WELLINGTON AGRICULTURAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2928, 27 April 1910, Page 8

WELLINGTON AGRICULTURAL NOTES.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) It seems as if we bad entered 1 a cycle of storms. On Friday and Saturday the winds in some parts of the district were somewhat of a cyclonic nature, and accompanied by hail and rain. In the morning we had clouds of dust, and by midday drains and water-tables were flooded. No great damage is reported on this coast, and it seems to have been more severe on the East Coast, as it is reported that a gig, in which two men were sitting waiting for a gate to be cjpened, was turned completely over with the wind. This week so far it has been calm, with light showers. The land is in splendid order for tillage, and those who have autumn crops to sow are well forward. Every season we hear of some new variety of potato that is going to oust all others, and it would be interesting to make a list of the new varieties that have come on the market during the last 20 years, and state how long they have continued in favour. What has led to this remark is that the Messrs Burrell, of Northern Star fame as potato-growers on the Oroua, are now principally sowing “Million Makers.’ A few years ago exorbitant prices were given for Northern Star seed potatoes, while to-d'ay you seldom hear them mentioned. Farmers at times get hard knocks from pressmen and townsfolk for being too conservative, which in a large measure is a virtue. Personally, as a farmer and a scribbler on things agricultural, I have always advocated experimenting, both with regard to tillage and the introduction of new seeds that would be likely to suit a district. But at the same time I have sounded a note of warning not to come to conclusions too quickly. There are_ so many factors that enter into the growing of plants that under no conditions can a correct valuation be arrived at as the result of only one season’s experiment. Farmers, to their cost, have in some instances been too ready to take for granted the highlyvalued qualities claimed for plants on their introduction. How many sorts of potatoes have been boomed for a year or two in the past whose names are now forgotten? I begin to think that it would' have been better if we had been more conservative and had stuck to such old favourites as the Derwent. Peach Blossom, and l others, and improved them by careful selection. The Derwent especially was a great favourite for many years, and it is questionable whether we have a better or more prolific potato among the newer varieties. Whether the Derwent is more liable to disease than others is also open to argument, there being no potato, so far as-I know, that is absolutely immune or that can be grown without ipraying. Therefore I think it would be advisable to endeavour to resuscitate the old blue Derwent. There is room for the inventive genius in ■ • perfecting a machine that will harvest potatoes in as good condition and cheaper ■ than can be. done •by hand labour with forks o.r spade. During the last few years quite a number of machines have been introduced to the district, but have been found wanting in some respects. Mr Henry Burrell tells me he has laid aside the machine he had and is having his crop duar bv day labour, while his Brother. Mr Hugh, is'having his raised by contract at 9d a. bar, at which price the men should make good wages, as the crop is turning out 14 tons per acre. With regard to the machines seen at work, the land in the district is not as yet in order, for the digger to show its utility. Where potatoes are grown it is almost invariably on new Land, which has intermixed with the soil lots of debris in the shape of roots of rushes, toi-toi, and timber. Even admitting that. the digger does fair work, owing to breakages caused bv the debris there is too much loss' of time and too much expense in renewals to justify keening the machine going. Some considerable time must therefore elegise before we can expect to see potato diggers at work in the bush country; but where the land has been well cultivated and clean—that Js, free from roots and weeds—T have seen the digger do verv good work. Still, after all the digging is only a, small proportion of the labour of harvesting potatoes, the picking nn and being the biggest and most disliked work on the farm. The desideratum of the potato-grower is a machine that will be a complete “harvester.” picking and grading the tubers ready for market. Although unlikely, we cannot say after the many and wonderful Inventions of the j.a.st 50 veairs that such a machine will rot be made. The trouble is that the area devoted to potatoes on anv one farm is as a rule too small to warrant an expensive machine being rued, therefore discounting the efforts of the inventor. During the past 12 months there has been a steadv evriort of draught horses +o Vi ctoda- and New South Wales. To those who know Australia it will be easv to understand that the good seasons experienced there of late years have e,ncoura°"erl such a boom in wheat-growing that it has depleted the surgilv of loraltebred horses suitable for general farm work, and anything that ear beln to draw a plough or harvester fetches big money. As (has often been pointed out in this column, the local draught horses are not of the duality we might expect in such a rich district, and when we h"<»r of mobs being consigned to Svdnev and Melbourne from such places ag Dongburn and Fei Id mg it is rather with regret. As it will not pflv to ship inferior oorts such a. distance, it is the better and in some instances the best of our horses that ana being sent away So Jong a.s only geldings are taken there may not be so much op.use for regret, but when it comes to shipping mares of the K°et there is just cause for uneasiness, as, the ’district cannot afford to loose what ’was hoped ' would improve our horse stock- ! in the future. If there is anv matter that would warrant the State’s interference with farmers as stock-breeders it is this. It might be advantageous tc prohibit the export of female stock of any description that would owing to their superior breeding and conformation if used 1 for breeding niuirioses in the Dominion, i improve the

The Weather. ■

Potatoes.

Potatn-diegar t. Forks.

Fvnnrt of Horses.

standard of the breed or type 1 of those they represent. When a notable sire leaves the country it entails a loss, and breeders recognise that loss; but take little heed when ewes, cows, mares, or sows are exported. With regard to horse-breeding, it is in really good mares that we are deficient both as regards quality and numbers. There are always plenty ef real good stallions are liable, if farmers w'ould only open their puree strings and pay for their service. Although it may be good reading for horse-breeders to notice that scarcely a boat leaves Wellington for Australia without taking horses, showing that there is a demand. Still they ought to remember that it is unwise to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs as they are doing whm allowing their best mares and fillies to leave the Dominion. So long as formers are doing well and nothing is proposed that will affect their interests they are apt to forget that there is such an association as the Farmers’ Union till the time of the annual meeting comes round. The annual reports of two or three of the branches have been lately published and meetings held, from which we learn that the union as a whole is a live institution, ready to ward off any dangerous proposals on the part of our legislators, and in some in stances doing good experimental work on the land. In nearly all cases, however, regret is expressed that the work is left to a few, the majority of farmers taking little or no interest in the proceedings. The financial position in most cases seems fairly satisfactory; still there are always some from whom the small subscription of membership is hard to collect. The report of the Feilding branch is most satisfactory. Two years ago the branch was in debt to the tune of £2O. This has been paid off, and there is a surplus this year of over £ll. There are 73 financial members on the roll, which speaks well for the work done by the young, secretary, Mi G. R. Ferny. The retiring Chairman (Mr H. G. Booth) referred to one matter which may be of sufficient interest to southern branches to mention. He said he believed the smaller branches in the district were gradually coming into the Feilding branch. The augmentation of the larger branches at the expense of the smaller ones opens up a debatable question. While it has to be admitted that some of the small branches are seldom heard from on any matter, there are others with a very small membership that do as much, if not more than any of the big branches, especially with regard to experimental work, which should be one of the chief planks of the union platform. This migration of the smaller branch members to the larger supports the contention of the writer that the membership subscription has been fixed too low. The Feilding membership fees are on a sliding scale—namely, 250 acres or under, IQs ; 500. 15s; 750, 20s; 1000 acres andi over, 30s. The fees of the smaller branches are uniform, generally 7s 6d. This'show's that it is not the] money that is the cause of farmers not joining and assisting the union. I believe if from the first the fees had been fixed at £l, or even £2, there would have been a larger membership, and members would have taken more interest in what was being done, as it stands to reason that the more money a man puts into any concern the more interest he will take in the , proceedings; whereas when asked foi ss, he hands it over perhaps grudgingly, thinking the society cannot do much for him. The usual monthly meeting of the General Committee of the Manawatu A. and P. Association was held on Tuesday. Mr G. C. Wheeler’s motion that the association revert;, to a two days’ show instead of three in the spring was defeated, the only two to vote for the motion being the proposer and seconded (Mr G. C. Batchelor). There are still more buildings wanted on the ground, especially for the nigs. Considerable discussion arose as to how the expense w'as to met, members recognising that it would be unwise to increase the overdraft for that purpose. Mr T. H. Redder, speaking to his motion regarding the best means of raising funds, made two proposals. One was that a gift auction be held, and the second that a systematic canvass be made of the city of Wellington for members. Mr G. M. Johnston suggested that several wealthy men club together and erect a building, such building to be called after the donors. Finally a committee was set up to go into the matter immediately The winter show, the inauguration of which was entered upon with fear and trembling by many, has turned out a great success, and is justly entitled to be called metropolitan for dairy product®. The entries for the butter and cheese classes for the show a.re over 30 per cent, better than last year. For this year there are 300 entries, against 201 last year. Last week when referring to the sheep Mr Short has sent to the Argentine show I said that “even should Mr Short desire to bring them back the Argentine Government will not allow stud' stock to leave the country once they are introduced.” I now find I misunderstood the position. When looking over a lamb that is included in the shipment and regretting that he should be lost to the Dominion, Mr Short told ne that, probably he would bring the lamb back. He explained that the Argentine Government will allow stud stock to be exported, only they demand an export duty of 25 per cent, ad valorem, which almost amounts to prohibition. I may say that the lamb in question is a great one, and will not disgrace New Zealand—if he does not boom the country in which he has been raised. ANTIQUA OVIS.

Farmers’ Unien.

Manawntn A. and P. Association.

Correction.