AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2509, 16 April 1902, Page 6

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

Harvp-tin? in many part* of Otago, epitia'ly m the .-o;Uh, still r.-ir.am-, at a stand-nil, and fiom South Taitn to Cln.lon. wops may be -on rotting on the groundtill they nm now in :i stato making it almo^c wa-tcd labour to bni.g them irr. Seldom, indeed, ha^ c /armor" been so badly bit, anct p-pocially disappointing is their lot thi* year, a. proh|.cots of a bountiful harvest a few fhoit we ki ago seemed assured. The touknig ,;„.„ which brought about the recent floods, »u4 which li--v<> continued lnteriniUentlv

since, could not come al a worse time, as the crops were, foi- the greater part, on the ground ready for leading-in. They are still there, sprouting in the stook, and to the unfortunate fanner is left the added vexation, of a rising market in cereals. City folk are often ready to suggest that the agriculturist is a chronic grumbler, but when a man is robbed of a year's fiuits of liis labour by the caprica of Nature, surely he may be pardoned for holding pessimistic views on things in general. Fortunately, come portions of the province have escaped, and on the Waimea Plains and the greater part of Southland a fine yield has been safely harvested. At the last meeting of the Dunedin Fanciers' Club it was decided to add to the schedule two classes for poultry fcr export, with a view to encouraging farmers to breed stock of good quality. The- club anticipates large entries, as the prizes trill be worth competing for. The incubator class is to be repeated, but to enable the club to have a thorough bona fide check upon the contestants a committee has been appointed to arrange details of competition. A letter was read from Mr Maude consenting to act as judge in all classes. It was reported that the • art union tickets were going off freely. A committee was appointed to inquire into the action of the Kennel Club in altering rules. It was decided to print special certificates for championships in the dog classes. Mr T. A. Fraser, of t.'ie Department of Agriculture, informs us that the bulk of the oat crop in Southland has now been safely secured in. good condition, and the grain is coming in freely to the railway sidings, l^orth of Clinton a good deal is still «.ut in stook, but a few more good days will see the most of this jii stack also. Generally, whilst the weather hns been unfavourable for 1 the harvest in the north, it has been quite the reverse in Southland. About last Christmas a cow, the propsrty of Mr John Hunt, contractor, of W-arrack uabeal, Victoria, showed feigns of tickness, and about a fortnight ago it became p.iralysed in the legs. On a recent Sunday it died. A port mortem showed thai, tiic heart was transfixed by a lady's hat-pin. How it got there is a matter of conjecture. A movement h on foot to start a creamery at Dunback. The mi'k proclucsrs of the district are anxious for n, and there ns no reason why it should not be established shortly. The rabbit industry there is now in full swing. The line of wheat purchased this week by a Dunedin miller at 4s Id f o.b. Lyttelton, net cash, eark- extia. equivalent to 4s 6d per bushel in stoic Dunedin, was for * prime sample of last season* grain. This represents a rise of 14d per bushel within the last fortnight, for before Easter wheat could be bought in this market at 3s 4d per bushel. Whether or no this price will be maintained or even exceeded depends upon what proportion of milling wheat the stacks an the North Otago district will yield, and unless the weather takes lip the threshing mills cannot possibly get to work. The ■future of the wheat market therefore remains in a state of glorious uncertainty. So far the Flourmillcrs' Association have ■not advanced the price of flour, which still remains at £11 per ton for sacks, £11 10s for 100's, £11 15s for 50's, and £12 for 25's ; but they will only supply bakers' actual requirements at the^e rates, and rigidly refuse to execute any speculative orders for forward delivery The price of bran has been advanced 10s to £4 10s, a* also the price of pollard, which is now at £5 10s. The price of bread is now 7d the 41b loaf throughout the colony. Aboii t two years ago a hor^o belonging to a blacksmith at Rnkaia. was stolen, and :'ll efforts to di-co\cr its whereabouts failed. A few days at;o the same horse was taken into the blacksmith's shop for the purpose of being rc-hhod. and was immediately identified as the stolpn animal From inquiries made it appeared that the hor-e had been told in one of the Christchurch auction rooms. The blacksmith is now in possession of his recovered property, and the police are endeavouring to trace the thief. — Pre=.-. The Masterton Farm era' Union report tlia: the most effective way to deal with the sma 1 ! birds nuisance is by systpmitie poisoning, and the Agricultural Department is being urged to mix the necessary poison and supply the farmers. The other day we (Wairarapa Daily Time?) Jiublished a statement which emanated from the Rabbit Department, to the effect th.\t ihe pest was diminishing. It may be at tlio jirescnt time le=s than it was last year — the -department ought to know, — but we fear 'that the check reported is but temporary[We believe it w.-us in 1897 that the Government told our inspectors that for the future they were only to fire blank cartridges at settlers who failed to keop down their rabbits. The result is that rabbits are now about 10 times a^ numerous as they were five years aso, when careless eettlcia were

penalised. The blank cartridge business seems fairly popular, but it is idle to deny that under it rabbits increase and multiply, and will go on increasing and multiplying. Millions of rabbits now roaming the country owe their existence either to the humane desire of the Government to spare their lives or to the equally humane desire of the Government to protect culpable settlers from punishment. The Oamaru Mail states that two surveyors are now operating on that portion of Mr Men'ovo's estate which the Government are taking, and Mr Hedley lias asked the Hon. Mr Duncan to have the land available for applicants early in May, co that they may be able to get in winter wheat and carry on other necessary work, and in order that a season may not be lost. The Timaru farmers are refusing 3s lOd for their wheat. At a meeting of settlers of Dunback, held last week, a committee was set up to canvass the district to ascertain tho approximate number of cows that would supply and the number of shares likely to be t;ik p n up in a creamery were one established in the district. The following method of determining the age of eggs is said to be practised in the markets of Paris. About ooz of common cooking salt is put into a large glass, which is then filled with water. When the salt is in solution an egg is dropped into the glass. If the egg is only one day old it immediately sinks to the bottom ; if any older it does not reach the bottom of the glass. If three days old it sinks only just below the surface; from five days upwards it floats; the older it is the more it protrudes out of the water. Some farmers in the Tokomainro district have already started ploughing. The local stock agent has (sav3 the Standard) purchased 27 horses in the Gore and 6urrounding districts for the Tenth Contingent. The managing director of the Canterbury Freezing Company recently stated that the slaughtermen at his works were making £5 a week. The fine weather of the past few days lias caused harvesting to be prosecuted with vigour, and there are indications that the season may not prove quite so disastrous to the farming community as anticipated — Free Press_ Mr S. Bailey, of Burnt Flat, Catlins, informs the Clutha Leader that this year he has =old a ton of honey. Next to Mr H. Read, of Purekireki, Mr Bailey is perhaps the largest bee farmer in the Catlins district. The honey was told mostly in small quantities at the rate of 4£d per pound. This gives a return of £42, or, allowing for the cost of the tins, an average return of about £1 per hive. Mr J. Pomeroy, who ha« patented a shear regulator which, it is believed, will be greatly appreciated, is at present in Dun edin in the ioterests of the patent. The rogulator is in the shape of a V spring controlled by a thumb screw. It is fastened at the base of the handle, and on the right side is fixed by a spring to a i-iv»t, while the opposite branch of the sprint* fi\cs ovci a bar and is detachable. The <.i/." of the cut can be adjusted to a nicety by ;i turn of the Bc-rew The regulator can be attached to any make of shear, either plain or B bow, although the invention claims to do away with the necessity for the B bow, which i-3 a consideration in cost. The regulator takes the strain off the wrist, prevents the blades from crossing on the wrong side, and ensures safety. It was tested on 10 stud rams in the- Oamaru district, and the cut war, even and neat. A syndicate, with a capital of £500. has taken up the inventnm. Some flocks of sheep in the Oamaru district are not yet shorn. The Tapanui Courier states that there is still a lot of crop out, and pra< tieally the whole of last week was lost to tho harvesters-. Sunday was fine, and on Monday leading in and threshing were again in full swing. The Wyndham Herald states that the Mataura Island farmers are preparing for the threshing Messrs Ferrier Bros.' two mills are expected in this week The oops have been very good, and the nullowners should put in some profitable woik at the island. Some of the fruitgroweis in the Auckland province are feeding their pig^ on apples, peaches, and plum 1 -. A northern farmer is alleged t<> have sold a Holstein-Fne-ian cow because of its Dutch origin. It is reported that most of the Mandevillc farmers, have sold their oats for future d< livery at 2.s to 2s 2d on truck?. There ia a keen demand for good atrrieultural and pastoral land on the Darling Downs, Queensland. Large estates have been resumed by the Government for the purpose of closer settlement, and private owners arc al c o subdividing their properties. Before the plan> of the Canning Down- sub division were issued the bulk of the land included in the survey -\va<- applied for. New blocks of equally prood land on that e=t:ite are now beinpr surveyed into farms of various sizes to suit the rcquneinents of different applicants. The balance of the celebrated Oioua Downs estate is being offered for sale by Messrs. Johnston and Son, )f Palmerston North The. estate is situated on the Foxton-Palmer-ston North railway line, and within 24- miles o f Palmer=ton by a good moial road. Tt i-, ako within 18 miles of Palmereton by a

road now being metalled A Government railway station adjoins and the Sandon-Fox-ton brain line runs through the estate. The sections offered for sale closely adjoin the celebrated Rongotea and Glen Oroua districts, which were originally part of the estate. When the previous sii'e took pHce some 13 years ago, tins portion was retained by the late John M'Lennan, Esq . for his own u=e, and his son has now, in response to numerous applications, decided to civ it up into sections suitable for dairymen and others. The land eompn-ing these farms is of fir^t-class quality and eminently suited for dairying or any clas-s of farming, being practically all level land, with a eariying capacity of from two and a-half to three sheep to the acre on grass. There is a considerable quantity of flax distributed over the estate. Excellent crops of oats, rape, and turnips have been grown o.i the property, giving large and profitable returns. The fattening capabilities of t'.ie Oroua Downs estate are so well known that it is almost needless to refer to the large number of cattle and shrep turned oft" cve-y year for freezing purposes The sub-division of this estate af fords the public a splendid opportunity of acquiring comfortable farms at prices far below those ruling in other centres and on terms which are undoubtedly easy. The r-ropei ty is sub- divided into 26 farms, ranging from 88 acres to 909 acres; but of these the three homestead sections will only be offered as a whole, until the balance of the estate hps been sold. Definite arrangements have been made for the erection of a creamery in the centre of the estate as soon as a sufficient number of tows is available. Plans may be obtained on application at the Witness office. Several farmers in the Bruce district have already started ploughing. The Hcdgehope correspondent of the Southern Standard writes : — Leadans; in is now almost finished, and most of Hie farmers are busy thatching their stacks, as in is generally late in the season before a threshing-mill comes into the district. The crops, taken on an average, are much lighter than last year. There have been a few cases of stacks " heating." but this no doubt was due to leading in the grain when it was not in a fit state. Notes from Hakataramea, in the Oamaru Mail : — Matters in connection with the harvest are not at all satisfactory Mo s t of the grain in stook is virtually spoiled already, but with favourable weather the root crops may still be fanly good Everyone ha a been sighing for a right good nor'wester, fucli ao we had in the spring and early summer, but instead of that we are having mostly soft, muggy weather, warm days, and foggy nighto, more favourable to growth than to anything else. However, as the subsoil has now had a thorough soaking, it i 3 probable that ultimate good will result; and had the harvpst been at the usual time all the grain would have been safe before the rain came. The Ashburton County Council has resolved to offer three farthing-- per head for Mnull bnvl", and to .-i-k the Geiald'no and ttelwyii County Councils to mute m put ting down the pest. The leading flaxmillers in the Auckland district nre highly gratified at the decision of the Government to allow no more hemp to be exported unless it has been graded by e\perts appointed by the Agricultural Department. They recognise that if the work of the graders i- earned out in a py-tematic manner an effectual stop wiU b° put to tho expectation of anything but flax of the best quality. It was the late Sir Isaac Holdeu (writes a London correspondent) who oaid that the day would come when raw wool would h" as cheap as cotton, but nobody thought the day would be as pear a-i he did, and with American middling cotton to-day at 4^d per lb. it must be said that the atticlo i* :u tually dearer than good «.hafty New Zealand medium crossbred wool. A c ominttee meeting of the (lore A. and P. Awxiation wa- held on the sth i!i"-t , and Mr P T. Aitken m the i hair. A circular \\a> received from Mr Murphy (Christc-hurc.il) stating that tho annual agricultural conference would be held at Dunedin on June 24. At the last annual conference a motion had been passed sug gestmg the compilation of a h-t of per son-, duly qualified to act a^ judges, at agricultural .sho«», and that the h,uiie be registered. The Gore committee was asked to submit name-, of those under diffcrc nt headings whom they deemed competent to act. It was agreed to defer discussion of the matter until the next meeting of the committee, several thinking that the proposal had its di-advantagrs. and required diseuasiiiff fully. Messrs P T AitLen. 11. Smith, J. S. Millar, and the .secretary wfie appointed a sub-committee to look after detail- in connection with the ram fair. At the monthly meeting of the Tokomairiro Farmeis' Club Mr J. Tough (president) occupied the (aair, and about 20 member^ were piesent. Mr M. Murphy, sccrctoiy for ihe Agncultuial Conference for ISO 2, wrote stating that the annual meeting would be held in Dunedin on June 21. and asking tho club to supply the names of persons competent to judge hor-e-. cattle, sheep, etc., with a view to eomp.liiijs a register cf coi.ipete'!t judges for the use of r ocionej. A committee was appointed to ditnv us a Usfi of narctc, and

Mr Campbell was instructed to forward same to the secretary of the conference. Canvassers were appointed foi the winter show for Dunedin, Milton, and Bruce County. Tt was agreed that the canvassers for Dunedin be ailowed £1 Is each for expenses. Stewards and judges were also appointed for the various sections of the show Mr Martin brought up the question of introducing a section for fnt cattle m the programme of the winter show. The majority of the member? % lowed tho matter rather unfavourably, and after some c'i*cusaiou it was decided not to make any departure in that respect this season. The president, vice-president, and Messrs Allison and Farquharson, with the Canvassing Committee, were appointed to revise the show programme. The President leported that it had been decided to compete m the bay competition at the Dunedin Winter show. A large quantity of gram lias already been disposed of in this district (says the Bruce Herald), despite the backwardness of the threshing season. It is reported that wheat, generally speaking, is of a good sample and command* top values. Oats that were subjected to the effects of th ■ lecent bad weather are very much discoloured, and will only find purchasers at prices somewhat below current quotations. There is a likelihood of the Government acquiring the Moutoa estate, near Foxton (at one time owned by Mr F. Larkworthy, of London) from the Assets Realisation Board, and, according to the Marlborough Times, the negotiations between the Government and the owners of the Flaxboiirne estate have come to a conclusion, and a settlement has been arrived at which will moan the early acquisition of the property by the Government for the purpose of close settlement. A Sydney contemporary writes as follows on the condition of the local wheat markets: — It would be difficult to refer back to any period in the history of agriculture in New South Wales when the wheat markets were in such a complex condition as at present. The chief difficulty with those engaged in the trade appears to be in getting at the root of tho present position. What between our own export trade, local speculation, purchases for home consumption, business over the border, and a certain reduction in the crop estimates made towards the end of last year, the most authentic statistics available practically -ount for nothing. Never before has the ' unknown quantity ' been such a total stranger to the trade, and never in the experience of our market have buyers or sellers been alike so undecided how to act. As the season wears on the uncertainty as to the real position sLCnib to increase. A conference of farmers, called by the Tcmpleton branch of the New Farmer-.' Union, was held at Templetou on the 6th inst. Farmers were pieeent from the local tf,wn«liip, and from Sheffield, Harewood load, Lincoln, Broadfielda, Hornby, Yald-hur-t, KoJk\«ton, Weedons, Pre-bbleton, and Ki< t anon. Mr (J. W-itty, chairman of the lemploton brain h. presided. Mr Witty having addressed the meeting at some length, Mr G. W Leadley proposed that the various mutters detailed by the chairman be taken into consideration. In accordance with this pioposition the frozen meat question, the wool que-tion, a preferential tariff, and lands for workmen weie freely discussed, and motions were paK-ocl for submission to the pro\ iacial executive meeting, to be held on May 7, and then to the colonial conference, fixed for May 21 and 22. The fciuall bird nuisance w.is also discu-^"d. The Chairman stated that the capital value of the Selwyn County wa- £14,000,000. and thcie was land under cultivation amounting to 457,046 acres. The average loss owing to birds was about 5s per acre per annum. On the aiea mentioned this would amount to £114,261 10-=, wlikli was being lo>-t yearly in the county Yet at the recent confer enoe on the subject, out of 14 fairners present, 13 had \oted against the levj mg of a rate at 1 16 th of a penny in the £. which would mean that on property valued at £20, the late would be l,Jd, \ dined at £100 bid, at £1000 5= 2id, at £20,000 £5 4- 2cl, on £100.000 £26 0s lOd. and on the whole coniitv of £14.000.000 £3645 16s Bd. Mi- D .lone- moved that the resolution thrown out at the confeiLUc-o referred to be endoinfd. This states — "That it be a recommendation to tho Sehvyn County Council that a special rate be levied of 1 16 th of a penny in the £on all the ratable property in the county, for the purjjo.p of destroying small birds under ' The Small Birtk Nuisance Act. 1891.' Such moneys to be collected by the local bodies concerned, and paid to the County Council, and kept a= a special fund to re-imbuvbc tho local bodies within the county for all moneys expended by them in the destruction of small birds during the winter months." The resolution was seconded, «nd agreed to. Notes from Mandeville, in the" Mataura Ensign: — One third of the gram i- still in stook. Those who have threshed are fairly well satisfied with the yield, although we cannot come up to the sensational yields reported from the. Otama district Thp bulk of tho f.iimei- have «eld their oats for luime dtli>erj; at 2» to 2s 2d ou Uiick.3.

Of course the price is tempting, but I air> ir dined to think that those who sell from the threshing mill will command a 'bettet price, as they can sell from sample and deliver at once. Oats are good property to hold, owing to the disastrous floods in fTie north and the severe drought in the Com-» mcmwealth. Mr Wm. Robinson, with hU combine, is threshing in the vicinity ol Mandeville, and mailing excellent work. IJo is at present at Mr Wm. Raumbaum's, whoso crop is turning out at 60 bushels to the acre. Sheep are on the move upwards. At the Riversdale sale there was a been demsuid, at an advance on !a*-e rates. Feed is plentiful, and stock' are in the pink of condition. Turnips have the apriearance of being an unusually hea\y crop, so that winter feed is assured. The Tuapeka Times says: — Inspector Mills has shown us a buncli of cocksfoot pvllcd in one of the side streets in Lawrence showing a plentiful admivture of ergot. Ergot, as no doubt many people arc ovrare, is a disease in ryegrass caused by tho presence of a fungus, and when oaten by mares in young produces abortion and the consequent loss of the foals. Mr Mills informs us that ergot may even now be found in native grasses, a face that increases the risks to which foaling mares are exposed. Legislation such as we now have on the Statute Book, had it existed at an earlier date, might have prevent <' the introduction of this species of fungus by insisting on the more thorough cleaning of seeds, but now apparently the cv ;1 is one that cannot be easily remedied by legislation of any kind. At a special meeting of the WallaceCounty Council on the 4th inst., it was resolved to pass the following resolutions by special order — viz.: "That ragwort bo placed in the first schedule of "The Noxious Weeds Act, 1900.' That gorse, irrespective of hedges, be included in the iirst schedule of 'The Noxious Weeds Act, 1900,' " and it is proposed to confirm the said resolutions at i. meeting to be held on May 16. 1902. The monthly meeting of the Wyndham. branch ol tiie Xew Zealand Farmers' Union was held on the 6th inst., Mr James Milne in the chair. The Chairman said that a lettet had been received from the Mataura branch in favour of a reduction of the wages of threshing mill hands (ab present ]0d an hour). The feeling of the meeting was that the time was inopportune foi- making any reu action. — The Provincial Executive forwarded resolutions passed by vanors branches for the consideration of thti Wyndham branch. From the Wajkake branch : — That the owners of threshing mills and chaffeutters in the district be respectfully asked to submit their insurance policies on men in their employ (enginedrivers and feeders) to a committee of thia union. The suggestion was approved of. — From the" Invorcargill branch: — That tha attention of the Agricultural Department be called to the existence of the Irish potato blight. Resolved, on the motion of Mr Allan — " Thafc if there be any potato blight in the district, the department bo asked to take action." — From the Balfour luanch : — That the branch is in favour of :\ co-operative flourmill in Southland A motion was carried agreeing with the pio-, posal. — From the Invercargill branch, calling attention to tl.e loose manner in which tho values of produce are fixed for new--par- quotations-. Mr Allan thought that, vvh"re\er a price list was published, the r-irnes compiling it should be compelled to put their names to it. There was a .senndefuntt Grocers' Association in Invercarprill which published quotations, and these were followed as a guide by local storekeeper, in dealing with the farmers. In that list potatoes were last winter quoted at £3, while in Dunedin the price was £5. and Messrs M'Kay Bros.' report showed tl.at £5 was tho price realised in Invercargill. He proposed — " That the Provincial Kxec-utne be a-ked to interview the Invercargill newspaper proprietaries tr ensure that the reports shall be authentic."' The motion was carried. The Newmarket oats which are being introduced in this district (says the Mataura Ensign) are being extensively advertised m the Bntiih agricultural journals, as "' the best oati for Scotland." In recent tests on Lord Rosebery"s experimental farm at Dallpeny, Webb's Newmarket oats were pro. nouncecl the beat in point of yield. Professor M 'Alpine, m the course of a lecture at Dumfries (reports the North British Agriculturist), quoted from a table of the results of the Glasgow College experiments, in. which the Newmarket oats came out a clear first with a yield of 79 bushels, which was a clear quarter more than that yielded by the next in order — namely, the Banner. The Wellington correspondent of tho Southland News telegraphs: — It is hoped that negotiations for the purchase by thtGovernment of the Windsor Park estate will be completed in time for planting tins year> crop, probably about the Ist of June The are<t is about 3810 acre.- The soil i- c\r-e'-lently adapted for wheat growing, and s-imilar to the best land in the Oamaru di--

Ximmo and Blur's Agricultural Seeds should he i;-cd to get good results They «iro of the beat quality tnd reasonable in price. Ximmo and Blair will be pleased to send samples and give quotations at any time by no tu vine name arid address.

jtrict. The Government hope to put the land into the market in time to enable tho hettlers to take the fullest advantage of the fcroEperous wheat market. The area sown fast season was not so large as usual, and Ifche continuance of the wet weather in the Bouth prevented a good deal of the hardest being gathered in good condition. It ig confidently expected that the favourable prices of wheat will be an inducement to acquire the land in time to commence ploughing and sowing this season. The property is nearly all divided into fair-sized laddocks, and la very well ' fenced. No buildings of any large extent have been 'erected on the land, and the one built is *aid to be not of any great value. All farmers are not of the proverbial delepondent type. In comersation with a retpresentative man (says tho North Otago /Tiroes-) he admitted the comparative failure fthat had overtaken them this year, but as n compensation said farmers would have a [Bplondid season to start forward for next ■eaaon's crop. The land would bo in splendid order, and that would be half the •Jbattle. With a few weeks' fine weather, )too, they would yet be able to save much of ftheir crop, and the higher prices would tobviate a heavy loss. Clinton notes, in the Clutha Free- Press : — .T.ie wet weather of late has completely Ktopped harvesting, and most of the grain jWhieh is in stook is beginning to sprout, bo that the expected good harvest will pro(bably result in a disninl failure. A few, but very few, fanners were fortunate enough ito get all in stack before the bad weather came on, but in nearly all cases the bulk Is in stook- or else uncut. It is gieatly to be regretted that this last spell of bad weather came on. as the farmers wero all looking forward to securing a pood price for their grain, and the yield in nearly every case would have been veiy gcod. — Rabbit-trapping 13 being carried on vigorously in this district, large quantities being daily sent away. The trappers are demanding a rise in price, and in most initances are getting it. A well-attended meeting of settlers wan (held at Dunback on Saturday, sth inst. 'Mr M'Kellar occupied the chair. The Chairman said tho meeting was convened to ascertain the feeling of farmers on the advisability of establishing a creamery 111 the district. The meeting was \eiy enthufciastic. A committee was elected to eanva^ the district iv order to ascerta.n the number of cows likely to be available, also the number of shares milk supplier' are prepared to take up, and report to a futuic meeting. Should the report be of a favout ablo nature negotiations will be opened up with the Taieri and Peninsula Milk Supply Ccmpany. When peace is again established in South : Africa (says the Field of Maich 8), it 13 confidently expected that sheep-breeding, among other agricultural pursuits, will bo raised to a higher standard alike as to its conduct and results. If these reasonable expectations are to be realised, however, it seoras to be an inevitable preliminary that the ecourge of sheep scab should be suppressed. An Australian who has been o\ir a wide expanse of country, more particularly in the Transvaal, and who is it pre on a visit to England, has a t cry depressing account to gi\o of the ra\age, of this disease, and seeni3 to regard a- nccesEarily futile any attempt to improve tho sheep stocks of the country or to make the pursuit more remunerative until the fiheep scab plague has been stamped out. Tho task which tlm would invohe would certainly be of a formidable chaiacter, and its accomplishment might delay the process of restocking the country consideiably ; but it can readily be understood that the line of procedure which is inferentially acUised, while seemingly circuitous and slow, is much the safest, and perhaps the only possible courss. to real and enduring succcp=. With the example of Australia as a guide »nd stimulus, tho South African authorities need not despair of remo\ing <hi, insidious pest, and the termination of the war. when the country would be largely depleted of its normal flocks, woukl seem to offer a pec v liarly appropriate opportunity for taking the matter seriously in hand. In the week ended February 22 14- fre^h Outbreaks of anthrax, attacking 15 animal". and 16 of glanders, affecting 27 animaK were reported to the British Board of Agnoulture. In the same week there were 22 fresh cases of swine foyer, invoh ing the «laughter of 92 animak. In reference to the sale of the Abeideen'Angus bull Prince Ito at Chicago, it is mentioned that, baffled in his efforts to obtain absolute possession of the bull, the runner-up, as the second highest bidder is usually termed, has recured a nomination for the service of one cow for £200. This figure is said to constitute a record for the United States, but we (Field) believe that ii ia not without orecgdflnfc in th'S country.

Ii we are not misinformed, that was the regular service fee which Lord Fitzhardinge charged for the hire of the £4500 shorthorn bull Duke of Connaugl.t. and the fact that the bull actually proved a profitable investment for his plucky owner would seem to show that the sum was frequently paid. The Kokonga correspondent of the Mount Ida Chronicle wiites on the Bth inst. : — The weather continues bad for harvest operations, little or nothing having been done in that line for more than a fortnight. A little of the wind we all objected to so much in the past spring would now be acceptable, but instead of that we have to put up with foggy, muggy weather with occasionally a few hours of warm sunshine. Scarcely half of the grain in the district has been .secured, and some that is stacked would be better in the stook yet. Twice the s-tooks haie been thoroughly soaked through, and with the weather described above, drying is a slow operation. There is no wheat grown in the district, which is .Hist as well, as it would have fared badly. The oats if kept standing up do not grow in the stook like wheat does. Seldom has harvest been sc late about here, and it is not over yet. not by a long way. Most of the farmers have sold their surplus sheep at prices about 40 per cent below last year's. Those who sold early did best. The abundant rainfall has caused a good growth in the turnip crop, which is bulbing well. Grass is also very plentiful, more so than I have ever seen it at this time of the year. Stock ought to have abundance of feed this coming winter. A meeting of the Akaroa Farmers' Association was held at Duvauchelle on Thursday last. The secretary reported that the. Government had published cable mes.-ages of the price of cocksfoot weekly, and he had written thanking them. Mr Bruce said, owing to the cocksfoot hane^t being in full swing, the Government dairy instructor had boon unable to form schools of instruction. Reports of produce were received from Mr Bisset. The secretary reported that subscriptions had fallen off. Mr Pettigrew said a feeling existed that the Farmers' Union was a political one. and the fact of the association being connected kept a number of members away. A report «»i made regarding the cocksfoot harvest and the state of the London < heei-c mar Let, (ho price of (he latter being t-tated at 54s pei cwt An Ayrshire farmer who ;er\ed with the Yeomanry in South Africa ha? been giving ln« impressions of the farming as he saw it in the- new British colonies. As practiced by (he Boer«. tiie farming in the Transvaal and Orange River Colony seems hardly worthy of the name, for both in the cultivation of land and the management of live stock the Boer methods aro antiquated and \ cry imperfect. Both countries seem to he capable of va^t improvement in these thing*, however, as was shown by the pleading contrast offered by the holdings owned by English or Scottish =ettlers. Not only were the stock and crops in thc-e caso= of different character, but by the laying out of avenues, the planting of tree«. and other forms of impro\emcnt, the homesteads were made tf <-t.ind out agreeably from the monotonous bareness of the Boer farm = The observant farmer lefeired to ha* formed favourable impressions of the agncult\ir:il re-ource* and capabilities of the colonies m competent hands, fruit crow in<r poultrykeeping, etc. being all likely adjuncts to ordinary farming At the recent Sydi.ey Rov.il Vet k ultural Society's show tl'O New Zealand Chdi --dale entire. Brilliant Boy. hied by Mr R Oawn (of the Taien). purchased and imported to Australia by Mr Tlio-. Parker, by whom he wa-5 sold to the present owner. Mr -I Lawson, competed against 22 other entires, including horses imported from Scotland. Vie toria and New Zealand, and won the. champion prize of £25 presented by the Xew South Walp? Government A branch of the New Zcalaml Fjrmrr^' Tallinn lias been founel at Auowtown The rabbitor- of Clinton hp.\e agreed to accept nothing le^s than si,d a pair on {he fences and 6<l a pan at the laduay stations fur their rabbit*. The fruitgiower- of Motueki v'll ur ib.iblv join with those of C.uirei !>nrv in malurs a shipment of fruit to London The Sydney Mail of March 22 i- ic-pons ible for the following: — "A L»n 'nn < ahV ! of Man li 14 state- that -'mo of t' c !.nnb = condemned in a r omitmment of fio/. i ip.e.if from Victoria weighed only 12!!> .ui'l chfr15ib." A ci=e* of roii*icler.iblp impoitniue wa 5 decided at the Gore Mai?ir-trato'- Couit on Thursday. John Scott, a sJ.eir -r. sought t-> recover £3 17s 3d for Micarii;ur 515 Miccp at 15- per 100 James Bo:*', the defendant, did not deny that the On-op hid been »ho;n, bur his defence wa 1 - th.it Scoti, and oth.-i shearers who weie awaiting the i-suc of th<^ present c_se. took umlii^ira at ...mp ri_;_.ar^-

of his with reference to bad shearing, and left him when he was willing, even anxious, for them to remain. Mr Cruickshanks, S.M , gave judgment for the defendant, with costs (£6 7* 4d).