LOCAL A. AND P. NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2623, 22 June 1904, Page 20

LOCAL A. AND P. NEWS.

A conference will shortly be held between delegates from Iho Southland Farmers' Union, the Education Board, and the High Schools Board of Governors to consider the question of continuing the classes in agricultural science inaugurated last winter. Those who advocate the continuation of the classes \irge that training for agricultural pursuits v should commence in t'a& primary schools, should be continued in the secondary schools, such as tlie grammar, high, or district high schools, anid in a specially equipped agricultural school, and be completed in tbe agricultural college.

Over 200 sheep have been worried at Wantwood Station, Southland, during the past month by two ownerless greyhounds, which defy all attempts to capture th-em. Many southern farme-rs are sowing dovn their lands for pasture for next season instead of growing grain.

For the year ended March the Wallace County Council expended £128 19s 2d on the destruction of small birds.

An instance cf scientific and economical farming is to be witnessed in the Oamaru district. A large land-owner there just prior to ploughing dumped straw in heaps at regular intervals all over his fields. The heaps were then burned, and the charred residuum, being particularly' rich in fertilising qualities, was subsequently ploughed into the soil.

The Park Hill correspondent of the Tapanui Courier writes : — Our districts have been quite brisk and lively for the last couple of months, the weather having been all that could be desired for farm and outdoor work. Threshing has been completed much earlier than in years gone by. The traction had no difficulty in moving along, and shifting was done in quick time. In faot, this year will be remembered as a record one, the weather being quite genial up till the recent fall of snow, which, however, was very slight on the lower altitudes. The yield of oats has turned out in many places considerably over expectations, and the sample is fairly good. Many farmers have stored up their grain for a time, as the inducement to quit at present "is very small indeed; and thoee who are sending their grain away are putting it into store. This year's wheat is being loft in sta-ck for spring threshing. Ploughing is well forward, both stubble and lea, and all other farm work is well in hand. I notice that a lot of sheep have been put on turnips wiihin the last week or so, both for fattening and otherwise. The turnip crop ! generally is very good, and will stand a lot |of eating 1 . There appears a likelihood of still higher prices ruling for both store ana fat sheep, which must be cheering to the producer. I notice that Mr Bedford, M.H.R., interviewed on hia trip to the Homeland, says there is every possibility that Manchester will become a purchaser of New Zealand frozen meat, it being highly spoken of there. Manchester oould take all that this colony could _ produce year by year for all time. Rabbits are a thing of the past in this part of the district, and it is a rare thing to see a rabbit, even when out for a bit of ehcoting-. And really it is a relief that the most sanguine never expected. Our country is fast filling up with grasses that shoep" did so well on before the land was infested by rabbits. Weasels are becoming very plentiful. I was told by a man who is trapping in the Leithen country that he saw a ferret kill three rabbits in a few minutes, and the rabbits seemed quite powerless to get away from their enemy. The high price of 18s fid was realised the other day by Mr J. H. Thomson, of Springburn. Farm, Wintoh, for a line of fat lambs for the freezer, Mr T. Swale being the purchaser. Th© lambs were the progeny of Mr Andrew Chijsicil'a pio?k. — Reno^vJ. Writing oh the 15th in«f., the Gimmesburn correspondent of the Mount Ida Chronicle reports: — On the* farms a better position and better prospect never before existed. All kinds of etock begin the win- ; ter in tip-top condition. Old frail sheep are ' not noticeable just now. If those that escaped last winter have not been sent to a k^-j-^v oil mate for done sheet), the owners

have missed a chance not likely to come

again. I had the privilege of seeing the process of culling several little flocks, the orders beiug in most cases " keep everything likely to live and rear a lamb." Those not likely to do that sold at the auction sales at from 9s to 12s. A few years ago they would have gone to the melting pot at about Is 6d per head. Ewe lambs in much greater number have been kept this year. Ordinary ewe lambs are worth, or, rather, have been worth, more than could be given for prime freezers. There is not the least little bit of need for legislative interference. The demand for ewes has raised tho price, and the price directs the supply to restore the temporary shortage. Up to the time of writing there has been still come growth in pasture and turnips. The ground has lately been in good order for ploughing, and more than usual has been turned over. Before the wet and stormy spell about half the threshing was done, and it has been proceeding most of the time since, but now nearly everybody ha« finished.

Mr R. Crowe, Dairy Commissioner for Victoria (says Saturday's Southland Times), while in Southland was specially interested in the factories in the Wyndham district, and, accompanied by Mr William Singleton, of the dairying branch of tho Agricultural Department, inspected the Edendale and Wyndham factories, being received at the latter by Mr James Milne, the president of the National Dairy Association. Mr- Crowe expressed himself astonished at the large area- of country in this colony tfiat was eminently adapted for dairying purposes, and also at the tremendous strides that the industry was making. He made inquiries as to tho success or otherwise of the system of grading dairy produce which has been adopted thruoghout the colony, and which is in marked contrast to the absence of any system in Victoria. Mr Crowe collected a large amount of valuable data with reference to this subject in the course of his tour, and all that he learned confirmed him in the opinion that grading^under State supervision would have an altogether beneficial effect upon the quality of cheese and butter manufactured in Victoria. Mr Crowe freely tested the samples of clieeso shown him, not only at Edendale and Wyndham, but al.;o at Mataura Island and Seaward Downs, and judge? it worth whik to order a case from Edendale and Wyndham for exhibition at the dairy produce show to be shortly held in Melbourne. Here the New Zealand produce wall be placed in comparison with the Victorian exhibits. Mr Crowe said that the local cheese and butter he had tasted were undoubtedly superior to the Victorian articles, and he was convinced that this colony's system had played no unimportant part in contributing to such an end.

A well-known North Taieri farmer states that his turnip crop this y-aar is the worst lie ever had, and the sheep won't eat it. Bad .reports of tho tin-nip crop come from other parts of the plain also. — Advocate. It has been reported (says the Southland Times) that many of the farmers in the North Island are putting their farms all under grass ; and if common talk can be relied' on here, it will not be long before many Southland farmers follow suit. The growing of oats is now being greatly decried by all and sundry; and several farmers are found who have not. for years, grown mpre oats than sufficed for their own requirements. Firsf-class oats weighing 48-Ib a bushel are selling in Scotland and England just now at nearly 3', while lighter and otherwise inferior varieties are selling at very much lower figures, when they are selling ot .all. It may be that if wo graded our oats and brought them up to a better weight, and generally a better quality, we might get a paying prico for them. This is a question that the Farmers' Union ahould take up ; it is worthy of consideration.

i A largely-attended meeting-, thoroughly re- . presentafcive of the Otautau, Waiau, Merrivale, Drummond, Heddon Bush, Aparima, and Wrey's Bush districts, was held in Otautau on Friday last, to receive the report of the gentlemen who had recently been deputed to intervie-w at Riverton the directors of the Western District A. and P. Association, relative to holding their next summer show at Otautau, and thenceforth alternately at Otautau and Riverton. Messrs David Clark, R. Cupplcs, sen., and James King, who formed the deputation, were prosent, Mr Clark occupying the chair. They explained that they had been courteously received by the directors of the association,*; who had verbally and by letter (which was read at the meeting) expressed their readiness to co-operate with this pprt of the- district in making the annual show a thoroughly representative institution, and to give due weight to the central position of Otautau and its proximity to the chief exhibitors and patrons of tho show. The deputies recommended the district and that of Riverton to co-operate on the lines indicated and make one big show of exhibits. A section of the meeting clamoured for the formation of a new association, with shows at Otautau, but the wiser counsels of the deputation prevailed, and the new recommendation was adopted by thre« to one. Several gentlemen were requested to enlist members in their respective districts. It viaa {'esolv.xl that it bo a i'econi:!x:ida£:on< to the annual meeting that t'no liibmlierßhlp fee be reduced from 21s to haK a guinea. Suitable ground has been offered at Otoucau for the first shew, and there is little doubt ' of its success. j

The Southland Frozen Meat Company kijled at the Wallacetown works on Friday a grand line of 384 lambs, purchased by Mr T. C. Thomson from Mr W. S. Fleming, Raka-

houka, at the equally grand price of 19s. They averaged 46.851b freezing weight, a weight which goes to show what can be done by careful attention to breeding and feeding, two points studied by Mr Fl&ming. One of the lambs weighed 821b and several over 701b. Mr James Fleming also put through a splendid line of 317 lambs, which, averaged 44.80.