LOCAL AGRICULTURAL HEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2572, 1 July 1903, Page 23

LOCAL AGRICULTURAL HEWS.

in the opinion of this conference the different councils agree to take united action in dealing with the small-birds nuisance, and recommend thit the surfacemen in each riding be employed at st.ited periods to lay poison.' '(2) That tho first week in July, August, September, - and October bo recommended as tho time for concerted action to be taken by local bodies in poisoning of email birds.' ' (3J*That tho Government be asked to offer a bonus of £500 for the most effective method of dealing with the smallbird pest.' ' (4) That no poison be distributed except during the week in each month decided upon by the small-birds conference.' Mi Wylie did not agree v/ith the giving of £500 for tho Jiost effective means of destroying the birds, as it would be like giving away £500. Mr Nioolson said most of tho councils favoured the motion. The Chairman said that poison had been procured, but he impressed upon members the noeesaity of exercising care and not giving tho poison to anyone that could not be relied upon to see no one was injured. He thought soz to tho bushel would bo too much. The jnembem of the council would have to look aft#r the poisoning iD their different ridings. Mr Nioolson said the method adopted and recommended by tho circular was the -most effectual. The Chairman said the surfaosmcu might objeot_ to undertake the responsibility. He advised getting the vessel for the purpose of mixing and having it' painted. All members except Mr Shaw expressed their intention of undertaking the eupcrvision of poisoning in their respective ridings." Sheep were in good demand at the Clinton sales yesterday (cays last Friday's Clutha Leader). Several buyers went from Balclufcha and Stirling, but a South Canterbury buyer took the bulk of the entry a ( prices beyond the local men. Writing on the 25th ult., the Waitahuna correspondent of the Tuapeka Times reports: — The weather during the past eight or ten days up till Wednesday afternoon, the 24th inst., though changeable, has, considerring the time of the year, been very favourable for the ingathering of the late crops, and there- are now rao stooks to be seen in the Waitahuna district. Some of the farmers inform me that the stuff they put in last was in splendid ordei and not so much discoloured as their last year's orop. The crops secured in the earlier part of the harvest are nearly all threshed, and the yield jo far as quantity goes is well up to the average of former years. The (jrain, however, in a good many eases is not well filled and weighs light, p~> *acks which im other harvests would weigh 4£ buehels will 'this season barely average four mwheJe, •though well rammed. Most of the grain latc-Iy secured will remain in stack until epring. The harvest of 1803, which in the Waitahuna district ended about the 23rd of June, will long be remembered. _ Rabbit trapping: is still being carried on with considerable vigour. The number, however, «;ent- away from the railway staticm is very much less than in the beginning of the eeaeon. The following notes are from last Saturday's Southland Times:— Dairy farmers having many cows in milk at this .season should be doing well, seeing that If 3d is being paid for butter fat —All the dairy experts, with only one exoeptkm, are from the South Island. A good many of their are from Southland. The rrceent acting-chief, Mr M'Gowan, is from Mataura. — Tho veterinary lectures to be delivered a t Inveroargill and Gore will bo illu«trr*d by the diagrams reoontly prepared by Sir H. O. Wilkie, the Government vot , whoso "headquarters are in Dunedin? Mr Wilkio is an artist of exceptional merit, and a veterinary surgeon of high standing.— The" executive of the Southland Farmers' Union have decided that nonmembers of the union are not to receive rhe services of the \inion's vet. on the same terms as members. Non-membera will be called upon to pay a substantial fee if they wish the vet's services.