AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3594, 30 January 1923, Page 15

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

Beetles have destroyed aji experimental cotton plot of three acres / at Burrinbar, near the Queensland border. Ihe plants commenced well, but when they had grown 15 to 18 inches they began to wither. An examination showed that thousands of pumpkin beetles were devouring the soft green foliage and butts of the stems. The crop has Been destroyed, barely a plant escaping. Farmers are awaiting with interest information how other areas fare At Thursday morning’s meeting of the committee of the Otago A. and P. Society, Sir John Roberts brought forward the pro posal now under consideration for the removal of the Summer Show to Wingatui. Sir John pointed out that to retain Tahuna Park under present conditions it was essential that the business community should recognise their responsibility and subscribe sufficient money to justify the committee in continuing to hold the show at the park. He suggested that at the special meeting called for Wednesday night this position should be placed before those present. Sir John also mentioned that in discussing the position with some of Dunedin’s leading citizens, who have the interest of the society at heart, they expressed the opinion that there would be no difficulty in obtaining the necessary financial assistance. The Free Press understands that a movement is on foot in Owaka to establish a bacon factory. Should the project be gone on with it is the intention to convert the old T. and P. Cheese Factory, about a mile up the Owaka Valley road, into an up-to-date bacon-curing establishment. Such a factory should prove beneficial to the district. , , The Makarewa Freezing Works opened on Thursday morning last (says the Southland News). 12 or 13 slaughtermen signing on, the majority of whom were at the works last season. In other departments all the old unionists signed on. At the Mataura works nine of last year’s slaughtermen and three learners commenced, and several more of the old hands are asking when they may start. In the other departments all the old hands returned. The following is a list of special prizewinners at the W'aikouaiti show: —(Special price for most points in baking, Mrs John Maxwell; special prize for most points in butter, Miss Macaulay; trophy for most points in sections M. and N., Mrs J. A. Townsend; trophy for most points in cattle, Mr P. Ireland; trophy for most points in light horses, Mr A. W. Douglass; trophy for most points in draughts, Mr J. M. Smith; trophy for most points in jumping, Messrs M'Cabe brothers. Some woolgrowers who have several years’ clip on the place are considering Uie advisability of getting the buyers up and sehing on the farm, without the trouble of railing to the wool sales (says a Southland exchange): A number of farmers in the Far North, including the Minister of L'ublic Works (Hon. J. G. Coates), have already done this. , Trouble at the Pukeuri Piefrigerating Works has been overcome. W 7 ork is proceeding satisfactorily. Thursday’s tally was 1200 head. The company expected to be able to fill the allotted space on the steamer Kumara. The Palmerston North Times says that a Manawatu woolgrower saved 4s per bale by sending his wool to Wellington by motor lorry instead of railing it and paying carriage at both ends. Indicating that there appeared to be an understanding between the manufacturers and the merchants to keep up the prices of Nauru phosphates, Mr W. J. Poison, of Wellington, slated that he went to the wholesaler for supplies, but found that he could get it 15s a ton cheaper from the merchant. An exchange says that Mr I. Robin’s shearing gang has put up a record for eight shearers at the Mangaohane sheep station, Taihape. It shore 2451 sheep in 8 hours 50 minutes, an average of 306 per man. The individual tallies were as follows:—Ned Hawkins. 340; George Paul, 333; C. Mansfield, 318: Puke, 313; B. Stuart, 274. All handled big sheep. The shearers are all Hawke’s Bay men. These tallies are believed to constitute a New Zealand record for eight hours. HASTINCS RAM FAIR. HASTINGS, January 26. The annual ram fair opened yesterday in bad weather with an entry of 4997, against 5838 last year. ' High prices ruled, and few lines passed in. and these were at as high figures as 8g to 10 guineas. The top price yesterday was 17 guineas for two lots of Romney flock rams. The fair was continued to-day.