AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

Otago Witness, 5 December 1900, Page 4

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

I A curious effect of the recent phenomenal i hailstorm, which swept over the Timaru disi trict, may be seen at a farm near "Woodbury* The garden round the house was devastated, some fruit trees tiiere being completely stripped, while the orchard, situated soniei 50 yards away, was unharmed. Taken as a whole, the fruit crop in the orchards near [ Woodbury were practically ruined. Some i idea of the severity of the storm can be I gathered from the fact that several windows were broken by the hailstones. Mr O. A. Pownall, - mayor of Masterton,' has suggested in the local papers, the desirability of establishing municipal freezing wofka at Mastertoii. As the borough musKestab--j lish immicipal abattoirs within the next 12* j months, he contends that it would be quita ! feasible to add .meat-freezing and preserving^ i works. | Forty-four beasta . liayje.. been destroyed m j the New Plymouth district in connection I with, the tuberculosis crusade. It is reported on- good' authority that the New Plymouth freezing works have been I purchased by the National Dairy Association,, j the price to be paid being £ll;000. A mob of draught horses taken from Canterbury to ,Westland realised between £50 and £60 each. The Brucs Herald understands that a farm, .at Lewisville changed hands at over £20 pei*, acre. During the recent flood a stack belonging; to Mr H. Palmer, of Otakia, was floated; from where it stood at one end of a paddock about 400 yards to the other end. and de- ; posited there just as though it had been built' jon that spot. The weight of the stack was probably between 15 and 16 tons. A rough estimate shows that the profit' in connection with the recent Manawatu A. and P. show will amount to about £350, while if; is estimated that the net gain for the yearwill be about £750. Four mortars are being manufactured afe Mackay, Queensland, for the purpose of experimenting in precipitation of rain by aerial concussion. A fire at Quinn's grain store, Studholme,; was got under by the Waimate Fire Brigade. The store is a good deal damaged, and it is estimated that about 5000 sacks' of grain were burnt, smoked, and damaged by water. The, origin of the fire is not known, and the in-^ surances are not yet ascer,tainable. , The Chief Inspector of Stock for Queensland reports that last year- 1,735,207 scalps of • marsupials and dingoes were received, and the 1 ' cost of destruction was £44, 392. A special train conveying about 5000 sheep, consisting principally of shorn hoggets and stoi?e wethers, will leave Milton, on Sunday, morning for Oainaru. The consignment,which has been purchased in the Tokomairiro,Lawrence, and Balolutha districts by an Oamaru buyer, ranging in price from 12s to 15s 3d. — Bruce Herald. The "Western Star says that the oat crop promises well, but the steady fall in the market has been disheartening to those farmers who could have got some months ago Is 6cl and are now offered Is 3d. Prices for sheep are high, and the wonderful spring and mild! winter are responsible, no doubt, for their present tip-top condition. Lambs have grown •with remarkable rapidity, and anywhere one may see them of truly phenomenal size for the short time that has elapsed since the lambing season. The Southland Metropolitan A. and P. Association's Summer show will be held oa Tuesday and Wednesday, December 11 and 12.Trains from the country will be run at cheap fares, and early stock trains provided. For the competition as regards weight of sheep this year, the Singer Sewipg Machine Company have offered as a prize a treadle machine value £14-.. >?ome .time back, says the Wyndham Herald, * a numerously-signed petition in favour of the resumption of Glenham estate for close settlement was presented to the member for tha district (it should have been to the Government, preferably), and the Commissioner of Crown* lands was sent to report on the jpeti- 3 tion. So far as we know, no answer has been' returned to the" petitioners. The purchase ofi the land "is looked forward to by a. number <ofi would-be settlers, and they have a right to know whether the Government mean to try! their resumption policy in this district, or, i£ not, why not? The output of the Kaitangata Creamery at present is from 50gal to 60gal of cream pee

If you wish to grow vegetables successfully and with comfort, buy a 'Tlanet Jr" wheel hoe. Full particulars from., Kiinio ABO "BlaiEj DuuecUo*

• day. This, although very (Satisfactory, is 'some gallons short of the quantity shipped daily from the factory last year. Th% cati&e of the falling off is due to several farmers in the district having sold their cows. " Mr William Wood, of the firm of William Wood and Co., Ghristchurch, returned on the - 24th ult. from a trip to England. Shortly after his arrival he was interviewed by a member of the Press staff, mainly upon the prospects ot the frozen meat trade in England. On being asked his experience of the condition of tne meat in the Home market, Mr Wood said that the meat was in splendid condition, and the freezing companies and shipping companies generally throughout this colony aeserve great credit for the way in which the meat has been frozen and carried. It looked wonderfully fresh and bright, and in many instances quite as ivell as when he saw it in the company's works here. The quick consumption this year of New Zealand meat was caused by the failure of the turnip crop in England last year, and by the short supply of Australian meat, and also of Argentine live stock ior the Wesi, of England. Mr Wood does not look for a continuance of the present high prices, ■because the Argentine people are increasing their output of frozen meat very largely, which is bound to have a lowering eftect on the market. To the query whether there is any foundation for the complaint as to other brands of frozen meat being sold in ii-ngiancl for '-'Prime Canterbury," Mr Wood replied: Our lamb is certainly advertised as /fnme Canterbury lamb" in many of the cities ot England and at many stores, and I never saw any other brand of lamb advertised. X am certain that a great deal of Canterbury meat "is sold in England as English mutton. I feel 'we should not do well to disturb the trade m this direction as at .present earned on. it we brand our meat sufficiently to distinguish ' it, we must disfigure it, and' that would be a fatal objection to our meat in the market. A meeting of the Gore Farmers' Club was held on the 24th ult. Mr John Falconer presided, and 13 members were present. Mr Beattie addressed the meeting on the subject of water rights. "He complained that when the .'question of declaring the Waikaka a sludge channel was under consideration, he made no claim for compensation, because he had o>,h.er streams flowing through his property, and did not wish to interfere with such an important operation as dredging; but' since then the water he did want, and could not do without, had been taken from him, not for gold-mining, but for purposes not contemplated by the act under which it was then taken. True, as much water as would run through an inch pipe had been left to him, but that was practically useless ; it would filter through the soil and be lost to sight. He spoke feelingly on the subject, as he was a heavy loser; but it ■was a matter that affected all members ot the club who had streams running through their properties, as they were liable to be treated ia the same way. He therefore urged that the club should take the matter up. Several members expressed their views on the matter, and their representative at the Farmers' Union was instructed to bring up the question. Victorian dairymen are having wonderful yields at present, and their industry is in a nourishing state. The area of land devoted to-this industry is yearly increasing. A return prepared by direction of the Victorian Minister for Agriculture shows that during this year 37,282 tons of oats have been shipped through the Department of Agriculture to the order of the Imperial military authorities in South Africa; 7942 tons to China, to the order of the British Govern- - ment; and 335 tons for the German Government, making a total of 45,559 tons. A letter received iin Adelaide from Mount Gason tells a deplorable tale of the 'state of the country between Hergott Springs and the - Queensland border. The writer state's that ' there is not a bit of feed within -100 mile 3of Mount Gason. A mob of cattle at the time of writing were about 70 miles from that place, and could not move either way ; they were "dying like a lot of rotten sheep." The correspondent stated' that the artesian bore at Mirra Mitta is shut down, and the men will not be able to 'start boring again imtil the rain falls. It is probable that, unless the drought breaks up, the bore at Mount Gason will also be stopped within the next few ■weeks. A shipment of horses to Java was made from Port Adelaide a few weeks ago. The

animals were carefully selected by Mr N. W. Stirling, and they are said tb be a very fine lot. 'Several consignments have gone from South Australia to Java recently, and it is expected that a profitable trade will be opened tip with that 'country. The monthly meeting of the Waitahuna Farmers' Olub was held on the 26th ult. ; Mr

J. H. Bateman (president) in the chair. The treasurer reported having paid tip to date £4 4s 4d for small birds' eggs, and that the bird poison had all been distributed, the result being very satisfactory. At a recent meeting of ihe Ashburton A. and P. Association it was .decided to make the annual show a two days' fixture in the

future. Miss Allen, of Sydenham, cays the Press, found an undesirable visitor in hex poultry ' run a few days ago in the shape of a stoat, •weasel, or ferret. It had killed three duckJings, and was engaged in a conflict with a ben with chickens, when Miss Allen appeared • on the scene, got hold of the animal, and " killed it. A meeting of the committee of the North Otago A. and P. Association took place last Wednesday. Mr J. Buckley presided. The secretary submitted a statement showing that- including a balance of £54 16s lOd SWBWjW" forward from the previous year, there

would be a balance to the credit on the year's operations of £357. There had been an increase of 4-7 in the number of members. The prize-money did not amount to as much as for the previous year. Members generally agreed that the position was one for congratulation, and after some discussion the president and three other members were appointed to revise the prize-list. A settler near JMaslerton lest two valuable horses the other day. They had returned from Te Ore Ore, to which place they had been ridden, and were given a drink at a creek, and each made several revolutions and fell dead. The cause of death is a mystery. In all probability a post-mortem examination will be held by officers of the Stock department. As a number of sheep have lately died in the neighbourhood, there is a suspicion, says the Wairarapa Star, that an outbreak of anthrax may have occurred. During the past week ox two -aegotiations have been going on in regard to further supplies of oats for South Africa, and we (Christchurch Pre^) are informed that some 15,000 tons, including the 5000 tons for which tenders were invited by the Government, have been sold to the Imperial Government, for immediate shipment. All the oats required to fill these orders have been obtained, and are awaiting shipment. The Buenos Ayres wool market, at the time oE the departure of the latest mail, was in a depre3sed and uncertain state in view of the fall of prices in Europe and the heavy stocks held over of the old clip. A graphic report of the state of business is given by a correspondent of the Textile Mercury :— -" Wo are in the dumps over the wool otitlook at present, and wondering what the next few months have in store for us. It is doubtful if we have ever approached a clip with such hazy prospects as at present. Calculating roughly, there must be in the neighbourhood of 20,000 tons of wool from last season still on hand, while Uruguay has probably 33 per cent, of its clip unshipped, and with October looming up for the start of the 1900-1901 season we are certainly in a pickle. 'When ■will wool stop falling?' is the cry. Compared with last year, prices are simply miserable, a fact that escapes nobody m reckoning iip the probable course of the gold premium." The Upper Olutha Valley A. and P. Association's annual show was held on the 23rd ult., and, although the weather was somewhat unfavourable, proved very successful,. The attendance of the public was fully up to the average. There was keen competition in the sheep and cattle classes. The exhibits of sheep were of a high standard, and all the pens were full. There was 'a good show of cattle. Great interest was evinced in the riding, jumping, and driving items. The competition for a lady's hack was very keen, Black Pearl being the winner. The pony class brought out a good number of entries, but the animals were mostly small horses instead of ponies by breeding. One of the animals shown by the winner, Mr Parsons, was a beautiful pony. As usual, the exhibits in the gram class were wofully deficient in number. 3he sample of wheat shown was a fine one, and the iuci»e, Mr Dickie, said that it wou'd 1 aye been an easy first at Blacks. The driving competition caused great interest, and was eventually won by Mr John Perriam. !bc jumping was hardly up to that of former jear.". J'lr Robertson won after a .-tiff stru^glf In the implement section the only exhibitor was the Massey-Harris Company, who showed binders, drills, etc., of the latest pattern, and design. The f aimers exinvned the imi ements with great intevesl, and were so well pleased that before the clay was i ver neai y everything was sold. At the annual meeting of the levels (Canterbury) County Council Mr C. N. Orbell, in the course of his address from the chair, stated that 152 bushels of poisoned wheat had been prepared during the season for the destruction of small birds, and that about 30 bushels v r ere still on hand. Two men had been employed in the winter months distributing the poisoned grain. So far as he could learn the poison had acted satisfactorily. An informal discussion arose at the last meeting of the North Otago A. and P. Association upon the question of compelling the judges at agricultural shows to award prizes regardless oi the merits of the exhibits. Mr Hedley defended the rule. He gave an instance of what had happened when the judges were invested with a discretionary power. Some sheep were shown a few years ago at the Oamam show by Dr Webster. The judge, who came from Canterbury, said that he could judge them riding past, and that they were not of good enough quality. He had withheld the prizes. Two sheep so treated were afterwards sent to the Christchurch show, and there beat the best that could be put against them. Other members having spoken, the chairman iemarked that the question was open to debate, and the matter dropped.

The total takings at the gates and stand at the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association's show have now been made up. The receipts from gates and stand amounted to £1310 14s 4d, while, exclusive of the stand receipts, the tobal was £1240 9s lOd. Last year the gate money (not including stand receipts) was £1126 19s 6d, and as thai was the highest sum that had till then been taken by the association, it will be seen that this year's figures establish a very satisfactory record. At a meeting of the directors of the Waikouaiti Dairy Factory, Mr R. Mill was reelected chairman for the current year. A long discussion took place on the proposed repayment of half the capital, the Chairman explaining what steps would have to be taken according to the best legal advice he had

obtained recently when in Dunedin. XTliimately it 'was resolved to- call a full meeting of shareholders at *n early date, when all particulars will be laid before them, and they will be asked to decide if they will go on with the scheme or otherwise. Shareholders will be fully notified before the meeiiSg is held. The supply of milk received so iar this season is the largest of any year since the factory opened, rather taxing the manager to find room for it in che three vats. The cheese, too, is of the ustial high standard, the manager having received first prize for new season's cheese, suitable for export, ut Lbe Christchurch show. lir-a letter to the Rangitikei Advocate, 3lr J. G. Wilson, of Bulls, gives tome inforiration relating to a trial shipment of 200 sacks of wheat which he sent Home by the Waiwera. He says: — "It was not a first-class sample; the grub's were so bad in the paddock and it ripened so tmeveuly thai the sample was ftot so full as it should have been : otherwise ifc was good wheat. The following were the expenses: Cost, f.0.b., 5.15 d; freight to London,". 10.42 d; other expenses in London, 3d; total, 18.57 d; practically, Is 6^l; price bold by private contract, 30s per 4861b, top quotation at dale of sale, 31s for New Zealand wheat; net return per bushel, 2s Ogd. Although at the moment of shipping it worth 2s 2cl delivered at the mill, it was not at that price when 1 engaged space. B\it it is satisfactory so far that it shows thai wheat grown in this district fetches as good a price as that from other districts of New Zealand, although we have always been told there is no use in sending it to London. London quotations of 30s therefore means net in this district 2s, and by watching prices in London it is easy to gauge whether it is better to sell or to ship."

The Maniototo Dairy Factory started on Thursday last, says the Mount Ida Chronicle, with a fair supply of milk. Mr Ginsberg, the proprietor, not being able to give it the attention it requires, has leased it for the season to the milk suppliers, who are running it under the co-operative system. As the success of the undertaking depends entirely on the quality of the butter turned out, they have secured 'a first-class butter-maker in the person of Mr F. E. Stewart, of Mosgiel, who has had considerable experience in the management of dairy factories both in Australian colonies and New Zealand. To give some idea of the benefit of a dairy factory in a farming district, last year the milk from five suppliers to the Maniototo factory produced 14,5001b of butter, for which they received over £500 in about eight months, and that without having to reduce their other stock. The supply at the present time is over 200 gal a day.

The annual meeting of the Mackenzie County Agricultural Society was held on the 231h ult., Mr H. Struthers (president) in the chair. The membership had increased during the year from 87 to 122. The balance sheet showed the receipts to have been £220 12s sd, and the expenditure £198 14b lOd, leaving a balance of £21 17s 7d. The President moved the adoption of the report and balance sheet, and congratulates the society upon its successful year. The motion was carried unanimously. A resolution w.as passed in favour of the petition to the Premier requesting the Government to subsidise a line of steamers carrying merchandise to South Africa." At the next meeting, on December 7, the date of the next show will be fixed. A correspondent of the English Agricultural Gazette, who has practised the method for some years, strongly advocates the system of cross-drilling wheat ; that it, sow half the allotted quantity— two and a-half bushels per acre he used — one way, and drill the other half across the first course. By this means he believes that the crop stands up better and yields more abundantly. The Taieri Beach correspondent of the Bruce Herald reports the sale of farm property in that district. Mr Robert Fairbairn has bought Mr T. Hirqhan's farm of 157 acres of first-class land. The price is said to be £9 per acre. , , ir At the Wyndham monthly stock sale Messrs I. W. Pvaymond and Co. sold, on account ot Mr H. Baxter, of Fortrose, a prime builock The Waipahi correspondent of the Clutba Leader writes : The country 'all round is looking a healthy green colour, which indicates that feed for stock is not scarce. Some of the oat crops are not looking as well as might be expectad. This is most noticeable where the ground under crop is exposed to southwest winds, which seem to retard the growth considerably. Turnip sowing is now the order of the day amongst the farmers, and in the course of a fortnight or so there should be a considerable area sown— weather permittin«, of course, for it has a big say in everything clown here and everywhere else is the same, I suppose.— Shearing operations have commenced in this district, but it will be a week or so before it is general. It is rather early for shearing breeding ewes, as the weather has not been warm enough to raise the grease in the wool. The crop of lambs this season has been very good, better than last year, I should think, by 7or 8 per cent. This is so much for the sheep breeder at the present price of sheep. - At the present time the Longbuvn Freezing works are (says the Manawatu Standard) putting through between 700 and 800 sheep per day, the work being somewhat delayed by the lateness of the season, which has kept back the shearing. We take the following from the report of the interview with the Hon. W. Rolleston, published in the Wellington Post last Thursday :_

Asked as to the general feeling that he found prevailing in England as .regarded New Zealand, Mr Rolleston replied, " Wherever I went I was proud of being a New Zealander." The favourable impression which he noticed wa3. in his opinion, due to the way m which New Zealand is affecting Ihe markets of England with her products of mutton, wool, grain, gold, and so on, all practical points beyond which the public of England clo not care to go. ... " The development of agriculture in England is, to my mind," said Mr Rollestou, "far behind that of the colonies. They have been carrying on at IToiae with cheap labour, but that is now falling off, and they have not succeeded to the heritage of machinery which we have developed. We could not afford to grow wheat in the way farmers are growing it in England, and our whole agricultural administration is far better than theirs. Of course, there is nothing to equal the development of the slitd stock- which is to be seen in England. There is nothing in any country of the world to surpass what 1 saw at the York show, but we get the advantage of that by purchase, and an agricultural show in Christchurch or Dunedin exhibits a general average development of the farming commv.nity far superior to that of any district in England." A truck of lambs, consigned to the freezing vroiks at Ohristchureh, went north from the Ashburton district last week, says the Timaru Po&t, being the first for -shipment from this quarter. Apropos of the example set by tha members' oE the Waikaka Valley Farmers' Club in the reading of papers at their monthly meetings on subjects connected with agricultural pursuits, "Rusticus," writing in the Bruce Herald, highly approves of this practice aa leading to a profitable interchange of ideas- • in the, discussions that follow. The writer urges other societies to adopt a similar course, and points out that the great difficulty in the way is not that farmers have nothing to tell which may be of interest to their fellows. It i 3 idle to stippose that a man has followed farming pursuits for 20, 30, or it may be 40 years, and know nothing which it would be of advantage for his neighbours to know. The difficulty is rather the disinclination farmers have to put down their ideas in black and white. What they have to say seems trivial to themselves, and they fancy it mixst therefore be so to others; and they also have an idea that, unless their papers are composed with great literary; finish, and with due regard to grammatical niceties, they had better remain unwritten. Both of which ideas are surely extremely foolish. Things seem trivial only because they are familiar, and what seems small and scarcely worthy of notice to one may appear as of considerable importance to another". As to the bugbear which frightens so many— that they lack the ability to compose a paper — it nmst be remembered that, while a fine literary style is a very good thing, the usefulness of a paper does not at all depend on that.