AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS

Otago Witness, Issue 3017, 10 January 1912, Page 19

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS

A slaughterman who returned from Australia to Ashburton during the week states that the season for butchers in Australia has not this year been so lucrative as on former occasions. The number of sheep *md lambs slaughtered was not so great as is usually the case, hence the slaughtermen’s cheques were proportionately smaller. Further, the slaughtermen do not expect to make as good money in the Dominion this year as last Instancing the great difficulties which settlers in the Poverty Bay district have to undergo, a resident of Gisborne recently informed the Hon. K. M'Konzio of a settlor in the Wharekopao district who had been there for some years. He was 40 miles back, and had to sledge his wool out bale by bale. It cost this settlor- more to get his wool from his station to Gisborne than it did to send it from Gisborne to London. The wages sheet in connection with tl o Waingawa meat-freezing works is now between £4OO and £SOO per week “ Although wo have nothing definite cn the subject, it is understood that the new season's chaff will open in price at about £ls 5s per ton.”—Carterton Nows. Farmers in the Pahiatua district arc feeling concerned about the hay harvest. Owing to the continued moist weather the grass is well forward, hut so far there has not been suitable weather to cut it. Oat crops, however, have done remarkably well.

A peculiar grub has boon found on p, farm at Upper Tutaenui, above Marton. i At first glance it looks like a long white piece of thread, and on being disturbed immediately curls itself up. Its length is about 18in. The finder has forwarded the grub to Wellington for further particulars. As a result of the omcaHons of South Island buyers, it is o'/i&Tiated about 10.000 sheep have been exported from the Wairarapa district, chiefly to Canterbury. In many cases the prices given were well in advance of the local values. One butter-box factory at Mastorton has turned out no fewer than 50,000 buttorboxos up to date this season. This will give some indication of the importance the dairying industry is assuming in the district. A dairyman supplying the Hinds Cream- • cry states that ho had a return of £2 nor cow from Ids herd for the month of October. The lateness of the harvest has brought distress to a number of men who came to Ashburton in the expectation that they would ho able to find early employment. Jt is stated that quite a large number of

these are without means to provide themselves with regular food and lodgings. Tho weather has dealt very harshly with those who have been reduced to penury, and tho oold rains have not only been the cause of their enforced idleness, but have made their temporary camps on the river bed almost uninhabitable. } Ten sheep to the acre, and on grass paddocks is usually regarded in New Zealand as a farmer’s fable, but with no special i form of intensive cultivation, save that of dried flax, it is a fact on tho lands near Tokomaru, owned by Messrs Seifert Bros., the well-known flex manufacturers. Not only that, but it is a further fact, on the authority of one of tho firm, that at present 10 sheep to tho acre, arc unable to copo with tho fast-growing pastures, and tho scythe-blade and mower have to bo brought in, in order to keep the areas fairly clear for their flax bods. Tho reason, advanced for tho prolific growth of grass is that tho dust from the dried flax, replenished at short intervals, provides a most valuable manure. Tho Scottish Farmer rays; —“ Mr John Imlah, Taranaki, Now Zealand, has had shipped to him a promising yearling colt, ( bought from Mr W. Lowe, Kingsford, Auohterloss. This colt was got by Tarvos Chieftain (14402), and his dam was by the famous Prince of Carruchan (8151), which never wore a second prize ticket, being first on every occasion on which he was shown, and four times winner of tho Cawdor Cup.”