FARMING NOTES

Wairarapa Age, 15 November 1919, Page 7

FARMING NOTES

A number of Wairarapa settlers are this year cultivating lucerne crops.

A considerable shortage of bacon is reported throughout New Zealand, and the retail prices aro almost prohibitive. z

Some of the oat crops in the Wairarapa are already in ear. _ The crops generally give promise of threshing out well.

A woolly sheepskin weighing 281bs. was sold by auction in Stratford recently, and realised £1 5s 6d. Any smn.ll calfskin is now worth from 8s 9d to lis.

The shortage of sugar is causing anxiety to some of the bee-keepers in theTaranaki district, who have to feed, and a number of hives have succumbed to starvation.

The Rabbit Breeders' Association has announced that a hundred thousand families in California are breeding rabbits for the purpose of ending the skin shortage.

Aberdeen Angus (commonly known a*'the poHed Angus) cattle, are coming into favour 'in some parts of the Wairarapa. They are good foragers and do well on hill country.

On June 2, 1919, the cattle stocks in Germany were nearly 17,000,000. and there were not quite 9,000,000. Compared with the last peace census of December 1, 1913. there is now a decrease of over 3,000,000 cattle and 13,000,000 swine. •

It is the intention to erect a lame cheese factory at Kahautara in readiupss for next, season. The new soldier settlors intend to become suppliers. Several' of the large landowners alsn intend to go in for dairying. Mr. Carne Bidwell is busy getting together a large herd, and hiF sheds are to be built on modern lines.

The Government has -Required two nropertjes in Marlborough Tor soldiers' settlement—Pike Pros.' farm of 261 acres, Dillon's Point district*, and Roskruge's farm of 156 acres in +he witur district. The Land and Survev Department is now subdividing them. Several other properties have been rejected as too high priced by the owners or unsuitable.

A well-known pastoralist informed the writer that many pastures were ,a failure owing to the grass seed being drilled too deep. A few opinions from practical farmers on thr best method of sowing grass seed "would prove of general benefit to the farming community..,

Over two thousand .entries havr been received for the Waiknto A. and P. Show to be held on Wednesday next, showing an in/reaseof 30f on last catalogue, chiefly, in thr horses and cattle Masses. The, Dominion Jumping Competition. wit v nr.fzes of £IOO, £3O. and £ls, ha? 23 entries.

The Now Zealand Farmers'. Distributing company held its first s?h it. Hunterville on Thursday.. in tV "ew concrete- yards, the first of thiV kind in the Dumiuion. Six hundred head entered and good prieer were realised, practically every linr being sold. Three hundred farmery were present. The yards were officially, opened by the chairman of the Town Board. " The auctioneer (Mr. Cochrane) was cheered.

The property sold by Messrs Riddiford* TCros. to the Government in the Martinborough district for soldier settlement is to be cut into thirteer or fifteen holdings and thrown oper for ballot. A number of-returner' men endeavoiired to secure the land under clause 3 of the Act, but thr vendors stipulated that ,it be ballotted for. The land is one ewe country and has been purchased at a reasonable price. "

Messrs Lev'n and Co., Ltd.. havo *ieen instructed bv Mr. E. C. Folroer + o offer by public auction on.Pa.tnrd<*y, December 6, at the Agriculturp l ■*nd Pastoral Rooms, Masterton. ni«freehold property consisting ocrea miles from Mnrtvnhoringh. The property is divided int'two lots, lot 1 consisting of 105 1 ■teres, with, six-roomed- house,, etc.. ind lot 2 acres, known as Doctor's Hill. Terms and conditions may be had from the auctioneers.

At Westfield fat stock market on Wednesday, beef was penned in "qarcely average numbers, and showed no improvement in oxen, and ir '"any cases cow-beef was QPS'r-r Choice ox Fold to £3 2s .per 1001b. others £2 15s to £3 70s per 1001b. rough and inferior £2 10s to £2* U c nor 1001b; cow and heifer beef sold "t from £2 7s to £2 14s per 1001b • «teers sold at from £l3 5s to' £23 17b 6d; cows and heifers sold at from £5 to £l6. Calves were penned in full numbers, and while not, emits up to prices ruling a fortnight ngo. showed improvement on last week.

It is disclosed that the vessel purchased by the Poverty T?av Farmers' \foat Companv, Ltd.. is the Admiral 'Jodrinjrton, of 10,000 ions a Press Association message from Gishorne). Jfr W. D. Lysnar. chairman of the oompanv, states that hi' naid c*>sh for the boai through the assistance of the shareholders and the resources of tho comnanv, and that possession was taker at Port Said on the 7th inst., with its frill crow and in running order. J /('he hoat is beincc sent to Colombo: to pick up a earo;o for Australia, j whither she proceeds to carry out an engagement wlveb was made prior to her purchase to lift" a full carrto of Imperijil produce from Australia to England. His oomr>nny will, however, from ifow on derive the benefit of the full earnings of the boat, and they have now absolute control over her. "When loaded the boat will draw 28ft. 4in.