AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2520, 2 July 1902, Page 6

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

Mr John Roberts, C.M.G., speaking at a luncheon to members of the Agricxiltural Conference, warned them not to adopt anything in the way of a political platform. It Had been suggested that they should follow the example of the Farmers' Union, but h» was of opinion that the Farmers' Union would produce a great deal of irritation by making itself a. political organisation. He thought that moral suasion would accomplish more for the agricultural and pastoral industry than any political platform, would accomplish. He hoped that the Committee of Management which had been, set up to give effect to the decisions of the conference would do so by making representations to the Government and persist* ing in them till their requests were complied with. If one Minister was unfavourable, let them try another. Mr Ritchie, of the Agricultural Department, had expressed a great willingness- to assist the conference, and he thought they could count on his support and on the support of the officers of the Agricultural Department. A meeting of dairy factory managers was held in tho A. and P. Society's reading 1 room on Thursday night, when there was a fairly good attendance. Mr H. Graham, of Waikouaiti, presided. The secretary (Mr M'Kenzie) fead the objects and rules of the association. Mr Greville, of the NewZealand Dairyman, explained more fully the objects and working of the association in the north, and offered to give tho asaociation any assistance in his power Those present then decided to form themselves into a Butter and Cheese Makers' Association, and Mr Graham was appointed district secretary.

A resident of Buenos Aires, writing to a member of our staff on the subject of the South African meat contracts, says he does not see how ifc is possible for New Zealand or the Australian colonies to compete with the Argentina. Freight from tho latter country is cheaper, labour there is cheaper, the producing power ie much greater, and! the distance is less. "It may interest you to know," he says, " that in view of tho possible increase in the South African trade, at least two new freezing works are being 1 started, one of them by Kingsland — who drove mail coaches in Otago with Dan O'Brien 25 years ago,— who is supposed to be in with the South African Cold Storage Company, This looks as if the contractors already relied on getting frozen meat from, here, and I think you will find in the end that most of the restocking of South Africa* will be done by the Argentine. Seddon'a remarks concerning the meat contracts were telegraphed here, but did not make- much.

impression. Even a big gun sounds little at a distance."

Mr John Cooke, well known in connection with Australian produce, has this week been interviewed (writes our London correspondent on, May 16), and he severely condemned "Victorian shippers and officials for sending Email lambs to Smithfield — those ranging from 121b to 201b each ; I myself hav<> heard of one weighing only 10£ lb — and he contends that the Victorians have ruine.l their lamb trade in consequence. Incidentally he gives high praise to New Zealand. Asked by the interviewer : ' ' Are there ar y complaints as to New Zealand lamb?" Mr Cooke replied: "No; New Zealand lambs are invariably satisfactory, taken as a whole. They have a character in the market that is absolutely undeniable. They are coming ir. this season in enormous numbers, and allowing for the wet, cold spring, which is unsuitable for the consumption of lamb the demand has been fairly well sustained. It is a marvellous -thing. They are coming in in enormous quantities, and the price, though not so good as it would have been had it been a warm, mild season, has not materially suffered." Mr Cooke was asked his opinion in reference to cold storage, regarding increased competition, and he said: "The cost of cold storage in London and other part 3 of the United Kingdom is a very sore point with frozen meat exporters from Australia and New Zealand. And measures are being taken by some of the large companies and firms to provide their own cold storage, as they have lost hope that the frozen meat storekeepers will make any material reduction in their charges." In reply to the question : ""Do you think competition as to the produce itself is. likely to become keener?" Mr Cooke said : " Other sources of competition have been brought under my notice cince I arrived — namely^ Russia and Rouxnania. Steps are being taken to test the London market thoroughly with frozen meat from both the countries named. And if, as it is emphatically stated, beef can profitably be laid down in London in the neighbourhood of 2d per lb, competition will be of a somewhat serious character. On the other band, I am aware that the outlets for frozen meats are likely to expand in directions ■where hitherto there has been a very great prejudice. The success of frozen meat for army purposes in Africa has drawn the attention of the military authorities of some of the large Continental Powers, and I knowthat experiments are being made at this particular moment, with a view to utilising frozen meat extensively for army commissariat purposes, by the Powers referred to. The British army authorities are also strongly impressed with the advantages of frozen meat, and will doubtless extend the use of it also in their commissariat arrangement?." Under the heading " The Future of New Zealand," Mr _James Freyberg writes to a liondon papeT* as follows: — "Two movements of considerable importance are progressing that will have au effect upon the future of New Zealand. First, the Labour party is now the special subject of Tom Mann's attention and care, and a much more independent attitude is contemplated in the future; as the honorarium attached to_ a ■Beat in Parliament has been largely increased, therefore some of the ablest trades tmioniats may be expected in the new House. These unions were greatly displeased at the summary dismissal of so many workers by the Government "recently, and the leaders suggest- that the large number of men sent to the Transvaal was a clever move to cover an awkward position. The Labour 4>arty commands quite- an equal number of female votes, therefore their power is immense. Secondly, the Agricultural party, largely composed of small dairy farmers and settlers, is also striving to organise unions for the furtherance of their interest in the House, and as the wealth and numbers of each party is nearly equal, a pretty sharp contest is quite certain."

A trial shipment of hard fruit — apples and ppars — from New Zealand, sent Home by the New Zealand Shipping Company, has arrived here (writes our London correspondent, on May 16), and I am told it was landed in good condition, only a few boxes of the fruit having caught the frost.

The Farmers' Union has at length got a footing in Westland Province, where several branches are ir course of formation.

Out of a mob of 400 starving cattle which left West Maitland for New England (New South Wales) by rail 25 died in the trucks.

A plausible theory in regard to " fishiuess" in butter has boen advanced by a Palmerston North prominent dairyman. It is that the excessive amount of potash in <the bush lands is responsible for this great defect in flavour. He contends (=ays> the -W&irarapa Daily Times) that as the land is cleared, ploughed, and sown in English •grasses, the defect will disappear.

It is disappointing to learn (says tho Xyttelton Kmes) ihat the Acting-Premier lias not yet completed his inquiries in regard to the size of jornsacks. The agitation for a reduction from the cruelly heavy fourDushel sack was commenced two or three years ago, and it is almost incredible that •Sir Joseph Ward has not by this time obtained all the information that is available •on the subject. The Medical Association has warmly supported the lumpers' demand for a reduction, and the bulk of public opinion is on the side o£ the men. We — Poypina ÜbMt the nhana* OUgllt JOt tQ be

made suddenly, without giving importers of sacks and exporters of grain an opportunity to adapt thoir arrangements to the new regulation, but its discussion ought not to be indefinitely postponed. The Medical Association has declared that the heavy sacks now in use are serioxisly impairing the health of many of the men who are required to handle them ; the merchants, or, at anyrate, a number of them, have replied that they are necessary to secure the most profitable results from the grain business. If both these contentions are right, the Minister should not hesitate for a moment in giving notioe of the change— the health of the- men should certainly be considered tKifore the profit of the merchants, — but we presume that Sir Joseph has some reason to think that the association is mistaken. In that case he ought to loso no time in placing the information he has collected before the public.

The highest price on record as ha\ing been paid for a cow is the 5400 guineas which was given at the dispersal of Mr Mills' s shorthorn herd, at New York, in the early seventies, for the heifer Duchess of Oneida. At that time, it will be remembered, there was quite a craze for animals of the Duchess blood, and fabulous prices were paid for them on both sides of the Atlantic. The Duchesses that would new make one-tenth of tho money paid for B->me of the representatives of the strain in the seventies would be counted as selling to decided advantage.

At Fareham, Hants, in May, a firm of butter merchants were fined £30 and costs for issuing false warranty with butter supplied to a local tradesman, which was stated to be pure and unadulterated butter, and which on analysis was found to contain 21 per cent, of water.

Apropos of the imposition of a duty of 3d per cwt on imported grain, it is interesting to note that the imports of wheat, flour, barley, oats, and maize into the United Kingdom last year and the year before worked out as under: — 1901. 1900. Cwt. Cwt. Wheat 69,747,830 68,669,490 Wheatmeal and ffcnir .. 22,575,230 21,548,131 Barley 22,091,530 17,054,990 Oats 22,476,070 20,109,560 Maize 51,372,800 54,151,570 All corn and meal .. 196.388,807 189,636,088 The annual meeting of the Central Otago A. and P. Af-sociation was held at Ophir on the 19th ult., Mr Rutherford in the chair. The balance sheet, showing a debit balance of £28 13s fed, was then read, but the Secretary explained that it had not been audited. The debit is accounted for by the fact that a sum of £62 lls 9d was spent in fencing the show ground. In moving the adoption of the balance sheet, subject to its being audited and confirmed at a future meeting, Mr Will Laidlaw said he understood that some half-dozen members had guaranteed the money advanced. He did not believe in a few gentlemen taking the responsibility, but thought every member should share the liability. He hoped, however, that the next show would realise enough to wipe off the debt. Mr Rutherford explained that it was a emaal meeting that decided the matter Af paying for the fence. The matter, waa an urgent one, and they had to guarantee it. The balance sheet was adopted. — The election of officer* was then proceeded with, and the following were elected :— President, Mr H. C. Weir; vice-president, Mr J. M 'Arthur; treasurer, Mr J. M'Knight. Committees, stewards, and judges were appointed. — It was resolved that the horse parade be held at Ophir on Saturday, October 11. The date of tho annual ehovv was fixed for Friday, November 14. — A letter was read from Mr Ginsberg offering to sell his dairy factory for £175. It was resolved that the association acknowledge the letter, but were not in a position to deal with the matter.

Taieri notes, from the Advocate: — Considerable quantities of turnips are being sent from the Taieri to Dunedin. and ihe result has been a glut in the market. The demand anticipated from Australig. has not yet taken place — Several farmers in the vicinity of Allanton arc complaining of a dry rot in their turnips. It is noticeable mostly where turnips were grown in the same field last year.

Tho fine weather oi the past few weeks (says the Western Star) has allowed farmers to push on ploughing operations with all expedition. Large areas have already been turned over, and have benefited by the frosts. As there is every likelihood of a continuance of good prices, the area under oats thio season will far exceed that of last year.

Feed in the Fairlie district is getting scarce, and fat stock are barely holding their own, if they are not going back in condition. The block at the Timaru Freezing Works has inconvenienced owners rather seriously, as they have had to hold stock longer than they wished.

There is likely to be a thinning out of poultry in the Auckland city and suburbs. The Health Department has (telegraphs the Ohristehureh Press correspondent) decreed that poultry yards must be kept clean, that decent houses must be built for birds, that the floors thereof must be of concrete, and that they must be cleaned each day. This probably means that most people will give uq kaaiing fourla in fcroa.ll allotrrumU and

I be content to buy their eggs, so that the j practical potdtry farmer will probably reap much profit thereby. At the meeting of the Grey Lynn Borough Council the Sanitary Inspector reported having visited 187 places in the borough where poultry were kept, and that only four were in a satisfactory condition. Dairying notes, from the New Zealand Dairyman for June: — The New Zealand Dairy Union intends to erect a butter factory at Eketahuna, costing £4000.— The price received for the output of the cooperative butter factories of Ireland for last season varied from 10.98 dto 11.45 d per lb. — The total value of the butter consigned from Eltham, Taranaki, for the year ended March 31 was £164,000, the product of five factories. — Glenormiston Butter Factory (Victoria) runs 20 De Laval separators off one shaft. Lend in the vicinity ie readily saleable at £50 per acre, and one acre is said to carry a cow all the year round — It is reported (says the Newe) that the Stratford Dairy Factory Company have refused an offer of 9£d per lb for their butter on a 10-years' contract. This is reported to be one of the biggest proposals known in th© dairy line for some time. — Another case in point in which the Jersey strain has much weight is that of a settler in tho Taranaki district, who bought a halfbred Jersey at the commencement of the season, and kept . its yield for a separate test, which is said to have reached 7 per cent. This cow brought in for the season no less a sum than £18. — The New Zealand Farmers' Dairy Union received into its various factories last month 380,513 gallon? of milk, for which it paid away £5793 2s lOd. The price which is being paid during this and the following month is at the rate of B£d per lb for butter fat, which is the highest yet paid by the union. j "Many small farmers, and even large ones, are not qualified to put up their wool for the maTkei as it ought to bo put up," said Mr Field, M.H.R., in his address at Upper Hutt the other night. The speaker suggested that officers of the Stock Department should give lectures on the treatment of wool, and thought growers would reap great benefit if the lpeturera travelled about the colony educating them in this important department. Clutha district notes, from the Leader: — Waipahi : Ploughing and other farm work i* well ahead. The turnip crops are poor this year, and a good field of turnips is a scarce commodity. Rabbit-trapping is still going on, but I suppobe wo shall have to begin the winter poisoning in the course of a fortnight or so. — Kuriwao : Threshing is completed for another year, and though late the weather was all that could be desired. The yields are very satisfactory, over 60 bushels being mentioned. With the ex- j ception of discolouration whilst in stook, I the condition ot the «ample is good, con- ' sidering the difficulty experienced in getting the crops stacked in -anything like fair order. Notes from the Southland Times: — Garston : Threshing is finished in this district. Although the weather during harvest and threshing was the wettest experienced here, the grain wimpled well from the mills. The farmers here had no difficulty in disposing of their oats at satisfactory prices, but have not been able to sell their harley even at fair prices. None have sold a sack so far. — Oteramika : Wo have been having very fine weather here for the last three weeks, which has been fully appreciated, as many of the farineis have been getting their ' winter supply of chaff cut. There are very few stacks to be seen in the district now, as nearly all the farmers threshed out early in the winter, only keeping enough stuff for feed. Ploughing is now in full swing, and if this fine weather continues farmers should be well forward with their work by ,

spring. Writing on May 9, the London correspondent of the PastoraliPts' Re\ ieiv states that bone taint is showing itself to somo extent in the New Zealand beef now on the market. "I was shown 100 stones, of fine New Zealand be^f yesterday cast from one dealer's premises in the market on that account, and find that that ia not a solitary

case A meeting of the Teviot and Alexantha Fruitgrowers' Company was held at Roxburgh a few days ago, to further consider the establishment of a preserving and canning factory in connection with the company's business. Mr .1. Bennetts presided. Mr Blackmore, Got eminent pomologist, addressed the meeting, giving a lot of valuable ii-formation. He trusted they would look at the mattei in a practical manner, s,o that they would be able to hold their own against all competition. They would have to go in frr a preserving works to utilise their surplus and in order to help to exteii'l tl eir business. A plant that would can six tons per week could be had for between £600 and £700. The following motion was carried unanimously: — '"That the time J3 opportune for the fruit-growers of this distiict to erect a jam factory and canning ■works." Thero was a difference of opinion as to whether the factory should be located in Roxburgh or Dunedin, but after discussion it was decided that the factory be in Dunedin until the output warrants its removal to Roxburgh. A hearty vote of thanks was passed to Mr Blackmore for the information and assistance he had given them. In aokuawlcdjzinjr thai* vota. vMr

I Blaekmore predicted a great future for the I fruir -growing industry in both the Teviot I and Nelson districts. No one need run fway with the idea that fruit-growing was overdone. They must devise means for supplying the best quality of fruit to consumers. At the present time the fruit was handled by too many, the growerd not getting a fair return.