AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2456, 17 April 1901, Page 4

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

Two Angora goats, purchased by the Agricultural department from the late Sir Samuel Wilson's estate, Victoria, are now on Somes Island, Wellington Harbour, and others are being imported from South Australia. ■« The Government intend breeding goat*, on a limited scale. Mr James Clark has threshed 1800 bushels of Rosebery oats off 16 acres ef land near Reidston, origin-iily part of the famous Totara estate (says tho Oam aru Mail). The land was full of couch, but lir Clark clearer! it by fal!owiug and working it, and obtained thi:> excellent result. Threshing operations are being carried on with all despatch in Milton district at present (says the local paper), and the hum of the mills is to be heard from early mom till late at night If fine weather should prevail for another three weeks the bu'k of the grain will be in bag by that time. As an instance of the lightness of the ciop in the Miller's Flat district, a well-known settler states (says the- Tuapeka Tunes} that in a

paddock from which lie took fhe stacks of oats la--t year he has only one stack this season. There are similar stones to tell in the Bcngerhurn and surrounding di'-tiict*. New Zealand i^ apparently not the only colony in winch farm hanclt are difficult to procure. The dairying mdii^try in the Euroa district (Victoria) is threatened, uiht a Ferioih check, owing to farmers being unable to ? c cure sufficient labour. Many fanners htue been compelled to dispose of their dairyherds and go in for °heep farming. One local auctioneer states that during la-t year lie held 11 clearing tales of dairy herds for farmers who found difficulty in secur ; ng the necessary labour, othei salesmen doing their share of the same class cf business. The Mount Benger Mail thinks Roxburgh can f.afely claim tl *> honour of having produced tlio champion labbiter of Central Oiago, if not of the whole of the colony, in the person of Mr James Thompson, who has made pome wondeiful catches lately on a piece of ground at Roxburgh East. One night's work for this gentleman v, as 3d l rabbit's from 150 trap?, but he Las since bcaien that by taking o\ pi- 400 from 170 traps m one night. The price paid for rabb'ts there this season has bean 16s 8d per hundred, at the lowncbs of which there is considerable dissatisfaction. Unless the pnee is iai«.°d there will be very few rabbit* going to the factory shortly, as the rabbiters stato it will pay bolter to sell the skins. Alrea Iv, it is rani, this is being done by the rabbiters up at Long Valley. The Hawke'e Bay Herald hears from reliable sources that the Government intend acquiring the Milbourne estate, near Kaikora, for olo=e settlement purnose=. Tl'e best yields of grain ,=o far in the Clulha di.-trict, as diseased by the mill returns, have been at Mr Georgp SmaiU'c (Pukepito), 69 bushels of wheat to the aero and 70 bushels opts, and at Mr L Campbell's (Pukepito). 50 bushel* oatb. Two stacks of oats belonging to the Edendale estate were destroyed by fire on "Wednesday night between 9 and 10 o'clock The cause of the fir? is not known. The Wyndham Herald understands that the property destroyed was covered by a general insurance. Threshing operations in the Bruce district re-veal the fact that the wheat yield is quite up to the average, and in some cases eier. surpasses last year's crops. Amongst other good yields Mr James Bruce, of Kiress threshed as much as 63 bushels of wheat per rcre from a large paddock. — Bruce Herald. Two ca^es are to be brought up at Roxburgh next court clay, ISth in»t., by the police as a tc?t as to whether rabbit carters are to be allowed to ply their calling on a Sunday. It i<- undei stood that the firm'; interested intend to appeal in the e\ent of the case going against them. Taieri land appears to be holding it« own in value (cays( c ays the Advocate). The Taieri and Peninsula Milk Supply Company recently purchased some of Mr Frew's land adjoining the Mosgiel Park racecourse. The price is reported to be £60 per acre. A very enjoyable social took place at the Merrivale Western district, Southland, on the eve of Mr D- Kerr, manager, leading for Linwcod fetation, Te Anau. After tha usual loyal toasts hid been duly honoured, the toa=t of the evening, "Our Guest," was proposed by Mr A. Salton in highly complimentary terms, and responded to :n a few felicitous words by Mr Kerr. Mr M'Donald, on behalf of the subscribers, then presented Mrs Kcrr with a rnaesive silver teapot and Mr Kerr with a handsome gold albert and malte.«e cro«s pendant. The sifts were suitably acknowledged by Mr Kerr. Songs were sung during the evening, diversified with selections of bagpipe music, p,nd a pleasant gathering was brought to a close by the singing of "Auld lang syne." Prior to his departure for Gore, says the Duustan Times. Mr Dalglrish. who for the pa°< four years has acted as stock inspector in the Clyde district, wa<. entertained by the staff of the department, find presented with a very handsome marble clock. Several gentlemen spoke in eulogistic terms of Mr Dalgleish's ability as an inspector, and expressed regret at his departure. The monthly meeting of the Gore Farmers' Club was held on the 6th inst. Mr J. Falconer (president) occupied the chair. — Mr A. Reah, M.R.C.Y.S.. read an instructive paper on "Veterinary First Aid." The speaker's remarks were attentively listened to, and at the conclusion of the reading Mr L. Coutts moved a very hearty vote of thanks to Mr Reah for his paper. It contained much -valuable information, and they had received very good advice. Mr R. Dicksou seconded the motion. To make the Farmers' Club meetings attractive, papers like Mr Reah's were just what was required, and those who. like Mr Reah, gave the members the benefit of their knowledge were deserving of their thanks. Interesting subjects biought members to their meetings, which, was proved in. the case of the Waikaka Valley Club, and the "Gore Club should endeavour to get others to deliver similar papers. The chairman endorsed the remarks of the previous speakers. — The motion was unanimously carried. — In reference to the matter ot water rights, Mr James Beattie addressed the members on the anomaly in the Mining Act, which prevented appeals being made against the decision of a romm.;*nier r >f Crown lands. Mr Beattie presented a petition for discussion by members, which he hoped would be endorsed. He had taken a case to the District Court, and it was decided there, but on an appeal being made to the Supreme Court Judge Williams held there was no appeal against the decision of the commissioner. If a man had only sufficient water running through his farm to fill an inch pipe he might be deprived of it,- and as it was a question that seriously imperilled farmers' rights the club should support the petition. Mr Coutts moved — "That the club support the petition, and that the president sign it on the club's behalf, and farmers mdhidually sign it also."— Mr Dickson seconded the motion, which was unanimously carried. A fuither motion was cariied that Mr M'Xab, M.H.R., be oommunicatod with, drawing his attention to the resolution, and asking his support in having the act amended to suit the petitioners and the members of the club. — A letter fiom the Department of Agriculture, staling that it was intended to publish in futuie statistical information regarding agricultural, pastoral, poultry, and dog societies m the colony, and requesting information which the club was able to supply, was rereived. The secretary was instructed to supply the information. The output of cocksfoot on the Peninsula this year, says the Lyttelton Times, is estimated at about 20,000 sacks less than last year. The average weight of the seed is also considerably lower. Owing to the wet weather a good deal could not be harvested in st\eral of the bay~. The Tapanui Courier of the 10th inst. strongly urges that steps should be at once taken by the scttleis in the Clutha district to have tlu> Reiver Molyneux channel ie-

charted, and dredging retoitcd to in order to form a channel Mumble foi na'. 'gation by vessi-ls of sirall ton-age. The Courier says: — Since 1378 the Ri.ei Molyiv j\ ha 3 remained closed foi sea traffic, ds m {September of thai year a lecuul flood Ciimo down and opened a now outlet to the oto'n ea-it of the onginal mouth of the mci. It l.as rlways bv.cn a mystery to u a wliy no eft'orc wi>s made to l encore the sea trafho lost in 1878, as such an enormous body of water as the Molyneux di c chfuge* was bound to make a channel for -vessels of medium dt aught. . . At the last meeting of the Chuha Rivr Board. Mr Anderson drew a, growing picture of the trade that might be done on the Mohneux. Xc said it vas high tune the opening of the mouth of the mcr for j-ea going \e.s=els was proceeded with. Thcie was the Wanganui Ri\er, a mere diiblcc compared with the Molyneux ; yet they had lightci- rtmning on the Wanganui to and from the fieezmg works, and boUs Ijing in the iojd=tead, taking avay thousands and thou-auds of carca^Po of sheep. Here they had a r,;and waterway and a good haiboui. Iho theep farmers of the district wcie charged railway carriage for conveying lhe,r strck to a market «it the rate of Is 9d a head. Why should thry not save that freight and have the mutton carried by water d.roct to the Home-going boat? The time would come when prices would be fo finely cut thrtt the producer would need that l-> 9d to make t':e business pay. A meeting of the committee of the Noith Otago A. and P. Association wa* held on. the 10th iii Ft. ; Mr Bucklpy (president) in Iho chair. — A letter wa= roceued from the ■■ccretaTy of the Waikaka. Valley Farmers' I Club, forwarding a resolution passed by that 1 body that the period for the compulsory dipping of eherp or at least lambs, should begin on Jamuuy 1 instead of February 1. i Several meinhprs spoke against the proposed I alteration, and all the speakers were rather in fa-\our of dipping later in the year than at present. The secretary was directed to> write to the effect that the dub's time proposal would not suit this district, as it would affect the fat lamb*. The Tuape'^a Timc= says: — Gnen a fair price, the rabb.t happing business should this year prove profitable to those engaged in it. for we are told they ha-v c never been bo plentiful as they are this year. Thio is accounted for by the exceptionally favourable peaso i, breeding having gone on longer than usual, with no loss of young on account of damp weather. Mr Grp-sille. dairy expei't, in the couroe of a lecture at Hastings recently, comparingthe dairy mdv.-try with the gold output, said that "the ie«ult of dairying was as good in. Tarana'-vi as if fifty pounds' weight of gold were takrn m (.he summer months from around Motmt Egmont.'' The Chatham Inland cor-cponr.en.t of the O'lristehme'it Pie^a writes from Wa.tangi .—. — The Torca has hot taken away about 9003 sheep this season, and I hear theie aie six or seven, thousand still to go. I believe most of the census returns for this island are now in. Mr Florarce is at present at Pitt Island on census business. Mechanical appliances for milking have been on fie market for years, and almost every dairy show produces a novelty of this kmcll They have never been generally used, however. Farmers say that milking machines now on the market fail to bring anythinglike the results which can be obtained by hpnd-stripping, partly because no two udders arc alike, and also because few cattle take so kindly to the tubes as they do to the hands of the maid. All the same, it is Aery probable that mechanical milking will be the rule in the not far distant future. Mr W. G. Doak, of Irwell, says the Christoavrch Press, lost a valuable cow that was blown through eating clo-ier a few days ago. Mr Doak took o\ cry possible precaution for three days, only leaving the cows on the clover for one to two hours, yet on the third day the same corns were m the closer paddock less than two hours, when, one of them was found or its back, and it died before assistance coukl be rendered. The conference of delegate* fiom farmers' societies to consider the question of federation, cornered by the Canterbury A. and P. As=r,ciation, was held in Chris' church on th^ 10th in*t. The meeting closed without arriving it any definite icsult. A motion in f.uour of federation with Australia and an. amendment to postpone any decision until furth.-r information was availible were both negatived. The Hon. W. Rolleston, who represented the Timam A. and P. Association, expressed himself as follows: — "There is nothing, so far as I can see. which will compensate New Zealand fcr the loss of her power of self-government m joining the federation of Australia." At the la«t monthly meeting of directors of the Southland Meliopohtan A. and P. Association a communication ha\ing been received from the National Sheep Breeders* Association of England, intimating that their next conference would be held at Cardiff in. the month of June, and a=king that the association should be represented thereat, ifc was resolved to ask Sir John Hall, who represents the Canterbury Society at the mesting, to be kind enough to act en behalf of this association at the same time. The matters that will come before this conference, in which the colonial societies are specially interested, are principally connected with th" importation of stud sheep, and of making arrangements which will insure that all exported sheep entered in the Home stud books shall have their pedigree transferred officially to the proper authority which controls the publication of the stud book in the colony to which they are being sent. The importance of this being done will at onco commend itself to every breeder. There is a considerable flutter in the butter market ]Ust now. writes "Winnower" in. the Hawera Star, and during the past week cash buyers of small parcels ha-\e been oat; in skirmishing order, commandeering all available stocks. l>ut it has been at a pretty stiff price. I hear that as high as lOd has been offeiod. i-o the question strikes one that if purcs are going to be extra high at the back end of a good season, what will the market open at next season? I fancy there will be a pretty general support given to consigning after the results shown this year. The North Otago Times of Thursday last says:— A writer in the Daily Times draws attention to the danger incurred in allowing the wool injured by fire and water On board the ship Strathgryfe to be ianded from that -vessel for washing or other purposes, as it is n.fc=ted with Batburst burr. The warning is no doubt a timely one, but the writer is probably unaware that a worse burr than that designated fie Bathurst burr exists in New Zealand. It covers the giound on the

If you w i*h to grow vegetables successfully and with comfoit, buy a "Planet Jr"' wheel hoe. FuU particuLus fioiu Niiii£O AKB Blaib, Dunsciiii,

reclaimed land belonging to the Oamaru Harbour Board and the Cape Hill ; it has spread along the railway lines, and is to be seen in rough piece 3of ground some distance from town ; it has gained a footing at Moeraki, and, no doubt, will before long appear in other places. The burr was brought here in the ballast discharged from a vessel from South America, and it has spread rapidly. In f the meantime dogs aie the medium by which the burr is spread, and by this means the Acclimatisation Society's gardens have been pretty well stocked with the pest. It costs 4d per pound to remove the burr from the wool before the manufacturer can uee it, and it will be apparent how great a scourge this will be to the pastoralist when the pest has more widely extended its range. Still, the writer in the Daily Times is wise in drawing attention to the danger from the introduction of the Bathurst burr. Ngapara notes in the Oamaru Mail, 11th inst. : — Present indications point to a scarcity of grazing feed during the winter, and as a consequence straw stacks are being looked alter. It ha 3 been left for a new settler, Mr H. Watson, of Queen's Flat, to institute a stock sale for the district. It took place on Thursday, March 23, when a most successful sale was held, «>meth ; ng over 4000 sheep being yarded, besides ether stock. The bulk of the lots submitted were sold. There is a probability that the sale will become an institution. There are also indications that a creamery will be erected. The right sort of people are taking the matter up, and I shall be very much mistaken if a Ngapara creamery is not ready to start operations in the spring. The usual fortnightly sale of wool and skins was not held in town yesterday, says last Thursday's Timaru Post, owing to the dispute between the auctioneers and brokers not having yet been settled. The brokers ask that the auctioneers should sell by printed catalogue, but the auctioneers are not disposed to do this, unless the "broker 3 agree to pay their share of the extra cost which this method of selling- will^nvolve. Notes from last Friday's Bruce Herald: — On Wednesday a mob of over 700 head of cattle parsed through Milton from Murray, Robert's Lochindorb estate, Balclutha, on their way to Studholme Junction, Canterbury. The cattle ranged from two to three years of age. We understand that the cattle were bought, through Messrs Donald Reid and Co., by Mr Felix Fox, of the district mentioned. — This morning a large number of sheep, forming part of a consignment of 3000 wethers, bought in this and Taieri districts by Messrs M'Kenzie Bros., of Geraldine, were trucked at the Milton railwaystation. The sheep are in a forward condition, and were purchased at prices ranging from 15s to 16s. , The Review of Reviews says: — What the recent drought has cost Australia is now capable of being expressed in figures. Thus, in New South Wales the number of sheep in 1896 was 48,318,790. At the end of 1899 these had shrunk to 36,213,514! This represents an actual loss of more than 12,000,000 sheep, besides cancelling out the natural increase of three years. The net decrease in the wool produced in Australasia betwixt 1898 and 1899 is no less than 75,000 bales. But the industry is beginning to recover. Thus, in New South Wales it is estimated that there will be an increase of 75,000 bales ; in South Australia one of 5000 bales But in Queensland there is an estimated decrease of 75,000 to 80,000 bales. That the pastoral industry should survive such immense losses is a striking -proof of its vigour. As we may now reasonably expect we are on the edge of a cycle of good 4 seasons, there will be a magical expansion of flocks and herds throughout Australasia. Says last Friday's Oamaru Mail: — The secretary of the Department of Agriculture (Mr Ritchie) has sent the following to the Hon. George Jones, in response to representations made by him: — "In reply to your wire of the 30th ult., I have tho honour, by direction of the Minister for Agriculture, to inform you that the produce commissioner in London has been instructed to report on Chapman's 'Dry Thawing' experiment." This is satisfactory. If there is anything in the discovery — and there really appears to be a great deal — the colony should know it at the earliest opportunity, and profit by any advantages which it is capable of conferring. In the course of his reply to the toast of tho "Local Bodies" at the Waimate banquet last Thursday, Mr Douglas, chairman of the Waimate County Council, stated that last year the small-bird nuisance had cost the council £500. The small birds were becoming a greater pest than the rabbits, and compulsory combined action would become necessary in order to cope with the nuisance. Any farmer whose grain happened to ripen a, little earlier than others had really small iiope of getting a yield.