FARM AMD STATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2661, 15 March 1905, Page 20

FARM AMD STATION.

(Continued from page 9.) ! LOCAL A. A>D P- NEWS. ! Full particulars of the field turnip competition, under the auspices of the Otago A. and P. Society, will be found in our advertising columns. There are seven classes in all, and an extra class has been added this year for the best two acres or over of mangolds. As handsome trophies are given by various firms for these competitions and prizes by the Otago A. and P. Society, a large number of entries should bo received by tli9 secretary from farmers of Otago. The ravages of the potato blight in the Taieri diatrict aro reporLed to be even of a more serious nature than at first supposed, and very many crops around Mcegiel and Outram, and all over the plain, have been affected. The disease has manifested itself in two forms — in one case the leaves of the plant show black spots, as though sprinkled with soot, and the roots 6how but little trace as yet, and in the other theplants have withered as though severely frosted or exposed to the heat of a strong fire, while the tubers show the trace of the disease in a marked degree. One crop seen near Outram by a repreeentative of this paper showed a heavy coating of black spots on the plants something like mildew, but black, and the potatoes were commencing to show the effects in the form of spots under the skin. Other crops in West Taieri and North Taieri districts show the disease in serious form, the tubers already rotting away. One olel farmer, who remem beret! the old days in Ireland, recalled the time when he received a thrashing from his father for roasting- the only two good potatoes found in a day's digging. Mr T. Craig, of East Taieri, has a splendid crop affected. The plants have withered as though frosted, but so far it is not known whether the tubers will be affected. He believed the same blight had been in existence in the district for many years, but not to very great extent. Last year some of the potato plants turned black and witheredlooking, as they have done this year, but the roots were> not affected. So far Mr Craig had not seen the disease affect the tuber, but it was only a week since he had noticed the plants wither. He said several farmers had started spraying, but he thought it was too late, and it would be better to cut the tope off with a scythe Numerous ci'ops around Mosgiel and down to Berwick were found to be showing traces of some trouble, but the farmers aro not inclined to believe it is the Irish potato disease. The s»mo trouble has appeared on the Tokomairiro plains. Harvesting operations are now very general in the Taieri and Tokomairiro districts, and from all appearances there is likely to be a heavy yield of grain this harvest. At Wyllie's Crossing, Shands, Rherside, Milburn, and Clarendon there are some magnificent crops of wheat, and the oats never looked better. Large areas are now in stook, and on Saturday, on the Taieri, more than cne farmer was engaged threshing from the stook, but # on Sunday a persistent easterly rain set in, necessitating the cessation of harvesting work yesterday. In a few cases the grain has been discoloured by wet weather but generally it is in good colour. Sheep and cattle, and especially lambs, are looking in the best of condition, the feed this season having been rich and plentiful. A farmer 'n the Totara district, who did none too veil out of tubers last year, is having the reward of his pluck in planting them again this year (says the North Otago Times). His crop of Up-to-Dates is running over 10 tons to the acre, and he has been getting up to £8 per ton for the larger ones, the returns reaching £60 to the

A farmer 'n the Totara district, who did none too veil out of tubers last year, is having the reward of his pluck in planting them again this year (says the North Otago Times). His crop of Up-to-Dates is running over 10 tons to the acre, and he has been getting up to £8 per ton for the larger ones, the returns reaching £60 to the cere, including the small ones, which are few in number.

It has now been proved beyond doubt (says the Taieri Advocate) that the potato disease has made its appeaiance on the Taieri, and nearly every paddock is more or less affected.

At the Invercargill Police Court on Monday, Henry Wilson was proceeded against on four cha-rges of sheep-stealing. Ec remanded until Monday next, bail being allowed.

Throughout Southland (says the Times of the 7th inst.) the spell of dry, warm weather experienced last month ripened crons much quicker than was anticipated about Christmas time. Cutting has commenced in iseveral of the earlier districts, but there is >a general complaint that the oats aro very short and none too well filled in the ear. The rain which has since fallen will do the later crops a deal of good, and ie iust came in time to save the turnips from being a failure. In those parts where the fall was heaviest but little difference was made to the streams because the ground, being so warm and dry, absorbed the rain

Harvesting operations are now very general in the Taieri and Tokomairiro districts, and from all appearances there is likely to be a heavy yield of grain this harvest. At Wyllie's Crossing, Shands, Rherside, Milburn, and Clarendon there are some magnificent crops of wheat, and the oats never looked better. Large areas are now in stook, and on Saturday, on the Taieri, more than cne farmer was engaged threshing from the stook, but # on Sunday a persistent easterly rain set in, necessitating the cessation of harvesting work yesterday. In a few cases the grain has been discoloured by wet weather but generally it is in good colour. Sheep and cattle, and especially lambs, are looking in the best of condition, the feed this season haying been rich and plentiful.

as quickly as it fell. Some veiy fine crops of Swcd"^ and turnips are to be seen in th-c wp = terr> district, and there should ba plenty of autumn ford. On the Wintors racecourse Mr Dan Moore has a splendid crop of wheat already in stook. The sample »s very clean. ?nd, in addition to beinig one of the first. Mr Moore should go close to the toi> price tor this crop whoa put on the market. Around Centre Bu a h> there are also a few paddocks that ha\e been cut, and along the Oreti Ri\cr lian, est seems to be general.

Lambs are exceedingly scarce throughout the Southland district, and pi ices aro accordingly high (sajs the. Southland Times). A couple of days ago a line of three-quarter fat were purchased for 15s 6d a head.

The Luggate correspondent of the -Cromwell Argus write : — Some of the crops are cut and stooked. and some already stacked, while one farmer has threshed some of the new oats. The hot, dry weather com ins: on suddenly has brought in some of the crop= earlier than was anticipated, and tlie result is that the straw is much shorter and tliO grain not so well filled. I hear that one farmer has cut his wheat for chaff, while another complains that some of his wheat, which loked a very fine crop, is shrivelled. Since the flora-mill changed hands again flour has gone up, I hear, £2 a ton. Will the price of wheat go up likewise? That is the question. Surely so. for at the low price wheat was last year surely 19s a hag for flour, cash at the mill, was high enough, and now I am told that it has been raised £2 a ton. The farmer who left his wheat unthreshed last year phould be in high hopes of getting a fair price for it this year. Writing on the 6th inst.. the Otialce correspondent of the North Otago Times reports: — The harvest here is now drawing to a close. Eight or ten days would see it finished. All the crops as yet have been threshed out of stcok, and what remains is mostly in ttoolc. The wheat has not turned out well this year in many ca^es. There Mas straw that looked like 60 or 70 bushels, but as the grain was changing from the milky to the solid state it seemed to ripen all at once, and what •should have crone to make round, plump grain remained in the straw, and when handled feels covered with a prramy substance, and- is very heavy. All the wheat I have seen is small, but well coloured. The lowest yield I have heard of is 20 bushels, and the highest 42 bushels. If the whole gi\es an average of 3D bushels it will be the outside. Barley has been a light cron. but some of it has gone over 40 bushels, but as a rule the samples will be only middling. Oats are short of straw, but ar© threshing well to the bulk. The potato crop is looking well but there is only a small area in crop, also a few turnips. About the beginnii^ of the year the grass was almost burned up, but since then we have had a day or two's rain, with occasional showers. There has been an absence of hot winds, and in general nice mild weather has prevailed. Everything is now gr-een, and stock are looking well in the midst of plenty. That rabbits are- still very plentiful irt_ parts of this district (says the ivialaura Ensign) can easily be proved by anyone making a trip in the early morning hours between Gore and x-ortrose. All along the roadline rabbits are to be seen in scores, and on some stretches of level road, as far as the eye can reach, may bo seen rabbits in threes and fours. Probably the portionof the journey where the greatest number of rabbits is to be seen is the roaa through Mataura Island, where the pest is particularly numerous. Several splendid crops of wheat are in stook in and around the Dipton district. There is also a very fine cro" of red clover, now in full bloom, on the Benmore Estate. In one paddock south of Winton a farmer has threshed his oats out of stook. and the sample is well filled, and, generally sneaking, a much better on© than was anticipated. The ordinary meeting of the Tokomairiro Farmers' Club was held at Milton on the> 2nd inst., Mr J. Crrev (president) in the chair. An application was received from the Bruce Athletio Club for use of show ground for sports fathering, to be hek? on Easter Monday. Granted, at a fee of £2 2s. — It was decided that the winter show be held on the Friday preceding Dunedin show. — The following gentlemen were appointed canvassers for the va.rious districts: Di-nedin. Messrs Tough and Russell ; Milton, Messrs Finch. Hitehon, and M'L-eod ; south end, Messrs Farquhai*son and Scott • no end. Messrs J. Grey and Tng-lis. The following items are taken from last week's Tapanui Courier: — The turnip crop promises to be good, and the recent rains have improved the growth of roots. MiMalcolm Robertson has one of the best crops of turnips in Otago on the Tapanui Flat this year. — Mr T. E. Edwards, of Norfolk Lea farm, Tapanui Flat, was one of the first to start reaping oats in thi3 district last week. The crop promises to> yield fairly. Mr G. T. Dawson has a record! crop of black oats on his bush section this year. A good number of binders were going on Saturday, but Sunday and Monday's rain put a stop to cutting. Another week'a dry weather will see harvest operations in full swing-. It is stated (says the North Otago Times) that the potato disease, which has been less destructive in this district than in any other of the coloiiy, has been observed by growers j during the past two or three years. Its ' character ■uas not known, and as the seasons and -limate were obviously not conducive to its spread, little notice was taken of it. Possibly in ordinary seasons the 4 disease would bo hardy noticeable in this district, but all over the colony the season, has been favourable to its propagation, and; it has wrought destruction where the climatic conditions and soil have suited it better than in Waitaki. The Land Commission, when passing through Southland, was astonished at the number of rabbits seen in the lower Wendonsido districts. They expressed th-j opinion that if destruction were not very soon commenced the ■unfortunate hole 1 era of the land would soon be financially ruined. A meeting of the committee of the North Otago A. and P. Association was held ore Wednesday last, Mr J. Reid (pre-ident) irt the chair. It w.as resolved that no admission be charged at the gates for the ram fair, but that a charge of 6d each be, made for the catalogues. The committee al*o decided that the ground be kept dear of sheep for a fortnight bcfoio the fair. Mr James Ross. Kartigi, wrote intimating that he would not charge any expense:, or fee for judging at the last show, and it was resolved to thank Mr Boss foi Ins liberality, —The Hawke's Bay A. and P. A^ociat>ou forwarded a copy of a protest against th© importation, of bone-dust which had not

been sterilised, and it was resolved to reply that this association had already entered its protest. — The sum of £2 2s was donated to the St. John Ambulance Brigade for the attendance of the members at the show. — The Secretary submitted a list of members' subscriptions in arrears for some years, and was instructed to place the list in the hands of a collector. The travelling correspondent of the Taieri Advocate contributes trie following notes in last Wednesday's issue: — The 'laieri and Peninsula Dairy Company has decided to erect dwelling houses in all the different districts where it has creameries. Work Has been commenced, at the Momona Factory, and a start will alsc be made at the "West Taieri Creamery soon. — To Mr W. Thomson, of Ayrshire Park, belongs the lionour of being the first farmer to thresh grain on the Taieri Plains this year. Mr Smellie commenced operations there on Saturday in a nice field of Garton oats. The mill owner provides the machine fo~ weighing under the new railway regulations. The whole thing is very simple and not nearly so tedious as some farmers imagine. — Taking things generally, the farmer is having rather a bad time. The "weather is very much against getting on with harvest work ; he is threatened with the potato disease ; cattle have fallen very much in price; and the very high price ■which ho has to pay for breeding ewes leaves a very doubtful profit. On the whole (writes the Eakataramea correspondent of the Oamaru Mail), the weather has not been very favourable for threshing from the stook, seeing that this season the hardening nor'-westers have been conspicuous by their absence. One or two of our farmers finished some little time ago, while, in one ase at least, threshing, too, has been finished, and i. fancy some of thfe new grain has already found its way to market. The wheat is a good average crop, but the oal crop, I understand, is rather a light one. Writing on the. 6th insfc. the Hyde correspondent of the Mount Ida Chronicle reports: — Harvesting is in full swing, about calf the crop being in stook, and stacking is just starting, but the present rain will stop this for a few days. Crops are cutting out fairly, as, though the grain is well filled and heavy, the crops are thin. Turnips are doing' very "well, the rain«s of the past week being of great benefit to them, and some very nice crops are to be seen. With the sheep-men things are booming and prices keep going merrily up, and one wonders where they are to stop. Ewes are worth £1 Is for sound mou-fch, two, four, ana six-tooth up to 22s sd; wethers, two-tooth. 15s to 16s; four-u>oth do .up to 18©; lambs up to 10s. Large numbers of sheep are passing through daily from Otago Central, a large proportion being elestineel to become "prime Canterbury." The largest stock train that has yet left Otago Central passed through here lately for Albury. and consisted of 50 trucks containing 4000 fclieep.