SOUTHLAND AGRICULTURAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2408, 26 April 1900, Page 7

SOUTHLAND AGRICULTURAL NOTES.

(Fkoit Our Own Correspondent.) A good deal of fine weather has been experienced this month, and it is a The Weather fortunate circumstance, since

and the harvest is much later than The Harvest, usual. The only drawbacks

to harvest operations have been heavy dews and fogs in the morning*. The weather during the fortnight which ended on the 21st in&t. was very fine, and stacking has been completed almost everywhere. The stuff that was stacked late was in splendid order, and, no doubt, some farmers regret that they stacked a little too soon. Threshing has been carried on during the last two or three weeks, and the results are, in most cases, above farmers' expectations, and indicate that the yield is likely to be above the average of our best seasons. A largo number of farmers are anxious to get their crops threshed soon, before the paddocks become wet and the roads heavy; but, as threshing machines are too few in number, many will have to wait a considerable time. The' xise of traction engines for hauling dredge material seems to have something to do with the scarcity. Owners of portable engines are taking advantage of the opportunity offered them to use them, but some farmers prefer to wait a while rather than have their horses exposed to accident shifting them about. There has" been a very large area of land tinder oats, and I think the quality of the bulk of the cereal will be- good. The season was unfavourable for the ripening of wheat, and it is not improbable that it is frosted to some extent, just as the ryegrass was. Good sparrowbill oats were bought freely a fortnight ago at Is Bd, but the price has fallen since, and there is a disinclination to buy in the meantime. Farmers are, however, very hopeful of receiving a good price during the spring and summer, and I believe that there are many who will be able to hold. Oats are considered a #oo_d jQri^ jifen ihfflc a*a afc

Is 6cl here, on account of the heavy yields obtained. The pasture is very good, and it will not 'be necessary in most cases to put sheep early on the turnips. At the beginning of the year many farmers were afraid the turnip crop (iireen Avould be of little value, but Crops. there are indications now that the crop A\ill be heavy on most farms, except Awicre the seed Aras sOAvn on the flot surface on foul land. Nothing can be raid in favour of sowing the s-eed Avith the drill on most faring, as the weeds check the groAvth to a serious extent, and ihe crop of oats Avhich is gro»vn the next year is not of nearly po much value as the crop groAvn on land where the turnips haA'e bsen groAvn on the raised drill. Farmers Avill admit the truth of these remarks, but justify their methods on account of the scarcity of labour. It would be better, liOAvever, to cultivate a smaller area Avell, soav down to grass, and break up the land oftener. There are, I am glad 10 say, A\ay? ancl means of overcoming ths labour difficulty to some extent. The rape crop was Aery good this season, and helped to lelieve the pastuies, biit a number of farmers are asserting that this forage crop is not nearly so valuable for fattening as they were led to believe, and that the Greystone turnip giA - es better results. My experience is that in a Avet season rape induces a good deal of scouring, and that it cannot be so profitably used ta young pasture unleps the lambs havo the adA-antoge of stubble, or pasture, along Avith it. Doubtless, those aa'lio recommend groAving rape and turnips together haA T3T 3 found that tho former has not giA'en such good results in this humid climate as it has given in the north. Better results are observed here Avhere this forage crop is groAvn on broken land that is not all cultivated than Avhere there is little else to eat but rape. It has been Avell said that it is the farmer's eye that makes the beast fat, and close observation, a*> Avell as sound judgment, must be exercised in farming, as Avell as in other occupations, in order to attain great things.

Selectors of fat lambs' still complain that there is but a small percentage fit Fat for freezing, and remark that I/ftm'js. if they are not extremely

careful they Avill hr^ve a large percentage rejected at the works. But farmers are someAvhat indifierent, as the price for good stores is not much beloAV freezing prices. The freezing companies are very careful to export nothing but "prime Canterbury," and farmers Avill have to pay great attention to the fattening of lambs in future, as the prices of stores Avill not alAvaA^s be so near the same figure as fat Jamb prices i& they are this season. The -price paid on the farm for good fat lambs during the past fortnight to those Avho " AA'ere in the know ' AA*as from Ils to Ils 6d net. I saAV lambs which were described as fat passed in vt a sale recently at a figure betAveen 10s 6d and 10s 9d, but they Avere not Avhat they ivere described, and I am doubtful if many lots of fat lambs are submitted to public competition in Southland.

The rams are turned otit betAveen the 20 th and the end of this month. Sheep. The season used to commence

earlier—until it Avas seen that it was a' mistake to -have lambs appearing Avhen there was an. insufficiency of pasture. A number of farmers Avho sold their eAves early last harvest did not buy afterwards on account of the rapid and unexpected rise in value, and they are eagerly purchasing old eAA'es this season, so that boiling cloaa"ii cannot be thought of at the prices ruling. Brokenmouthed crossbred eAves in fair condition arc selling at 8s pncl upAvards, according to condition and state of the teeth. There is no objection to using broken-mouthed eAves if they are in good condition, as feeding on turnips causes the teeth to bo lost at a comparatively early age. Good condition is important, as in the case of broken-mouthed sheep they can only eat the shaws and portions of the turnips broken off by younger sheep. Where only small flocks are kept a feAV have taken the trouble to chop up a feAV drills of turnips occasionally, and in these cases the broken-mouthed sheep would do as Avell as the others, if the bits are small enough to be brought betAveen the molars, for these teeth, thought shortened ancl Ayorn, are never shed, so that mastication continues complete. Every experienced sheep-farmer Avill agree Avith the folloAving remark taken from Randall's "Practical Shepherd":- — " Old breeding ewes often live, thrive, and raise good lambs three or foui years after ceasing to have any front teeth."