AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL SEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2404, 29 March 1900, Page 14

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL SEWS.

An instance of a profitable deal in sheep on the " ro much on your bargain" basis is reported by the Kaikoura paper. A splendid line of 5000 was bought from the Green Hills Hock by a well-known Canterbury dealer at 14s per head, oncl without being removed from the station the sheep were resold to another buyer for an additional shilling all round. This httle transaction meant a profit to the " middleman " of £250.

Good progress is being made with the new refrigerating works near Kae's Junction for freezing rabbits, and when finished the refrigerator will be a decided convenience to Rae's Junction and the surrounding districts during the trapping season. — Tuapeka Times. At a conference representing farmers' unions, held at Aixckland recently, it was resolved to form a New Zealand Union. The object is to foster the interests of farmers and watch legislation. Should measures become law opposed to the iriterests of the association, members will vote only for union candidates at a general or bye-election.

The Tuapeka Times on the rabbit question : Owing to the unsympathetic, if not actively hostile, attitude of the Government in dealing with the rabbit question, the large and profitable export trade which has arisen since the advent of the trapping system is in danger of being seriously affected, if not brought to absolute ruin.

Harvesting at Mataura has been delayed by the wet weather we have had for some days past — warm rain and exceedingly muggy. Several of the farmers have their grain ready to lead in. There are a few nice areas under wheat, but the greater part of the white crop, however, is oats. Turnips are looking better than they promised some time back. Grass is still plentiful and stock are in good condition. Sheep are' selling at high figures. The freezing works hero are getting vory iew ; most of the prime sheep will be sent to Canterbury. The quantity of rabbits arriving bfifiS <feily is liU'£9 and increasing T.liere,

are twica as many engaged in the trade as there were last year, and more care is bestowed on the mode of packing. The dairy factory has had a splendid season so far. — Correspondent Southland Times.

At the last meeting of the Taieri Agricultural Society, held at Allanton, it was decided that the society have a court at the Dunedin show, and compete for the best collection of farm produce grown in any county.

The following is the concludim? portion of a leader in the ,Uataura. Ensign on the rabbit question: — The rabbit export industry has done more for Southland farmers thnn ever the Ron. J. M'Kenzie could be expected to achieve, and it is not to be thought of for a moment that Southland people will allow themselves to be deprived of so great a blessing without a struggle. If it came to a question whether the labbit industry or the Hon. J. M'Kenzie should go, we very much fear Southland would rid itself of the latter. It is 10 retain the one without sacrificing the other that efforts are now being exorted in dinerent parts of the district, and for the sake of peace and harmony it is sincerely to be hoped these will result in some permanent settlement of the matter. Not only is it devoutly to be wished that trapping for export (where it' cau be shown that good results will accrue) will be permitted to go on unmolested, but also that the Government in its wisdom will see fit to expunge from the statute book that which stands to the everlasting di=credit of the colony — the clause in the act constituting rabbit inspector judge and jury, and compelling the magistrates to infiicj; punishment (no matter lyhai extenuating circumstances are disclosed) to long as the inspector can bring himself to say that rabbits exist on anyone's laud.

Most of the farmers at Head of Lake are busy at present, some cutting, others stacking. A few have not yet started, but with fine weather, the farmer would bo able to save his crop in firstclass condition. The grain crops are above the average, and turnip crops are looking splendid. "Winter feed will be uJentiful. Gross is still in abundance, and will be for some time. Fat slock is plentiful, and selling at big prices. — County Press.

The harvest in the Clutha district, says the Free Presi, will, on the whole, be a good one, the fine weather enabling the crops to be gathered in first-class order. The average yield per acre will be quite up to that of former years : but the aggregate yield will be considerably less than usual, as the ocreage under crop is so much smaller than is usual in this district, noted for its grain-growing capacity. This is a result of last year"? slump, when oats were down to Is a bushel. Had farmers realised thai at the end of the present harvest oats would be at 2s, as they bid fair to be, it is s.ife to say there would have been a, much larger area devoted to this particular cereal. But then who could foretell the ■war and its marked effect on the grain market?

Harvesting has gone on ahead in the Mataura district, says the Southern Standard, during the last week. Gutting is very nearly finished, and most of the former? arc busy leading in. The crops, judging' by the abundance of stooks, should yield most handsomely.

The "Morven correspondent of the North Oia§"o Times writes under date .'larch 23: — You have already stated th.pt Mr Falconer. Willowbridge, threshed 92 bushels of barley per acre: you might add thai the crop wos the fifth consecutive one, and that the paddock was one of 100 acres. Threshing machines are busy all over the Lower "Waihao, and it is stated that Redcliff way the returns are likely to exceed even those down here. Teams are daily crowding tc the railway station, and the demand for trucks will soon be very pressing. The weather is, on the whole, pretty favourable for grass. On Friday, the 16th, wo had borao thunder, and a regular downpour of rain. Last night a nice rain fell for about an hour.

The annual clearing pale of surplus sheep at Messrs Telford's Clifton station on Thursday last proved a very successful one. There was a representative attendance of farmeis and dealers, and prices all round were 3s per head belter than last year. Nearly all lines were quitted. "Wethers fetched to 15s 6d, eww to 13s 4d, and lambs at fair rates. — Clutha Free Press.

The Poverty Bay Herald says that the grain harvest in that district has been one of the best for several years, and the weather generally favourable, particularly for the lato crops.

Mr James Bonnet. M.H.R., whose opinion" on the rabbit question are in harmony with those of the mass of his fellow settlers, has taken the opportunity now, as he had done publicly dining his candidature at the general election, of placing himself on the side of the farmers in connection with the agitation now in progress relative to the urlministratoion of the Rabbit Act. We (Tuapeka Times) have already published a communication from Ihe member for Bruce on the subject, and we now append ous from tke member lor Tua-

peka, in which he definitely declares himself in favour of the resolutions recently passed at a public meeting at Waitahuna." Thus practical good has come out of the meeting in question, and if only in the other districlsf throughout Otago the settlers took the que?£ tioii^up in the same thoroughgoing fashion as the fanners in the Waitahuna district have done there would bs very soon less to complain of. What people ask for it the modi^ fication, not the abolition, of the Rabbit Acfi with a, view to its more reasonable administration. That and nothing more. The following is Mr Bennet's letter in reply to a communication received from Mr Barnett, of Waitahuna: — "Dear Sir, — Yours of the 7th inst. duly to hand, enclosing resolutions passed at a public meeting of settlers in your 1 district on the 24th February, 1900, which, will receive attention at the proper time, as I am in favour of same. — Yours respeotfully,James Bennet."

The Ida Valley correspondent of the Alex;* andra Herald reports : —The farmers are busy, carting- in. The bulk of the crop is in stack, although there are a few patches of crop to cut yet. The crops, on the whole, are considered to be the best the valley has had for years. The rabbit exporters and their agenta aie flying around and expect to start immo. diately. There are no less than three exporters taking rabbits from the Valley this season. I hear they start at 4-d per pair, an<J rise a penny a month till they reach 6d.

The harvest at Otiake is well advanced^ The weather has been excellent for the last; five weeks, with no time lost except a. day, now and then with wind. The threshing, aY yet, has been all out of -the stook, but in' a short time we will see the last of it. We have never had the grain in better condition than it is in this year. It is a good sample, and as hard as shot. By what I can learn, the- yield of wheat has been from! 24- to 50 bushels, and I think 35 bushels would! be a fair average. Barley and oats would go about 4-0, but this is not a good part for oats — the climate is too dry. The potafo crop, I think, will be fairly good, but turnips are now a failure. Grass is also badly burned up, and feed will very soon be scarce, .-md I am afraid that, although we got; rain, the season being so far advanced, ifc would not help it much. Ido not think that; there would be much over 400 acres to threeli now. and that is all in the stack. I think most people ore uleased with their yield, bufc the question is, What are they to do with it? — Correspondent North Otago Times.

The New Zealand Farmers' Co-ouerative Association ha*, sold to Air G. M'P,ae, of Cheviot, one of Mr F. C. Murray's two-tooth stud English Leicester rams for 30gs. — Lytteltcn Times.

The farmers at Waitahuna, writes the correipondent of the Tuapoka Times, have availed themnelves of the late fine weather in getting. in 11-eir harvest, there being very little grain left standing. What is still left will soon be down now, and the threshers will poon bs ia full operation. The grain crops have (although .somewhat late) come out well, and give every indication of a good yield. There will, however, be a very considerable shortV'i,Q in the returns from the oat crop in this district this feas-on, due to the fact that a large area of the land formerly cropped has been laid down in grass and turnips, farmers in fie eaiiy part of the season hming FPon no reason to anticipate any improvement in tiie price for oats i tiling 3ast season. They have, therefore, gone in largely for stock raising. Of course, tho South African war has had the effect of raising the price of oats materially from last season's rates ,• bufc this, of course, was not to be foreseen. The gra== and turnip crops are looking well, and as all kinds of stock are fetching good prices lust now, and there is a reasonably fair price for oatd. T daresay the farmers will come out alright at the end of the season.

Some two years ago, says the Lyttelton Times, the Agricultural department procured i'rom the Government Experimental Farm at Wagqa Wagon, in New South Wales, 40 varieties of wheat, with the object of ascertaining winch would Drove most suitablo for the requirements, of New Zealand. The dejiarfcment, having no pxperimentai farm in Canterbury which is the chief wheat-growing district, entered into avr^nae-ment* a. private p:or>ertv-holder at Waihao Downs, who tokea great interest in fuch matters, to grow these varieties for the Government, under the special direction of the Agricultural department. The crops, upon maturity, were duly threshed out, pyeafc cave being p.xerci=ed in keeping ti'cm f-pnarote. Th« whole- of the seed thus obtained was sown the following senior. Mr Kirk, biolocrist to the A aricultural department, hap iu^t returned from a visit of inspection in the district, and states that the crop- 5 are looking well. He collected cl:ita reaarding the tyro years' growth of the grain, which will enable the department to say which of the varieties will be tno-<f suitable for the several wheat-growing districts in the colony. The areas planted rangs frciii oneeighth of an acre up to 10 acres, and the crops are now belnsr rained. The grain will be available for distribution to such farmers as aiv ru'aparfd to cultivate it. but whether, ifc v.ill be gratuitously distributed, or a «mail charge vec bushel made a1?a 1 ? in New South W->lc°. h. n - no* vet bean decided. The vririeties arc all hcaKhy, no disease having appeared amongst them.

The London Meat Trades Jourral sars: — Whether agriculture is depressed or not. the "British farmer may boast that it is to England the world has to come for the bp.-t cattle. Madeira V. the celebrated Jeisav belonging to Mr H. H. Howard- Vv.-e. of Stoke pace. Slough. hr>-s just been sold for Australia. The price given for her was £157 l(k

Harvesting operations are in full swine Reports of heavy crops on Baysvisiter reach u1?u 1 ? (Winton Record), whilo the fertile plains of Oreti and Heddon Bush, nre a-- luxuriant' in growth as ever. "With good prices at present existing, the farmer's life should be a Imppv one. although somewhat marred by tho fact that a shilling an hour is the ruling wage for harvest hands.

In most of the districts in the North Inland reports state that the present farming season has been most successful. Tn the San,don (Rangitikei) district the thvpshinq; machines have been at work lately, pnd f onto excellent returns are recorded. One paddock threshed 72 bushels of oats to the acre, and in another 62 bushels to the acre. Tn wheat equal success is recorded — 4-8 and 49 bushels per acre respectively being obtained. Although theso yields ore remarkably good, it i< expected they will be no exception to the rule throughout ihc district. Farmers in the TVyndham district are comnlamiug of the scarcity of labour for harvest work, and mill hands arc commanding higher rates of pay. \\hieb is calculated to amount to about lean hour all round. One cause or this dearth of hands is the rabbit-trapping in, duf-try. and another the wsv, which has taken awnr'many young men whose custom it was to do harvesting work. Tn the North Canterbury district, from noon ypsterdpy. a steady rain fell, says Saturday's Press, which indicated that, the present dj-onc-M had apparently broken up, ar.d fcto

raiiv will be- in favour of the growth of grass on paddocks from which it seemed to have been -exhausted by the dry weather. The country ,. roads, cut. up by &hcep and other traffic, will be improved. The Noxious Weed Act should be put in force, and the first to feel its weight should be the Crown Lands Board; the next should be those apathetic gentry in small townships who calmly allow this gaudy, useless plant to flourish at their very doors, to become a nuisance and a cost to all- farmers 10 miles round. A simultaneous effort can relieve the world of this new curse. — Exchange.

Harvesting has been general throughout the Bruce district, says the Herald, for the past fortnight, and the best part of the grain is now in stook. Owing to the favourable weather, threshing from the stook is very much in evidence all over the Tokomairiro district, and some splendid yields are reported.

At Rongotea a settler threshed out 84bushels to the acre from a crop of sparrowbill cats this season, and then a large amount Teas wasted on the ground. A crop of barley went 54- bushels to the acre. — Timaru Post.

During the week ended January 27, six steamers landed at Liverpool from various American and Canadian ports, 3032 cattle, 1991 sheep, and 6554- quarters, and six refrigerators of beef. Compared with the preceding week, these arrivals show a decrease of 2651 cattle, 4846 sheep, and 11,879 quarters of beef.

The value of rabbits exported from the port of Bluff laat year was £70,000— only JSIO.OOO less than the value of mutton. - The Sydney Pastoralists' Union has increased the shearing rates to the amount paid prior to the last strike, so far as South Australia is concerned. This means that in the north £1 per 100 will be paid in future.