AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2665, 12 April 1905, Page 7

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

At the annual meeting- of tie Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals on Thursday, the Chairman, in the. course of his remarks said : During his visits to the country the inspector had succeeded in inducing many people who were not in the habit of treating their animals as they should be treated to take a kindlier interest in them, and by that menus had done a great service to the community. Ploughing contractors were the chief offenders in this respect. There were other cases, however, in which cruelty was practised, and one particular form was to be found in the treatment to which oalves were subjected. This was a matter that had been brought under his notice only that day by a country resident who was a supporter of the society. The gentleman he alluded to said that if people in the cities only knew the extent of the suffering amonar calves in the country districts they would be appalled. He went on to say that the dairy factories, to which were due much of the prosperity of the colony, were principally the cause of the cruelty he spoke of. The institution of dairy factories throughout the colony meant that whereas the calves were formerly fed on milk which contained all its nutritive properties, they were now supplied with the skim milk which was returned from the factories. The gentleman who supplied him with this information drew a harrowing- picture of the misery entailed on these calves by dairy cattleowners. In the winter time they were allowed to wander on "the roads to find what sustenance they jeould, and in their emaciated form they were subject to attacks of disease which, if they were in proper condition, they would be able to withstand. There wa.s a further danger. If these "animals grew up and were utilised as dairy cows they were of a miserable kind, and might bo infected with tuberculosis, with the rcstilt that impure milk might find its way into the dairy_ factories This was the substance of the information which the gentleman he referred to had laid before him, and if such a state of affairs really existed in the country districts it was undoubtedly the duty of the society to take steps to remedy the evil.

At Ashburton on Saturday a 182-acre farm at Somerfcon, near Rakaia, was sold at £30 10s per acre. Another farm containing 124 acres was sold at £9 Is per acre. It has been decided that the Advances to Settlers Board may advance up to half the value which a Crown leasehold would realise if placed in the open market. The board has hitherto only advanced up to 50 per cent, of improvements made by leaseholders.

Over 1000 sheep were landed at Lyttelton on Saturday morning by steamers from Wellington. The Victoria brought 365 and the Mararoa 650. The total number of sheen landed at Lyttelton from North Island ports from Sunday, March 26, up till Saturday, was 16,443. The Storm, which arrived early on Sunday morning, brought a consignment of 1122 sheep from Wanganui. Mr Lascelles Ward, of the Department of Agriculture, who -is to supervise the shipping of bone manure for New Zealand at Calcutta on behalf of the Government, leaves Wellington in time to catch the North German Lloyd mailboat Sevdlitz. which leaves Sydney on April 29. Ho will be accompanied by Mrs Ward and the members of their family.

A few years ago strawberry-growing was an important industry about Waimatej and

fields of strawberries were common. V'isitois driving around Waimate a few days ago looked in vain for a strawberry field. Some " pest" had destroyed reliance on the crop.

Threshing operations are in full swing throughout the Ashburton County, and in seme districts should be completed in a week or two if the weather continues fine.

The tomato crop in the Hukt district has suffered severely this season through being attacked by potato blight.

Frosts have damaged the tomatoes, kidney beans, and marrows in tho North Canterbury district.

A motor vehiclo for the delivery of milk has made its appearance in Christchurch during the past few days, and is stated to be the first of the kind in use in New Zealand.

The dreaded wax moth has made its appearance amongst the apiaries in the Taranaki district. The grub is about l^in in length, and riddles the combs of the beehives and has a very woolly appearance. Mr "Hopkins, the Government Apiarist, says that the only way to successfully deal with the moth is to Italianise the colonies ; in other words, to substitute the Italian bees for the ordinary ones now cultivated. They are stronger, and much better able to cope with the moth.

Dining the month of March the veterinary branch of the Agricultural Department distributed amongst iarmers, principally- in the Taranaki district, 30. C00 tabloids for tho treatment of sterility in cowe. The slock returns give 33.838.571 sheep, 1.868.005 cattle, and 400,068 horses in New South Wales at the end of 1904. Sheep increased by 5,179,016, cattle by 180,814, and horses decreased by 3297.

There are many really excellent crops in the Morven district again this year. Oats in some ca,?es have threshed out at 102 bushels to the acre, and wheat at 65. There is pome unthreshed wheat, however, which ifc is confidently anticipated will yield 85 bushels to the acre. The root crops, too. look splendid, and altogether the boast of some of the settlers that there is no better land in New Zealand than is to be found in the Morven district «eems to carry with it a good measure of justification.

Reference was recently made in tha Christchurch Press to the &ale of the '"Drayton" flock, bred by Mr F. J. Millton, and it was stated that the sheep were inbred, halfbred, Lincoln-merino cross. This is- not quite correct, and it may interest sheep farmers to know the trua- breeding of the sheep, which ax - e one of the best inbred flecks in Canterbury. The stud was formed by mating first cress ewes and rams, the progeny of English Leicester rams and merino ewes, and there has never been a strain of Lincoln blood introduced. The flock is. therefore, of the true English Leicester-merino strain. for which are claimed sirength of constitution, shapeliness, and wool of fine quality.

Mr J. Irvine, a Westerfield grazier, recently delivered a draft of fat lambs at the Fairfield Freezing Works which averaged 4-l^lb-, the fat per lamb being over 4£lb. Tho land on which the lambs were fattened was only broken up six months ago.

The importation of straw is objected to by some Waikakahi settlers. They complain that crockery and other breakabie goods are brought into the colony packed in straw, which ultimately finds its way into the city stables, the manure from the stables is sold to farmers, and the result is the ap. pearance of a new noxious weed. They claim that all impprted straw should be carefully burned, under officiyl inspection. — Lyttplton Times.

There was a decided fall in the prices of potatoes at the Rangiora market last week. Three weeks ago they were being sold at 165 per sack; the following week &i 13s; but on this occasion the be-sfc price was 7» 6d.

The following remark* relating to the Land Commission are taken from last Wednesday's Oamaru Mail: — A member of the Commission who visited Waikakahi on Monday observed, apropos of the argument that the freeholders would have more pride in their properties than holders of^lease in perpetuity, that he had never seen freeTiolds which had more improvements placed on them in t-he same time. The growth of the settlement was truly marvellous. — On the various settlements around Waimate the streets of stacks present a somewhat imposing! picture to tho^e who hail from the districts where practically nothing agricultural is produced. In ono paddock of about 40 acr-es there were no less than 16 mediumsized cones, while in several instances the average was well sustained. There is no doubt that a good proportion of this is worthless straw, of which the Waikakahi settlers complained ; but, apart from this, some of the returns quoted are more than gratifying. The statements made regarding what some men have done during tho first year of their leases are many, and the records put up during the second season of the tenure more wonderful still. One man in the district, made £1000 through purchasing sheep, while others are cited as taking from £10 to £12 per acre off their holdings in errain crops.

The Victorian Council of -A srirultural Education (says the Melbourne Argus of March 22) is determined to retain ihc land's vested in it for endowment purpose*. Mr Bent recently suggested' that the council should consider <he advi«abiisisv of handing over ono of its areas at Tobin Yallock, near Pandonong, to the Land Purchase Board for closer settlement, uavment to be- made

r ' in debentures, and the pries, to be such as would return annually a sum equal to the present receipts. A letter embodyingan offer on these terms was received at Thursday's meeting of the Council of Agricultural Education, at which the chairman (Mr Langdon, M.L.A.) presided. With one dissentient, the meeting, decided to reply that the council regretted its inability to accept the offer, as ths land was vested in ie for the purpose of endowing agricultural education. The act permitted permanent leasing, but not sale in fee simple. The council was prepared to let the land in lots suitable for closer settlement, and would j welcome any such suggestion. It was, however, adverse to parting with any portion of land set apart for endowment purposes. In the Mark Lane Express of February 20 the contributor of "Agricultural Politics" writes as follows : — The renunciation by the Earl of On slow of the portfolio of Agriculture on his acceptance of the OKairmanship ' of Committees of the House of liords is regrettable in the interest of agriculture. . . . His lordship lias shown a diligence, a practical assiduity, a keenness of anxiety, and a generosity of conception that have seriously conduced to the enlarged usefulness- and greater value of the Board of Agriculture. I myself have regretted on more than one occasion that he has not been, as I have thought, sufficiently insistent on the Treasury exhibiting a little prodigality in the fuvherance of schemes directly calculated to benefit agriculture. I have thought that lip has not hod a suffic:ent appreciation of | the paforfamilian part which the State should play in the rural economy ; but I have been fain to confess that this has been a'most compensated for (aye, even his everrecurring warnings not bo expect too much from the State an<l to rely more completely on individual effort) by his own excellent work, by his resolution to give a more practical character to the board, by his anxiety to establish a method oi communicntion through direct correspondents with rural ai - eas, by his endeavour io modify the demands of the railway companies, and by liU wisdom in appointing practical eornm.it-te-es to adduce evidence on matters of moment to the interest. . . . It is greatly to his credit to be aHc to say of his regime that in its prescience and sympathy, and in the earnest aeal of the man, it was worthy that of his predecessor, the much-lamented Mr Hanbury. And Mr Hanbury's advent marked something in the nature of a revolution in tbe method of tho Board of Agriculture. Rsierriug to the York butchers' '" bovcptt "' the North British Agriculturist of February 22 writes : The quarrel between tbe farmers and butchers in the York district as to whether cattle shall be sold in the York market by the slump system of live weight has reached another stage. During last week Mr H. Liversklge. representing the farmers, and Mr J. T. Swales, the secretary of the York and District .Butchers' Association, held prolonged negotif.tions. which were followed by an informal conference of half a dozen farmers and half a dozen butchers. At that gather ing further progress was made, the farmers agreeing to withdraw their boycott resolution on the condition that the butchers likewise consented to reopen negotiations with a clean slate. The latter, though not prepared to rescind their anti-live-weigfht re&oiution on their own responsibility, promised to obtain the views of the members of their association on the point. Accordingly nearly ICO York butchers met subsequently, and unanimously resolved that both parties | rescind their resolutions, and agree to ' abide by the custom of the trade in the country. Farmers, however, arc not likelj to relax their efforts to introduce a niani- . fe^tly improved system of selling than what e:.ists at present. With reference to the proposal by King Victor Emmanuel for the creation of an 1 international chamber of agriculture. King Edward has telegraphed as follows to his Alajesty:-— " Having heard of your , Majesty's proposal for the- meeting of an 1 international institution of agriculture at lii me. I wish to express the deep interest I have always taken in the prosperity of that great industry, and would gladly welcome any discussion for the furtherance of any practical measures towards that end. I accordingly await with the utmost inj Merest your Majesty's proposal, which will be carefully examined by my Government. ' King Victor Emmanuel replied as follows : " "With all my heart I tiiank your Majesty for the interest you are pleased to take in my suggestion. I hope that, with the help of your noble nation, useful and muchdesired results may be achieved. "' I The general inspector of cheese for the , Province ol Quebec tears the Montreal Witness) has accidentally discovered that me U3ts of warm water destroys the action of rennet. Ho does not know the exact degree ! cf temperature at which this result occurs, | because he has not tested the matter with any degree of thoroughness. The experi- ! nients he has made, however, justify him, in stating that water at llOdeg Fahr. destroys all action of rennet with milk, and that if the temperature of the water is 9Sdcg, Fahr., twice as much rennet is necessary es if cold viator had bce<n used. The inspector holds to the belief that the only safe way in diluting rennet is to use cold water. This accident, for such the disco very. is conceded to be, is an important one for cheese makers, especially to the younger ones. Writers on cheese, who are Cstaemed authorities are not precise on this point. In describing the addition, the word Mater is used without reference to whether

it should be hot, warm, or cold, and tha value ni the discovery is that it specially defines the temperature of the fluid to ba used in diluting rennet. There seems to be a general concensus of opinion (.says the Mark Lane Exrjress) that tnero arc no seed potatoes for English' land like those grown north of the Tweed, though no one appears to he able to explain quite fully why this should be. Even so great an authority as Mr Arthur Sutton is more ready to state the fact than explain the reason, and in a speech at the National Potato Society's show last October he observed that it was an undoubted fact that Scotch seed potatoes had some peculiarity about them which enabled the crop to succeed where the sets obtained from land in England failed. This seems to be pretty well as far as we can go. There is a peculiarity about the Scotch eeed, but just exactly why that peculiarity should exist, and what it is, remains open to discussionWe observe that another authority — namely, Mr William Ou+hbertson, of the well-known potato-growing firm of Dobbie and Co., has been dealing with tue question of Scotch seed in a contemporary, and though he conicsJes at the outset that he could muehi more easily prove that Scotch seed potatoes are the best than explain why they aie, he goes on to throw out suggestions regarding things which may account for the peculiarity. The Scottish practice of planting cut sets is given as one of the reasons, as these invariably succeed as well as whole tubers in Scotland, and seed size tubers from crops grown in the above way posFe.ss for a year or two tho -vigour cf their targe parents. The fact that Scotch potatoes arc later in ripening than English ones, also that they bloom very little- in Scotland, coupled with tho effects r.f tho radical change are sjiven as reasons for the superiority of Scotch teed: but Mr Outhbertson i^ more at homo in fm-nishinpr m-oofs than suggesting causes, and he finishes up by saying that he has watched the drills day by day in a 13-acre field in Essex, planted half with Scotch and half with English seed, and has observed the Scotch seed easily maintaining the lead from the beginning, and it has come out at the eivtJ of t'to "season with a yield of three ton*. "■<- thp acre more than the English seed.

The contributor of '* Natural History Notes to the Dublin Farmers' Gazette writes a-s follows: — As usual, Uncle Sam h before us, this time in the- matter of hospitals. The latest thing in hospitals across the Atlantic is one for animals, and; Philadelphia is the centre giving birth to ihe idea. After all it is hard to see why animals as well as* kman beings should not have hospital treatment when they need it. A valuable hoise falls in the street or is otherwise injured. It is just a toss up if the nearest police station is not resorted to, and the station sergeant called upon to send a constable with his carbine or revolvei to put the poor animal out of its misery. "We take it many a fine animal is thus destroyed which, granted skilled veterinary, medical or surgical treatment had been afforded it, might have recovered. Many a valuable dog loses its life, or is shot or poisoned, which might have made a good recovery in a properly-eqfuipped hospital for animals, run by skilled veterinary practitioners. A broken leg is at all times a very serkms matter for even a human being, and "permanent lameness often results. But on the other hand the most serious fractures- just as often mend without leading to other results in the way of lameness, the man walking as well as ever he did. Comparative anatomy fails to show any reason why broken limbs in. the lower animals should not be similarly; made all right again. We seldom see, though, any attempt rnade> to set the leg of a horse, and a charge of- buck shot or the knacker's pole-axe is the- usual way of? settling the matter. It seems, however, America has other views on the subject, both for injury and disease in animals, and a fully-equipped animal hospital ia the result. So good luck to the enterprise. Thre&hing operations in the Templeton district are in full swing. The sample (saya the Lyltalton Times) is better than was anticipated, and several good yields are reported. The potato crops, although not up to the usual standard, sue promise of a fair yield The be=t line of lambs in Addin-gton yards last week was from the Agricultural College, Lincoln, consisting of 63 head, of various cresses. The lambs were classed! into three pens. The first pen, on being offered by Mr Tabart, was started at £1 a Lead, and quickly reached 21s, which w?a dtclircd, and the whole lino offered, with the result that Mr A. L. Joseph was the buyer at 20a 3d. The lambs will be frozen at Islington and «h>pped Home hy themselves. They were fattened on kale, and were a splendid testimony to the fattening qualities of that fodder. As showing the dherse opinions gained regarding evidence given before the Land Commission, it may be mentioned (says the Tirnaru Post of tho Bth inst.) that a Press Association telegram published on Friday, ■night stated, in respect of the evidence" tendered at Tokarahi, that the witnesses w eie about equally divided on the question of freehold versus leasehold. Reference to

9. lengthy report, however, shows that oi ihe six witnesses who spoke on the question, Jon© was in favour of the freehold, one would like to have the option, and the remaining four expressed themselves as eatisfied under {existing conditions.

A meeting of the committee of the Mackenzie Agricultural Society was held on the Jsrd-inst. Mr j. Goodwin presided. Messrs •Walton, Olelland, J. Guild, W. CunningJiam, and J. O. Park wrote accepting positions as judges. Mr A. O. Gilmour's name was added to the class stewards for the guessing competition, and Mr J. Shaw, sen., was substituted for Mr Kennedy in the jpattle classes. The Chairman reported that the produce shed was nearing completion, tt was being made a good job of, and would o© very suitable for the purpose for which at was being erected. Messrs Gillies, I/ewis, Fielden, and O. Talbot were appointed voucher stewards to issue vouchers to winners as soon as the awards are made known. A Ground Committee was an-

pointed. Mr W. W. Wade, Timaru, offered a guinea trophy for best hunter in heavy weight classes; Messrs Nimmo and Blair, two collections of garden seeds, worth £1 Is; Mr Allen, Timaru, 10s 6d; Mr Bray, Cricklewood, a challenge cup for most points in all the light horse classes except ponies, the cup to be won twice. The following donations were given towards the general fund:— -Mr Hope £2 2s, Mr Guthrie £1 Is, Mr Gillies £1 Is, Dalgety and Co. £1 Is, the Misses M'Lean £3 3s, and Mr J. Robinson £1 Is, including members' subscriptions. It was decided to hold the next meeting on April 17, Fairlie sale day.