WELLINGTON AGRICULTURAL NOTES

Otago Witness, Issue 2572, 1 July 1903, Page 8

WELLINGTON AGRICULTURAL NOTES

(Fbou Otjb Own Coeeespondikt.) We have been getting winter in earnest this last month, heavy rain hayThe ing fallen all along the Weather, coast from Wellington to New Plymouth, but it haa fallen co regularly that we have had no goods to do any special damage. What may be the effect of the last two days' rain I cannot say, but all the local streams are fully so that the big rivers are sure to rise also. During the month we had a few nights' very hard frost, just about as hard as ever I remember to have esen. Frost cuts off the feed very much, but our stock would be a great deal healthier if we got more of it than we do, as it would kill off some of the pests, and it goes without saying that land under tillage is greatly benefited by frost, more especially land that has been akim-ploughed in the autumn.

Feed i 3 still fairly good ; in fact, as plentiful as I over remember to The have seen it on the shortest Pastures. day. Of oouise you do come

across some farmers who are complaining, but that ie only those who: keep their sheep on land that is only cap- ( able of carrying two to the acre. As I have I 6aid in fohic of my previous notes, the bulk of the daily farmer? are well supplied with hay, and some have grown Bmall patches of mangels, but roots are not grown to any great extent as yet. There is still ft fair supply of milk coming in to the factories, j The reason there is so much coming in at | bo late a period is to a orrcat extent due to > the grand supply of feed; but there is another factor, which I think I mentioned before— that is, that a large percentage of cowa did not come into profit as early as usual in the spring. Wha the reason was no one appears to be able to satisfactorily explain. , Sheep are in very good fettle, and the , eww aro in grand order foi the coming . Umbras:, and civen fair weather we ahonM J get a record crop of lambs. We havn still a month before tihere will be many larobe, a* few farmers care to have lamb 3 before thfl Ist August, and on the hiehor country September is soon enough. It is of course no uso having an early lamb unless you can mafto surr> of having plenty of f 1 for tl><> mother when the lamb comes. If you starv-" am-tlnntr v.-lien vountr. he it animal or voaetahi^. you ca.n newi mate it rea-llv gorl rHnrwarrta; but wb»n yon ran provide (food inna a t]w-r~ i« i>nU>iuo better than an early lanb. Talking of fo<!fW for PWO3 aboijfr t/* lamb T 6m} n iri>it mnnv Fanners afn-d to g-ivn t^f* : routsr outs tn rT "'rv> on account of it causing abortion. Now, I

cannot understand how euoh a notion has got abroad, as in my experience I never saw anything to warrant any euch idea. The belief is held, however, by many really intelligent men in New Zealand. A few years ago we had a Tot of turnips to spare, and as store sheep were high we did not see that there was any margin in buying tbem to eat the turnips off; but as we had an extra lot of ewes to lamb we put them on to eat the turnips off, and as the crop was good they lasted until they finished lambing, and we had a good percentage, with but few deaths amongst the ewes ; while the lambs were very good. I remember that year meeting a, neighbouring farmer, above the average ,in intelligence, who was grumbling about not having feed enough for his owes. When I told what we were doing, "Why," he exclaimed, "your ewes will all be abort; you will have no lambs!" But, as I have already said, we had about the best lambing we ever had. Besides providing plenty of fodder a great deal could be done in the way of providing shelter — 'that ie, on tftie open downs or agricultural farms. In the bush or hill country there is always shelter to 'bo found) behind a log or on the leo side of the hill, but on open country that has been ploughed and enclosed in 20 or 40 acre paddocks by a wire fence there is no shelter, and when a rough night oomee in lambing time there is no escape from the cold blast; and as I have often noticed the lambs lying dead all over the paddock after a rough time I have wondered"- "that the owner did not provide some shelter. It is easily done on a place where you grow grain, as there is generally plenty of straw going to waste. By lambing time the turnips are nearly done, so that some of the hurdles or wire netting are at liberty, and by setting either of them alongside the westerly fence of the fieUd — that is, put the hurdles or netting about a foot or eighteen inches from the fence, and fill in tho space with straw, and Jer it have a bit of a lean like a hay rack — a lamb can lie as warm as if in a shed. Tkere need only be a few chains of it, as it <a.!l depends on the number of sheep there are in the field. A batter plan— only it take? a little more labour — is to put tho break wind out in the middle of the paddock, and make it in the form of the letter Ii or V, with the point of the angle pointing to the west, or make it zig-zag; it matters little wiiioh, only try to get the most shelter ix^siblft from where the worst storms come. Don't be particular about picking up any loose straw th&X may fall while packing your breakwind. as a bit of litter on the lee side kfv^pß the lambs off tho wet ground. Ow advantage of ha.vintr it in the centre of tho pnddock is that it if easier cleaned up when lambing is over.

It goes without say ; nc that, there has not br>en much done on the land AfrlruUural. by way if tillapre this last month; still, there are fom« who will go on ploughing, and oven sowing grain. wli A n it would pay thorn better to ha in I'heir bo<l<t ileeryinsr rntVxn 1 than mudKrking through their fiel-Js. Of C7iu6e there aro riatclwa of panrlv country, where* it ilom not do so much harm ; but on anvtliing like *<liff cla.v more harm than good i<? dopo. As tho <?e-a- c on is not very far advanced, no one nep-rt worry much over the wet.. Mv own opinion is that on alluvial soils that grow wr^nLa Auirii't is quite soon enough to =ow cram, c<* if sown early in the winter thr« w^rls prow when the trrain is at a stands 'll. and go they get thfl better of the frra.in. H w over, it all depone on the winter, and t'-oro« can ho. no Kard-flnd-fast da tea put down to sow. I iK-wr fo->' hanov in «owing unle^ tho hnrrowa will rai»r» a dust. What oats and wh^at; wero sown early are looking very well, but there is no fjreat extent of it.

Grain of all kinds i<? very ouiet. nothfntr much doing, as the farmers Mir\*t<4. who bave steed - c not

fcrcinc the market, and tiriofl* are conir^auontlv ko<>pnier hard. aJtWnioTi tl<f>re is not irmcJh sor'njf in oriee. O'-ftf if trod is of Iw+tor value Ikis last xeoe-k or two. and T tl"'r>k it is likely to rulo Ihb-Ikm 1 still. <wr*>C'« I v if we tret a lai« snrinir o» in longing' round the number nf etnrVn loft for pl>»ff =™m very fima.il. and even now straw chaff is in demand and

selling at from 40s to 50s per ton on trucks. Potatoes are worth from 60s to 70e, and have turned out a fair crop in most places.

Store sheep of all kinds are etill selling well, and as a rule I think Stock prices are about Is better Market. than they were a month

ago. Cattle are also selling freely at about late rates. There have been one or two small sales of dairy cows, and there are some heavy sales advertised. At what ealea that have taken place prices have been very good. One clearing sale of 45 cows averaged £8 11s, while some went as high as £13 10s, and spring heifers from £6 to £7, -so that farmers, dealers, and auctioneers look fairly happy. Talking of auctioneers, it looks as of tilings were working towards a big combine, the Abraham and Williams Company having purchased the old-established business of R. E. Becket, of Marton. I may mention that the Abraham and Williams firm was turned into a company some time ago, and a large number of the shares are held by farmers on this Coast, and also through the gorge from Pahiatua to Dannevirke, where they iave a muni'ber of ealeyarde, and on this coast they will extend from Wellington to Manga weka — that is, as far north as the trunk railway is opened. 1 fancy they have a big futre before them.

At a meeting the other day of the committee of the A. and P. Association at Palmerston tihe question of amending the cct governing tho sale of diseased stock was brought up. The part of the act desired to be amended is tnat portion which makes the purchaser the sole responsible party to whom the auctioneer 'haa to look for payment in oases where diseased etock has been sold by him. It is to be brought up agadn at tho next general meeting of committee. It is a question hedged in with many difficulties, as no doubt the seller should bo made responsible in some way too. It is to be hop&d that some scheme will be submitted that will deal justly with both parties.

I see the Farmers' Distributing Company is now fairly launched, and is advertising for a manager. As I have already said, the manager means eit'ier success or failure, and I hope they will get a good man, so ithat th^y may help the farmer— or I should rather cay producer, for sd far as I can understand; it is the small or by-products of the land that Jhey more espeoially lay themselves out to assist to market.

Land values are going up, and it is wonderful the quantity of land Price of that is charging hands. Land. Amongst others there was a

big land sale at Palmerston a week or two ago of the >Moutua Estate. It did belong to the Assets Company, but a party of three bought it and had it cut up and soM in small blocks, and they must have pocketed a nice little cheque out of the bargain, as some of the blocks sold up to £20 per acre without anything in the shape of improvements. They only offered the dry land. There is a large extent of swamp land covered with flax, which •they aro keeping, and as one of the three is a flaxmiller they will make their money (Off that, for when flax is at £30 per ..on there is more money in that than in growing wool. A friend of mine told me the other day he had been able to draw a cheque foi a larger amount that h.3 ever hoped to be able to draw off the purchase of a farm, and he Gaid. "It was all got out of flax."

The several local poultry associations Shows are advertising their pro-

grammes, but the great event of th» winter will be the Manawatir Agricultural and Pastoral Association's first winter allow, to be held on the last day of July. It has been talked about for the last ff r ~w yoars, but they could never get up courage enough to risk it. However, they have now made a start, and from all accounts it should be a great success. Already 23 butter factories have cent in entries, all of which aro from tho North Island except one. Owing to the large number of entries of exhibits tho executive have been obliged to make large additions to the accommodation in the large Agricultural Halll, and the indications are they will have to provide still more. Given decent weather the affair is an assured success.

At a meeting of the committee of A. and P. Association Mr Nathan referred to the great value of the classee conducted by the Government veterinary service, and regretted that their usefulness was confined to such a small area. He suggested that efforts should be made to hold classes in Feilding and Marton, and remarked that "the ignorance of young farmers in stock is deplorable."

The chief topic now bemg discussed at the branch meetings is the freeFtrnieri' hold versus leasehold tenure L'uioiih. of land. The last few

years have- witnessed a great change in opinion on this subject. A few years ago if you said anything to a selector of land in favour of the freehold you would in all probability have been "jumped on." But after having had an experience- of a few years as tenants of our liberal Government, with their regiment of agents, in bho form of inspectors, they begin to sympathise with the Irish farmer, who sings, " Oh, the thief of an agent that oause<l me to roam." And they are woree off than the-ir Irish 'wothers, as they are so placed that they cannot roam. Unless death or some other calamity overtakes them it is nearly quite hopeless to persuade the land board to let them change thoir position. As pointed out at a branc-h. meeting the other day, the 999 years looks good enough ; indeed, it looks on the first glance as good as freehold ; but tho leswe-e luus only a very limited portion of the 999 years to, live, and at his death what is the value of it to those whom he has been struggling to make a provision for when death comes?. Of course, you cay, they will get tho leme ; probably they might, but it is so tied up iv the handa of the land board and the Government that in many cases it would be of no value. Take, for evample, the case of i widow and helpless children. It is easy to imagine instances in which it would be quite impossible for them to reside on the land. In such a case, what would the value of their interest be? But posterity is but little in the thoughts of many who are now agitating for the freehold. The position with many on the back blocks is this: — They have spent six or eight years of the be-st part of their lives in hard work, with little or no comfort, and having spent what little money 'they had in cash in putting improvements oa the section, and having

paid an extra rent for roading purposes, with a promise that the roads should be made— a promise that in many cases has never been fulfilled — they are at their wits' end what to do— wading through mud to the horse's knees, or deeper, carrying their cream out to tho factory — that is, if they have been able to raise a separator. The Government won't allow them to sell to someone with a little capital, who would improve the country — the present tenant in many oases having none. But they now see if they oould get the freehold, money now being cheap, they might be able to get a little cash in order to further improve their holding and get separators, or else strike a rate to make the roads that should have been made. In that case creameries would soon be erected for them. On a small farm dairying i 3 the only method by which a man can make a living, an<d dairying to be a success must have roads ; so if th«re is going to be amy tinkering with the £»and Aot this session, I fancy there will be a big fight for the freehold. I hope they may get it — not that I think they deserve it, as they would have the lease and nothing but the lease, and in many oases have got good blocks at a fairly low price ; so that others who would not take a lease lost the chance- of getting a home. If "they do secure the freehold, I do not think they should get it on the value that their rents represent, as in some cases I know it would mean making them a present of from £10 to £15 per acre. There are other sections again that are not worth the rental that is being paid for them. However, I have got into politics, but my excuse is that the land tenure is at the present time a burning farmers' question all up the coast. ANTIQUA OVIS.