AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2804, 11 December 1907, Page 21

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

I The Lake County A. and P. Society's fourth annual show was held at Ayrburn, Arrow, on Saturday. The attendance was very large and the weather was fine, with the exception of a slight shower in the afternoon. The show was highly successful, and there was keen competition in the various classes, particularly in draught horses, the exhibits of jwhich were of a high order, the judges expressing great admiration for the quality of the animals. The same remarks apply to the sheep classes Taken altogether, it was the best gathering- yet held under the auspices of the society. The management worked well, and is to be congratulated on the success of the fixture. The Transvaal Weekly Illustrated speaks as a novelty about the- introduction of sheep dogs to South Africa. The work of the sheep-dog there is now done by Kaffirs, but the sheep-farmers are finding that one dog can replace three of these. The Metropolitan Dairies Board of South Australia has decided that in future samples of milk shall be examined bacteriologically for the detection of the bacilli of tuberculosis and other diseases, it being recognised that milk may be perfectly ree f rom adulterants, but may at the same time be totally unfit for dietary purposes. What probably constitutes a record for length of service as a shearer is reported from Rakaia. Mr Philip Laraman, of that . place, has followed the occupation of a shearer for 22 years, and during that period he never missed a season without taking his place on the " board." Persistent drought rumours in Victoria recently sent the price of wheat up from As to 6s per bushel. It has gone back , since "A lot of this drought talk is done for the purpose of raising prices," eai-d a Gover-nmenfc official. The Angora goats, which the Government has placed on Motuara Island, in the 1 Marlborough Sounds, arc doing well. They now number 200, pf which 70 are pure-bred, the others being a cross with the New Zealand goat. The goats are found_ exceedingly useful in eating down blackberry, briar, and other noxious weeds. About 30 Angoras are to be found on the Government farm at BickenstafTe, in the Auckland district. _, . '