AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2455, 3 April 1901, Page 4

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

A pood deal of cop high up through the Hakataramca Gorc^e is just being carted in v-ay- the limaiu Po=t), while Fome is only now ben.g cut Harvesting operations theie have been greatly hindered by tic cold, wet weather experienced lately. A very large area of crop near Hakataiamca was broken to piece's by a iceent hailstorm, and will not Le tut at all. Towards DuuU'oqi^ al»y ; huge

paddocks of wheat are in this pitiable condition, while some crop«, lather less damaged, have been cut, pud thre&hed out seven bushels to the acre — a poor leturn for a year's work.'. The fall in tne pneo of sheep which La* occurred duiing the la;t week or two, ea>"_ a Wairaiupa paper, will result in a substantial loss to many Maslerton speculatois v\ho bought in anticipation of a still further ri-e. The Timaru Herald's Makikihi correspondent wiite^. — Har\est operations are almost oam in the Mdkikihi district. Except for an odd patch heie and there, all is either oafoly stacked or put through the mill. Threshing goes on merrily, but a^ yet there does rot bcem to be a great deal of grain changing hand". Where the farmers are not feeding fheep on the stubble, some are already biny with the plougn. Turnips aie looking well, an-i should bo an extra good crop tins year. The labbit-buying season commenced at Lawrence on Monday, when the agents handled nearly 5000 rabbits — to be exact, 1918 bunnies, — weighing almost se\en tons and occupying five truck, and on Tuesday about the same number was recenccl. Of Monday-, lot one agent received about 3000. These numbers are good for the beginning ol the season, but they are '" not in it with the middle season record?, when the trappers feettle down to work. — Tuapeka Times. On Thursday 40 diseased cattle, which had been collected in the Foxton district (states the local papci) were sent to Longburn to be destroyed. This makes a total of 120 head of cattle that have been collected in Palmersfcon and Foxton districts since December last. The Farmer is informed that a thorough inspection of the districts mentioned is now completed. Threshing was very bri»k at Tapanui last week whenever the weather suited. Some farmer-; considered the grain lather too moist, and stacked in preference to threshing. The cultivation of hops is being gone in for on an increasirg fcale in the Maryborough district, and on present indications the piovince will yet rival Nelson as a producer of this article. Picking i 3 now being concluded in the Tua Marina district, where i f is estimated that phenomenal yields will result. Tho harvesting operations in Maryborough are very late as regards cereals, in consequence of the lack of warm weather during the period that should have been summer. On the West Coast of the North Island the great trouble is to get men who are capable and willing to do milking, and this want has been so much felt in Stratford, according to the secretary of the Farmers' Union there, that many of the dairymen had to sell their cows in the middle of the season rather than " put up with the humbug " of the labourers. He goes on to say: — " Oats are lyin^f rotting for the reason that while it is fine labour cannot be obtained; then it rains, and the ciop is practically spoilt." 'Ihe potato crop is not a good one in a number of places at Waikaka Valley, and several are complaining of both the quality and the quantity, the late frosts blackening them to the ground. The earlier frosts also touched them in some places. The Waikaka correspondent of the Mataura Ensign reports the death of one of the early settlers and a very old colonist, in the person of Mr Samuel M'lntosh. Deceased had been ailing &ome time, and his end had been expectsd by his family. He was well known throughout these pares, being one of the original settlers in the district. He leaves a grown-up family to mourn their loss, and they have the sympathy of their many friends. The late Mr M'lntosh came over from Victoria in the very early days, having resided for some time in the Horsham district. The Waikawa correspondent of tho Wyndham Herald writes: — It appears that the unasked for lebate of 10 per cent, for punctual payments of the rents of Crown tenants is not to be granted to those who got a reduction of rent". The reduction being gi anted* was in itself an acknowledgment that the rents were too high. Such being the case, why should not these tenants have the rebate for punctual payments? Mr E. A. Field, stock inspector in the Gore district, fays the Standard, will leave for Timaru withm the next fortnight. Mr Field has acted as inspector in this district for upwards of eight j'ears, but the rigours of the climate make it essential that he should seek one more congenial, and this is principally the cause of hu transference. Mr A. Dafgleish, of Clyde, will succeed Mr Field as stock inspector in this district. The annual show of the Mackenzie Agricultural Society takes place at Fairhe on Easter M< nclay. The committee have made arrangements that should make the show a complete Micees--. Among the features will be th: jumping and stock riding competitions, for which large entries are expected. The members of the Dairy Commissioner'" grading staff, from tire different grading ports of the colony, are meeting in Wellington for their periodic comparison of notes. The pr ; ticipai object of this meeting of the commissioner and his staff (the graders include the dany instructors) is to insure uniformity in the work of giading throughout the colony. The system is at pres-ent so well regulated that thorp is practically no variation in the ' pointing " of the different graders, but as the continued success of the system depends uj on its reliability, the persistent cheeking of individual work is rendered necessary. The New Zealand Flourmillers' Co-opera-ti\c Association, n combination of millers formed v< it'i <lie object of raiding the price, I'a- com.noncod operations. The manager is Mr T. Monk, and the pgent* Messrs D. W. Virtue and Co. Singular, is it not, that two SfT.tle-.nen bearing si eh significant titles as Meek and A'irhie should tlui« rai=o the price of bread and grind the faces of fie poor? — D.umevirke Advocate. The Southland Land Board has sold by auction the 391 ?loepei» wh:c!i that body, fter mqu'i-y. found liad been ill«<;al]y cut cfr Crown land at Lora Gorge, the Southland Racing Club being the purchasers at £2 83 per hundred. There is great dissatisfaction a l l over T,mnaki at the extiemo valuations imposed by lhi j Government vaUier in llie court' v 0, - tricts. There the valuations are fiom £17 ] to £22 per acre, and at Palmerston Xcih nearly everyone is complaining. In i^Gipe ca=es over £30 is put on. The following resolution was pioposcd and carried at seveial district meetings: — "That in consequence of the e\cessivp< valuations, imposed by the Government valuer in this distiict, this branch of the Farmers' Union protests, and aski= all other cbstrict= affected to join in an endeavour to up=et the valuations where cxce'-Ap." Notes fiom distiict cono?pondrntr> 111 the .Southern Standard, 26th uK. : — Rivci.-cinlo : Bioken weather still pie\ail=. an'l hai-vcti.i^ i« going 011 veiy slowly. The fir^t of the new season's gram to come into the local lail way station was brought in la^t week by Mes^is Stevenson Bro?. — Waikoikoi : Harvest work here is in all stages of progrps 5 . Mo*t of the crop is cut ; probably one-half '•tacked, and some threshed a foitnight ago, wlnlo tome belated paddocks vull not be upe for another fortnight at least. Another 10 dnvs of good weather vullj. however^ see the feuik^ga.fjg

in tho «taoV. All tho mills are busy, mostly threshing out of the icok As vot'l cannot say anything ..W'ontatn cl> legardmg the yield, but, jrdping from appeararco.= , it -will not boar cv<mpau=on with that of la=t -(..u. Rabbit tiapp.ng for the freezing works unnmences 111 a few days. Messrs Todd Bro* of Kciiot, are n have thi -c collecting cuts m the cliiliici. — Weiidon Valley: The weather during Iho past wrek or so has born very good. The icganes of .Southland's climatic conditions at r*aivc = l time ha\ c become ]novcibial, but it must be admitted that so far tin-— <ra*on we 1 a\c had an exception to the general rule, 'i'i'is locrhty is generally about two v\eck« behind the earlier districts m t'io matter of haivestin?. A person b^ing made? cognisant of tln\ fact, and wishing to assign. a cause m record with science, might be inclined to attribute the c.rcumstance to the con'iguily of hil's, or some other topographicd feature ; but the moic piobablc exjilanatioix is that tiio=o engaged in farming, through lae'e or p-oper facilities for having their produce takrn ay.ay, clo not get tlie s e ed in <t; early in the spring as tVy would like. T,ic> rabbiting season rommcirsd a few weeks earlier this season than la-st. The numbc of tho=e oecup cd at trapping is very considerable. The school hawng been closed for .v few weeks, v onng as w ell as old are busy. A laige expres'-load 1- taken away every mor.iin?. Truly, the rabbit supplies a splendid example of a living paradox ! Seeing that prcpprved or frozen rabbits afford such a iaTo> delicacy in the home countiy. it is astonishing how few in number are those who makeuse of so cheap and wholesome an- art'e'e of diet. Tbe present state of affairs would .=ee-a to give an instructive commentary on our general prosperity. Tncic was a large attendance of farmeis and other, at the me^tino; called by the Courtr*uav Agriculruial and Pastoral As-cc ation, fo_- the j-u-po-p of discussing the fecVraticn uur-hon. Mr 11. Johnston occupied the chair. Aeldre-s' s vo.e cjnen by Messrs C. A. C. Hardy. M.H.P.., T. W. Adams J. H. Wil=on, and 1/ Watson. Mr J. W. Thompson, member for Ciutla. was also present, and spoke* on the question. A general discussion folkwed the addresses, after which a vote was taken, and the meeting, by a large maioruy, decided against federation. Messrs Hardy, Adams, and Reid wcie appointed delegates to attend the central meeting in Christchurch on Wednesday. April 10. The necessity for th? erection of aba'tons at Gore has been admitted for some years past, says tho Eus.gn, j*ct, unfortunately, definiteaction 111 the matter appears to have been, shelved by the Borough Council. Th 3 work was promised to be put in hand some timo ago, but so lar apparently r.othirg has been done b^vjinl the pieparation. months a^o, of plans. Wncthei diseased meat is ever consumed in thi<- district 1* a question fiom. which the ] übho must draw its own cenciu'lon-. At rtny rate during the fortnight rnc'iiig on March 16 there were slaughtered ah the Illverclr3l.il abattoirs 63S sheep, and of these no few .>r then 106 (or over 16 per cent.) were condemned as unfit for human food. The maize crop 3 about the Tologa Bay district, ■says a Gi ■'borne contemporary, are piving heavy yields this season. Formerly Tolago had to import maize ; now enough is grown for leca! requirements. The settlers there are going in for pig-raising with considerable success. At the Magistrate's Court, Oamaru, on the 26th ult., beforo Major KeddeH, S.M., 0 case of iiitere^t to shearers and station owners: — Cultan v. Purhorland — was heard. Mr Crawford apprarcd for plaintiff, and Mr Newton, for defendant. The plaintiff claimed £5 9s 6c',. for shearing 750 sheep in December, 1£99, at Otarama station. For the defence it was cortended that the plaintiff had no claim, as he> left before the shed was cut out. Defendant having given evidence, corroborative testimony was advanced by Mr John Maepherson, of Totara station, which went to prove thr.t plaintiff was not entitled to recover. By mrtual agreement between counsel his Worshi > nonsuited plaintiff, with costs. Mr Craw foul obtained leave to appeal to the Supremo Court. Under the heading " The Unceitainty of ti.-> Future" '' Lar.a " writes as follows to t'c Sydney Mail: — If the men in Australia who are thoroughly vcrred in sheephusbandiy at 1 the world's supply of wool were to gno 1 •> some hours to the study of the present and t' ■>■ probable future conditions of wool-grow 11 •. they could not help being struck) with t - chaotic ftale of things existing, and the rr - less uncertainly that is governing the production of wool in the countries devoted to , -. outside of Australasia. It is not difficult U> gauge the progress in this and neighbouring States, but for what is happening cl e ewhcrc> one has to rely cither on cable messages cr on correspondents' letters. A good deal of the information that comes to hand from outside souices cannot be relied on, and the pen of the writer who is not up in the subject can often be traced. Then there is the commercial writer who is thoroughly "au fait " with the technicalities of the wool trade, can tell the stocks in hand and the visible supply, and in a conversation with you in hi> office, either at Bradford or London, will show you that he knows what he is talking about. But. wall versed as ho is on tho subject, there is 5, discounting element in his knowledge, whic'i he 111 his office does not a' ways take into consideration. This element is woman's caprice, or rathor tho caprice of fushion. The manufacturer if he has a clever draughtsman can often turn the tide of a. woman's demand for a certain pattern or fabric, but the bait must be an exceptionally gcod one to draw. Again, the calculations off the comniincial expert may often be upset on account of tho uncertainty of the seasons ia the wool producing countries. But wilh all Ims knowledge lie has not been able to explain auay tho 1. -esent c'.iaoti^ state cf th^ v>cW in; ike.. With Ai _jf ntme's exports being by last reports o\ or 50,000 tons shoit, with a vciy c ear l supply of Queensland wool and d.mir.lshed 1 lospects for next season, and with ft drought that has existed for some five years 111 th? western d strict of New South Wales, coupled with Lnovui shoitaqcs of e tec'-fc nx 'vxCiCi] of ihe manufacturing centres, t'>e prico of wool cull keeps low. and the v colgrower in Ausliaha want; (he Biadford c.vpert to tell him the ica-on why. Recent trials 111 America of dual purpose cow 9 aga.nst purely dmiy breeds for rmllc and butter production have ended all in favour of the lattei. While the profit from each of the six dual purpose cows (which wero crade shorthorns) \\ as £2 10s, tl-at from tho Cuornspys. Joiseys. and Holsteins was £7 12s 6d per head. The biggest profit from a shoruho.n was just over £3, the cow producing 2741b ot butter, while on the other hand, ;l Joi-ey. which gave 4931b of butter, showed a profit of almost £11. The llolstein produced 5301b of butter though the net pioh't, was only £7 13s. A Guernsey Jersey cioss did

The "Superlative" raspbetrv 13 the finest ra-pberry in culir. atio.i. Obtainable only fiom Niumo k'sj li^iiK. Only a Lev* kit, so Older early.

better, with a yield of 5121b butter, which gave a profit -of £10 13s. Balfour notes, in Mataura Ensign, March 26: — On Wednesday last a little more stir than UEual was experienced as a result of the monthly stock sale, at this time of the year, is always looked forward to with mere than ordinary interest. Being the time "when culling is done, when surplus stocks are sold and new purchases made, it is only natural that at least amongst buyers and sellers there should be evidences of interest befitting the occasion and harmony with projected intentions and plans. Such, indeed, was'tke case on Wednesday last. The sheepyards were filled to their utmost capacity, buyers were brought together, and eagerness to do business was a feature of the day. It has been reported that 3000 sheep changed hands at the sale, and notwithstanding the fall in prices of Is to Is 6d per head during the past month the prices obtained for good stock ■were considered to be equal to, if not belter than, those obtained at preceding sales. On this point your correspondent-is scarcely qualified to express an opinion, but of the resourcefulness of the district he may perhaps be allowed to say that in the near future Balfour ■will become a large stock centre. In consequence of the very unsettled state of the weather, slow progress has been made with ' threshing and stacking. Quite a number of the settlers have this year reverted to the system of threshing out of the stook, but I am afraid those who have done so will ere this be wishing they had kept to the slower yet surer way of stacking before threshing. The Tapanui ram fair will be held a week later than usual this year — on Saturday, April 13- . There is a considerable quantity of thistles growing on the sides of the railway line near -\laheno, say 3 the North Otago Times, distributing their downy seed over the fields of the farmers near at hand. The Government has an objection to noxious weeds on other people's lands, and they, themselves should not be offenders. A good deal of crop high up through the Uakataramea Gorge is just being carted in, •while some is -now only being cut. Harvesting operations there have been greatly hindered by the cold, wet weather experienced lately. A very large area of crop near Hakataramea was broken to pieces by a recent hailetorm, and will not be cut at all. At a meeting of the milkmen of Lyttelton, held last week, it was agreed to raise the price of milk from the Ist of April to 4d per quart There is alarm in France at the depopulation which is going on in the rural districts. There was a scarcity of farm hands as far back as 1860, and to-day any number of farms are completely abandoned. It is said that every five years the rural districts lose half a million of their population. As none return to fill the empty places, agriculture, at this rate, must disappear. The showing is bad. Since 1875 the value of the soil has decreased 35 per cent. Scientifically cultivated, French «oil could, it is estimated, nourish 80 million people, and yet to-day it does not give food to the much more modest number that live upon it. The thirty-fifth annual general meeting of the Timaru A. and P. Association was held on the 23rd ult. Mr Edwin Kelland (president) occupied the chair, and there were about 40 3T>omber3 present. The report showed that the year commenced with a balance of £59 183 Sd, and after spending £1207 5s 4d in im- • provements to the show grounds, there re- ' mains a credit balance of £60 19s 2d, but to , do this there had been floated £1000, by de- j bentures of £5 each, bearing interest at 5 per cent., with a currency of 10 years. An increase in membership was noted, 26 new mem- ] bers having joined during the year. The , report and balance sheet were considered to j be satisfactory, and were adopted. Of the j general business a motion to alter the date of j the show was discussed, and it was resolved to alter Rule 17 of the Association's rules, and tha committee will now be enabled to fix a date for holding the show go that all shows behind Christchurch and Invercargill may be held in succession. A motion to provide a j reading room for members of the association j was lost by a large majority. Mr C. N. Orbell, being the only candidate, was elected president for the ensuing year, and took his seat amidst applause. He spoke of the necessity of continuing to make improvements in the conveniences for stock, and moved a hearty vote of thanks to the retiring president,'Mr W. E. Kelland, for his indefatigable , labours in the interest of the association. ; This was carried by acclamation. Mr M. J. j Mundell was unanimously elected vice-presi-dent. Mr W. Priest was re-elected treasurer. Some rather extensive observations were Tt.ide at the Mont experimental station relative to the feeding of smutty oat bay to cattle. During" the winter of '98, a dairyman near Bozeman lost 12 cows. The animals had been receiving clover and alfalfa previous to being fed the oat hay. The oat field was so badly smutted that the owner thought it worthless for grain. He therefore cut the oats before they became ripe and stored the material for | hay. Out of 30 cows which received but one feeding of this hay, 12 died within 18 hours with symptoms o/ gastric disturbance. The feeding of the oat hay was discontinued, and, as a result, there was no further loss. The sta- i tion concludes that experiences of this kind suggest the desirability of treatment of seed . cat 3 for smut and ako serve as a warning to etockmen. About 450 new varieties of plants and seeds Trill soon be distributed by the United States Department of Agriculture to various experimental stations. Tho kit, includes a spine-

i less cactus, which can be used for fodder, an Egyptian clover for the irrigated land of Calil fornia, a frost hardy alligator pear, several Swedish cloverlike fodder plants, a Bohe- , mian horse radish, etc. An Egyptian cotton \ for the upland regions of the south is one of ! the new plants introduced, also a fodder bani- . boo from South Chile for the arid regions of t f the south-west, an onion from the Nile, seve- • ral West India yams of great promise, Bohe- . mian hops, and a new barley from Sweden. . Many other varieties have been introduced, all of which will prove extremely interesting in the development of American agriculture. The entire expense of discovering, collecting and introducing these seeds and plants has ■ been borne by Mr Barbour Lathrop, of ChiI cago. He secured Dr D. G. Fairchild, an expert of the Department of Agriculture, who personally planned and conducted the work, which required a two years' trip around the world. The agrarian party in Germany has apparently won a complete victory, as the Goi eminent promises to enact an extremely high .tariff against all agricultural products imported into the German empire. It is also proposed to greatly improve the internal waterways of that country, and give farmers lower freight rates on railways. The export bounty on beet sugar is to be continued. The American Angora Goat Breeders' Association has decided to establish and rnainj tain a record of the breed, which is to be known as the American Angora record. It lias been calculated that there are 10,000 An- ■ gora goats in the United States eligible of j record. At a show and sale of these animals ' held some months back in Kansas City, pro- . minent breeders put in an appearance from I most of the American States, and at a meet- , ing of breeders officers to carry on the association w«re elected. At the sale of goats the top price for any one animal reached 700dol (£l4 OK Of late the Angora goat industry 'has. been in a prosperous condition in America. The business is gradually increasing, with good prospects of stability, more fo than for many years past. The world's output of ! Angora wool is said to be about 23,000,0001b, and clips have lately realised as high as Is 4d I per lb. The Bonansa oats, writes the Western Disj trict correspondent of the Australasian, are ] , gradually extending their popularity j 'in this district. At Illowa, Nir- | randa, and other localities it has been tried I with success this season, the sample being remarkably plump and clean. The seed, how- i ever, has been difficult to procure hitherto, except at an expensive figure. It was formerly 10s per bushel, but it can now be obtained for os a bushel, and it is anticipated ' that the area under this particular variety of ' oat will be considerably increased this season. In the terms of the will of the late Mrs F. S. Reynolds, the Hereford and Devon ' studs of Tocal, famous throughout Australia ! for the excellence of its cattle, were offered for sale by auction at Campbell's Hill, New j South Wales, recently. The sale was langely attended, buyers from all parts of Australia "and New Zealand being present in good numbers. Altogether 584- Herefords were disposed of and 184 head of Devons. The total I amount realised by the two days' sales was £10,560. Many animals were purchased on behalf of Mr Frank Reynolds, who will continue the Tocal stud on his own account. Notwithstanding that the districts of Horsi ham and part of the Wimmera had been oan- ! vassed to obtain students to enable the Lonferenong Agricultural College to be re-opened, j not a single candidate, says the Melbourne J Weekly Times, was forthcoming from among J the many sons of farmers. The stipulated i [ time having expired for enrolling intending students of the college, the local Agricultural | Society intend agitating that the property j j should be converted into an experimental I farm and agricultural station. On the question of plants takir>g up poison from the soil, the Lancet has the following : " We have found artificial manures to be rich in arsenic easily soluble in water. This is hardly surprising, since the basis of artificial manures — namely, superphosphate of lime — is made by acting on ordinary bone-ash with common oil of vitriol. The important point is that it has been established that plants to which arsenical manure is applied take Tip arsenic in their tissues. Cabbnges and turnips gathered from fields manured with superphosphate have given unmistakable evidence of the presence of arsenic. It is probable that arsenic accumulates in the soil which is constantly being dressed with superphosphate, so that plants raised on such soil would absorb arsenic, and exercise an injurious effect on the health of man and animals. The question arises, therefore, may not the arsenic in malt be traceable to the somewhat large amount of arsenic inevitably present in artificial manures? This aspect of the subject is very seiious, and needs further inquiry. The presence of ticks is again becoming noticeable in Queensland, but only in districts where they hail previously been found. The activity is attributed to wet weather, which has always had that effect. A considerable number of dips will be erected shortly. Stockowners in some places are co-operating for the building; of dips, the idea being to save individual expense, the outlay incurred to bo recouped by a uniform charge on all stock treated. A clever scheme for adulterating milk by ( which aH the cream is removed, but will still j pass the Babcock test, has been discovered in N.Y., and it k believed to have been practised to a small extent in several parts of the State. The milkman stirs into the skiim milk an emulsion of fats, manufactured for mcdi-

i cinal purposes, much in the same way that skim milk is fixed for making filled cheese. 1 These fats are made up of the same ingredients ■ ents which enter into oleomargarine. They i i are said to give the milk a fine, rich appearf ance, and a chemical analysis is required to - show that it is not butter fat. f Now that the shearing tallies for 1900 are available (says the Queenelander), some idea of the appalling losses of sheep from drought in the west is obtainable. As is already known, . the losses up to the end of 1899 were very ' heavy on the western pastures, but the shearing counts at the end of last year show that ', the losses since the annual returns at\Janu- ' ! aiy 1, 1900, have been in excess of the general j estimate. On one run, where nearly 105,000 • j were returned at January 1, 1890, the num1 | ber shorn last season showed a decrease of ever 95 per cent., while oil another exten- ; sive sheep property there has been a loes of 67 per cent, during the same period, and in both instances these losses have followed on very gfnous decreases on the previous year. Unfortunately, in both these instances, as in many others, the mortality since las>t shearing has continued at the same rate. The steamer Rangatira, which left Wellington for Oamaru on Wednesday last, take 3 from the latter port between 8000 and 9000 carcases of frozen mutton, 250 quarters beef, 150 casks tallow, 400 saoks wheat, and 800 bales wool. The beef will be railed up from Burnside. There passed through the Invercargill railway yard this morning, says the Southland News of the 27th tilt., en route for the Sydj ney show and for saTe afterwards, 16 head of Ayrshire cattle, consisting of 13 cows And I heifers and three young bulls. These animals have been specially selected by Mr Robert Allan, whose great experience amongst Ayrshire cattle is a sufficient guarantee that nothing but first-class animals of good milking strains will be shipped. The bulk of tbe animals were prize-takers at ot»c local shows, and were bred by Messrs ixiut. jvrCalium, Rankin, and other noted breeders. It is therefore almost a pity to see such animals leaving New Zealand. We certainly wish their spirited owner every success in his venture. A Studholme Junction ccnespondent of the Oamaru Mail writes: — It is interesting to watch the activity displayed by farmers duiing the week driving and leading their grain into trucks at Mori en and Studholme i stations, as well as sidings. The local statioumasters at these stations have all their work cut out before them just now, and apparently are giving satigf action. The bulk of the grain is passing through Messrs , Nimmo and Blair's hands, of Dunedin. It 'is absolutely essential that more trucks should be provided to meet the pressing requirements of the grain season. The New ZeaHnd Times says: — The cultivation of hops is being gone in for on an , increasing scale in the Marlborough. district, ( and on present indications the province will yet rival Nelson as a producer of this article. Picking is now being concluded in the Tua Marina district, where it is estimated that phenomenal yields will result. The harvesting operations in Marlborough are very late as regards cereals, in consequence of the lack of warm weather during tho period that should have been summer. Garnering is usually completed in the district by the first week in February, but at the present time it is no uncommon sight to see whole fields of barley, only half-ripened, awaiting the advent of seasonable weather. J In crops which have been threshed there has , been a disappointing result as regards yields. i owing to the heads not being properly filled out — another result of the absence of sunshine. I The Levels County Council invited delegates from the Waimale Council to attend the proposed conference to be held in Timaru on April 2\. to consider the small birds' nuisance, width of wheel tyres, and other matters. The Waimate Council agreed to the proposal, and appointed two delegates. Masterton has a good name for the quality of the pigs raised there. It is a grain-growing centre, and that fact together with the almost entire absence of whey for pig-feeding accounts for it. At the recent agricultuial show, there were splendid specimens of pure-bred Berkshnes, and al»o Tarnworths. The institution of aco operative butter factory will tend to increase the pigbreeding industry, and with a bacon-curing factory within easy reacii, the small farmers should benefit considerably. "Dairymaid," writing in the London Daily Mail, thus refers to one of the staple products of this country: — I am delighted to tell " New Zcalander " that the excellent butter he so justly advocates is well known and much appreciated in one household at least. It is such good, sound butter — like Devonshire butter straight from the dairy — I have often thought that the first buttermaker.s of New Zealand must haie been Devonshire people. How it travels so far and so well, eien in ice, is a marvel. In winter time the butters sold at most London dailies are mawkish, and they never ki2ep, and this excellent New Zealand buti ter is both much richer and much cheaper. It is sold as New Zealand butter at the Army and Navy Auxiliary Stores and at Harrod's Stores fand I suppose at ■sarious other place?) at Is 3d per lb. Normandy and Brittany butters are dearer, and not fo nice in winter. Danish butter seems to be chiefly u c 1 for cooking. A Morvn farmer writes to the Timaru Po.sfc on the shortage of tiucks: — I should like to draw your attention to the trouble

and expense the farmers are put to, already ec-ily in the season, in the matter of trucks. For my own part, I have already lost 10 days' time wita four teams of horses hanging about the railway siding waiting for trucks which never come. We thought this ■would be all remedied after 2ast year's troubles, but it is making a bad beginning for this season, as grain sold is not yet delivered, although the specified time has run cut. Perhaps the railway will carry it free to make up for lost time. Mr H. B. BJack, of Melbourne, who has for many years been closely identified with the export of horse feed, grain, and other agricultural produce from the colonies, recently returned from South Africa. He is of opinion that there is a good business to be done with South Africa for a considerable period ; not, perhaps, the tame volume as during the acute stages of the war, but still of large dimensions. It will, however, require very close watching and careful management. The demand will eventually be for reprovisioning the towns and villages, and providing for the necessities of the returning settlers, for so great has been the damage done to the farms and crops that for a long time to come the country will be entirely reliant upon imports. Mr Black emphasises the advice given from time to time, that it is certain loss to make consignments; definite orders should be awaited and more than the usual business caution exercised. It has to be remembered that other countries, particularly the Argentine and the United States are pushing trade there ; pushing it to a dangerous degree in giving long credit. They can supply much of what Australia does, at much lower rates. Every port, without exception, i 3 full of supplies of every kind; every store and building that can be used for the purpose being crammed with merchandise, etc. Mr Black fears that there will 1^ a ''hit back" presently from the interior on to the town merchants, accompanied by trade failures more or less important. ' Mr T. Richards, of Raka ; a, has just threshed out 2^ acres of oats, which yielded 120 bushels to the acre. This is a portion of a paddock of 60 acres, which is estimated to average 80 bushels to the acre.