefit of. a dairy factory in its midst, the site having been selected.

We (Wyndham Herald) learn that the result of the public meeting held at Mokoreta about the dairy factory has been communicated to the gentleman who contemplates starting it. The settlers who have offered to supply milk have guaranteed 655ga1. This is the minimum quantity ; they expect to be able to supply much more. There are several other settlers who have not made a promise, but who will bs s=ure to supply milk if the factory starts.

Two years ago first-class hoggets were selling at 6s; to-day the price is 13s. At present New Zealand mutton is only bringing about 2id in London, so that a store sheep is worth as much in New Zealand as a fat one in Smithfield. — Tapanui Courier. About two and a-half miles south-east of Studholme Mr Edwin Reilly cultivates 40 acres of rich land as a poultry, fruit, and agricultural farm. Mr Reilly is no doubt a genius, and one who has studied farming in all -its branches, and he has arrived at that stage when he is able to get the very best and most profitable result from the cultivation of his soil or the 'rearing of stock, more especially poultry. His farm comprises 40 acres of first-class land, and in this small area he has a variety of different soils nob often found on such a limited holding. He indulges in rotation cropping, and gets the record yields always. To hear him speak of his. 80 bushels seems almost incredible, but facts ppeak for themselves, and this not one year only, but over a succession of them. With regard to poultry, he has some of nearly all kinds, not pent up, but out in the open' boxes open at two ends, with a shelter--ing roof, being all he finds neces-sa'-y He usually rears 1200 head of chickens, and with the aid of a splendid ,duck pond he rears 800 ducklings also every year, for all of which he can command the top prices. Everything is turned to account. His fruit garden, which is a picture of neatness and productiveness, also acts as a scratching ground for his poultry. Mr Reilly has been a most successful competitor at the poultry shows, having secured all the prizes at the principal shows for table poultry during the last four years. He also secured Mr John Roberts s prize, an incubator, for best poultry for export, and his list of prizes would be a long one to enumerate, He is ako a most successful horticulturist, having carried off many of the prizes at the recent show at Waimate. Mr Reilly is rapidly becoming known as an expert in all these things. He o has had as many as 12 visitors in one week from various pa'-ts, seeking information as to his methods, and a petition is being signed in tne district having for its' object a recommendation _ to the Government to make use of Mr Reilly as an expert, and his farm as an instruction ground for would-be poultry-raisers and farmers. — Oamaru Mail. ' . The Winchester correspondent of tbe_ Timaru Herald reports: — I have just returned from a visit to Ealing. The farmers have scarcely commenced harvesting yet, but a few fields of oats are cut. The crops look very well -ndeed in the districts named. Turnips will be plentiful this year. Mr M'Fenzie has a magnificent crop on Mr Postlethwaite's old farm. We drove home through Be-lfield, where the farming seems high class, and the crops are excellent. A mixture of barley meal and skim milk, io which are added a few boiled potatoes, and during the later stages of fattening a few handfuls of boiled Indian meal, makes, perhaps, xhe beat of all combinations of foods for the production of high-class bacon.* Bacon so fed fetches 'the very best of prices in the South of Ireland, where, since the establishment of the dairy factory system, skim milk has been very extensively and very successfully, employed for pig-feeding purposes. , , „. The Waimate County Saleyards Company's opening sale on the 26th January, says a correspondent of the Oamaru Mail, was highly successful. Ten thousand sheep were entered for sale, and there were over 600 persons, a considerable number of whom were there for business, from different parts of this and the adjoining counties. The sale was conducted by Messrs Lawson and Guinness in their usual satisfactory style of doing business for both vendor' and purchaser. The weather was all that could be desired. The yards proved wnst convenient for disposing of either large or small lots, v and the company are to be congratulated on tho success of the opening sale, which was a rer cord one for Waimate. The prices ruline for sheep were well sustained, and there was b^Vc competition for nearly every lot disposer? of. Harvest has begun in the back parts of the North Otago district, both oats and barley going down before the reader. Wa (TiruaaJl

lieSv©- heard of a • wheat crop being harvested in. the Waimate district, but along the sea Coast of this district it will be at least a fortBight before cutting is general. The season is a backward- one. Mr Cameron, Produce Commissioner for t2ie colony in London, writing with reference to frozen meat, states that he is convinced tKat tho question of improved distribution its 'one that should be seriously entertained by producers in the colony. He is satisfied that ff any satisfactory and permanent advantage is to be secured, attention must be devoted to* the retail as well as wholesale distribution ; and- whether this is to be done by advertisement, by demonstration, or by meat marking or by all, is for* the- earnest consideration of those interested in the welfare of the colony. Even when, wheat, was> selling' at such remarkably low prices a few years ago in England, it was never largely availed of by. stockowners in the feeding of farm animals. Therd is.- a. prejudice, and, a well-founded prejudice,, too,- against the use of this cereal in large quantities for stock-feeding purposes. Experience goes to show that ' when given in any quantity, except care is taken to mix it with other descriptions of grain, it is very liable to give rise to digestive derangements, which frequently lead to serious trouble. .When given at all it must 'be fed in conjunction with other foods, such as oats -or cakes. In practice it is found' that wheat can be advantageously employed only when given in about one-third of the quantity of the other foods which the animals are, receiving. (Wheat is rather better- adapted for growing ■ stock than for fattening beasts, and is best given "in the form of coarse meal, as in this condition it is found more digestible, or at all "events less liable to. give rise to internal disorders than if fed whole. As a food, wheat is richer in albuminoids than oats or barley. Harvesting is now general throughout the Greendale district ' (writes the Press correspondent), but will be checked for a day or two by the rain. The root and grass crops, which were badly in need of rain, should now come away well, and the farmers should again have an abundance of feed. A few paddocks are being harvested between Fairlie and Timaru now, and some seem to stook very well indeed. Mr Mathews, of Sutherlands, has a nice paddock of barley in the stook,' which should thresh out very well. There' are three large paddocks where the binders are kept busy near Fairlie, including Mr J. Nixon's fine paddocks of wheat. We have had some fine heavy showers at 'Fairlie, which will do a great amount of good should they continue. — Albury. correspondent Timaru Post. Judging by the white-headed dried-up ears of wheat and. oats- to be seen, says the Bruce Herald, near the hedgerows, it would seem that the small birds have commenced their ravages very early this year on the crops in this district. Harvesting operations are in progress on some of the farms in the Roxburgh district. After a lapse of 17 "years victory at Birmingham has returned to the Hereford camp. It was in 1882 that the west midland breed Achieved its last triumph" at the meeting, where above, all others it should distinguish itself. Mr John Price, Court House, Pembridge, won the premier honour in that year, as he had done in 1881, with a representative of the Hereford breed. On several subsequent occasions the Hereford contingent have made a strong Bid for the blue ribbon, but nothing better than the reserve ticket had fallen to their lot until the Windsor steer made a clean and decisive sweep of the rich harvest that accompanies the champion rosette at the midland meeting on Saturday. This well-de-served victory will give fresh stimulus to supporters of the breed. — Field, December 16. The weather at Upper Waiau is rather moist occasionally, but all the same it causes a superabundance of good pasture, which makes Bheep and cattle chew their cud with the utmost pleasure. Shearing is about finished, and the wool is making its way to the city as fast as the horse-teams are able to take it. Some storersheep have already changed hands atr a satisfactory figure. — Correspondent iWestern Star. The handsome sum of £6320 — including the contribution of £167(3 by the local committee — which will be available for prizes at next year's York show of the Royal Agricultural Society will be distributed over the different seotions as follows : Horses, £2505 ; cattle, £1755; sheep, £1365; pigs, £396; poultry, J8274-; produce; £255; horse-shoeing, £32; Lives and honey, £38 ; and implements, £200. It is satisfactory to notice, remarks the Field, that the implement committee have recommended that at the 1901 show at Cardiff prizes be offered for a small ice-making plant for dairy purposes,, and also for. portable oil engines. Both contrivances are of the ulraost importance, and it is to be hoped the stimulus .thus given' to their production in cheap andconvenient forms will have the desired effect. During the discussion which followed the excellent, lecture, on the new "Root Rot" disease- in potatoes, given by Professor Johneoni at. the meeting of the Royal Dublin Society- recently, ft^r. IVfoore, of the Glasnevin (Botanic Gardens, . went so far as to advocate the- introduction .of legislation under which farmers could be .severely punished for using potato top 3 eithec as manure or as protection for the tubers when being carted to the farmyard or to market. Recent researches have gone to show that there is no more risky system than this — none more calculated to lead to a perpetuation of the blight from year to year, and Mr Moore is of opinion that the only manner in which it can be satisfactorily checked is by rendering it illegal. , Mr Moore's plan would, no doubt, be a very effective one, but, in our opinion, it would be altogether too drastic, and its adoption would be certain to give rise to much diseatisfaption throughout the country. Why should there be any necessity, inquires the Farmers' Gazette, for a resort to such extreme measures as that suggested by the accomplished curator of the Glasnevin Gardens? Our farmers may not be everything that" we should like them to be, but in anything that concerns their own material interests we think the great majority of them can be safely credited with being as keenly alive as their In-other agriculturists in any other part of the world, and if they could only once be got to see that indulgence in such a practice as that which Mr Moore so very strongly and so very properly condemns is calculated to 'operate to their own pecuniary disadvantage, Ihere would be very little difficulty in getting .them to discontinue it — without the necessity .of bringing them into a cotirt of law. In this and kindred matters our farmers require aiot legislation, but education, and the sooner .■this fact is recognised by those interested in the future of the agriculture of the country the sooner may we expect to see such reforms as that suggested carried into effect. The' Australasian PastoraTists.' Review understands; that, owing to the, increase of their •itmsiness, the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company (Limited) in LonJdon have strengthened' their frozen meatselling department, and have acquired the g^rvices of Mr George Black, who has reo&kQ* arrived in London from the colonies-.

Mr Black, has had a long and practical ex- j perience in frozen moat in thei colonies, prin- i oipally)at Invercargill, and a's he is to de- J vote the whole of his time and attention to the frozen meat market in London, it will be seen that the company's equipment for handling meat there receives an important addition by his appointment.