AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2416, 28 June 1900, Page 4

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

By the Talune, from Hobart, there arrived nine magnificent purebred stud merino rams. Five of them have been selected from the best fiooks in Tasmania by the representatives of Messrs Robert Campbell and Sons (Limited), for use in their famous stud merino flock at Otekaike. One of them, said to be _tlle highest-class merino sheap ever landed in New Zealand, was purchased from and bred by the Hon. James Gibson, cf BeJlevue. For this ram tho Messrs Campbell' had to pay 500 guineas. The other rams are from noted breeders also, such as Mr Grubb, Mr Gatenby, etc. Four of the "Grubb" raro.3 are for Messrs A. D. Bell, of Shag Valley station (2), and Mr M. J. S. Mackenzie, of Kyeburn station. The sheep were on view at Messrs Wright, Stephenson, and Co.'s store, High street, and we purpose having photos of some of them in next week's illustrated supplement.

Tka Oamaru Mail understands that the Taieri and Peninsula. Dairy Factory Company intend to proceed at once with the erection of ' creameries at Maheno and Ardgowan. The timber is now being got ready and the work of erection will Be put in hand without delay, so that the creameries may be ready for work in September next. The directors have secured from the Government a site for theArdgowan creamery on the land set aparb for dairy factory purposes when the estate wag cut tip for settlement.

The large qut^itily of grain still remaining unthreshed in the district to the south uf Timaru. is a subject of general remark with' railway passengers travelling on the, main line (fays the Timaru Post). The low price ruling this year is probably the cause of farmers holding their crops, and probably the difficulty in finding storage accounts for 'the delay in threshing. Owing to the low price of grain, a gfcafc number of stacks in the Tapanui district are being thatched this season.

The present winter will be remembered for the severity of its June frosts (says the Tapanui Courier), and on Saturday last the ice was unusually thick. Mr J. W. Malcolmson, the managing secre-.

Send for Nimmo axd Blaib's List of New Zealand grown Bulbs, containing All the Finest Varieties at reasonable Prices, Po3t free p_a AgpUoatioa,

tary of the Fairfield Freezing works, had on exhibition in the company's room in the Ash- : burton .Ajcacle "a few days ago a splendid exhibit of mangels, swedes^, turnips, carrots, etc., grown in the Belfast district by the aid ; of- Belfast manures. They had been sent down to form part of an exhibit which the ; ©xnployees at the Fairfield works had arranged for the Pretoria demonstration at Ashburton. ' i Mr Malcolmeon thought them worth exhibiting to the Ashburton farmers, but he wels ] little prepared to hear a number of Willowby, Hinds, Flemington,- and Longbeach. . farmers say they would bring in specimens to < beat them. The largest mangel exhibited" was 35in in circaunferenoe. The collection at- j tracted the keen attention of a very large ■ number of farmers. . ] The exports of grain and produce from • Lyttelton for the week ending the 15th inst. ] include the following lines: — 13,033 sacks '. ■wheat, 1578 sacks and 2490 bags flour, Ifc,sc6 ' sacks and 151-1 bags 1 oats, 53 sacks meal, : 1486 sacks barley, 1915 sacks malt, COS sticks -I bran,' 130 sacks sharps, 4-10 sacks pollard, 269 • eacks peas, 403 sacks beans, 8911 sacks and ' 932 eases potatoes, 167 sacks and 14-37 gun- ( nios' onions, 184- sacks carrots, 13 sacks seed, j 373S sacks and 30 bags chaff, 1315 bales hay, i and 250 bales straw. . ' Notes from Fairlie, in the Timaru Herald : j Tlie weather has been bright and frosty , for some weeks past, and not very favour- { , able for tillage r operations; but the autumn ', wheat sowing was pretty well finished by \ the end of May, so that the stoppage of - field work for a time is not of so much con- ' sequence. Messrs Wilson, Nixon, and Gillingham are the chief wheat growers in the - Fairlie riding, and have gob the usual area Bcfwn in good time, and as the land was in , good trim for working, the earlier powii por- ' tions have como away well, and already ~ ( present a green appearance with a strong braird. Last season's crop has not yielded ; quite so well as that of the previous year, \ but in t some instances the aveiage has been ] very satisfactory. Oats have turned out well, . and the mills have made^ome excellent daily \ tallies. Grass made good growth during' ths , autumn, and there is a good store laid up for the winder. The turnip crop could have been a little heavier without being anything j phenomenal, "but good turnips are convpara- : tively rare this year in all parts. Some of j the best this year are to be eeen up Strath- - oonan estate, while Allandale also possesses 'J a few good paddocks. Tlie Jloeks in this district are looking well, and with a moderately j. favourable winter the breeding ewe 3 should c give a good account of themselves at lambing + time. ' ) "It is understood that the Agricultural de- ] partment has drawn up a scheme for utilis- « ing the Levin State farm for stock breeding \ and a dairy college. i The Southern Standard institutes a com- c parison between the export trade of New c Zealand 10 years ago and the present day, c and refers to the stable prosperity that pre- 1 yails throughout the colony in the follow- -~1 ing cheerful strain : Those who take an in [ j terest in the material welfare of the colony ' t always look forward to the annual returns c lupplied by the liegistrar- General. The re- ! turns for the year ending December 31, 1899, ' i tell a tele of unbounded prosperity during the c past 10 years, or the period 1890-99. Com- : c paring the figures between the dates men g tioned, we find a tremendous difference in t the yoluzne of trade. The total exports (ex- } j eluding specie) have advanced from a value ' c of £5,928,895 to £8,613,656, or an ixicrease of t .. 45.28. per cent. . . . Tlie export of wool ' t gives a total of 14-7, 169, 4-971b, as against ; i 102,817,0001b, with a correspondingly increased j value. This product shows the least increase , of the products exported. Frozen meat has \ increased from 898,894ewt to 1,865,827cwt in ' , 1899, or in value from £1,037,617 'to ' ( £2,038,856. The value of cheese exported in ' ( 1890 was £84-,9£6, as 'against £14-1,818 in 1899. : c The increase in butter exported is almost in- < credulous, having increased from £122,701 in - 1890 to £571,799. If the land policy of the i Hon. J. M'Eenzie is not entitled to a share ' i of the credit of this remarkable growth, we i do not know what is. The Lands for Set- ■ t ftlement Act, which enabled the small capi- \ t talist to get a small farm, has in a grant mea? ' j sure brought aboiit this great result. Rural i land in cultivation and in grass has grown i from 8,015,426 acres to 12,474,511 acres; and, i notwithstanding the number of sheep and c cattle exported, the former has increased by i 3,200,000, and the latter by 378,000. We may j alao note that horses have increased by 51,000. 1 All this shows the' great advantage of divid- 1 Sng the country into small holdings of suit- i able areas, instead of allowing it to remain ' in its native state in large areas, and only 1 available to the man of means. The value i of land with improvements has increased by i 24.7 per cent. No one can deny the fact i that the worker and citizen are a great deal < better off at the present time than they were < 10 years ago. The small settler is also in a , much better position. There are several £ causes that have contributed to this, and not j the least among them are the repeal of the < Property Tax and substitution of the Land t and Income Tax, the cheap money scheme 1 fpr farmers, the Lands for Settlement Act, ' j cheap freights, and a popular land tenure. , 1 All these have had an influence on our s growth and expansion of trade. • Wyndham notes, from the Farmer : Mr ' c Kinsella., the new Dairy Cornmisr-ioner, has < completed arrangements for the opening oj: t a olasa for dairy study at Wyndham, in the T premises of the local diary factory. We un- c deretftad that the class will h® run on some-

what similar lines to the daily school held in previous years at Edendale, Waverley, etc., but that cheese only will be manufactured. It is expected that upwards of 50 factory managerE- will avail themselves of this oppoitunity for practical study in their profession. Besides Mr Kinsella himself, iushuctors Sawers and M'Gowan, and probably other members 'of the Dairy Expert staff, will be in attendance. Instructor Sawers has already aranged to procure the necessary milk from Wyndham and Island factories. It t is intended to open the class on Wednesday, 4th July, and to run it for upwards of three weeks. — A well-attended committee meeting of the ploughing match committee was held on the 16th inst., the president, Mr S. Clark, in the chair, 'i'ho Ground Cimmittee submitted its report, giving the choice of three suitable paddocks that Lad^been offered_for the annual match, to be held on Wednesday, 4th July, and it was decided to accept that of Mr Robert Craig, Thornlis Park. Edendale. It was zesolved to have four classes — vis., Class A, champion double furrows; Class 8., double furrows (non-champion) ; CJass C, juniors; Class D., digger. The UFisal liberal prizes will be donated. — The other day we had the pleasure of meating Mr John Ohisholm, presently of Outram, and until lately the genial proprietor of Ivanhoe farm, Edendale. Since leaving this district Mr Chisholm, who looks the picture of health, has indulged in a good bit of travelling through the North and Middle isles of this colony, and one of his main impressions, it seems, was the very high price that is being quoted for first-class* agricultural land in contiguity to the main centres. For instance, values run up to £20 and £30 an acre for land close to Hastings, ' Hawke's Baj ; and round about Ell&smere district, near Ohristchurch, still higher figures obtain. Mr Ohisholm — no mean judge, by the way— was particularly struck with the fertility of the Ellcsmere soils. | From ths Ohiistchurch Prea<3 : — The following have been invited_to attend the Agricultural Conference in Wellington, in addition to the delegates representing the various associations: — Sir John Hall, and Messrs Thos. Alackensie, P. Pattullo, J. G. Wilson, W. G. Foster, H. Overtoil, H. V. Fulton, D. Peat, J. Bayiie, J. H. Coieman, P. W. Adams, J. D. Bite-hie, T. W. Kirk, J. A. Gilruth, and J. A. Kinsella. The four last-named represent Government departments. — It is stated that 'several of the exhibitors of implements have agreed together not to exhibit at some of the local agricultural shows, on the ground that the expense of preparing, railage, entry, and exhibiting is very great, while the farmers leave the inspection of machinery to the larger shows. — Mr Holderness, inspector of stock, has received from the Department of Agricul- ! ture a case containing 39 samples of wheat, ' and these are new open for inspection at his office. Mr Holderness is empowered to take orders for any of these samples at 4s 6d per bushel, on board tho train at Waihao Downs. ' This is in connection with the experiments that ' are being carried out by the department as j to the most suitable kinds of wheat for the ■ country. j At a representative meeting of flaxmiller!> held at Foxton recently it was unanimously decided — "That it is desirable that a dulyqualified Government flax grader should be appointed." Mr H. Austin, of Messrs Auks- j tin Bros., was appointed the accredited re- • presentative of the flaxmills in the Foxton ] district to visit the Philippine Islands in order j to gather all possible information regarding , the -production and probable supplies of Ma- ! nila hemp. I It is devoutly to be hoped that during the ' present session of Parliament a measure will I be introduced, in the interest of sheepbreeders and farmers, to punish any person who keeps ! dogs that are in th© habit of worrying sheep. Grievous complaints are heard from all parts | of the colony of the loss stistained by farmers j consequent on the nocturnal visits of those j animals. As a rule, it is exceedingly difficult ' to secure a conviction in those cases, but we ! trust that when the ownership of the brutes is clearly proved such a substantial pen- \ alty will be imposed as will tend to check i this nefariotis practice. Writing on this sub- j jeofc, the Rural World says: Those farmers i who number sheep among their stock will I read with pleasure the news that both at the Central and at the local Chambers of Agriculture resolutions have been adopted approving of Mr Long's Dogs Regulation Bill, and • particularly of thai clause which provides for ' the making of by-laws by any county or I borough for preventing dogs of all classes from straying between sunrise and sunset, j The havoc wrought in an incredibly short time among a flock oi sheep by a dog given J to worrying is not easily realised by those , unacquainted with such a disaster, and any j measure which can either obviate altogether i or minimise the danger will be heartily welcomed by thoae engaged in sheep-farming. Sir W. Lyne, Premier of New South Wales, speaking of the proposal to acquire estates and cut them up for closer settlement after the manner of New Zealand, remarked that there was no doubt that a schema of this kind would do more by 500 times to put j people -in a position to earn a living on the j land and beoomo happy and contented than almost anything they could do. Numbers of lambs have been lost at Drysdale (Victoria) lately through the depredations of birds, believed Lo be magpies, whioh pick the eyes out of the lambs as soon as they aio born, in the same manner that the sea gulls i do in some parts of New Zealand. Professor Galfier, of the Lyons Veterinary

(Joiisge, maintains that milk infected with tuberculosis cannot be regarded as sterilised in being heated during six minutes at a temperature varying fiom 153deg to loSdeg Fahr. The virulence of the tuberculosis can only be partially de&troyed'; the introduction of the contagion, even in .small quantities, into the system, by partially-sterilised milk, will end "by poisoning the imbiber, and^whetlier for man or animals, the milk taken ought to be boiled. , At the meeting of the committee of the Canterbury A. and P. Association, hsid on tho 20th inft.. the following recommendations to the Agricultural Conference -were paised for support Ly the delegates of the association: — '"That the yearly recurring insufficiency of grain truck^is a serious loso taicl inconvenience to farmers, and urgently demands the attention of Parliament." "'That increased facilities bra given for obtaining trucks and sheets for the conveyance and co\ eiing of produce, particularly straw, chaff, grain, tii-iber, etc." "That GJ-overnment be approached with a view to a better supply of sh&ep trucks." "That in the opinion of tuis conference a Noxious Weeds Bill, dealing with the Califoruian thistle only, is urgently needed!" "That the Government be asked to take such measures as will expedite the transport of stock to •and from shows by running .special trains, and minimising the number of "That analysts be employed by Government in tho principal centres for the purpose of analysing manures and soils." "That Government be approached, with a view to having an alteration of the law &o as to enable an' analysis of manures with the names of the manufacturer and vendor to be published for the benefit -of farmers." "That in the opinion of this conference it is desirable that the telephone gystem should be extended to the country districts in a greater degree than is at present the case." "That with a view to uniformity in the nomenclature of apples and pears — thereby avoiding much confusion end loss to growers — the department be a&'ked to make inquiries as to cost of obtaining from the most reliable source a collection of models of all the leading and most marketable varieties of apples and pears. Sets of these models to be available for all fruitgrowers' associations and other inteiested bodies throughout the colonies at cost price." The delegates were also instructed to oppose tho proposal of th-e Ashburton Association, for the establishment of a show to be held alternately in the North and South Islands, somewhat on the lines of the Royal Show in England. Tlia committee expressed its appioval oi the bill promoted by the Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Society, to enable agricultural associa* tions to acquire freehold and leasehold lands m order to erect thereon offices or other biiiklings. Pastoralists representing 7,000,000 acres of land in the Western district of Victoria are asking the Government to appoint a commission of inquiry to guide the Legislature as to the lemsdial measures which should b° taken for those who are suffering from protracted drought and the devastations of rabbits. The Oamaru Mail, in its leading article of the 2_lst inpt., directs attention to the injustice inflicted upon hard-working sottlers in being taxed for improvements effected by thenown industry: — The Waikakahi settlers are up in arms in consequence 'of the burdeiisomeness of the taxation which they are called upon to suffer under the existing law. The majority of those settlers are men of modest means, who relied largely upon their frugality and industry to carry them through with their financial obligations. By dint of exceeding care, skill, and activity many of them have succeed-ed in effecting such improvements as were required by the law, and, perhaps, something more, but they only acquired the necessary cash with difficulty. But no sooner is a fence erected, a house built, grass sown, ditches constructed, swamps chained, than the local authorities impose taxation year after year on the increased value that their improvements impart to th-e land. This is plaeiiig an embargo on that enterprise the encouragement of which is necessary to real progress, not only of the industry immediately concerned, but of trade and commerce generally. It is a cruel, thoughtless, and shortsighted policy. . . . The Waikakahi settlers cannot be blamed for bestirring themselves to remove such a grievance as that from which they now suffer. Theirs is a double grievance ; for they pay taxation on their rental which is based on the full selling value of their holdings, whilst freeholders £>re taxed at a rate somewhat more considerate, as it is usual to v allow a liberal deduction from the actual value of their properties. There should have been a provision in the Land for Settlements Act inhibiting local bodies from taxing the State tenants on improvements which they often effect by dint of considerable sacrifice. They would, even with such relief, contribute their full share of taxation because of the higher assessments oil which they are taxed, which are in accordance with the ample rentals they pay. We are eenvinced that it was never intended that those whom the State encourages to go on land secured specially to enable them to help themselves and advance the general prosperity were to be subjected to a system of fiscal depletion which penalises every step they take to achieve the object the State had in view in adopting so philan- , thropic a policy. t The Canterbury A. and P. Association has resolved to offer for competition at the Jubilee show a merino cup, value not less than £50, with a gold medal, value £5 ss. Each exhibitor will be allowed to enter not less than throe or m'oie fcb.au five merino rams", not more

than one year and four months old en November 1, 1900, all rams to be bred by exhibitor. The rams ce.n be entered for any other section for which, they are qualified, either at the show of 1900 ,-or 1901. There will be an entry fee of £1 Is, three competitors or no competition,- the winner to receive the medal and have his name inscribed on the cup find hold it till the next year, and th<? exhibitor winning the cup three times to be come the possessor of the cup. The rams entered will bp exhibited at the show in November, 1900, inspected by judges, and tho yams not disqualified by the judges will be taken charge of "by the committee, .shorn and grazpd by them, but at owners' risk. The rams will be exhibited at the show of 1901. and shorn again. The ne-pces of greasy 'wool will then be handed by the committee to a competent woolclasser to be Fcourpd. The fleeces of scouted wool will be valued by experts appointed by the committee in 1901, who will state the money value of each fleece, and the fleece showing the greatest money value to be declared the winner. The Lvtteltou Times of the 21c,!; inst. says : About -Tune II a farmer-named Fitzgerald, on the Levels Plains;, missed 69 of his sheep He communicated with the police, who found that about 160 sheep had been devDotched by rail to Messrs Matson and Co., of Chri-4-church, for sale. The sheep reached the;! 1 dcbtmation, and were drafted and sold on Wednesday, Juno 13, and 67 of them were disposed of in one lot to one purchaser. Detective^ Marsack and CasselL*, who had the matter in hand, were on Tuesday successful in obtaining possession of 26 of the °hrep and the skins of 41 which had been killed in the meantime. This, with the exception of two, accounted for the whole lot stolen.* W. 351iis Mills, a butcher of Timaru, and a man named Millington haye been arrested on a charge of stealing the sheep. The case has 'been remanded until June 28.. This season has been a splendid one for the blacksmiths and those who deal in duplicates for* ploughs. Not for many years have there been so many breakages of parts of ploughs owing to the frozen character of the around operated upon. So much has this been the case that ploughing operations in the Oamaru district may be said to be 'entirely suspended. This is an exceptional state of affairs. Usually ploughing has proceeded during the entire winter, but, King Front holds firm sway this season. — North Otago Times. Late reports from the whole of the northern districts of "Victoria regarding the £>rospects of the season are cheering. The sowing of the cereals is well advanced towards completion, and where the crops are over ground the growth is vigorous and healthy, and the wheat plant is stooling splendidly. The following obituary notice of an old resident appears in the Mount Benger Mail of the 22nd iDst: — Still another member of that now thin line which makes up the hardy pioneer element of Teviot district has fallen from the ranks. We refer to Mr AlexandevMapdonald, farmer, Teviot Flat, who, after a brief illness, died at hie residence, "Glenleo," on Saturday, the 16th inst., at the age of 70 years. Mr Macdonald left Home about the time of the gold fever, and landed in "Victoria in the yeai 1857. and, remaining there for a time, reached Gabriel's Gully in 1861. Subsequently he made for and went through the vicissitudes of the Dunstan rush. In 1562 hs lauded in the Teviot, where he continued to follow the occupation of a digger. Although his luck was never quite phenomenal, yet by dint of prudence and determination of purpose Mr Macdonald was enabled in 1875 to acquire "Glenlea," which was on offer by the Government. All that part of Roxburgh was a species of wilderness then, but, in conjunction with the late Mr Woodhouso and Mr M'lntcfsh, a system of irrigation was introduced which has made these land& lucrative and fair to look upon. Universal sympathy has been expressed for Mrs Macdonald and daughter and three song in their great bereavement. Correspondents of the Mataura En&ign : — Tokonui : The dairy factory hos shut down for the season, and Mr Ross, the manager, has left. I understand that he has been reengaged to come back next s<«ison. He was very successful at the Dunedin Agricultural show, having been awarded one first prize, two. seconds, and one third for his make of cheese from the factory. Both fbxmills arc still rmvninsc. and, I understand, getting ths fibre dry, although, on the whole, the weather has not been very favourable for that purpose. — Mossburn : The severe frost, coming on after some very beautiful late autumn weather, has quite destroyed all vegetation. Still, turnips and straw are in plenty, ond stock are looking well. Farmers are all but finished threshing. There were some very good .yields, although the phenomenally heavy ones belong to other districts. The plough is stopped for the present on account of the frost, and farmers may be seen carting a.way grain to the railway siding. Our last sale cannot be said to have been a great success, prices not reaching holders' figures. Many sheep were withdrawn from sale, but cattle, however, sold fairly well, and a few horses changed hands at ; what were considered satisfactory prices. The Olifden correspondent of the Western Star writes: Winter is upon us at last, and the grass is now assuming its wintry appearance. It was growing to the end of last month. Farmers are now putting their sheep on breaks of turnips, and some have good hay in racks. The turnips are a very fair crop, taking them 11 over. - Threshing is

going on here at present — a thing that should not 'occur, as the mill could have clone our bit of threshing- before the Jong days er.ded, &* there are only about 2000 sacks on . ths fiat. I don't think this ' will be exceeded before the railway comes to (.he ferry. Carting grain from here is a slow game, being too far away and a bad road, exempt in summer. Our road to Drumniond's Ferry is simply a bog, up to .the horse's girths in'lois of plpees. I hope our member will soon get; it put in order, as ho has been about seeing what we want, and no doubt we will get something doiie thip summer to give us on outlet. We have had a long soell of frosiy v.-paiher at Tahatika, but il looks like bi caking up. I hea>- some trappers complaining of tho hard froat. Two tabbit traps still continue running, one for Mt Black and one for Mr Hargood. Threshing operations are finished in tliis locality, and the yield in most cases ha? beew very satisfactory. Some farmers arc carting their oats to Owaka. and the roads will get a little cut up. though they are exceptionally good for this time of the year. — Correspondent Clntha Leader. Mr J. D. Jrlunter, of East Gore, who is an honorary ranger under the Acclimatisation Society, has been instructed to obtain evidence as to the depredations of hares, and that; gentleman has requested v.s (Mataura Enrign) to intimate that he will be pleased to heav from ony farmers who may be able to throw light on the subject. Notes from correspondents of the B'>lelutha Free Press of the 22nd inst. : — Kaitangata: Th.ere is to be seen on Balloon Favm a huge bullock, which i? said to weigh fully 16owt. Tlie animal was, bred by Mr W. S. Moslcy, and wos recently purchased by 33^ W.. Patrick, of Dunedin, who intends to e-srhifoit ifc fit the forthcoming summer show. The animal i<* the lar<ze?t ever seen in the district, and of fine quality. — "Ratanui : The plough is again at work, and rome of the paddocks are already turned up to the,Aveathe!\~ ftlowlj*. but surely, bunny is being; decreased, and weekly he is to be seen carted to Owaka to Win his comrades in the- freezing xoora.'- — Clinton : We have been favoured with sn exceptionally fine spell of weather this kst fortnight. The farmers have taken full advantage of samei and have got most of their grain carted, Pnd a few have started ploughing. Nearly all the wayside stations are full of grain, and it is an extremely difficult matter at the present time to obtain trucks. The departmenb are, .however, supplying any amoixnt of tarpaulins, so that grain outside of the sheds does not take any harm this frosty weather. Ths Drurnmond correspondent of the Wes-tf-rn Stay records the death of Mr Allan •Tones, an esteemed and popular settler, in the following sympathetic words : — The deceased was a man who, by enersry and industry, had carved out for himself a good position, and notwithstanding the time required to look's fter his own concerns, he found ample leisure 1 to actively identify himself with the organisations which promote the welfare of a district and the interests of a farming community generally. Of a usually cheerful nature, he was universally liked, and being a regular attendant at shows and stock sales far and near, he was widely known and respected. His 600-acre farm at Drummond was kopt and stocked in a manner which showed him to- have been a capable faxuner. and his early demise is a sreat loss. Mr Jones leaves a wife and six children to mourn their loss. * The Lumsden correspondent of the Southland Times reports : — The frost is the most severe we have experienced for some years, and all out-door operations are at a standstill. The rabbiters generally are not much troubled, as they are not over anxious to trap at 6d per pair, the price going just now. C4rnin is coming in slowly, I understand, owing to there b?inpr no market for it. Anyway, there is a good deal in hand just now. It is currently reported that Messrs Ellis Bros, have takpn charge of the Five Rivera estate again. Most of us hope this is true, it being green in our memories how different things were when they worked it before to what they have been of late years. Lately there has been next to no labour, barring tl-.e &hepherd<s. employed, whereas previously between working and cropping, fencing anrJ other work there were pome dozens of men employed on the f-tntion. That it may be sc aaain is the steneTal wish expressed here. Notes from Mataura in the Southern Standard of the 22nd inst. :— The Mataura dairy factory closes on the 27xh inst., after a very successful year. The supply of milk ha? been large, suruaesing that of any previous year. While the shareholders and management may have bean disappointed in not securing the cup at the Dunedin winter show, it is satisfactory to know that they top the market for the season's output of cheese. The final meeting, of the Mataura Ploughing A&soeiation was'held on Thursday last. It was resolved to wind-up the affairs of the association, and, after paying expenses, to hand the balance (£2 10?) to the treasurer of the Indian Famine Fund. This association was formed in June 1885, and for many years its affairs were carried on -with marked success, Mr William Pryde acting as honorary secretary and Mr Thomas

For the Planting Season, 1900, Nntiro AND Blair have for Sale the " Superlative " and "Hornet" Raspberries, both new Sorts, and vastly Superior to the Varieties grown beret Prices on Application,

Mac Gibbon as president. The ploughing tion adjoining the township, has also arrived, matches held annually until 1898, were looked and contemplates building immediately. These upon as the lS ones of the' Eastern dis- are in addition to several previously menEU^r&^XZX^&Z gentlemen *-, in -ponse SS Sere £^ yomv-er generation se£L to be indifferent Mr T. Brydone on "Lime in Agriculture" ; IboutLvTg ploughing contests, this time- Mr G. Gray, P. 0.8. <^^ *F^[£ honoured association has collapsed. College, on Ihe Composition and Feeding . From correspondents in Mount^ Ida Ohro- ™f*%£E^ .^^f^ , frosts. . Ploughing has commenced on seve- 8 Conference is well in hand, and ral farms, and a goodly number of pa«M°£* . prospect of a successful meet.have been sown m grass, rye, and €ape barley JT* _L y ttelton Time* for feeding purposes in the spring.— Eyeburn: - m Bm B- l^telton lime.. Threshing is now about and farmers . The recent milking competition at Ayr, who are Parting their grain to the railway are says the Scottish Farmer, suggests some lesin luck, as the roads ire splendid. The re- sons. The gamekeeper's champion cow-.i cent hard frost has stopped all ploughing and decent red-coloured Ayrshire which had the rabbit trapping " .Very little ploughing has honour oi being presented to the .Duke of leendon??n this lo6ality, -the principal f rea- foJ^T^r^^f o J^T^ r^^Z 51b 1^'ff 0^*'?? son being the lateness of the harvest, so we ; butter fat and 8 o2lb solids other than fat, may expLt a good deal of hurry to get the s but she only got 14- points for commercia ground fumed over as soon as the frost breaks g^ UP An Upper Waiau correspondent writes to other than fat. got 16 points for commercial the Riverton SUr pointing- out the great loss ,ya ue. In the thre^year-old class the buUer and inconvenience experienced by settlers in fat results were 3.281b 2.871b and 3.101b ; the back blocks of the Western district ow- 1 JJ nn _ o tae four-year-o.d class, 3.25 2.92, and ing to the want of a central shipping port: : 2.92; and in the any-age class, 4 3d, 3.6, 4.05, Settlers in the back blocks of this district 3.51 and 291 per cent The three-year-old feel the want of a central shipping port very which got least value for points got best for much indeed. The distance that they have i butter fat. and the one that got the highest to travel to an out-of-the-way seaport town i for commencial value only yielded 2.87 per ds perfectly ruinous to them. It eats away « cent, butter xat May it !>e interred from all their earnings, and leaves" no surplus for j these things that the angular cow man is them to live on. They want roads, lailways, ! ngM? I« the best-looking cow the least proand harbours. If these works are denied, ntable. the land, without ah outlet,' is not such a great At the last Wallacetown sale Mr C. Gray benefit to them. Above all. they want a declined 18s for three pens of extra heavy cential shipping port. Therefore, "i ask far- wethers, a cut of which sold at the previous mew, pastoral tenants, and all others who are sale at 19s Id. Mr John l'raser refused 14s concerned in various other industries to com- 9d for some very ripe ewes?. Store sheep bine as one in asking the Government to come showed a decline, and fat lambs suffered to to our aid and erect a wharf at this seaport the extent of a fall of 3d and 6d. lat cattle town called Riverton. If "there is sufficient t were hard to quit at late rates.— V\ estern harbour accommodation provided at this sea- Star. port, it will, without a doubt, give substan- In last Friday's Ohristchurch Press, Messrs tial assistance to all industries in this district. George G. Stead and Co., for the benefit of Items of news from the Clutna Leader:— i those interested in the comsacks question, The turnip crop on Inch-OlulLa this year ' published the following letter which they re is more than usually good, and the con- cently acklre^ed to the Hon. J. G. Ward, tinued dry weather facilitates "eating off" in Minister for Railways -.—You are aware that no smsll decree. Mr Smith has a big mob a» ordinary wheat sack will hold lour bushels, of cattle eating off a very good crop in a and that' a movement is afoot to reduce the • paddock rear Stirling; and on the Island Mr size of cornsacks, so" as to reduce the weight W Wil"«on is similarly treating a of their contents. We have recently had ocfine crop of swedes that will run 10 or 12 tons casion to purchase Calcutta Hessian wheat to the acre.— The Bamego settlers cominue to pockets, similar to the ordinary California^ arrive and enter into possession of their hold- wheat bags. These bags will hold two bushels in<*s M---B M 'Donald lias made a start on of wheat, and their present value is in the hirgeiection No 13, while Mr A. Smith, neighbourhood of 2s 2d per dozen ex ship, Waibola is busy fencing on his, No. 16. Mr Lyttelton, as agamst 5s 4d per dozen for fourMurray, the successful pplicant for the sec- bushel cornsacks. At one lime, ilia writer

[ favoured the cental system, but there appears to be some divergence of opinion in this respect. It has, therefore, occurred to us that it would be practicable and convenient if we introduced the two-bushel bags. A twobushel bag would be easily ' handled and stowed. The cost of the bags,- as we have al,v, v ready explained, would be relatively 4s 4d for two dozen. two-bushel bags, as against 5s 4-d for one dozen four-bushel bags. Hence an economy would be effected in the cost of ', the bags. Furthermore, we might point out that aa California exports in round numbers 1,000,000 tons of wheat annually, and the twobushel bag has been found most stiitable and convenient in that market, there are fail' grounds for believing that it would be found equally suitable in this market. It would be too late now to make an alteration compulsory for the ensiling season, but we beg to suggest that the Railway department notify that during the next season it will carry wheat in two-bushel bags on relatively the same basis as wheat in. four-bushel bags, and indicate that for the year 1901-2 only twobushel bags will be carried.