AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS

Otago Witness, Issue 3003, 4 October 1911, Page 19

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS

At the meeting o! the Oommifct-ee of the Otago A. and P. Society on Septemhor 27th a communication was received from the Manawatu A. and P. Association covering a copy of a resolution passed at a meeting of committee to the effect that in view of the very large amount of money now derived from the racing clubs of the Dominica, 'the Government should bo approached' with the object of endeavouring to secure a portion of this money for allocation among the various A. andi P. Associations of the Dominion by way of a subsidy, based on a percentage in the pound on the total annual 'subscriptions of members of each association. By this mesane, it was maintained 1 , the association would bo enabled to increase the prize money fEt shows, and thus encourage the improvement and promotion of horse-breeding, and generally assist the agricultural and pastoral interests of the Dominion. It was pointed out that there were between 80 and 90 A. and P. associations holding annual shows in the Dominion, and the estimated revenue derived from membership was about £30,000. The Government last year received a very substantial sum from the taxation of the totalisatdr, and the increased taxation to be collected for the year just closed was anticipated to amount to not less than from £30,000 to £50,000' extra. A good proportion of this sum, it was claimed, should he given by the Government as a subsidy to agricultural and pastoral associations for the purpose above stated. Assuming that the Government gave 10s in the pound, it would mean £15,000 to be distributed amongst 80 associations, and this <*mld not be-considered a large sum for the purpose. There was no better breeding ground for horses than New Zealand, and encouragement of this kind would induce farmers to profitably breed animals that would be useful as troop horses, artillery horses of the light and heavy kind for the Indian market, and draught horses for the supply of the Australian market. The Royal A. and P. societies in England, Ireland, and Scotland were well subsidised by the British Government, and in Continental countries large grants were given in the same direction. The Committee of the Otago A. and P. Society, after considering the communication, decided to co-operate with the Manawatu Association in this matter, and agreed to fall irt with the northern association’s suggestion to send a delegate to Wellington, if necessary, to approach the Government on- the question of a subsidy. Lambing has become general in the Oamaru district, and (says our correspondent), unfortunately, the arrival of the lambs has been heralded by a cold snap, which, in conjunction with the poverty of the mothers, is responsible for considerable mortality. But that very poverty in the condition of the ewes makes the falling-off in the lambing percentage rather a benefit than otherwise. The death rate amounts at present to about 10 per oent. Prospects in all branches of agriculture are excellent, and feed for stock promises to be more plentiful than for some seasons past. A Winton farmer states that notwithstanding the unsatisfactory prices received for the last crop of potatoes, settlers in his district are going in for the production of tubers to an extent as large as ever, and that already planting has commenced Several dairy companies have agreed l (says an exchange) to manufacture saltless butter this year One of the men “ in the know *' says a lot of this will be sent from France to England as Normandy rolls. The same gentleman ia of opinion

that this is going to be a great year for the milk-blending firms at Home. Reddiff settlers were not so fortunate as were some others in North Otago and South Canterbury during the recent cold weather. Lamlbing was general in the district named during the recent cold snap, and consequently the mortality was high. One sottler lost as many a® 30 out of a small flock in one night. Already this season 500 head of fat bullocks' have been shipped from Gisborne for the Addington market. Shearing will be in full swing in the Maaterton district this week. Already some of the smaller sheds have commenced! operations. *

The Stirling dairy factory is at present ia receipt of a daily supply of 1400 gallons of milk, and the manufacture of export cheese is about to commence. The first shipment of stud cattle from New Zealand to the Argentine was made about a week ago* when three two-year-old .purebred Hereford bulls were shipped by Mr E. Short, of Feilding.'-to Mj Windmullor, a large cattle and sheep-raiser in the Republic A recent official inquiry addressed to 600 Missouri- farmers' wives brought from 53 per cent, of those -who answered the reply that the cause of their dissatisfaction with farm life was that they had no running water in the.house. It is no small matter to carry water from a distant pump a dozen times a day. . At the monthly meeting of the Waitahuna Farmers' Club, Mr T. Corry presiding, a good deal of routine business was transacted, including going carefully over the catalogue for the annual show, a few alterations being 'made in the. butter section. The matter of the better lighting of the building in ■which the dairy produce is shown was left with the president and vicepresident. ; The question of securing the services of a really good Clydesdale stallion was referred back to a sub-committee, the mares promised falling considerably short of the number required, Mr Patrick having offered the services, of a four-year-old horse on a guarantee of 60 mares. It was de? cided to vote half a guinea to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. At a meeting of the) committee of the Palmerston and Waihemo A. and P. Association, Mr R. Gam ©Ton presiding, a donation of one guinea was mad© to the Cbronoation HaH Fund. .Details in connection with the annual show were discussed and arranged In the sheep classes sections for English Laioesters and Lineolns were added-, and the prize money in all classes slightly raised. . A class for crossbred hoggets was added, and in dairy produce classes for butter open to competitors residing between Hamipden and Waitati. In the draught horse section it was decided to prohibit two-year-olds from competing in the classes for teams. Mr James Ross expressed a hope that the regulation which provided that all stock must be the bona fide property of the exhibitor would be strictly enforced in.-, future. He quoted some instances which had come under his notice of persons exhibiting animals which did not belong to them. At a meeting of settlers in the Wairio district, Southland, it was unanimouslv decided to form a company, to be called the Wairio Dairy Factory Company (Ltd.), with a capital of £2OOO. Provisional directors were appointed to arrange the preliminaries. The site chosen will be ait Egan's corner, which is a most central one.

At the annual. meeting of the Mataura Island 00-operative Dairy Factory Company the annual report eta ted that for the first half of the season the factory's cheese was consigned, but unfortunately the Home market was depressed. The directors accepted an offer for the balance of the output. The incoming season promises well, and the directors disposed of the output until the end of May at 6d per lb on truck's. Mr J. C. Clarke. has been_ reappointed as cheesemaker. A pasteurising plant was installed at a cost of £146 13s 2d. It is satisfactory to learn, from those who have used pasteurised whey that benefit is derived from its use. Messrs D. Wards, jun., and M. Richardson were elected directors, and Mr James Hunter was reappointed auditor.

During- his recent visit to America, Mr W. I. Lovelock, cf Palmerston. North ; says he "was agrceablv a.t the size of the Amerioan Holsteins. He states that they are much better grown than the New Zealand Holstein. A lot of their American two-year-old heifers are as big as our three-year-old cattle. Owing to the severe winters in the States, farmers have to house their stock, and consequently the cattle are better cared for than ours, and mature earlier. Mr Lovelock is greatly pleased with the stock he imported recently, and considers that- every male calf raised from these heifers will be fit to head the herds of our New Zealand Holsteins.

At some ©f the clearing sales held during last week ewes have not been realising recent quotations, simply because they cannot be shifted. A line of 300 head of two, four, and six-tooth ewes only realised 18sat auction, which would have been cheap a±. 21s. Northern buyers have been operat-

ing to the extent of between SOCK) and 6000 in fat and forward wethers at _ prices equivalent to local market rates—viz., 20s to 21s all over. Most of these were largeframed crossbred wethers with good skins. A fair demand also exists for hoggets for stocking depleted pastures in the north and Central districts, to hold over for shearing. Sales have been made to northern buyers at from 13a to 14s 6d for straight lines of mixed sexes which have not been picked over for fat lambs. They were fairly well woolled and well grown, and out of crossbred ewes. Other sales are reported for turning out on tussocks inland,, at from 13a 9d to 15s 3d, according to sexes, and as much as 17e has been offered and refused for a good line of 1500 Romney cross owe hoggets. The price for this class of sheep is likely to harden up. Reports from Canterbury indicate that good rains have been and they now have the certainty of a good spring. In a short time they will require large numbers of sheep to stock up with again, and they will have to oome south to secure desirable lines.