AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2578, 12 August 1903, Page 16

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

An interesting exhibit was displayed before the Conference of Ministers of Agriculture, who have met in Melbourne to consider the question of cold storage. Four months ago samples of apples and eggs were placed in a refrigerating chamber by the officers of the department, and were brought out on this occasion to test the results of the experU ment The packing of the apples was done by the president of the Doncaster Fruitgrowers' Absoeiation, some being wrapped iv- tissue reaper and others notj and placed

in a case of Ihs kind ordinarily tued in the export trade. The varieties included Fivecrown Pippin, Rymcr, Rome Beaaty, and Lord Wolseley, and in each instance (he fruit turned out in fine condition. The log recording the temperature showed that the highest register was 37deg, the lowest 34deg, and the average foT the whole period 36ckg. The eggs were packed in neat cardboard fillers, each compartment holding a single ogg, and the experiment in this case was equally successful. The trade has discovered that it is profitable to store the surplus simply in the ccol chambers controlled by the Agricultural Department. The average price of eggs when they were placed in the cool stores was lOd, and when put on the market Is 3d to Is 9d per dozen. The dc-partmental charge does not mean more than Id par dozen for storage. There is no reason why fruit may not pc treated in a similar way with profit to tha fruitgrowAvs. The Timaru Agricultural and Pastoral Association has just discovered a peculiar case of forgery. Four years ago the association seat a postal note to a Southland judge covering his expenses, and a. receipt was duly received. It now transpires that the receipt was forged and that the judge never received the money. Inquiries are io be instituted to bring the offender to justice. The Timaru Agricultural and Pastoral Association passed a resolution strongly opposing the provisions of the Slock Bill, and has asked the Minister of Agriculture not to allow the bill to become law. It considers the provisions respecting examination too arbitrary and much too drastic as regards hereditary unsotmdness, and confconsidora that if made law some of the best horses in the country would be debarred from use, and that the stringency of the meas\ire would stop the- introduction of fresh blood into the colony. Severe losses of sheep are reported from the Ruapuna district, Ashburton County, as the result of the recent snowstorm ; 200 out of 1000; 100 out of 700; 50 out of 1000; and 50 out of 500 are among the losses. The Clydesdale stallion, Lochiel, by Rob Roy— .Flora, which ;va6 champion for two successive years at the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association's metropolitan show, has besn sold to Mr Millar, of Invercargill. Farmers around the Pleasant Point and' Geraldine distriots and also in the Mackenzie Country are suffering heavy losses a3 a result of the recent snowstorm (writes a jorrespondemt of the Christckurch Press). The snow still lies thickly ove"r many farms in the districts named, and the s&vere frosts prevent a thaw. Sheen are in many instances suffering severely, and it i 9 anticipated that when the spring foed comes there will be heavy losses, as the cheep in their weak condition will scour very much. On farms where lambing has commenced, it is being found that the long period of starvation and cold has brought on abortion, and in many cases lambs whioh aro born alive are bo weak that they do not long survive. One large station-holder considers that had ho not be&n fortunate enough to get a large percentage of his sheep down to foed near the coast, he would have lost fully half of his flock. A Geraldine settler has lost 50 cheep as a result of the 6now, each worth from 16s to £1 ; another settler at Rapuna has lost 250 hoggcte, and there are very many other similar losses. Mi Jones, of Mount Nessing, Albury, was j in Timaru -cm Friday last, and he informed I a member of the Post staff that the sno'v at 1 Albuiy is now only about 3iu in depth, and that at the back of the township there are a good many bare patches, though the snow has by no moans gone yet. The thaw is extiemely slow, wing to >the eevere frosts. Mr Jones says that his I-ossl of cheep to far has not been large, owing to the fact that he was able to remove over 3000 lambs from .his mn to more congenial quarters at St. Andrews, this leaving sufficient room for tie remaining sheep on the 6tation on the bare patches, whore they ongregated. Had it not been for this transfertmc© of so mr.ny lambs Mr Jones considers that iio would have lost fully half his flock.. It is quite impossible, he saya, to estimate the losses, or even the probable losses, as a result of tho enowst-orm, as ;he heaviest losses are likely to come later on, when ewes are lambing and when the spring feed ;omea. A Christchurch firm (say 3 the Lyttolton Times) has received advice from San Francisco to the effect that the wheat crop in California is likely x> he a veTy small one. Harvesting was then (July 15) in full swing, but there was very little wheat being sold, and 6uch lots as come Dn the market were readily picked up by millers. The communication further stated that the demand on the part of tho millers wise from large orders whioh had been received 1 from the Orient for flour. Tim latter olause suggests that Janaai may be taking in large stocks, in preparation for possible war. Such action would have its effect on the world's wheat market, which has already gained firmness by reason of h& poor outlook for this season's harvest in England. In summing up the position of the wheat market, the Sydney Mail of July 29 modifies its previous estimates, and onsiders that 184,000 bushek will represent the surplus in New South Wales. It concludes thus: — ''Infact, there seems no reason why either imported i?rain or flour should bo sold at prices that rule at present, which, not only

leaves no margin of profit, but actually leaves a substantial loss. In considering the future of the market there is another factor that is of some importance. It is this, that whereas in, ordinary years the wheat stock of the State is held by thousands of farmers living far apart, and in no way organised, this year it is iheld by half «. dozen or -so millers and importers, who can, if they think fit, easily- call a meeting and put their heads together for their mutual benefit. Something of this fort has indeed boon already hinted at." - , Of tho Victorian oat market the Australasian of August 3 states: — "The demand for Algerian oats has been active, and v good business has been done at prices f.h<-w-ing p. slight improvement. Prime n ilimg close at 2s 3d to 2s 3£d, good heavy at 2a 2d to 2? 2£d, and- medium fo&d at about 23 Id to 2s lid. New Zealand stout white oats on spot aro quoted et 2s 7id, juk! Danish at 2s 6d. London advices of J u ly 3 report the market thus: — Common cats are inactive, but good descriptions arc* slightly dearer. English are' scarce, and there is a better demand for New Zealand at about 24s 6d, 25s 6d Canadian, 23s to 23s 6d Gartons, and 22s to 24s 6d sparrowbills and ordinary Bluff, all per 3841b, ex store. Milla suppliers to the Gore Dairy Fr.otory received last year £3269 for milk. The monthly meeting of tho Tuapeka Agricultural Society was held en Thursday last. It was resolved to hold the annual meeting on Septemb&i 3.— The President reportod on behalf ot the sub-committee appointed to ■ revise the schedule, drawing attention to several alterations and amendments. Tho schedule as revised was adopted. — The Secretary reported that an application had been sent in to tho Agricultural Department to have a draught stallion located in tha Tuapeka district, but no reply had been re- , ceived. Mr Gunn suggested that it niighfc I be possible to form a company to purchase a I horse in the event of the Government horse not being available. Several present favoured this idea, and after some clisci^sion it was decided that Messrs J. Smith, R. Gurm, H. Cameron, M. Potts, along with, the president and vice-presidents, form a. 6ub-committeo to report aa to tho feasibility of buying a draught stallion. The sub-com-mittee- subsequently decided that failing » favourable r^-p'v being received from <he Agricultural Department a canvass of the di=itrct should be made, and asked Mos&rs G. Smith and R. Gunn to under f ake the s.ime. The secretary received a better from' Mi Bonnet, M.H.R., to ths effeot tbat the department had not yet come to a ilrohion, but that he had very little hope of securing a draught stallion this season. Tbe committee of the Motniototo A. and P. Society have decided to hod tho'r annual show on Thursday, the 17th Decem>ber.