THE FARMER

Patea Mail, Volume VI, Issue 524, 25 May 1880, Page 3

THE FARMER

PLEURO IN AMERICA. B3 t last mail it appears that pleuro is still very bad in some American States. The matter, indeed, has assumed such national importance as to demand special Congressional action. General Patrick, cattle commissioner, in his report on pleuro, says:— “The States of the far West, as well as nearer States, are earnest in their demand for such legislation by Congress as shall prevent the spread northward and westward of this disease. Now Jerse3 7 , especial^ 7 in its eastern part, has been badly infected; and though most active measures have been taken to stamp it out since March last, much of it is still found in the State. Peuns3Tvania is infected —probably to a less extent in the neighbourhood of Philadelphia—notwithstanding the action of the State authorities to control it. The district of Columbia is reported to be badly infected, and in March there were said to be twent3 7 seven herds inFairfax county,Va.— more or less diseased. That Maryland and Delaware should escape, surrounded as they are by infected States, is very improbable. CART-HORSES. On the 18th of Fehruaiy, a draft of sixt3 7 - one horses from tho Earl Ellesmere’s celebrated stud were offered b3 7 Mqssrs. Sexton and Grimwade. There was a very large attendance of gentlemen and farmers, 800 sitting down to a spendid luncheon. The horses were in first-class erudition, and the prices made did not give the idea that there were many of the buyers suffering very severely from that dire complaint, agricultural depression, and the average of £124 8s 8d for sixty-one horses sold being higher than that reached two years since, when forty-two realised about £l2O each. The averages were as follow :

FARMERS “ BLOWING.” In the American Agriculturalist appear the following rather big suggestions, addressed to American farmers :—“ There is no fear of a surplus. The world’s markets arc at our feet. Tho fear that we may produce more than can he disposed of is a bug-bear and a phantom. It has been conclushely shown, that at a certain price, we can control all the European markets, and that this price, while it pa3 7 s us fairly, is too small for a profit to the European farmers, who have to pay large rents, heavy taxes, emplo3 7 expensive labour, and use costly fertilisers. Think for a moment! There arc seven millions of soldiers in Europe, who are non-producers, and expensive consumers ; two or three millions of army horses, all eating and not working ; emperors, kings, princes, and titled persons of all kinds, who are supported in the greatest luxury out of the public revenues ; and ‘ tho farmer pays for all.’ We need not fear to compete with farmers so burdened; our prosperity consists in lessening the cost of our produce, and selling it to those nations who thus hamper themselves with burdens (oo grievous to he borne.”

A GOOD FARMING CREED. The agriculturists of Canada met in convention and adopted not long ago the following creed :—We believe in small farms and thorough cultivation; we believe that the soil lives to eat, as well as the owner, and ought, therefore, to be well manured ; we believe in going to the bottom of things, and therefore, deep ploughing, and enough of it, all the better if it be a subsoil plough ; we believe in largo crops, which leave land better than small, it making both the farm and the farmer rich at once; wo believe that every farm should own a good farmer; we believe that the fertiliser of any soil is a spirit of industry, enterprise, and intelligence; without these, lime, gypsum, guano would be of little use; we believe in good fences, good farmhouses, and good children enough to gather the fruit ; we believe in a clean kitchen, a neat wife in it, a clean cupboard, a clean dairy, and a clear conscience ; we believe that to ask a man’s advise is not stooping, but of much benefit ; we believe that to keep a place for everything and everything in its place saves many a step, and is px-etty sure to lead to good too, and to keeping them in order; we believe that kindness to stock, like good shelter, is saving of fodder; wo believe that it is a good thing to keep an eye on experiments, and note all good and bad; wo believe that it is a good rule to sell grain when it is ready; we believe in producing the best butter and cheese and marketing it when it is ready. IMPROVED STOCK BREEDING; Cattle breeding in the North Island has already assumed wide proportions ; liberal additions of prize stock have of late years largely increased the value of the herds ; and with the immediate prospect before us of transporting butcher meat in large quantities to England in a frozen state, an industry the importance of which cannot be over-estimated, any discouraging obstacles to its development would be greatly 1 o be deplored. , Wo are now transporting prize cattle to the neighboring colonies for competitive purposes, and if tin's can be done without risk, it is exceedingly' desirable that no harrier should be put in the way. There can be no more hopeful sign of progress than such a laudable ambition to compete with the neighboring colonies ; but, obviously, care must bo taken that all hazard as to the pi euro contagion is reduced to a minimum. We apprehend no difficulty in the matter, but the sooner the attention of the Legislative is devoted to the subject, the better it will be for the colony.— N.Z. Herald

12 Mares... .. £110 12 0 25 Fillies 87 10 G 1 Gelding 131 5 0 10 Stallions... 253 11 6 13 Entire colts 108 6 0 GENERAL AVERAGE. G1 Lots ... 124 8 8 Total ... 7590 9 0