STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3337, 27 February 1918, Page 9

STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES.

Weekly Stock Sale*. | Monthly (continued). Barniide, Wednesi Woodlands, 2nd ThursAshburto'n, Tuesda. I day ~.„,!' Addingkm, Wednesday. / iVyndham, last ThursWaiareka Railway June- day tiou. Tuesdays Balfour, 3rd Thursday W"allacetown, Tuesdays Thoinbury, Ist Friday Duntrooc & Otautau, • Fortnightly. 2nd Friday «■.". 'in, ,„,,„„ Itiversdaie, 3rd Friday Clinton l>"8d8y» Waikaka. last Friday Balclutha .Jriduya ciydevale. last ThursGore, iTuesdays *, Oamaru, Tuesdays "" J Wallacetown, Tuesdays Periodically as AdverEeriot, Thursdays tised. .. ... Lumsden, Moss'-nun, Monthly. Orepuki, Mutaura, Palmerstou, Ist Monday Waikoualti, Biver.Winton, Ist Thursday ton. Ngapara and Duutrocn, 3nd Friday Otago. Central tales. OTAGO. m& fine week and good ripening weather was fairly general throughout Otago. xne crops are coming in last, and already thrashing has made a start, on the iaien. both oats and wheat having been submitted to merchants. There is consideiable movement in the former at the moment at an advance on previous, quotations Lie fruit coming to hand,irom the Central is of fairly good quality, peaches perhaps, not being quite "up to the usual standard. Cereal yields in the Central are good, and the country is looking well. All O.tago could do with ram. . ~ Tha war and matters in connection With foodstuffs are the topics of the hour, and general satisfaction may well be expressed bv anyono viewing the present world circumstances from the right viewpoint at the cabled information that the Argentine and the Allied Governments have come to an agreement in' re the surplus wheat from t£e former country. Some 2 500,000 tons of cereals, it is anticipated, will be available at for wheat aboJt 12klol per 2001 b. According to 'the Prime Minister shipping is' likely to bo short for any goods excepting foodstuffs, so that the storage of wool, etc., may be a problem warranting immediate consideration. It is a. thousand pities, as.prices for all our exports are abnormal, rabbitskins having been sold in London this month at 50 to 75 per cent, above July rates, Australian furriers skins making a record price of ISOd per lb. An important meeting has • been convened by the Prime .Minister of six delegates from each island of tho Farmers Union 'to consider and act in tho matter of several nhases touching ,upon the requisrtionhig of wool and skins by the Imperial Government. Mr James Begg will represent the Otago Farmers' Union, or, failing him, Mr A. S. Orbell will be the delegate Tho Board of Agriculture held several meetings recently and discussed matters of interest to farmers, and made recommendations to the Government, but—it may be our report was a mere summary—no reference seems to havo been made to the matter of taxation of agricultural and pastoral show 3. This surely is a matter in which the board might well determine, and settle finally a vexed question of close concern to all producers. BURNSIDE MARKET. The demand for the moderate supply of average quality fat sheep at Burnside was somewhat erratl*. Early in the sale values wero rather better thau later on, when previous rates were not forthcoming. Generally prices were on a por with the previous market quotations,' except in places as indicated, where the market showed Is a head rise. The fat lambs were of mixed quality, and prices were in no way high, best sorts being Is a head cheaper than at the previous, sale, and some lots were passed in. An average lot of fat cattle for the most part were yarded, with some exceptionally prime heavy bullocks included. Values were much on a par with last sale's rates, up to 47s in places for steer and 45s for heifer per 1001 b being paid. Some 230 store cattle and 25 bulls were yarded. The yarding comprised chiefly young heifers and cows, with a few yards of steers. Tho demand was quiet, and no improvement in the diminished rates previously recorded was evident. Young heifers, well grown, made from £8 16s 6d to £9; cows, according to condition, to £lO. Dairy cows were not numerous, and all sold freely at up to £l6. Pigs wero forward in moderate quantity, and elicited free bidding, fate making from 8-id to B£d per lb; young sorts unchanged. YARDS. Tho fat sheep market was moderately supplied, and tho demand wus on a level

with prices a fortnight ago at Addington. The quality of the fat lambs penned was rather better than on the previous week, and'the demand fairly steady at the previous sale's values. There was another big yarding of store sheep, comprising all classes. The demand was on a level with last sale's rates for best grades, with slow bidding for other classes. Fat cattle made much the same money per 1001 b as at' last sale, exporters' limits not allowing them to secure many. The store pens were partly filled with an average lot of cattle, best classes making late values. Dairy cows of quality were eagerly taken, but few guaranteed sorts were offered. All classes of pigs made rates on the equivalent of recent quotations. -CENTRAL OTAGQ SALES. The Central Otago stock sales _ for the season opened at Oturchua .during the week. The attendance was fairly largo at this centre. About 1000 sheep were forward, practically all wethers, which were, in dealers' hand's for the most part. Some ewe lambs made 235; wether lambs, 17s 9d. The wether lots failed to reach the reserves, and were passed in at —aged wethers, 26s 6d; crossbred wethers, 27s 6d. Generally the sale was depressing. At Walpiata just about 3000 sheep were penned, comprising full and failing mouth ewes, lambs, and wethers. It was a good sale, and the attendance comprised local graziers, with some northern men. "'Ground mouths," 17s 6d to 22s 6d; extra good lambs, fat and forward, 25s to 27s lOd; mixed crossbred lambs, 235; wether .lambs, 17s 6d, 19s 6d, 20s 6d; two-tooth wethers, 27s 6d; fat wethers, 34s 6d; fat ewes, 30s to 32s 6d. Some sound-mouth ewes were passed at 28s. At Middlemarch several hundred sheep were, penned, and prices ranged much on a par with the previous sales. There has been considerable forward selling in the Central, a matter which invariably tends to debar genuine buyers from bothering greatly unless stock are booming. This season possibly men who have sold wethers forward will score, but as a general' thing it would, Ave think, pay settlers better if they marketed their surplus sheep at the advertised sales as in first hand:?. NORTH ISLAND STOCK VALUES. Values of stock in the North Island are well maintained, and clearances are effected a't round about late rates. In the South Auckland district beef is firm at up to 52s per 1001 b; two-tooth wethers, 22s to 28s; four-tooths, 26s 6d to 29s 6d; mixed lambs, lis to 17s; culls 'to Bs. In the Wanganui-Feilding areas two-tooth ewes, 28s to 30s 6d; two-tooth wethers, 24s to 295; small, 18s to 21s; six-tooths, 30s 6d; good calves, 45s to 100 s; yearlings to year and a-half 'to £8; two-year-olds, £9 to £l0; cows and calves, £lO 10s. In the Wairarapa district business is quiet, with ram fairs in full swing. In the Manawatu district fair sales have been made. Wethers, 27s to 30s; store ewes, 16s 6d to 21s; lambs, 12s to 16s 6d; yearling steers, £5 10s to £6; woaners (extra). £4- 4s; bullocks, £l2 12s to £l3 10s_ In the Wellington province values are a shade firmer. Two arid four tooth wethers, 26s to 30s; rape lambs (Downs), 17s; shorn, lis to 16s; small woollies to 17s 6d; two-tooth ewes, 19s 6d to 275. In the Poverty Bay district twotooth wethers, 25s to 27s 6d; small mixed four-tooths, 25s 6d; young ewes, 25s to 2?s 6d. Cattle made about recent rates. In 'the Taranaki district all forward cattle made good values, and prompt clearances at auctions were effected. In the Hawke's Bay district two-tooth wethers, 24s 6d; other forward store wethers to 29s 6d; bullocks, £l3 'to £ls 10s. STOCK NOTES. The Freezing Works at Burnside will open for the season on Thursday, March 7. Ihe same conditions will prevail as formerly, and it is anticipated 'that the "overall " price will be somewhere in the region of—lambs Bd, wethers 6d, and ewes 5d per lb. At a meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Farmers' Union in London complaint was made that, the supply of pigs had been greatly reduced, and that there would in the near future be no pigs left if the order recently issued by the Food Controller as to the sale of pigs by live weight at 18s per stone was not countermanded or modified. . . • Messrs E. N. Casares and Sons* of Finsbury pavement, London., (says the Farmers' Stock-breeder) have received a cable from Anoka Farm (F. W. Harding), Waukesha, Wis., U.S.A., to the following effect:— " Our 45 bull and heifer calves to-day averaged 550; Anoka Chamnion 7000, buyer B. F. Hales, Illinois.—Harding." These prices are in American dollars, five dollars to the pound. THE C4BADING OF CATTLE. Some idea of the drastic power conferred on the Food Controller at Home may be gathered from 'the following regulations, which must b* observed by all persons concerned: — 1. (a) No person shall on or after December 27, 1917, sell or buy or offer to sell or buy any beast for slaughter unless the beast is at the time of such sale or offer in a market, (b) A beast' shall bo deemed to be bought for elaughtcr if it be slaughtered within 28 days of the purchase. 2."N0 beast fit for slaughter shall on or after December 27; 1917, be sold in any

market except in accordance with the following provisions:—(a) The beast shall have been graded by a person authorised m that behalf by the Food Controller as bo- , longing to one of the four classes mentioned l in the schedule to this order, (b) The j price shall not exceed the maximum, price I ascertained on the basis of such grading in I accordance with the provisions of the schedule; or (o) the beast shall be sold only to a person who is authorised by the Food Controller to buy in a market beasts j fit for slaughter. 3. The deterim'-nation of a person authorised in that behalf by 'the Food Controller shall be conclusive- upon the question I whether a beast is fit for slaughter, and as to the weight and value of any beast. 4. All persons concerned shall comply with I any directions as to 'the weighing of any I beast or anv other matter connected with i the ascertainment of the maximum price pavablo therefor, which may be given for the purpose of this order by any person authorised in that behalf by the Food Controller. 5. The Food Controller may from time to time give directions as to the measures to be taken in relation to the ascertainment of 'the maximum price for any beast when he deems it is in his opinion expedient that a beast should be sold on a deadweight basis, or that for any reason the maximum price- should be ascertained otherwise than in accordance with the. foregoing provisions of 'this order. _ <-, 6. For the purpose of this order beast incudes bulls, bullocks, cows, and heifers. Market shall include fair, and any other place which the Food Controller shall determine to be a market for the purposes of this order. 7. Infringements of this order are sunxmary offences against 'the Defence of the i Realm Regulations. ' ' 8. This order shall not extend to Ireland. FROZEN FISH. "The British Government, through the Ministry of Food, is considering at the present moment several schemes for the future frozen fish supply of the United Kingdom, and one has to bear in mind in this connection the recent words of Mr Maurice (the Assistant Secretary of the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries) that the nsh trade was shortly to be called upon to fulfal a part in the national food supply, larger than it had ever dreamt of. As a matter of fact, at the present moment no less than 7,000,0001 b of frozen fish are entering British ports every month for the supply of fish rations to the British as well as Canadian Forces in England. A big organisation is being built up in Canada and Newfoundland to supplement this considerable supply in an enormous way m the near future, when trade operations can be completed. For instance, there has just been erected at St. Johns, Newfoundland, a big fish-freezing plant capable of turning out a million pounds of frozen fish a week. The company is 'the Newfoundland Atlantic Fisheries Corporation (Ltd.), and when the storage of St. Johns is fully completed it will have a capacity of 20,000,0001 b of fish, and will be able to freeze daily in the sharp freezers about 250,0001 b. Ten other smaller plants throughout 'the island with sharp freezing capacity in each are to bo erected very shortly, each to store half a million to one and a-half million pounds. One store is being erected on the Labrador coast specially for the freezing of salmon and halibut. Fish meal works and guano | works are also being erected at different points, and one of the largest tinning factories in th 3 world will also be erected. Forty refrigerator cars for service throughj out the island 'to bring tho fish from the various small stores to St. Johns are also being built by the Reid Newfoundland Company, and a number of the Reid steamers which call at the various fishing ports along the coast aro having stoiage chambers installed in them for conveyance to the main store at St. Johns. It is expected that arrangements will bo made with England for regular shipments to be sent across in large refrigerator steamers perhaps twice monthly."—The Pastoral Review. ' SALE OF NETHERTON AYRSHIRE BULL CALVES. A new record for Ayrshire bulls was made on December 15, when, at the sale of bull calves belonging to Messrs T. and A. Clemehff, Netherton, Newton Mearns, a ' nine-month-old bull calf realised 430 gs, j compared with the previous best of 580 gs. i Trie animal was Bloodstone, by Holehouse Sunrise out of Harleyholm Blossom 3rd. He is of well-balanced lines, a popular colour, and has groat depth and balance of middle, with well-carried quarters, and in securing him Mr James Howie, Hillhouse, KilmarI nock, has added an excellent specimen of I the breed to his herd. Other capital prices were also realised, and 'the average for -the 2,1 calves worked out at no less than £lls 13s apiece. The following were tho chief sales: —Sir Patrick—Mr Logan* Bargonoch, Coylton. 192pre; Sir Bruno—Mr J. Wallace, Chapemill, Kirkcudbright, 3Cogs; Sirßenjamm —jlr J. Howie. Hillhouse, Kilmarnock, 70"-S" Sir Gilbert —Mr Osborne, Eaglesham, 76gs; Roland—Mr Marshall, Kilmarnock, 200 gs: Glengarry—Mr J. Boyd, South Cathkin. Rutherglen, 55gs; BloodstoneMr J. Howie, Hillhouse. 430 gs; JonathanMr J. Lawrie, West Newton, S'trnthavon 255 gs Napier —Mr _ Gilmour, Windhill, Eagleshnm, 62ge; Quintin —Earl of Homo, Newmains, Douglas, 70gs; North Star—Mr Hodge. Sloddahill, Lockerbie, lOOgs; Bernard —Mr T. Robertson, Clendrie, Stranraer, 67gs; Darnley—Mr J. Howie, 69g3.

Few men in the Ayrshire _ world have devoted more .timo to the improvement of the breed, and few can claim to have devo'ted so much attention to the all-im-portant matter nowadays of careful and accurate milk-recording as the Messrs Clement. For a long period they have owned a herd of deep-milking, eound-con-stitutioned stock, the yoangsters exposed being all by sires out • of cows all giving pver 1100 gallons. - The calves were shown in great bloom along with their darns, and in some cases with their grand-dame, and gave the impression of groat substance and quality, while the catalogue figures testified to great milk-yielding ancestry. AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS. A correspondent, who travels a great deal through the country districts, informs us that he has never seen better crops in the Hakataramea Valley than those of this year. All the crops have been cut, and the farmers are busily engaged in stacking. There is no scarcity of labour, for the farmers are helping one another. The weather, which has been very broken, seems now to have cleared up, with a drying wind. All the crops,, about Waihao have been cut, and the potatoes are looking well, with no sign of blight. Mr A. S. Malcolm, M.P., has received a letter from the Minister of Agriculture (the Hon. W. D. S. MacDonald) confirming the agreement arrived at between the Secretary for Agriculture (Mr Pope) and tho Clutha branch of the New Zealand Farmers;' Union in which the delegates who met Mr Pope at Balclutha gauranteed on behalf of the farmers of the district that reasonable efforts would be made to cut Californian thistles at such * time and in such a manner as to prevent seeding, while Mr Pope, on behalf of the department, promised, in consideration of the delegates' guarantee, that no prosecutions would be undertaken for failure to cut thistles in the Clutha district this season. Twenty-two boys from the Palmerston North High School worked on farms during the holidays and earned £l5O, while 5o boys worked on farms for relatives. Sixteen boys at other work than on a farm earned £62, and six who worked for the Post Office earned £lB. Seven senior boys who had just left school earned £l5O at farm and other work. Some strong comments were made at a meeting of the General Committee of the Canterbury Sheep-owners' Association about the non-allowance of tho deduction of mortgages on land under the Land and Income Tax Act. It was held that tho present system operated harshly on small farmers, especially those holding a few hundred acres under a high assessment. Mr C H. Ensor said that the present position was a most unjust one. He knew the case of a small farmer who had a farm worth £7OOO. There was a mortgage of £6OOO, and the farmer's equity was only £IOOO, yet he had "to pay a land tax of £4l 12s. The mortgagee had to pay income tax only, yet tho farmer had to pay that amount, and if he made an income of £3OO on his equity he had to pay an income tax on. that as well. " I bame the Finance Minister for the present state of affairs," said Mr Ensor. " He has made an unholy mess of things, and I think he should either remain here and look after his business, or else go to England and stay there. All we "farmers are perfectly willing to pay, and pay heavily, until the end of the war, but wo certainly think the matter should bo adjusted fairly." A subcommittee was appointed to collect data and report. At mustering time on Mr Herbert LeCren's station at Thuscombe, Fairlie, each year when its fellow sheep were rounded up a three-quartorbred wether, now an eight-tooth, had most obstinately refused to accompany the mob to either yards, dip, or homestead, and the regular station hands had given it up as a confirmed "hermit" This year, however, Mr E. Alford, who was assisting to muster, decided to use his best endeavours to bring in every hoof. Finding the hermit within two miles of_ home, ho set out to make it captive. With the assistance of good dogs', the wether was got into the yards after four hours' persuasion. It would appear, however, that the timo was well spent, for the fleece has unbroken strands 18m in length, whilst its body is of huge proportions compared wtih others of its age and breed. A photo of the sheep is in this issue. The sale of Lord Shrewsbury's estates was concluded at Chester in December. Two hundred and twelve lots out of 255 were sold, the total realised being £170,000 for just over 4000 ares. We would draw the attention of all interested to the advertisement in this issue of an important dispersal sale of Mr Thomas Dowling's purebred flocks of Lincoln, Border Leicester, and iSonthdown sheep, purebred Shorthorn cattle, and Berkshire pigsj also his flock sheep, fat sheep, lambs, fat cattle, horses, cattle, and implements, which the National Mortgage and Agency Company of New Zealand (Ltd.). Ashburton, will conduet at Springfield Estate, near Methven, on Thursday and Friday, March 7 and 8. Mr Dowling has spared neither time ns* money in bringing his stock up it i'cs present high standard, and his many successes at all the Canterbury shows, as well as tho top prioes which he invariably secures for his stock at the Addington market, should recommand his stock to all

buyers. It is seldom that such an oppor* tunity occurs of securing such high-class stock, and Mr Dowling's solo reason for selling is that he is unable to undertake the supervision now that his only son ia going into camp. At a meeting of the committee of the Milton Branch of tho New Zealand Farmers' Union members agreed that the present system of taxation under which « mortgages were Qot excluded was manifestly unjust, although it did not press so heavily on farmers in tho district' as it did in the north, and no cases of hardship had been brought under the notice of the branch. It was agreed to support the Gore A. and P. Society in any might take in bringing about a reduction in the freezing charges in the South Island to bring them into line with those > in the North Island; also in having the price paid for by-products; such as fat, etc., increased to the equivalent of those paid in the north. Pleasure was expressed at the notification from the Provincial Executive that an effort ■■ was being made to reduce the price of binder twine, 'which was considered altogether too high, .seeing that tho stores are full of fibre, for which no shipping space is available. It was resolved to ask the Hon. Mr MacDonold, Minister - of Agriculture, to make good his promise to tho Bruce farmers that lie would put an end to the high prices (£7 15s per ton at. the ship's side) demanded for Ephos phosphate, imported by the Government from Egypt, which, according to the Journal of Agricuture, was landed ..in New Zealand for £3 17s per_ ton. Attention was drawn to the high price asked for cornsacks, and it was decided to communicate on the matter with the Provincial Executive. The lucerne growing <on the Ashburton A. and P. Asociation s ground has been cut three times this season, and one more cut at least is expected. The lucerne was weighed in a green state, and tho results, according to the Fields Supervisor, for the different varieties are as follow: —Turke-" stan —First cut 3.935 tons per'acre, second cut 1.389, third cut .926;—total, 6.250 tons per acre. Peruvian—6.94s, 2.662. 1.851 ; 11.453. Poitou or Northern—7.s2-3, 2.773, 2.516;—12.817. 7.176, 2.778. 2.778 ;—12.732. Russian—7.oso:2.oß3. 2.083;-*" 11,226. Spanish—7.l76, 2.430, 2.430 ;—12.036. Dryland—7.l76, 2:315. 1.851';—11.342. Huu« garian—7.B7l, 2.450.1.967 ;—12.268. Arabian-*' 7.408, 2.083, 1.967;—11.458. Patajtonian—--8.334- 3.125, 2.54&J—14.005. Marlborough—. 8.334, 3.241, 2.778';—14.353. The weights ot the two heaviest yielding varieties. Marlborough and P'atagonian, ■ when converted into hay, would give an approximate yield of three tons each, which, at £4 per toft, gives, to date, a total valuo of £l2 per acre. The potato crop in Scotland for 1917 i« estimated at 1,110.000 tens, which is considerably more than double that of last year, and has been exceeded only once since the returns of produce were first collected in 1885. For 1889 the total produce Was 2500 tons more. Not only is there a . large increase in the crop, but the yield, 7.5 ton* per acre, is 3.4 tons over that of last year. The yield'this year is the highest on record, tho next best year being 1908, when the yield per acre Was 7.3 tons. The area under cultivation this year (147,717 acres) is an increase of 17.600 acree. " The Food Controller at Homo has declared. g that 2s 6d per lb is.jthe maximum price which a retailer can now charge for Government butter. In view of the small quantities, available, retailers have been urged to distribute the butter as widely as possible among their usual customers. Oases of unfairness of distribution or of charges exceeding 2s "6d per lb will be reported to the Local Food Committee, who will investigate. j The Ellesmere County Council was recently J confronted with a complaint _to the effect 1 1 that bees had become a nuisance in. tha , neighbourhood of Hall's shingle reserve, Lakeside. The reserve had been let by tha council to a resident of Lakeside, who had sub-let it to an apiarist. During the warn*, weather swarms of bees were to bo.eeen on the public road, and were interfering with traffic. The complainant stnted that tradesmen were unwillinqr to drive their carts past the apiary owing to the risk of beestings. It was further stated that one of the "council's contractor had abandoned a shinsrling contract from Hall's pit. owing to the bees troubling his hordes. Tho . clerk was instructed, we are informed, to write to the tenant rormesting him to take steps to mitigate the fierceness of the. pugnacious Ones. .age, Messrs Waters, Co.. state ; that samples, representing" a number '* parcels of'tho new season's C'hewings' fescue seed were sent to tho Government Biological Department, and they regret to state that the results have been exceedingly bad, the germination varying from nil to 30 per cent. This indicates that the crop has been practically a failure. Reports from the country districts of New South Wales (says the Australasian) show that as a result of the recent heavy rains portion of the .new wheat crop has become damp. and this has aroused anxiety as to future trouble with weevil. Interviewed regarding . the position on February 4, Professor Lefroy. a member of the British Wheat Commission, paid that anxiety was justiable. The building of machines for heating wheat should be proceeded with as rapidly as possible. Wheat must bo kept absolutely dry. as every ba« of wheat which got wet would be attacked by weevil, under the conditions of stacking In the Commonwealth. To thoroughly dry wheat should nob cost more than 3d a' bushel at most, and the question was

whether it was not better to spend the money now and protect the wheat than lose more later on. Unless something was done, the'state of the 1917-18 crop would be worse than that of last year. If the situation was not taken in hand, wheat which had become wet would in six -months bo unfit to ship. The New South Wales Government statistician reports that the wheat harvest for the current season is much later than usual, owing mainly to the excessive rainfall during tho spring. The total area sown with wheat was Approximately 3,833,200 acres, or 665,000 acres less than in the previous season. The returns now tabulated show that 3,380,000 acres have been harvested for 43.557,000 bushels, or an average yield of 13| bushels ah acre. In tho 1916-17 harvest 3,521,300 acres yielded 36,600,000 bushels, representing 10.4 bushels an acre. It was indicated at a recent meeting of the executive of the Southland A. and P. Association that foot-rot was prevalent in the sheep flocks, and that it was perhaps never worse "than how. The Juxuriant growth of grass this season accounts, at least in a measure, for the trouble. A Masterton farmer claims to have dug 17 tons of potatoes from an acre of land this season. There arc some splendid crops of oats and grass (the latter is practically all harvested) in the South' Hdlend district this season (says the Winton Record). Tho recent warm rains have made a marked improvement on the turnip lands. The importance of the West Coast as a cattle-raising and fat sheep producing district is rapidly growing. Last week 3500 fat sheep and lambs and 60 head of fat cattle wore sent across the ranges to the Canterbury sales. Mr D. C. M'Kenzie, of Glcnham, has lost his valuable Jersey bull Darkie Fox 11, the cause of death being: inflammation of tho lungs, according to a veterinary's opinion (says the Wyndham Herald). The animal died on Wednesday week. The loss to Mr M'Kenzie represents over £SO as the purchase price plus expenses. Darkie Fox II was one of the most famous Jersey sires in Australasia, and so the loss is not confined to Mr M'Kenzie alone. Mr M'Kenzie has two beautiful calves, his progeny—-one a bull and one a heifer. At the Masterton Show Mr James Knight, of Feilding, scored eight first prizes, eight seconds, one champion, and two reserve champions in the Southdown sheep section. ' Seventeen pupils of the Ashburton Technical School, who belonged to the shearing class, shore 5000 sheep during the past season. These were made up of small lots from various farmers in the country. Included in the pupils were four returned soldiers. A Gazette' Extraordinary announces that the maximum price of bacon and ham when sold- by the manufacturer has been fixed at the standard price thereof on December 1, 1917. Four fat ewes, donated by Mr W. Strang, of Gladstone, in aid of the Red Cross funds, were sold at the Masterton show on Tuesday, and realised £ll7 19s. It was recently stated that a paddock of 13 acres of turnips at Wallacetown (Southland) had been sold for £loo—over £7 10s .per acre. The Oamaru Mail has been informed that this price has been, easily eclipsed by a recent sale in tho Palmerston district, Messrs M'Leod Bros., of Bushoy, having recently disposed of a paddock of 55 acres of swede turnips at £l2 per acre. The purchaser was a well-known Southland sheepowner, and the 'price paid was a record one for the Palmerston district. In a reference to State farms, tho Minister of' Agriculture stated when he was in Hamilton a few days ago that, despite many difficulties, work was proceeding satisfactorily. The chief obstacle was the scarcity of experts. About 100 -officers had gone to the front, and others would soon be called up. Tt was practically impossible to get suitable men, either in the dominion or from outside, at ' present. But, on the whole, the work was well maintained, and the farming community was well satisfied.