AGRICULTURAL ITEMS.

Waikato Times, Volume I, Issue 45, 13 August 1872, Page 2

AGRICULTURAL ITEMS.

Tiik Queensland papers speak of tho Hash M-ireton Show, hell .July Kith, as a failure, for though in many of the classes thu exhibits were excellent, they were fe v, an.l tho classes not well tilled up Amongst the various forms of colonial enterprise for increasing tho supplies of articles of food and luxury for the home markets, we beliuvo that the attempt of the Sjatli Australian .Jam Company (Limited), is the 1.-itost and most novel. If Fruits, which are very plentiful in Australia, can he gathered, preserved, and prepare I for shipment to the mother country at fairly remunerative prices, tho experiment will bo hailed with palisfaction and entire approval, as tho crops here are more or less precarious, and there is always a strong demand from tho great consuming population for all the fruit, either preserved or green, that can be obtained. Moreover, as the Australian summer answers to our winter, there is no reason why we should not have, in the sense of Dickon's original and well-worn phrase, an abundance of fruits from ono source and another u all tLo year round." As proof that the theory has already been put in practice, we may mention that the Loch Katrine recently arrived from Adelaide with seventy-live cases, each containing forty-eight 2-lb tins of apricot jam, and that a second vessel is near at hand with 500 cases of other descriptions shipped by the sauu company. Tho main thing ia l> be careful in their preparation —" European Mail."

The account, sa'es of 100 aisles of butter which were shipped home by u linn in Geelong, lmvo been shown to the " Advertiser," anil these to u very grout extent explain ono of iho reasons why butter will not pay to export. The prices realized were 'Ms (Id and 40s per cwt., the gross sum being £101 ;'.s. 4d Before leaving , England this Hiun wms reduce 1 by iuteres', freight, dock duirgcs and lighterage, railway carriage to Liverpool, oartaye, porterage oil samples, opening ami showing, warehousing and showing, warehouse rent, fire insurance, advertising, salo expenses, commission and guarantee, to .iilO.'l 19s 7d, the expenses in England being £47 ."is iiJ. But this is not all. The butler \va; shipped by a colonial firm, and iheir chargei for putting the butter on board amounted t> £17 6s (id, so that all the unfortunate shippers received for their £151 •h id worth of butter was £81) Vte Id. As if wishing to add insult to injury, the English linn adds—'" < lliaracue of buUer : irregular, quite dry, rough in mouth, sold for greasing sheep."—'" Ag. , ,'' .July '22. Au ingenious apparatus for preventing corn and seed in bulk becoming siileoted with mildew has recently been shown m L')ii lon by Messrs. Adutt & Co. It is an invention by Mr. Joannides, and consists of au arrangement of perforated and solid tubes on the principle of the syphon, where ;y the air h passed through the mass of the corn as stored in the hold of a ship, iu granaries, or iu warehouses. It is well known that thj co.nmercial value of.cargoes is frequently reduced by a portion becoming damaged, and then as the samples taken from each U-)ld are mixe ( by the brokers for disposal in the markets with a view to insure a fair average, the whole cargo thus really becomes reduced iu price. This and many other illustrations which might be given would show that the prevention of mildew is of high importance. The cost of this apparatus will be about £150, a sum that might be saved upon u single voyage on an extensive cargo. For o-ranaries and other magazines, where a full current cannot be encountered as on board a ship, a very ingenious Archimedian screw arrangement has been made for forcing down the ait , into the store amongst the corn. Experience will no doubt show other advantages and applications. The plan lias the merit of simplicity and of working without need of any continuous attention. In an address lately delivered to the farmers of New Jersey, in the United States, by the Hon. James W. Wall, he alluded to the enormous increase which has taken place of late years in the agricultural produce of Eiyland. Less thau a century ago the entire production of wheat in this couutry fell short of 16,000,000 bushels, in 1870 the yield exceedei 100,01)0,000, averaging 30 bushels from each acre devoted to this staple. Mr. Wall pointed out the direct agencie3 by means of which this increase was brought aboat by English farmers. In the first place (he said) it is to be found in their systematic attention to all the requirements of good farming, in the skill and exactness with which all the operations of ploughing, harrowing, clod-crn3hing, burning and scarifying are performed; in the perfect condition of tilth to which they bring , the laud preparai tory to the recaption of the seed ; in their careful selection of the best varieties of seed wheat; in.the.extensive and prudent use of their barn-yard manure; in the perfection of all their instruments of tillage; in the strength and discipline of their draught animals; iu

.no HRsid.u'ty with which they extirpate every weed, and remove every rock that crm interfore with the cultivation of the Wind, .\othintr i'h left fo casualty or chance. l\'o expectations fire iriroJvcd Unit tho bounty of Providence in mi nnusnnlly favourable season will atone for their shortcomings or neglect. Everywhich human foresight/, scientific skill, intelligence, well-directed labour, and mechaniciil aid cmti accomplish is done to ensure the highest yield from the hind. H is next to be seen in the extraordinary liberality with which they restoio to the earth, by ineaiiH of purchased manures, all those elements of fertility which are exhausted in the process of cultivation. It is estimated by chemical analysis tint wheat absorbs 40 of of every 100 parts of nutriment contained in tho soil. Now some idea of the enterprise of Kntflifih agriculture may be formed (added Mr Wall) when I state to you that in a single year, the year 1807, the first year of its \ general use as a fertiliser, the foreign bones imported wore valued at the Custom-house at .1,500,000 dollars.