PASTURES AND CROPS

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 12856, 24 October 1912, Page 2

PASTURES AND CROPS

INTERESTING DISTRICT

REPORTS

Officers of tho Fields and Experimental Farms Division of the Department ot Agriculture report on pastures and crorn a°. follows:—

Ohakune.—After tho favourable v. gather of last month and the amount 01 ra^ n .tnat ka<l fallen on previous months farmers entertained hopes of a dry;spring, but, *on the contrary, tho month ended with its reputation for wetness. Tho rains over tho greater part of the month, though heavy, were of a warm character, consequently pastures havo made fair progress. On the bush arean Lambing is satisfactory, the ewes reaching the stage of accouchement 'n pod;coiiditi<jn. The lambs arrived-be- - ore tho really bad weather set in, and tho shelter bush .afforded a certain amount of protection. Flock-owners fcavo been less fortunate on tho plains (Kar.oi-Rr.ngipo), Limbing being later —in tho midst of tho rough weather •The continual rain has greatly retarded ■ciltme: operations, and a few weeks' favourable weather would be greatly appro ciated. —P. Barry.

# •Mangaweki.—During the first week m. September the weather was mild and -warm, favourable for grass and lanibsng, After tho 7th the spell was broken, and up till the 28th tho* rainfall was _very heavy, accompanied by cold winds. Feed has been plentiful for Ktock. Lambing is now well advanced and record percentages aro spoken of' Owing to the continuous wet" weather agricultural and other work has been kent back. Rain fell on sixteen days.— «j. A. Molrose.

Wr.ngan m.~- September was phenomenally wet and boisterous. Showers— frequently' heavy ones—fell intermittently throughout the greater part of .-ho month, rainless days being few. TJio temperature generally was low, and occasionally decidedly "wintry. Tho sodden condition of tho soil wherever it is or a tenacious and heavy nature, and tho absence of warmth, have not been conducive to the growth of grass oo«----fiequont'.y pastures aro not yet producing much feed. They are green, but on tho whol;> bare. On the lighter and morn porous lands, confined almost entirely to tho coastal districts, where better natural circulation of moisture obtains, feed i>. moro plentiful, and only DMt!? warmth to ensure an abundant .supnlv.—Co. Watson.

Boiklmg.—Tß.» weather during September h.™ beon excentionaUv linif-itcr-ous and cold. t':.o river having been runM!iU- bank-hiVh. Still, no damage !ins "•«K»i recorded. Tt w ; .s fortimat'e thnt tiiP Inmbuip- season was woIJ advanced, and thr. Uiml.T. strone: enough to si iikl thj infi(?:nency of thr» weather. Cronpmg and gardening operation- f.-c nr'a Stan/Mill. With rpfrretire t-o the dairy :nd!istrv. tho intnko at tlio ffictoi-W's has bty<;i d:sr»pnointMig. more op-ner-ifWlv to-w-.w.U the latter cm] of tlm month', the supph- bcini' v ?n p.lj. Th« prov?«io:i mad--to TssiKt in th;> upkeep ] i:r . ] oon ; w;u | ~ ouatc. Good ])r:cr>^ me inline, vet farm or-, uill not i'sp to tlio 'occasion. \Vjic"f> cow; 'tro bcinc rueg^cl. tho cov- <■]-. vhoul.! l»r. tak-n off. e^n—ially on f1" • i'mv: durii:g v.iutfr ;u).-l cnrlv spripj;.

£249 15s 9d. The average test was 4.1. The North Taranaki factory received 648,9911b of milk, as against 537,579 lb., an increase of 121,412 ib, while butter fat increased from 20,7051b to 26',----3631b, the make of the butter increasing from 23,2561b to 30,2071b, an advanco of 3 tons 2 cwt. on September last year. The payments to suppliers were £1226 16s 3d for milk, as against £884 5s sd, a gain of £351 10s lOd. The average test was 4.06.