NOTES ON RURAL TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2983, 17 May 1911, Page 14

NOTES ON RURAL TOPICS.

When reading over some of the agricultural papers which describe the experiments conducted at Home by trained specialists, fhe figures quoted require a good deal of adjustment before they apply exactly ■ to colonial conditions. To take the first case that offer's, here is a quotation from tire Mark Lane Express, which sets, forth the advantages of manuring pasture for milk production: “The application of 4owt of high-grade superphosphates with of sulphate of potash resulted: in an increased milk yield per acre of 84 gallons in 1909 and 86 gallons last year-, from the one dressing of the fertiliser applied in 1939. The total not profit for the two years, putting the cost of the manure at 29s and the value of the milk at 6d per gallon, works out to be £2 16s, which represents a very handsome profit and illustrates the remark that there is gold in good grass.” What w© require to do with a statement of that sort is to apply it to fit our local quotations for manures and receipts for produce. We pay the following prices, and! obtain the following values The receipt from 170 gallons of milk at od per gallon, £5 10s lOd. And the expenses: 4cwt superphosphate, and carriage 4d, at 6s, £1 4s; liewt sulphate of potash at 16s, carriage Is 6d, £1 ss; total, £2 9s 9d. Which leaves a profit for two years of £1 Is Id, instead of £2 _l6s, the amount stated to have been received at Home. Of course, the experimejit was made in English grass, not in colonial, and in either case the benefit of the dressing would not be exhausted in jthe third season. The effect would be noticeable at armrato the third year, and a similar profit would probably result for that year. But the example quoted indicates how much care is necessary in arriving at a fair estimate of statements made in perfectly good faith.

Applying Text-book Ail vice.

It is not generally thought that burning the stubble and layered straw over which the reaper and binder has passed in harvest time oan have a marked influence on the physical condition of the soil. Yet it must bo so. A case in point cropped up recently. A small area was sown early in oats to provide chaff for the horses before the ordinary crop would be anywhere near ripe. It was the only crop _ ripening in the neighbourhood, and the binds gathered round in clouds and ate out the milky grain before it was properly formed. The straw that was left was not 'worth cutting, and the owner determined to burn it. Unfortunately, when it was half burnt the wind got up, andi drove the fire right through it too quickly to burn the whole of it. There was a certain amount of greenness left in the straw, and several patches obstinately refused to bo burnt. Those were cut down with the scythe and removed. The field was ploughed and sowed again, and when the crop brairded that portion of it growing on the burnt ground had all the appearance of being a fortnight ahead of the other patches. In the burnt places the oats were vigorous and in the cut patches in a weak condition. The difficulty is to account for the marked difibrence observable in the crop. Such a small quantity of potash would bo liberated and made available by burning the straw, that some pther reason than the stimulus of the potash must be looked for. There would certainly be more potash resulting from the burning of the straw than from the stubble usually burned, but it is hardly conceivable that such a small quantity of potash could make such a difference to the young plant. _ If it did the land must have been seriously in need of it. In former times a thin strip of the soil was turned over with a wide furrow and encouraged to burn with the stubble, and it was considered then that the process improved the physical as well as the chemical nature of the soil, and it is only rear sonable to conclude that a fierce heat passing over the surface would have the same effect. The point is interesting as tearing on the_ use and expense of applying potash to grain crop®.

Itnrnins Stubbles.

Those who work alluvial ground have an, opportunity this year such as they have newer h.ad before of cleaning- up their fields of all weeds and refuse. A great many of the spores of fungi that give rise to various root diseases and the -embryos of such, plagues as Irish blight and turnip fly winter in the refuse of the field crops, and perpetuate their kind if not disturbed. It is therefore a good practice to clean up thoroughly and to burn all crop_ refuse whenever the opportunity presents itself. At the same time, when work is so well advanced the stubble ground for roots may be cleared of couch, and rcallv there is no reason this year to cart it off the ground. Very little trouble should secure a good burn. The lot of the farmer on stiff clav who has allowed couch to get the upper hand is not to be envied, and when ground is so hard that it would make foundations for the Agricultural Hall, he has little chance of dealing with it. But deal with it he must at some stage in the season—he has no option the heart-breaking weed must be eradicated at all cost. The digger plough

Claiming Fires.

and Norwegian harrow will have to come to the rescue, his only consolation being that the weed cannot spread much in such a dry year. If ground is in a bad state wifch couch, it may bo worked with two furrows. The first ploughing is a shallow one, out of which the couch is worked and dealt with before the deeper roots are turned up. The worst patches will require to be knocked out with the- grape, and this slow, laborious process is really the fastest, because under ordinary circumstances the whole field may then he wanked with implements. As a rule the harrows, grubber, and rollers deal with each layer as it comes up. The spring-toothed cultivator makes certain that all the loosened couch is brought to the surface; and after it is dealt with the land might be drilled, and so left all winter. Before. working up for the crop the potato-digger, if used without a serene, would discover any buried pieces of couch whidh had been left and leave the ground in beautiful order.

This disease is associated with the presence of a slimy fungus, the spores of which are very minute, not only destroy the crop, but infest the soil to so great an extent that it is unwise to grow such crops in the same land for several years. The disease is most troublesome where this has been done. It may be identified by the malformation of the roots from which it takes its name. The main root is much dwarfed, while the side roots are often swollen into spindle shaped masses. Nodules may also be present in all the roots. On land with only a slight tendency to develop this disease or “finger and toe,” an allied disease in the turnip, the use of slag as a source of phosphate is preferable to either superphosphate or bones, and it is found that a mixture of superbposphato and slag gives the best results; but when either of these diseases is bad a liberal dressing of lime is the first thing to attend to, _ and the most effective remedy. The application of wood ashes also effectively prevents their recurrence, but these cannot be obtained in sufficient quantity for field practice, although they may be got or made for the garden plot, .and as wood ash contains from. 5 per cent, to 15 per cent, of potash aril over 30 per cent, of lime, this would seem to indicate that the addition of kainit to the artificial used would be beneficial and ought to be tried. According to a certain writer, kainit alone ha® the power of destroying caterpillars, and is harmful to snails. Farsky found that for buckwheat and sugar beets potash salts are of no value on wet lands, andl -Dr Maioker obtained similar results, but has shown that in few districts a mixture of kainit and guano is the best manure for grassgrowing.

Clnhrnnt In Cabbage.

Among other subjects considered by the Kent and 1 Romney Marsh Sheep-breeders’ Association at the last meeting was one affecting the trimming and; showing of show sheep. The resolution proposed was as follows—‘‘That some provision shall be made to insure for the future that prizes shall only be awarded to such Kent sheep as shall be shown with the wool untrimmed, except the tail and breech, at all shows at which the association subscribes, including the Ram Show andl Sale.” It was stated that the character of the sheep exhibited and the fleece had been entirely altered, and suggested that the matter be loft in the hands of the judges, who were known experts and well qualified to decide whether or not the sheep were typical of the breed. In reporting the meeting the Mark Lane Express states that numerous other suggestions were made, including the appointment of a committee of inspection, and the fixing of a date for shearing of show sheep, subject to an inspection afterwards taking place, to' see that tire rule was carried out. Ultimately it was resolved that the gentUcmeni whose names appear on the official list of judges should be asked to consider what, if any, provisions should be made to carry out this resolution. “It was also decided that a letter be sent to all flock-owners stating that it is the wish of the council that all sheep shall bo shown naturally, so that the exhibits shall be characteristic of the breed they represent, and so that foreign and . colonial buyers shall have every facility to judge the _ length of staple) annd freedom of tippin©S3 0 of the fleeces of sheep they may wish to purchase.” This matter rests so entirely in the hands of buyers that it may safely be left to| their tender mercies. If a buyer who is more than likely a judge sees a sheep trimmed out of recognition, he will avoid it like a plague if he has any regard for the maintenance of his flock. Trimming show sheen is one of those points which cannot bo dealt with by regulation. Any regulations made, like others in reference to shearing at a certain date, might bo found to operate to the detriment of the honest exhibitor. -But there can be no question that much trimming is a specious fraud, which should not be countenanced either by judges or buyers. And the rejection by buyers of such transformations

Trimming’ Show Sheep.

should be rigid snd drastic. The Romney breed is not the worst sinner in this respect at our metropolitan show. A correspondent invites me to explain how the goodwill of a small run Goodwill of a Is arrived at. In order to Mna 1 linn. do so a hypothetical case may be stated. Let it be assumed that a 21 years' lease was obtained from the owner 11 years ago of 4000 acres of virgin land at 6d per acre, and that the run carries 2000 ewes. What is the goodwill of such a place worth? Calculations are made somewhat as follows : 20QO brooding ewes are worth 15s each £ISOO The buildings which have been erected east £6OO, and are little worse, as they have solid foundations .. .. 600 The improvements (ring and subdivision fenoe3 have :a life of 20 years) cost £SOO, dip, etc., present value .. .. 250 The excess of present income over what was possible when the run was bought at 6d per acre, equal to £250 per annum tor 10 years .... 2500 Total goodwill >• -.£4850 The latter item, means that when the lease was taken up and the rent fixed only about 7s 6d could be netted from the wool and lamb of each ewe on the place: Now 12s or 13s or more could be obtained from the same source, and the seller cannot bo expected to give up an income of that kind without charging for it. And here the risks are Laken. If the enlarged income lasts till the end of the term, the buyer will profit handsomely. If, on the other hand, the price of ewes and lambs were to recede, and wool go down, it would be a losing speculation for the buyer. ' Meantime the income is being enjoyed by the seller, and has to bs paid for. The buyer shares that risk with the seller, and the price is fixed for five years at £SOO per annum. That sum is therefore added to the gdodwill. There are many other items which complicate the question of goodwill, and these musb be taken into account —such as valuation or part valuation for buildings or improvements at the end of the term; the amlcuint of cultivation which has been done, and which might still be done, to increase the carrying capacity of the run; the prospect of prices keeping up, and the reverse, and so on. The general- principles stated are common to all, and no two cases are alike. AGRICOLA. ANSWERS' TO CORRESPONDENTS. Br Agrioola. "Reader" says he is breaking up a paddock of cocksfoot that has been down about 10 years. When sown down there was a small mixture of ryegrass; but, of course, the ryegrass has almcst disappeared. The cocksfoot is fairly _ thick, but it seems to bo very slow coming away in the 6pring, and does not in our opinion give sufficient feed\during the year, although it looks well now since the rain. We are desirous of Janowing whether top-dressing of any kind would liven the cocksfoot sufficiently to make it unwise to plough. The land is ridgy, and in wet seasons would require drain-ploughing. A portion has been so drained, and the result after five years has been highly satisfactory. This land grows good ryegrass, and last year threshed between 60 and 70 bushels to the acre, first season seed, and also good turnips and oats if reasonably treated. Would basic slag be of any use ? If so, what quality per acre would you suggest, and would you put slag alone? And further, will an ordinary manure and grain drill sow the slag? Before concluding I must tell you that we have experimented with ordinary burnt lime, trying it on old pasture, and on land in preparation for turnips, and adso in a paddock to be sown down with grass (ryegrass, cocksfoot, and clovers) in the spring ait the rate of two tons per acre; and in no case have we seen the slightest benefit. 'This experiment was dlons three years ago now."

To invigorate an old pasture thoroughly with slag- requires half a ton to the acre, and thai quantity lasts good vaihio in the ground for nine years. _ The only class the ground out here that it would pay to treat in that way would be well drained ground with a good seeding of grasses and clovers in it —not much in evidence, perhaps, but there. On such ground the slag would do the last. Even then it would become a question at the price wo pay for it whether it could ba done at a profit or not. That point each farmer must decide for himself by experiment on his own ground. One acre is big enough to prove it; but it is well worth proving. Oa the lighter class of soils slag is much less effective, unless applied in conjunction with kainite oa- other potash salt. They would have to be mixed in the field, and sown at once, or sown separately. But in stiff olay foils slag usually gives striking results, or in soi' holding much vegetable matter. .In youir case the lime' applied had no apparent effect on the pasture. I would conclude from that that your land is hungry and requires feeding, tut has very little vegetable matter in it. Slag contains about 20 per cent, of lime, asid probably would be disappointing for vou. I am inclined to think that if vou grew a good crop of any crop with a lot of fibre, like. clover, ate that down for one year, and then let it grow and ploughed it under the next, you would be

taking the most likely course to improve new pasture. You would need: to be good to such a crop—2cwt of superphosphate would grow it. Then after the turned-in crop had decayed in the ground and become incorporated with it, lime in small quantities every year would prove a good investment on your grass. Meantime, you might try the effect of broadcasting lewt per acre of finely-ground bones just now on the drained land, and in the spring follow that up with lewfc of superphosphate. If that proved a good speculation in your case, repeat the process next year, and after you have fed vour grass and ground with phosphate., then use lime in small quantities annually. There is no use wasting money top-dressing land that is not drained effectively. In a good season you might derive some benefit; in a bad one you might as well throw your money into the Mataura. With a little manipulation you can sow most of the artificial manures with a grain drill.

"W. B." makes inquiry concerning silver beet, and whether it can be successfully transplanted or not. White or Cicilian beet (Beta cicla) is regarded as a d'stinct species from the common or red beet, and is cultivated entirely . for its leaves. It is boiled like spinach, and used for soups. The midribs and stalks are separated, and eaten like asparagus under the name of chard. It affords leaves fit for use the whole summer. There are other varieties, differing mainly in colour of their midribs and stalks, each of which is adapted to the same purpose. One ounce of seed is sufficient to sow a bed for transplanting of 50 square feet. Propagation: It is best to sow the seed annually, first in the beginning of September and again in March, the latter to supply leaves late in autumn and early in the following spring. Sow in drills 15in to 18in apart-, and v fill up vacancies by transplanting. Take care in planting that the roots are not doubled up. If sown in drills thin cut to 9in or lUin. It is frequently watered during summer to promote succulence, and in winter protected with litter, and sometimes earthed up to blanch the stalks. The proper time to transplant is during moist weather in March and December,- the distance between the plants" should be lOin to 14in. Much of the advantage of transplanting depends on the room thus afforded the plants, together with the general disposition of transplanted annuals with fusiform roots, as the turnip, carrot, etc., to throw out leaves and lateral radicles. Soil should be rich and deeply worked. The common white has small roots. .The large white has its leaves much larger and thicker. In those parts of the Continent where it is grown for chard there are many subvarieties in cultivation. _ The green beet and_ yellow-rooted varieties of Beta vulgaris are also often grown for a similar purpose. Another variety grown is Beta maritama (sea beet), a plant indigenous to the British coast. In seed catalogues we find the following names:—Golden-veined, silver or white veined (comrwcnly called silver beet). The roots of the varieties of white beet are not adapted for the table.—■ "Book of the Garden."

R. Soott Burn says "it has long 1 been the practice of Continental farmers to sow beet and mangolds "in seed-beds very early im the season, transplanting the best of the plants to the field. This is attended with the best results, the -crop being large and the plants healthy. We have found transplanted mangolds to be superior to those grown in the ordinary way." You are perfectly aware of that already, but what follows is what you want- "Professor Bucksaw has given some interesting tabular and other statements on this point, from, which we extract the following":—The inquiry was of a twofold nature. (1) To compare the transplanted with the nontransplanted, and to see what the effect of stripping the leaves off the growing plant would be. This stripping r or -feeding purposes, then the plants allowed to grow for two months before being weighed : Non-tra-Mplanted Transplanted Boots. Boot*.

The transplanted plants grew well from the start, probably rendered the more certain by the wet, 000 l season. The bulbs, however, wore not seen above the ground, as in the ordinai-y way of cultivation, and instead of a tap root to be cut away in the operation of tailing there was found a large bunoh of delicate root fibres. "I by no means think the process would always succeed, but there can be no harm

!in filling blanks." He finishes up thus: j "As regards transplantation, I consider it a valuable process, and incline to the be- | lief that it will be found of great advantage I if carefully done, and done with judgment i as to time."

"A Reader" writes:—"Enclosed you will find a sample of a creeper weed which grows profusely in a small patch of lucerne which we have. It seems to be a sort of a parasite, twining itself round the lucerne stems and almost choking it out. This sample has not got the flower on it, but whore it has, the flower is rather pretty, coming in bunches of about half a dozen or so, and being pure white and very small. If you have any idea what it is and how to get rid of it ycu might please let me know through the columns of the Witness. I may say I have tried raking with a garden rake the two seasons it has been growing here, but without avail, as it is thicker than ever mow." Mr G M. Thomson, F.L.S., a recognised authority, is unfortunately not available for consultation, having undergone an operation for appendicitis at Eawera. Those consulted agree with me that the specimen sent is dodder. It is a widespread parasite in both islands. The best way to get rid of this destructive parasite is to pare the surface of the ground where it is prevalent and burn everything on it, using straw in the fire if necessary. The secdis of the dodder drop on the soil and germinate there, and the young plants twine round the lucerne, clover, or other host, and develop sucking discs. After this the root in the ground dies, the parasite drawing its sustenance -from the host plant.

STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES. I • Weekly Stock Sales: Monthly ; Burnside, Wednesdays Ngapara, first ThursAshburton, Tuesdays day in each month Addington, Wednesdays Glen f second WedWaiareka Railway ” esc a >’ ln Ju.ciio,, Tuesdays Fortnightly: Clinton, Palmerston, Bulclutha, Fridays Winton, and WaiGoie, Tuesdays kcuaiti. Oamaru, Tuesdays Periodically: Invercargill, Tuesdays Heriot, Kelso, Kyeburn BURNSIDE MARKET. Clattle. —A small supply of fat cattle came forward, most of them steers and heifers, which could have been bouglht a few years ago as forward stores for about £2 10s per head, but realised between £5 and) £6 on Wednesday. Surely, when tho butchers have to handle such light and inferior beef they cannot bo paying so very much for it. One hundredweight of offal for every 3cwt or 4cwt of beef makes a big hole in 30s per 1001 b. Of course there are some large-framed prime bullocks, but not many, and those that turned up came from Waimate and Stirling.

Sheep.—lt is the fortune cf war that those who have good sheep to sell frequently strike a bad market, and that wa3 the case last week. A considerable portion of the entry were good to prime wethers, and for these lower prices had to be accepted. Quite a number of first-class pens of ewes also oame forward, and were sold for about 10s to 10s 6d for fair sorts and 3s or 4s more for heavy weights. All the fat sheep will be wanted before winter is over, and it is a pity that means cannot be devised to level uo the entry from week to week. Anyone with feed handy could have coined money on Wednesday by simply taking about 1000 of the 4500 fat sheep present from the market, where they were not wanted, and bringing them back in one month properly finished. Lambs. —Fat lambs werj not in excessive supply, and" most of them were fairly good quality, but in the face of quotations of 4|d for prime lamb in the London market, freezing buyers were careless and indifferent at the price whether they got them or not.

Quotations are:—Wethers, up to 3d per lb; ewes, up to per lb; laanbs, 4|d per lb; beef, 32s 6d per 1001 b. The speed with which stock trains travel was exemplified on Tuesday night, when the yardman was informed by the lecal stationm&ster that 105 trucks of stock were coming forward, and only one of them came before 9 o'clock on Tuesday nigh.

Farmers themselves are a good deal to blame for the condition sheep are found in sometimes when they land at Burnside. The attempt is usually made to feed sheep up to the last minute before they are trucked, and this is the worst possible thing that could happen them. Br fore they get property on board they soak the bottom of the truck, and increase the danger of the journey tenfo.Vl. Some of them come three or four miles, and these are tired and lie down as soon as they are trucked!. Every opportunity is thus given the others to trample over them. If the draft was allowed to rest in the penning yard for a couple of hours before loading, it would effect two purposes—-(1) The sheep relieve themselves before getting into the truck, and it is kept dry for most of the journey, and (2| they do not lie down when rested, bu( unvsaTOur to keep their feet. The difference between two lots treated in this way is quite remairkoble. One lot will come out of the trucks dry and clean; the other will be as black as ink with mud and slime.

DEATH OF MR WM. KIRK. Mr Wni. Kirk's familiar figure was missed at the yards last week. So frequently seen on bop of the cattle pens, cither penning up his own cattle or helping others, his quiet, inoffensive manner was appreciated by all who came in contact with him. No one had an unkind thought or a hard word to say of him. Retiring in disposition and reticent in business matters, he attended to his own work and left others to do the same. Nona of the regular frequenters of the yards were too busy or so much employed that they could not find time to express ttoeif sympathy for his widow and family. A sterling, staid character, whose home was his castle, he was deservedly loved and honoured by a large family and all who had any dealing with him. PRICE OF MEAT AT INVERCARGILL. The Invercargill Master Butchers' Association's price list, agreed upon April 28, to come into force May 1, 1911, minimum sale pirices for cash, is as follows: — Beef. —Among other quotations, rump steak 9d, sirloin 7d, ribs 6d, steak 7d, boiling beef 3£d to 4£d; legs beef, shinscash 2gd, booked 3d; corned round 6d, mince 6d, ox tails 9d, etc.; Id per lb extra if booked 1 . Mutton. —Sides 4d, hindquarters 4gd, legs 6d, loins sd. chops 6d, forequarer 4d, etc.; if booked, £d per lb extra. Pork and Sundries.—Legs and loins 7d cash, 7£d booked; corned, 6d cash, 6£d booked; chops, 7d cash, booked, etc. No suet given away. Ah goods entered in books to be considered as credit and charged at credit prices. To secure cash prices private customers must pay cash on delivery. Boarding-houses at special rates. And accounts must be paid by tha 15th of the month following" supply, of no further credit will be given. Then follow the names of 12 butchers.

This arrangement Icoks all right on paper, but the worst of it is there is always Someone in the camp who finds a reason of some sort for kicking over tho traces, and the whole scheme becomes so much waste paper. Housewives will think twice before they pay lOd for rump steak or 7d for mince, and although butchers are no doubt justi< fied in charging the -rates mentioned, i( will be found that precious little beef wilt be used. It is not hard to imagine wha{ will take place when steak is offered at lOd and mutton at 4d per lb. The mutton will be selected every < time. Those butchers who have been turning over eight or 10 head of cattle will have their number, reduced to two or three, and very likely they will find that the mutton will pav them best.

Particular attention should be drawn to the penalties imposed by the Inveroargill butchers when credit has to bo given. Spot cash and no bad debts is the* goal they seek to attain, and it would be infinitely better for farmer, agent, and butcher i 6 their purpose could be effected and the credit system done away with altogether. But the millennium has net arrived yet, and is not likely to in our lifetime. If settlements were obtained quarterly tho Inveroargill butchers would be better off than most tradesmen. BEEF FROM QUEENSLAND. One of the leading dealers from tho south with characteristic vigour swooped down on the cattle yards last week and Queensland at 30s per 1001 b, but received no encouragement from the butchers, who were not quite sure what class of stufl they might get It appeared that soma Dunedin butchers had cleaned up all tfa.4 fat cattle they could get their hands ob in Southland, and had swept the board before anyone else could get a look in. Now the Southland farmers all demand and there is no room for the dealer be< tween the produce and distributor. Th< counterblast on Wednesday did this mucK good, that it indicated at least one direction in which fat cattle oould be obtained if sufficient enterprise was shown. Tlha scheme was to fit up one of the U.S.S. Oomparfy's boats with refrigerating machinery, and load 5000 to 6000 chilled carcases per tnip for distabuion along the coast of New Zealand. And it is perfectly feasible, too. When prime beef can bo obtained in Queensland for 18s per 1001 b, and almost in any required number. there might be a considerable margin after paying expenses. The season has been a fairly good one in most parts of Queensland, and fat cattle are a drug in the market there. In reference to the scheme menioned. tho following; ouotations for Queensland beef will probablv bo instructive: —Da.lgety and Co. (Ltd.), Brisbane, write wnder date of March 20: "The season remains rood, and store she°p are in keen demand at late rates. Business in store cattle hss not shown any improvement, buyers in Southern Queensland apparently not being finsposed to operate at prices asked. The exporters continue operations on a large scvle for both fat sheen and cattle, and values remain firm at late rates. At tho metropolitan weeklv stock sales orices cf fat sheep have ruled easier, and fat Cattlo ulso have been selling at a decline as com-

pared with previous rates; at the sale on the 16th inst. best beef realised from about 18s to 18s 6d per 1001 b." THE LEVEL OF PRICES. Dealers in sheep now find that prices have come down to such a dead level in all the various centres north and sou til that their occupation is practically gone. They cannot shift sheep at a profit from one neighbourhood to another. This is quite as it should be, and indicates that the country is full of sheep everywhere, and the price ie being controlled by London all round. A trustworthy correspondent from Wai--wera writes a© follow: '' Recently several settlers from there have sent lambs to the Pareora works, near Timaru (Canterbury Frozen Meat Company), and realised better net prices than could be got at the Ruirrside works. Last week I sold about 400 good lambs to the Burnside buyer at 15s 4d, on the ground, here estimated to run from 391 bto 401 bin weight. By showing a quotation I got from Pareora of 4id per lb as a.gainst at Burnside, I believe I got 6d per head more than I would otherwise have obtained, the difference in railage being 6id to Burnside and 12£d to Pareora. Evidently the laird of Clydevale has trained' his sons well. Naturally enough, they try to do the best they can for their employers, and who can blame them? It looks as if the Clutha- works were wanted after all. LUCERNE. Although it has been repeatedly urged by farmers in the neighbourhood that lucerne would not grow in that locality, the manager of Momohaka has succeeded in' establishirrg a good sole of it, which promises to do well. Two years ago the land was sown with a mixture of barley and Oats, and partly ploughed in. The land was limed twice, summer fallowed, and afterwards cultivated several times during winter before the lucerne was sown in November. One month before sowing the Boil was inoculated with a sprinkling of soil from the old lucerne plot. By January 3 —that is, 6even weeks after sowing—the crop reached Sin high, and was mown and allowed to remain as a mulch. After seven weeks more it had attained the height of 15in £nd was out and made into hay. At the date of writing the aftermath was green and healthy, and the roots had penetrated to a depth of sft into the soil. INOCULATING LAND FOR LUCERNE. Evidently there is no use trying to grow lucerne without first giving the ground a good coat of lime, 'and when, in addition, the field can also be inoculated with a little of the land from an old-established plot, the "take" is almost certain. A writer in the Rural World states that in the Eastern States of America the cultivation of varieties of lucerne that will withstand severe winter weather is extending, but some difficulty appears to be experienced in getting a good, stand on land on which it has never before been grown. To obviate this trouble studies have 'been made in regard to preparing the soil for that, crop, and the methods favoured by the station ''seem to be inoculation with bacteria by sowing soil from land which onni borlle that or °P at *he rate of about 2001 b to the acre, and the application of lime at the rate of about 15001 b to the acre. A New York station bulletin says * *j ", Brieflv summarising the result, it is found that without either lime or inoculation, the chance of a suocessful crop-is not more than 20 per cent., or one chance in five; with lime the chance of success is raised to 40 per cent., or two in five; with inoculation, it is raised to about 60 per cent., or three chances out of five; while both lime and inoculation used together indicate a successful crop about four times out of every five trials."

THE SEASON'S BUTTER. In reporting on the quality of the season's butter the Dairy Commissioner says that complaints have been made in trade circles in regard to "fishiness" in New Zealand butter this season, and remarks that it is one of the peculiarities of the London market that fishiness develops with eingular rapidity when the demand is weak. Very few specific complaints have reached the department, but several communications have been received commending the imparted quality of several factories which had adopted pasteurisation. Individual members "of the grading staff have also reported that some of the best butter that ever left the country has been exported this year. This they attribute to the adoption of pasteurisation. When the demand is ■weak at Home the butter is stored for some tune, frequently in an unfavourable temperature, with the result that any weakness has every opportunity of becoming more pronounced. Mr Cuddie is satisfied that the reputation of the Dominion has not suffered by the product turned out during the year, but, on the other hand, has been enhanced.

The complaints made have induced the Commissioner to recommend a date stamp in* each box, as a protection to the shipper, grader, and purchaser. It it not hard to understand ; that there will be considerable opposition to this cause, particularly from dealers and middlemen, but it is the right course to take, and the butter wll be exhibited on its merits. As long as is done there need be no fear of th«i market. It would prove an obvious guide to the final purchaser. CHEESE. Probably a fuller knowledge of the irrhicacies of pasteurisation will do away with vie trade complaints of fishiness in t&o

butter. Nothing but praise on all hands is to be heard of the cheese output for the year. LAMB, MUTTON, AND BEEF. Interesting references to the London meat market and New Zealand's moat, export trade were made at Carterton during the annual meeting of the Wairarapa and East Coast A. and P. Society. The president (Mr W. Howard Booth) opened the subject, remarking that lamb and mutton were no{; as high in the market at Home ae they might be. Mr Booth attributed the fact to the great increase of shipments. He said he felt sure that the future of the market would be good, as the consumers wore increasing, and the production was not. He was in that statement not alluding to Australasia alone, but to the .whole world, as it was a fact that sheep .11 over the world had considerably deceased during the last few years. Beef >ad been fetching a good price on the English markets, and that had had a good effect upon the prices obtainable for fat bullocks out here, so much so that it was anticipated that before long beef would be worth 30s or more a cwt. So these having fat cattle for sale were to be congratulated. He was not sure that this state of affairs should be regarded as fortunate for the community* as no article of food should get so high in price as to lessen the consumption. So far as this season had progressed there were considerable increases in the sheep and lamb exports, notwithstanding the dry spell, and the quantities were likely to be further augmented by shipments from the South Island.

It is regrettable, continued Mr Booth, that a more stable condition of values cannot be achieved. ,< This season, which opened with considerable promise, has, whatever may be the actual oause, steadily receded, and it may be accepted that speculators in both mutton and lamb, as well as shippers on their own account, will have had a seriously disappointing experience.

tn ■ to * ■Sort of Mangold. Gl "g <3» P< a& Jh jS lb. oz. lb. oz. lb. oz. lb. oz. Elvethain 8 10 5 4 14 10 5 10 Yellow globe .. 9 0 5 2 13 0 6 14 Risd globe 8 2 6 12 15 4 7 3 New olive-shaped red globe 11 13 7 6 12 4 5 6 New olive-shaped yellow globe 16 13 12 3 11 14 7 10 Sutton'is new orange 9 5 3 12 10 2 5 9 Improved long yellow 19 0 9 11 15 10 11 1 New long "white .. 15 0 7 8 12 11 7 6 Silver beef .. 16 15 5 9 15 13 6 11 114 10 63 3 121 4 63 6