JOTTINGS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 14141, 26 February 1910, Page 2 (Supplement)

JOTTINGS.

Sdme doubt seems to'exist as to whether, potatoes are included in the i>ew Railway regulations restricting the. weight of produce in sacks'to 2001&. Some _ prominent farmers,, speakiitg at a Farmers' Union nieetiiog Si Christchurch, said tlia't pbtatoes were not iticluded because the 'saclS could not be \teighed out m the paddoct while being filled. Cereials, and grass seeds are, 61 course, Weighed off as they, ore threshed, lntt it would be rather a difficult :matter to weigh roots as they aire being bagged in the paddock. It would be as well to have an authoritative pronouncement were made on that point. Th'e regulation reads as if all farm produce, is restricted to 2001bs. to the sack. It reads: —"The maximum weight of class of cereal or other Agricultural produce contained in any one iack to be carried by railway rhall be 2001b. Any sack of any class of cereal or other agricultural produce containing a greater weight than 200!b 6hall be.charged for at four times the ordinary rate of freight." A good deal of jubilation is experienced over the upward tendency of ,sheep and fat lambs. There is a good deal of feed following on the rains, but a few showers are now needed to freshet things up again. Farmers have not yet disposed of many of their lambs. Rape is not standing feeding off well, and is not possessed of very great fattening properties this year. Stubble feed, however, is plentiful arid good, and eafiy turnips will shortly be fit for feeding off. The tone of tile wool market at Home appears good, arid those who shipped for .the March sales all anticipate good returns . Teams are now busy everywhero working out stubble land for a second crop of grain, for shc-epfced. The harvest is over so early "that stubble land may be thoroughly worked out, and the result should almost be as good as a fallow. Large areas of early oats and Cape barley will be sown far sheep feed and for crop. During the last two seasnns early sown oats have proved themselves about twice as profitable as late sown onc3. Ragwort must bs a deadly scourge. It is stated that along the Riverton road hundreds of acres are overrun by the pest, which seoms to be about the only vegetation that, flourishes. Amid 'a Maze of yellow blcom it is only ncssible tp discern small patches 'of Vrnss. Several cows and hcrsas have died from "Winton disease" caused through eating the weed. In'the early eighties, when a disastrously wet harvest was experienced, investors: lost money earlv in ihe season.tn farmers on the strength of their growing. crops. It is . stated "that something of the same sort may hnpnen this year in soine eases. Money lenders were, in some iustaricos. p-ffr-siiadcd to lend money "to farmers" in ;Noyemb.er..ia.st on their crops, which then looked splendid. The Vn'i>i arid comparatively small yeild will' no doubt nmbarrass growers who have "thus obtajnrd. advances. When D>, Hilgendoff was in tjmarvi morii-hs ago. Ho sndke hichly of Bri'dier wheat. -Some "crops of -jt" are said 'to bo 'fiiVning out "49 'bushels rter acrp in North Canterbury, where 'yWds are very this sea-on" 'Ha<: snynnfr tried Bb'rdier wheat in South ■Canterbury? It-may not suit our country and climate^. A:couple of young follows, determined to acquire a 'Lincoln CbHstre training in agriculture worked for two years a s farm hands in oroVr 'to ret money lenoiio;!). to nay the college fees Th°V :."ved almost every penny -t.hsv earned ! during these two venr=. L.thoy. go out hnrvsstino- f-> r.r~mre wney to them on-aft** "college. I hey deserve to pet <-n. Th e ! p t i is worthy of being copied.