AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3168, 2 December 1914, Page 20

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

At the A. and P. Society’s Show 24 entries were received for the wool-classing competition, which was open to members of classes in the education districts of Otago and Southland, and entries were received from Oamaru to Winton and Invercargill. Mr J. M'Gregor, in making the awards, stated that the work done was easily the best of any competition ho had yet conducted. The success of the city man showed that the classing of wool, when taught under a definite system, could be acquired at least sufficiently to enable one to class and prepare one’s own clip for market to the best advantage. The following are the results: —George Smart (Dunedin), 1; R. H. Stokes (Dunedin), 2; F. Wagner (Clinton), 3. Satisfactory prices were realised by the first shipment of the new season’s butter, which was delivered to the London market bv the Remuera. The steamer arrived on November 6, and advice has now boon received that her cargo, which included 5081 boxes from Auckland (says the Herald), has been sold at the following prices:—Salted, 127 s to 128 s per cwt; unsaltcd, 129 s to IcOs per cwt. Last year the first shipment of new season’s butter arrived m London on November 18, and realised from 124 s to 126 s per cwt. Three weeks later values rose to 128 s to 150 s per cwt. Members of the Farmers’ Union Executive in Christchurch on the 25th for the monthly meeting, stated (says the Press) that the rain had done a vast amount of good. It appears to have been very general throughout Canterbury. On the south line and up towards the ranges the fall has been much heavier than in and about the city. Notwithstanding the serious drought which prevails, the New Zealand Dairy Association, on the 21st inet., distributed amongst its suppliers (says the Auckland Star) the sum of £68,705 10s fid. This covered 1,406,8691 b of butterdat supplied during the month of October. The amount distributed for the corresponding month last year was £64,462 7s 6d. thus the increase for the month was £4243 3s, In anticipation of a boom in the Australasian frozen meat trade through Bristol the Docks Committee will apply to the council for powers to borrow a further £IOO,OOO for the construction of new warehouses and cold storage depots. One of this season’s Jambs from Mr Geo. Partridge’s farm at. Quartz Reef Point, which was donated as a prize at the recent; Rose Fete, turned the scale (says the Cromwell Angus) at 921 b live-weight. Before being taken from the farm the lamb weighed 99slb. Noxious weeds are stated to be very prevalent in the One-tree Hill district (Auckland), thistles in some localities growing 6ft high and being so thick that they are practically npenetrnble. It is expected that the Patea Freezing Company wdl have thrir new works completed sufficiently to enable killing operations to commence on December 1. At the quarterly meeting of the Mamototo Branch of the Farmers' Union, held on the 2ist uit., correspondence was read in connection with the conveyance of stock to Otago Central by the mixed train on the clay after the rain and ewe fair at Burnside. The General Manager of Railways wroto that after the last fair there were two trucks of sheep for stations beyond Ornakau, and 15 trucks for 10 different stations between Pukeraugi and Lauder, and it would not be practicable to forward all the stock by the tram leaving Dunedin at 7.50 a.m. for Clyde. This was the only train that ran each day from Omakau to Clyde, and it had been the practice hitherto to take live stock for stations beyond Omakau. and thus enable the tram to convey ordinary traffic for these stations whicn would otherwise probably have to stand over until the next day. Arrangements would, however, be made to take stock for stations beyond Raniurly in future, but tins arrangement would be confined to the special occasion only. After some discussion, it was decided that the secretary again write and ask that all places above Hyde be included in the concession. With relerence to the Pukotoi Estate, Mr Greer mentioned that they had not yet been definitely told if it was to be cut up, and it was decided that endeavours be made to ascertain what steps the Government intended to take. ... The Government Statistician m New South Wales has issued an early report upon the prosoects of the season’s wheat yield. He estimates the yield at 15,000,000 bushels, but takes the precaution to say that this quantity may be reduced if rain does not come. Roughly speaking, it means that the average return per acre over the area harvested for grain will not bo more than four bushels. These are rather startling figures, and indicate what the country in many of the wheat areas must be like. In the Otautau district there are many up-to-date dairy plants, but (acording to the Western Star) something unique is to be seen in daily use at Mr P. Beggs’s farm at Woodlaw. Instead of the cows being bailed up at right angles to the walls of the shed, the animals stand in a race running round the shed. At first glance the arrangement looks like a sheep-drafting race. Near one corner there is the entrance, and a few feet further in a swing gate turns the cows alternately to the right and left. On each side of the shed at the far end of the race there is an exit. Every few feet, about the length of a cow, the posts necessary for the erection of the race have been built, and when the animal has walked up to its allotted stand a bar is placed across the race in the front and one bar at the back of every animal. A steam milking plant has been installed, the necessary pipes running along the centre of the she’d. The arrangements appear to have been made with a view to ensuring perfect cleanliness, and, judging by appearances, the object has been obtained. The floor has been made of concrete throughout, with sufficient fall to admit of a thorough cleansing out every day. A broad channel runs round the inside of the shod, and ventilation is free and sufficient. Mr Beggs is to bo complimented on the condition and arrangement of his shod. “ Dairyman,” in the Farmer and Stockbreeder, says: “The cleaning of the udder lias been made much of by the pioneers of the hygienic milk crusade, but I feel that tins question demands careful consideration. I have tried all methods of dealing with the udder so as to prevent dirt from entering the milk. Others besides myself have had to abandon the. practice of washing the udders, as in the case of delicatelyconstituted cows, like Jersays and Guernseys, the washing during the winter months, either with cold or warm water, resulted

in chills, loss of quarters, garget, mammitis and other troubles. I 1 or some years now 1 have merely wiped the udders over with a dry cloth, Chieh seems all that is necessary. Some people prefer a damn cloth, as they say that small, scaly particles of dust are made to adhere to the udder and do not fall olf in the pail. My experience of using a damp cloth is that the dirt is merely rubbed into the udder in the form of a smear or a paste. If the udder gets begrimed, as is so often the case where cow-3 frequent water meadows and boggy places, a good washing may at times be essential, but if washed the udder must be well dried afterwards, and only w r ater with the chill off must bo used.” Shorthorn prices in the Argentine appeal liberal—£447 as an average for 27 bulls is not bad. Another lot of 12 averaged £2BB. The native-bred went even to higher prices, the average for 223 being £350, while three of thorn made over £2OOO each. Trade for both classes indicated a slackening of competition. for the native-bred champion bull last vear made £7272, as compared with £2187 this year. It is a little disquieting to read of the descendants of the native herds making more money ihan the fine young bulls introduced from Great Britain. The circumstances, however, need occasion no alarm, but, on the contrary, is cause for satisfaction. The success of the homebred stock is proof that the Shorthorn has adapted itself readily to the conditions in South America. Success of the kind is a guarantee that the breed will occupy a permanent place in that great country, and it will bo well to remember that without a substantial measure of prosperity the trade with Britain would not long endure. There is no cause to interpret the spirited market for local-hred animals as a sign of approaching independence of the fountainhead. British judges who have officiated at the Palermo Show have been loud in their praises of the quality of the animals paraded before them, all of winch were bred in the Argentine. They have compared the classes of young bulls at Palermo with those at the Royal Show' to the advantage of the former, if not in individual quality, at any rate in numbers. New Zealand factories scored at the London Dairy Show. The only New' Zealand competitor in the butter section was the Piopio Factory. It w'as awarded first prize for salted butter, scoring 95 points, and second prize for unsalt/'d with 93 points. There were eight New Zealand competitors in the cheese classes. Hawera w r as awarded a first prize, Mangararnarama second prize, and Mataura a third prize. The judges highly commended the general excellence of colonial butters.