AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2396, 1 February 1900, Page 4

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

According to the Wyndham Farmer, there has been a fresh outbreak of swine fever at the piggery adjoining Mataura Dairy Factory premises the property of Mr J. B. MacEwan. The herd numbered 300, and 25 had succumbed by; Saturday last. The herd has been isolated, and the stock officers are not without hope of saving a large proportion of the herd. The Hessian fly lias caused so much mischief in some places near Timaru that portions of paddocks of wheat are being ploughed in, to be replaced with turnips, as the wheat would not be worth cutting. The General Committee of the Dunedin City Council reported to last week's meeting that during the past month 943 cattle, 5165 sheep,3496 lambs, 154 pigs, and 73 calves were slavightered at the abattoir, of which 11 cattle were ccrtdemned as unfit for food. It having been reported to the committee that meat which has not been killed at the abattoir nor subject to proper inspection has been offered for sale within the city, public attention has been drawn by advertisement to the fact, also to the penalties for exposing such meat for sale. A case of considerable interest to factory^ owners was decided in the Magistrate's Court at Feilding las', week, when a charge was brought against Elijah Mondin for having worked in the Kimbolton creamery on a Sunday in view of a public place. The case (says the Manawatu Daily Times) was virtually against the Cheltenham Dairy Company, the proprietors, and was for the purpose of testing- their right to work their factories on Sundays. When the evidence was taken it was proved that the factory had to be kept open on, (Sundays, as otherwise the milk would' not keep until Monday. «Mr Greenfield, S.M., who presided, took a practical view of the case, and recognising that the work was necessary on Sundays, he dismissed the information. A 15-month old hogget (Romney Marsh) was shorn on New Year's Eve by Messrs J. and 3?. Wall, Riverside station. Wairarapa, which, clipped 201b weight of clean wool. Mr J. B. MacEwan, the well-known produce exporter, formerly chief dairy expert, was. mairied last week in Wellington to Miss Mary Fisher, daughter of Mr George Fisher, M.H.R.

It is anticipated that from Oamaru to Ngapara and adjacent districts the wheat yield will be equal on the average to fully 60 bushels to the acre.

The heavy rain on Friday night has (says the Waimate Times) bad the effect of laying several acres of the more prolific crops, but the settlers on the Waikakahi express thera-

selves as being highly satisfied with their prospects. Harvesting operations hare now been fairly commenced (says the Oamaru Mail), and the reapers and binders may be seen at work in most parts of the district. A few clays' fine weather will make harvesting general. With a fevr exceptions, the crops are very heavy, and a remarkably good average yield is confidently looked for. Mr Stratford,' S>M., inflicted some^ heavy fin3S at Lawrence- on the 22nd for failure' to destroy rabbits. William Livingston was fined 338. with 7s costs, in respect of an area, of 480 acres at Waitahuna East, and in the case against the trustees of Havelock Com.inonage a fine of £15, with 7s costs, was inflicted. Three other defendants were fined smaller sums.

" The pay-sheet for this month," said one of the directors of the Rongotea Dairy Factory a few days ago, " will be the biggest since the inauguration of the factory." A ton of butter is now being manufactured daily, and the monthly payments made to 84 suppliers amount to about £2300, or an average of something like £27 or £28 for large and small suppliers. The recent heavy rains have caused considerable damage to heavy crops in a forward condition in the Bruce district.

According to the Wairarapa Observer, no less than 50,000 sheep are said to have died! in the Hawke's Bay district from blood poisoning originating through receiving cuts while being shorn. The Waimate correspondent of the Christchurch Press states that there is every prospect of an abundant harvest over an extensive area in that district. The time for graia crops arriving ab maturity is drawing near, and nothing- now remains to cause fulfilment of the splendid promise of a good harvest but bright, genial weather for some weeks* to come. On the morning of the 20th a light rain commenced to fall, and continued' for some hours, accompanied by cairn air and) warm temperature, so stimulative of vegeta? live growth, but so much dreaded by agriculturists when grain crops are near maturity. Wheat and oats in this district are not sufficiently advanced to be injured by the rain. Russia, as usual, is the "dark horse" of the wheat trade. Although the Minister for Agri-; culture in that country estimates the wheat crop of 1899 in European Russia, Poland, and the Caucasus at 46,44-9,000 quarters, or only about two millions less than the great crop of last year, exports up to the present time have been very small. Noticing this fact, Beerbohm's List remarks that it is necessary to add about six million quarters to the Minister's estimate to allow for the production in Siberia and Central Asia, making the total about 52,000,000 quarters. Considering the reports of famine in some great tracts of Russia, there seems to be reason to suspect that the Minister's estimate is much too high, and great curiosity is felt as to the quantity that will be allowed by the Central Statistical Bureau, which gives an independent estimate for all the Russian. Empire later in the season. Doubts are strengthened, and extended to the estimate for last year, by the small quantities of exports in 1896 aud 1899. The total for 1898 was put at 57,187,000 quarters, and only 8,000,000 quarters were exported, although it is supposed that the consumption of wheat in Russia is not much over 34,000,000 quarters, which would have left 23,000,000 quarters to spare for expoi't. Then, if the latest crop amounted to 52,000.000 quartern, there would be abemt 18,00(1,000 quarters to spare, and only about 1 500,000 quarters had been exported up to November 4-. It is clear, then, either that the wheat crops of 1898 and 1899 have been enormously overrated, or that slocks hare accumulated in Russia ; for, "although the consumption now is probably over 5^.000,000 quarters, it cannot well be more Lhan a million or two over that quantity. During the pix years ending with 1897 the; average crop in Russia, according to official estimates, was 48,700,000 quarters, and the average exports were 14,500,000 quarters*

These figures make the consumption about 34,000,000 quarters for the middle of the period of six years, and clearly show that if Russia has grown anything like such great quantities of wheat as the official estimates give, for 1898 and 1899, something has been done, or is to be- done, with an immense sm*plus. The crops in the Wairio district, says tne Hiverton Star, are looking- splendid, and promise an excellent yield. The warm rains -o*f the past few days have given them a good lift, and done an immense amount of good generally. Turnip crops on the new land at Waicolo are exceedingly well forward and there will be some good "neeps" there this winter.

Weasels are again making their presence known about Hastings, Hawke's Bay, and will coon be as obnoxious as the rabbits themselves, at least near the towns No less than seven weasels were killed in one bunch in a paddock in the Mahora settlement (Frimley). They were all driven out of one hole. Most of them were destroyed by a little fox terrier.

Farming at Waikaka is in a most thriving 1 condition just now, and with the rise in the price of wool and oats many will be able to pay off a portion of their back debts. The crops are looking well, and there is every promise of a good harvest. It is a good number of years since there has been the same quantity of feed in this part of the country. Everywhere the stock are rolling in grass. There is every prospect of plenty of freezers being turned out of Southland by-and-bye, if one can judge by the wealth of the foodstuffs available. Sheep and cattle are both at a fairly high figure at present. — Correspondent Southland Times.

-A Waimatuku Bush correspondent writes: "Shearing is finished here. "With a good price for wool, farmers will be glad, only I hear the fleeces are light oompared with other seasons. The potato crop suffered badly from frost some two weeks ago and is only recovering 'now from the effects." — Western Star.

A misguided person has been writing to an English agricultural paper to ask how to destroy earthworms. The mere question is an atrocity as earthworms are the greatest of all friends of the farmer and the gardener. In their millions they are constantly passing up fresh soil to the surface, improved in texture said available fertility by passage throiigh iheir bodies, and they must be almost as valuable aftc death as during life, "as their bodies are soon converted into manure. Earthworms are the great cultivators of permanent pasture, which, otherwise than by their manipulation, is not subjected to the mechanical action exercised upon arable land. Even upon lawns, where their casts are unquestionably unsightly, earthworms carry on highlyimproving operations. Another correspondent of the same paper makes a curious mistake when he declares his belief in the failure of the swede crop being partially attributable to earthworms. People find marks of «ating upon the roots of vegetables, and they also find earthworms curled around those roots, or even ensconced in holes made in the roots ; lience some may conclude that the worms were the depredators, which, however, is quite a mistake. — Exchange.

Mr W. S. Waterston's barque Ganymede, now at the Cape landing produce from Timaru, has completed arrangements to return to the Bluff and there load for South Africa a cargo of oats. Besides benefiting this district in the circulation of nearly £800 in wages and supply of provision for the barque. Intending local shippers will have the advantage of the ready market and high prices row ruling at the Cape. — Southland Times.

In his address to the Waikato Farmers' Club, particulars . of which are taken from the Waikato Argus, Mr Gilruth said it was unfortunately impossible to test all the cattle in the colony with tuberculin, which, numbered 300,000, for one man could not operate on more than 5000 in a year; and even if the whole of the cows were done, there would be 900,000 other cattle to spread the disease, in addition to human beings and pigs, who were subject to it. It was in the stud herds that the test proved of the utmost use for no stud breeder would wish to perpetuate stock suffering from tuberculosis, and a clean bill of health made the animals much more valuable.

Harvesting operations are making the country around Masterton look lively. In every direction reapers and binders are busily at work. The season, on the whole, has been very favourable, and the grain crop is expected to yield rather over the average. — Wairarapa.Star.

The Invercargill Grainbrokers' Association report that oats are now very scarce. The demand during the week has been good, and sales have been effected at : for A grade, 2s 3£d; B grade, 2s 3d; C grade, 2s 2£d, f .0.b. ; sacks in. The export of grain and produce from liyttelton for the week ending January 20 included the following lines : — 1850 sacks wheat, 1915 sacks and 2570 bags flour, 6109 sacks oats, 23 sacks meal, 23 sacks barley, 1862 sacks malt, 566 sacks bran, 112 sacks sharps, 50 sacks pollard, 3353 sacks chaff , 844 sacks bran, 56 sacks peas, 681 sacks seed, 499 bales hay, and 21 bales straw.

The Hawea Post says : — Labourers are scarce in this district, and contractors complain that they have a difficulty in finding sufficient mun to keep upv with the specications of their contracts. Well, the Government have a noble army of co-operativo workers, numbering, according to the latest Labour Journal, 3031, scattered throughout the eploajf. Some pf Jliese have, it is said, been

ab this kind of "unemployed" labour since the Atkinson Government put them there. Has the colony never since been prosperous enough to absorb their labour in the ordinary course?

"Until an English firm sent a dairy expert to lecture and teach the Indian dairy folk how to feed and milk cows, and turn the milk into butter or cheese, native butter was tabooed. Now dairies abound in Calcutta, Madras, and Bombay. The dairy is one of the new industries of India, which has been crowned with success.

Dr Reid, health officer to the Timaru Borough Council, reported to that body (sitting as a board of health) last week that he had inspected a number of dairies, and found some of them not what they should be. Some had no proper place in which to keep milk, and their statement that they never had milk to keep must be lookeel upon with doubt. Milk should not be kept in a dwelling, and far removed from the milking yard. The board should also insist upon all dairy cattle, used for supplying Timaru with milk and butter, being tested for tuberculosis, and the board should have a properly-qualified person to make a regular inspection of the dairies, as well as to have all meat used for consumption in the borough properly inspected. The matter was referred to Mr Reakes, the Government veterinary inspector of the Smithfield works, who was requested to report to the council. ,

A capital object lesson for factory directors has just been brought under the notice of the New Zealand Dairyman. Last autumn a co-operative factory had no market for their butter. They therefore decided to store it in their own cool room until prices improved. ■No market, however,* turned up, and in the spring the butter (some 500 boxes) had to be shipped to England. The report on this is wdrihy of attention. The butter arrived both fishy and tallowy, and despite, these faults, as it struck a good market, it brought 102s per cwt. Had it been sent straight to the freezer, instead of to the factory cool room, it would have realised quite 10s per cwt more. Many readers may suppose on reading this far that the directors of this factory were new to the business. But this is by no means the case. They are all men who have been dairying for years, as long as or longer than co-operation or factory dairying has been in vogue in this colony. What these directors do not seem to have learned yet is that cold storage, to be any benefit at all, means freezing. A temperature that does not absolutely retard decomposition is valueless. It is true that it will enable the butter to be turned out firm, but this is all. It is a delusion and a snare to fancy that the ordinary factory cool room is a fit place for the storage of butter, as these directors have proved.

Some consternation has been caused by the occurrence of a fresh outbreak of swine fever at the piggery adjoining Mataura Dairy Factory premise, the property of Mr J. B. MacEwen. The trouble was first suspected aboiit a fortnight ago, owing to the sudden death of some pigs. The Stock department was at once apprised, and Mr Reakes (Government veterinarian) and Inspector Turner (of Invercaigill) were on the spot with all speed. Mr Reakes's examination conclusively showed that the sickness was swine fever. Despite the most vigorous precautions, we (Wyndham Farmer) learn that 25 of the herd, which numbered upwards of 300, had succumbed. Messrs Reakes and Turner made minute investigations into the origin of the outbreak, and are satisfied that it came from an outside source. This is satisfactory, proving, as it does, that it was not caused by any contagion that had managed to lurk about the piggery since tho previous outbreak, about 12 months ago. It is needless to add that the piggery has been isolated, and the stock officers are not without hope of saving a large proportion of the heard. Grain and wool is still pouring into Fairlie from the country. Some days there are to bo seen as many as nine and ten large waggons, besides 10 and 12 drays, loading grain and wool either on to the railway trucks or into Mr Smith's store. The last few days there were carted to Fairlie no less than 260 odd bales of wool and nearly 500 sacks of grain, mostly wheat. The dry weather is decidedly in the carriers' favour while such heavy carting is carried on, especially the paddocks from where the grain is carted. — Correspondent Timaru Post.

Harvesting operations are making the country around Masterton look lively. In every direction reapers and binders are busily at work. The season on the whole has been very favourable, and the grain crop is expected to yield rather over the average. There are a few indications of the Hessian fly, but nothing to affect the crops, and this season a pleasing and conspicuous feature is the almost entire absence of rust. — Exchange.

The Americans are wonderful people for going one better than their opponents in everything they undertake. In these countries, Jersey breeders are content with getting their animals to average lib of butter for every l^gal of milk they produce; but our Yankee cousins have gone so far in effecting improvements in the butter-producing capacity of their Channel Island cattle that in a test which was recently conducted in the States, eight cows produced an average of lib of butter to every 7.211b of milk. This is equal to lib of butter to rather less than %gsd of milk. The Wyndham Farmer says that labour is at a premium on tho Edendalp estate. Twenty men were engaged lately in turnipthinning in one paddock. There is a splendid crop of wheat in one of tho paddockg jiear

Twenty-eight Mile ; indeed, nothing finer can be seen along the line this side of Dunedin.

By the report of the Government statistician of Tasmania there w.as in that colony an estimated increase of the total area of land under crop from 242,241 acres in 1898 to 258,224 acres in 1899, and yielding as under : 2^349,100 bushels of wheat (27 bushels per acre), 2,270,268 bushels of oats, and 87,757 tons of potatoes. The aggregate value of agricultiiral, pastoral, and horticultural produce was £2,256,916. In live stock the numbers are as follows:— In 1897-98— Horses, 29,898; cattle, 157,486; sheep, 1,578,611; pigs, 43,520. In 1898-99— Horses, 29,787; cattle, 148,711; sheep, 1,493,032; pigs, 45,047.

A corresnondent asks the New Zealand Dairyman »*v a description of the method for dehorning calves recommended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It is as follows: — Take 50 parts caustic soda, 25 parts of water. An emulsion is made of the oil and soda by heating and vigorously stirring, and this is then dissolved in water. The mixture should be placed in a bottle with a solid rubber cork. The calves should not be over three weeks old, from five to 20 days being the proper age. A horn will sometimes be killed that is even four to six weeks old, but it cannot be depended upon with certainty. In applying the solution the following directions should be observed : With a pair of scissors clip the hair around the embryo horn so as to expose a spot about the size of a. nickle. While an assistant holds the calf securely drop two or three dropa of the mxture on the horn, and with the end of the rubber cork rub it thoroughly in over the bare spot. Apply the fluid first to one horn and then to the other, until each has received three or four applications. The rubbing should bo continued until the caustic has softened and removed the hair and the surface skin around the horn. Care should be taken that the fluid does not spread over too large a surface or run down the side of the face.

From Pine Bush to Otara the crops promise splendidly. Turnips are looking well all over, and must have been sown early. At Fortrose and Otara raised drills are common, and thinning has in a number of cases been finished over a fortnight. At Otara grass is abundant, and stock is in all cases looking well. — Wyndham Herald.

During the month of December the sum of £932 odd was paid for milk by the Mataura Dairy Factory Company to its suppliers. The highest intake for any one day was 2500ga1. The average this month so far is 24-OOgal.

A case of considerable interest to dairy factory owners was decided in the Magistrate's Court at Feilding lately, when a charge was brought against Elijah Mondin for having worked in the Khnbolton creamery on a Sunday in view of a public place. The case (says the Manawatu Daily Times) was virtually against the Cheltenham Dairy Company, the proprietors, and was for the purpose of testing their right to work their factory on Sundays. When the evidence was taken it was proved that the factory had to be kept open on Sundays, otherwise the milk would not keep until Monday. Mr Greenfield, S.M., who presided, took a practical view of the case, and recognising that the work was necessary on Sundays, he dismissed the information.

Harvest in the Fairlie district will be general early next month. Mr Wilson is now cutting early oats on Allandale, and several other paddocks are, here and there, almost ripe. Turnips have struck) well, and grass is plentiful. The Fairlie railway station presents a busy appearance. The back country clips are now coming in, and a good string of wool-laden trucks leaves Fairlie by each train. A truckload of good merino wool is worth nearly £200, and a dozen trucks going away by every train must mean that there will be a goodly sum to return to the district in merchandise and cash. — Timaru Herald.

The period has now arrived (writes the Waimate correspondent of the Oamaru Mail) in. South Canterbury when nearly everyone is sensitive to changes of weather, and every indication towards rain is looked upon with some degree of nervousness. There is the prospect of an abundant harvest over an extensive area. The time for grain crops arriving at maturity is> drawing near, and large and widespread is the interest in the state of the weather, and which will continue for the next few weeks. So far as can be seen, nothing now remains to cause fulfilment of the splendid promise of a good harvest but bright, genial weather for a few weeks to come. Another of the many changes of the weather for which this season has been remarkable in the Waimate district occurred on the morning of the 20th, when a light rain commenced to fall, and continued for some hours, accompanied by calm air, and the warm temperature so stinmlative of vegetable growth, but so niuch dreaded by agriculturists when the grain crops are near maturity. Wheat and oats in this district are not sufficiently advanced to be injured by the rain ; at the same time, for full development and securing of these crops, rain or damp weather is undesirable.

Notwithstanding more or less adverse weather, the wheat harvest of New South Wales has eclipsed all previous records as to totals, and is on a level with 1894-, 1896, and 1897 as. to average yield per acre, which means that a considerable extension of area has been placed undor cultivation. The statistician expects tho yield to total 13,660,700 bushels, or an increase over last year of 4-,374-,4-84 bushels, say 47 per cent. Taking the requirements of jjhe cojon^ for {god and seed at IO^Q^OOOj

this leaves an exportable surplus of 3,410,000 bushels, or rather over 90,000 tons. In commenting on the somewhat serious decline in the butter market recently Messrs Weddel states that the present Danish collapse recalls a great catastrophe which occurred in the season 1895-96. " On November 1, 1895, "choicest" Danish was selling at 134s to 140s, the next week it fell to 126s to 130s, and on November 15 to 110s to 112s per cwt. This year, on October 3, Danish was fetching 136s to 1425, on October 10 130s to 1325, and since it has fallen to 116s to 118s. Thus there is a very close parallel to the present situation. In 1895 prices rebounded immediately, and stood at 116s to 118s for some weeks. The existing state of things appears to justify the belief that the rebound will be gi eater this season.

It has been suggested by a correspondent, says a contemporary, that, in view of the present high prices of wool and sheep, a tax of Id per head on the latter would hardly be felt. The correspondent states that this tax, if levied, on the 20,000,000 sheap at present in the country, would produce something like £80,000, which might be applied in aid of the patriotic fund.

As an instance of the profitable nature of the dairying industry, we (New Zealand Dairyman) may state that a family of seven, living in the vicinity of Kaponga, are earning £120 per month from their cows. This result is not accomplished without much hard work, but it indicates the remuneration assured to those settlers who carry on dairying energetically and on business-like lines, and also gives addition proof of the importance of the industry to Taranaki generally.

The Scientific American has the following : The results of a series, of experiments made by German dairy experts show tha.t milk that has been heated for 15 minutes at 75deg C., equal to 167deg F., scarcely loses any of- its capacity of being converted into cheese. An addition of calcium chloride shortens the time required by the rennet to coagulate the milk, the action of the salt being in proportion to the amount added;

The unsettled state of the weather, writes the Waikaka Valley correspondent of the Southern Standard, has put farm work back considerably, and a number of farmers have only, during the last week or two, finished sowing their turnips. Those that were sown earlier are coming on well, and singling has Leen commenced on a few farms. Grass seed is also being sown at the present time, and a large area is being pxit under crop. A number of farmers are cutting ryegrass just now, but the strong winds and heavy showers of rain are anything but favourable to the crop, which is easily damaged, and is not quite s>o heavy as it has been in former years. The oat crop, which occupies a large area, is late, but looks well, and has every appearance of being- a heavy one. There is a small area under wheat, which is also late, but looks exceptionally good, and if the early frost does no damage it will possibly yield well.

The Register, in a preliminary forecast of the South Australian harvest, estimates that the production will be 10,000,000 bushels of wheat. On the acreage sown, this means an average yield of five bushels per acre, and will leave a surplus for export of 180,000 tons.

The supply of milk at the Matapu creamery, Taranaki, was up to nearly 3000 gal a day at Christmas time.

The Wellington Trade Review says that last year's wheat crop showed, after providing for the ordinary estimated consumption, an exportable surplus of 7,800,000 bu&hels. The exports for the year (to 30th September) only account for 2,230,000 bushels. The exports for the December quarter *,vere no doubt on a heavier scale, but even with them we are not likely to get half the estimated surplus accounted for, leaving not less than 4,000,000 bushels apparently still on hand. The yield of oats was larger still, and though considerable shipments have gone forward, there must be large stocks still on hand. The Southern Standard reports:— The oat crops in this and the surrounding district are looking better than has been the case for years. The remarkably fine growing weather of the last month has brought them on wonderfully, and if the harvest is at all favourable, some splendid yields will be recorded. The oats are now principally "shot," and the weather whjch is now being experienced will have the effect of maturing the grain, which has been greatly retarded of late. The directors of the Cardiff Dairy Factory at their last meeting decided that the suppliers should be asked to contribute the value of one clay's milk supply towards the Transvaal Patriotic Fund. No doubt the request will be complied with, and will represent a donation of about £25.

A contemporary points out that the crop of wheat, oats, and barley for '1898-99, computed at a rough average of Is 9d per bushel all round, gives a value of £2,735,000 for the year, while the previous year at 2s 3d would only yield £1,813,000. The exports of wheat, oats, barley, and malt during the year ended September 30th last brought into the colony £527,532, while in the previous year these lines only produced £114,684. The largest wool cargo of the season was taken away from Sydney in the German steamer Yarzin, Which was 16,790 bales. The sailing ship Tamar took 10,527. There was a heavy rainfall in the North Canterbury district at the beginning of last week, which will renew the grass, and to some extent also help the grain crop. The latter are everywhere as good as can be expected, and high returns are anticipated. The cutting of oats has been going ori for some time, »nd the wheat crop is now being dealt with.

Reports state that the harvest prospecta throughout South Canterbury and North Oago districts are looking well. The wheat yield round about Ngapara and OamaTu is expected to average 60 bushels to the acre. We regret to learn that the Hessian fly has done a great deal of damage to wheat crops on the downs between the Washdyke and Pareora this year. We hear of more than one farmer who has ploughed, or is about to plough, in some good-sized patches of wheat and put in turnips, as the wheat will not be worth cutting, so much of it is killed by the fly, and ploughing in is perhaps as good a thing as could be done under the circumstances, to destroy the pest. It would be belter still to allow the wheat to get dry enough to burn before ploughing; but that would mean loss of time, unless a moAver could be run through it to cut it clown to dry. — Timaru HeraJd. The Mangorei Co-operative Dairy Factory Company has adopted an excellent plan of collecting from its suppliers for the patriotic fund. Circulars have been issued by the directors asking the suppliers to put down their names and tho amounts they are willing to subscribe, when the amounts will be deducted from the cheques next due, and the total amount paid by the company to the lund. Harvest prospects in this district, says the Tapanui Courier, are now good, and the corn yields should be fully up to the average. The recent rains and heat have also brought on a great flush of grass. The turnip crop is very-nromising in most places. The average yield of the Jersey cows at tha Roseworthy College, South Australia, is 470 gal per annum.

A visitor to the Hawea Flat informs us (Cromwell Argus) that harvesting has commenced, and that the wheat crops are really good, while the oats are not quite up to the standard.

A Little River correspondent of the Christchurch Press writes:— The weather has been most unfavourable for the cocksfoot harvest here, the last week having been very showery and muggy. The early-cut crops are showing signs of discolouration.

According to the latest advices received from Mr J. W. Bain, manager of the Waitohi Dairy Factory, Tuamarina, Blenheim, they were getting about lOOOgal di milk per day.

There is a very large area of land in potatoes in Hawke's Bay this year, and at latest advices the prospects of a large crop were favourable. *

An article in the Melbourne Leader gives some interesting information about the value of the splendid low lands around Bacchus Marsh, which the traveller from Melbourne to Adelaide passes half-way between Melbourne and Ballarat ; £120 per acre has recently 1 been refused for lucerne land in the Bacchus Marsh Valley, the last sale made of similar land being at £110. As much as £6 to £8 per acre is paid for the rent of such land for the season of eight mouths. From three to five cuttings of about three tons each per acre are obtained during the season, and instances are recorded of six cuttings in nine months, or a total of 18 tons per acre under favourable irrigation conditions.