AGRICULTURAL ITEMS

Waikato Times, Volume LVII, Issue 8003, 7 September 1906, Page 1

AGRICULTURAL ITEMS

"Culverden s a fiendi.sh place to buy sheep, ! hey are always about live shillings more there than anywhere else."—Air A. \V. Rutherford, Hares are rtp rted to be very plentiful iu the Feilding district. One farmer states that his carrot and mangold crops are practically destroyed. hheepowners in Corsica have developed a new industry by minufactumg cheese (Ro'jufort) from sheep's milk. Large factories have been started at some of the hfger town?. Statistics compiled uuder the authority of Hie United Mates Dep irtment of Agriculture show that there are now sis million farms in country, while there are only 2171 students in agricultural schools and S'.'ii.") attending short courses. During the past season about nine thousand bullocks, two thousand cows, three thousand pigs, arjd fifteen thounud sheep were put thiough Messrs liorthwiek and Sob's SVaitara Freezing Works. The Chief Inspector fur the Corporation of Wellington has initiated proceedings against the keeper of an allegedly tilthy dairy,in the vicinity of the city. It is assorted that the place was so dirty that the whole stock of milk—some hundreds of gallons—had to be poured away. A large part of New South "Wale 3, according to the Pastoralists' Review, is in a seriously dry cjaditioa, and extensive removals of stock in sevrch of pasture are in process. Mudgee people Bay they cannot remember a time when the district looked worse. In Victoria the weather has betn rather more than seasonably wet.

Cows should on no account be allowed to consunie dusty fodder during the time milking is iu progress. Oj dusty fodder, such as mouldy hay, millions of organisms exist, and the shaking of the fodder fills the air with myriads of these small forms of life, which fall into and infect the milk.

The excellent Kerry and Dexter-Kerry herd at Momokaki not only give an excellent yield, but the quality of their milk is equally good. It has averaged over a long period from 3.05 (the lowest test yet recorded for the herd) to 7.70 per cent. The average runs about 4 per cent—Farmers Advocate. A settler at Duntroon, who has lived in or about that district for over thirty years told an Oauiaru Times reporter that the current winter hud bean tbe finest he had ever known. Just recently the oold had been keen, and the frost severe, but taken all round the season could nut have been better if made to order, and the prospects for crops and stock were excellent. During the closing days of July (says the Pastoralists' K=view) nica rains fell over a considerable portion jf Southern including the agricultural districts of the Darling Downs and Maranoa, aud the wheat which was "in extremis" is now assured over a large area. It is, however, as yet difficult to form an estimate,for frosts have followed, which may undo much of the benefit of the rainfall. As a result of the continued dry spell, the stock markets are stagnant. Oa Lord Tollemache's estate of 11,000 acres at Peckfotou there are 357 holders of laud under fifty acres ; of these 255 are cow-keeping cottagers with throe acres of land apiece. The tenants of under twentyfive acres ail have some occupation, and mostly make butter and rear young stock. On the larger holdings cheese is made and pigs are largely gone in for. It is estimated that the small cow-keepers are enabled to pay their rent by means of the three acres, besides obtaining a supply of b:tcon and por£ for home consumption, and one is not inclined to quarrel with the statement that with their 15s a week farm wages they are better off than many men earning nearly double that in the neighbouring large towns. It is most gratifying (writes the Marlborough Herald) to hear the settlers on Flaxbourne expressing themselves as more and more content with their selections as tirno and experience gives them a better complete acquaintance with the ground. The soil and the general quality of the country are cf a much higher standard than many peoplo supposed before the pooperty was acquired and tho sections, as a whole, so far "from boing too small for success, are just the opposite. Evidently the plough is going to do wonders tor Flaxbourne.

North Canterbury is rapidly assuming a springtime appearance. The warm weather of the past week has worked a noticeable change. Trees are coming into bloom, grass and autumn-sown crops are making good growth, and spring ploughing and sowing are being carried out under satisfactory conditions. A considerable area of land is being prepared fur potatoes in spite of the blight. One farmor m Rangiora district intends to plant fifty acres. Flockowners expert a good season, the mild winter favouring a heavy wool clip. A warm spring will give a high percentage to lambs.

About two hundred thousand sheep pass each year from the country north of the Waiuu to the Canterbury markets. This is typical fattening country, tut the sheep depreciate so much on the journey of three days with only sparse food that they arrive at the railhead in " storo" condition. Sometimes large mobs have to wait days at i stretch to get across the river. A Cheviot farmer told Mr Hall-Jones that the ditTerence between the vuiue of a fat sheep at Cheviot and a " store " at Culverden was is, so the loss to the farmers, if only half their surplus were fat, would amount to .£20,000 a year. Air W. Stock, of the Fxcslsior Dairy, has trade arrangements with the hare-o-maraenui syndicate for large supplies of asparagus from about the beginning of October to the end of the season. The Kiver Bend Asparagus Farm consists of over live acres of this succulent vegetable, and it is expected that (uliy 1000 bundles a day will be gathered. The reserve generally is now fast coming into cultivation, and a largu area has been put under til" plough. When the time comes tor cutting up the land into la'uis it may be j expected that there will he a. Ur f ;o number of market gardens and farms, and these should pr- duce ciops in abundance. Mr Stock has issued a very handy little leaflet giving directions as to the various ways in which asparagus may be cooked. Hawke's Hay Herald. The annual meeting of shareholders of the llawera Co-operative Dairy Company was hold iin Saturday. The report stared | that the business showed a satisfactory increase. Fn m 15,353,1i0n! bs if mill: received (lining the year, 7eti,lotilbs of butter had been made. The balance sheet showed a credit of jC32!i to be carried forward. The report and balance sheet wore adapted. Messrs Baker, Loft, White and Corrigan were elected directors, and Mr Hogg auditor. Some discussion took place on the suggestion to make cheese, and motions to m-tal ehee=e plants at different factories were lost. The Company will therefore make butter as usual this year. The usual bonuses were voted to the chairman and secretary. Mr Baker was subsequently elected chairman of directors.