NOTES OH RURAL TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2857, 16 December 1908, Page 7

NOTES OH RURAL TOPICS.

There is little doubt that one of the mat-

ters that the new Minister Exp*r]M«atal for Agriculture will have to Faraas, give early attention to i»

the establishment of experimental farms in the South bland. It is generally admitted that rhe North Island 1--has its full share., and more, in* the matter of agricultural experimental farms. From promises made by previous holders of the portfolio of Agriculture, Otago has every reason to expect that in the near future an experimental station will be established; in this province, and it is to be hoped that the new Minister, whoever he may be, will give- effect to what was understood to be the intention of his predecessors in office. No one expects euch a farm to show the profit that usually results from ordinary farming operations, as the nature of the work in^many oases prevents its showing any surplus of receipts over expenditure, but there is certainly more than, moneys worth returfled to the farmer /in the form of useful information and suggestions by State agricultural farms. A« very few farmers have the opportunity of visiting the experimental stations already established, and seeing what is being done and how the results are arrived at, a writer in the Dominion makes a good suggestion — that the Department of Agriculture should from time to time issue, pamphlets, in which the results of experiments ars described and the lesSons to be learned* from them set out clearly end concisely. If that were done, he says, one would find- fewer farmers short of winter feed, fewer ' crops v sow!d* too" Tate "on ground l ploughed hurriedly, and worked in wet weather, , fewer faTngS ' undrained, fewer orchards' neglected; fewer poultry flocks unculled, fewer unprofitable cows in dairy

herds, more ailos, ?n fact, greater prosperity generally.. Farmers would also, probably, be found trying new fodder, plants and improved cereals, on the strength of the results achieved on the experimental farms. The suggestion seems an excel- . lent one, and worth the consideration or the new Minister The question in the meantime, hoVever, is that we' should see that Otago's claims are not overlooked in the most important matter of the early establkiunent of the long-looked-for experimental farm. - - The shearing of lambs is practically unknown in Otago, but in the Skewing North Island until this seatfLambi. son lambs appear to have been generally shorn. A curious point has recently arisan in regard to the shearers' award, and owners of flocks eeem to be at a Ios» to know whether lambs are to be paid for at the same rates as cheep or not. No mention of lambs is made in the award, but ehearers maintain that they must be pa*d for at the sheep rate. As a result, owners of sheep in the north are not having their lambs 6 horn at all this year. According to the Wairarapa JLge, an explanation of the positioil is forthcoming as to the dearth oj trade for shea.re.rs in .the .Wairarapa and neighbouring, districts. Under the agreement in connection with the shearers dispute, which.- was settled without the necessity for Conciliation or Arbitration Cotu-ts, the price for shearing lambs was in those districts raised from 17s 6d to £1 per 100. Now farmers and station-holders are haym? practically no lambs shorn at all— in fact, it is estimated that 100.000 lambs Ices are being shorn this season than last, and farmers in the North Island appear to be content to risk losing a few lambs next year rather than pay the high price demanded for ha.ving them shorn this season. It does seem most unreasonable that the price for shearing lambs should be the came as foT shearing sheep. As a result of Ihe complaints of manufacturers of the loss arising Kew from the presence of jute n W«o)y»rk*. ,. tije wool, a committee was set up some months ago in Australia to make full and. careful inquiry into the subject, and as a result of the committee's recommendations some sample packs have been forwarded to a leading firm of brokers in Sydney, and are attracting considerable interest. The camples consist of a "wool-lined pack, a fine woollen jute pack, a glazed jute pack, and a paperJined pack. Of I'iese, the wool-lined pack does not appear to be strong enough for ordinary usage, and the jute pack would only partially overcome the trouble complained of, whether glazed -or not. The paper-lined pack eeems to be ihe best, but some doubt is expressed as to whether this would form & suitable covering for wool, owing to the liability of the paper lining to rot and go ,mouldy, after becoming saturated with wool fat. The general opinion expressed seems to b,e, that none of these packs are likely to oust the ordinary Calcutta pack now generally used, as the cost of the new pack would be neariy 50 per cent, higher. Wool-growers would naturally want to know who was to pay the 'difference for the new pack, and unless buyers are prepared to show their appreciation of the grower who use 3it by giving a higher price for his wool, one is inclined to co.ncltfde that the great bulk of our sheep-farmers will go on using the cheaper pack, with aH its defects. The recent parliamentary elections have returned more bona fide farTkeKeiultof be is as members than for the Elections, many years, and one cannot help rejoicing that the advocates of the optional tenure of land are in a majority in the new Parliament. The farmers generally now feel thai their interests will receive greater consideration by the Government than probably for many years past. The farmers' unions in the Dominion are wcrthy of special praise for the good work they have been doing in urging, in season and out of season, that to ensure success 1 at. the polls unity ol action amongst farmers was necessary, and that the farmers' unions through New Zealand have to a great extent been instrumental in returning so many men who have the interests of the farming community at heart cannot be denied. The next time a Land Bill comes before the House there will be" no* compromises, and 1 firm stand will be taken, with the best chance of success. . In the last House there ■were many members able in debate, and cleveT at arguing knotty points of law. but there were not nearly enough direct representatives of the farmers and pastoralists.of New Zealand. In the present Parliament, however, practical men from rural districts will be heard, and their influence will undoubtedly be felt when questions which affect -the most important-in-dustries of this- Dominion are considered. Farmers must, however, continue to work together solidly, as by this means only can the agriculturists generally expect to reDoive tbe consideration by Parliament that their interests demand. One pleasing feature of the recent parliamentary elections Was the interest shown in them b> yourr; Jfew Zcalanders, who in the past did not Appear to take the interest in public mailers that might have been expected of thorn. The younger generation have, itxeems, now awakened to o sense of their responsibility, And this awakening ehoujd have a beneficial effect upon the legislation of the country. I| is pleasing to learn that of the present House no less than 22 members are New Zealand-born. On the whole, the elections just concluded have resulted more largely to the interests of the farming community generally than che most sanguine freeholder .could have expected. AGRICOLA.

AGRICOLA