On the Land

New Zealand Tablet, 18 December 1913, Page 55

On the Land

■"' .' GENERAL. " More than 150,000 tons of twine are required annually to bind the grain crops of the world. '-'.,Shearing is in full swing in Central Otago. The clip generally is said to be a good one, albeit the wool is light. • In a butcher's shop in Palmerston North recently there was exhibited what is claimed to be the heaviest four-tooth wether ever killed in Manawatu. The sheep was a Leicester, bred by Mr. Mcßae, of Stony Creek. When killed it turned the scale at 1811 b.

The rust parasite which is reported to have been attacking the Californian thistle in the Makarewa district, seems to be quite general along the Aparima River flats (says the Southland Agw s') , and in every instance where it has obtained a, good hold on the plant the latter quickly died off. After being attacked the plant has an appearance of having been killed from under the soil and withers.

A strong point was made by Dr. Newman in discussing the Public WorXs Estimates in the House of Representatives as to the advisability of opening up the back-blocks by motor cars and waggons instead of by expensive railways. He added that this system of opening up communication was now ■ being generally adopted in all the civilised countries, and he contended that the adoption of such a system would save a great deal of money. Honey bees have suffered a heavy mortality in North Otago this season, in some cases whole hives having perished. Beekeepers attribute their losses to the fact that so much rain at a critical period of the season prevented the bees going in search of food, and this brought about their death practically by starvation, With plenty of clover, however, and the prospect of more sunshine beekeepers are hopefrrf of a good harvest.

The übiquitous mouse finds many strange places to make a home, and an interesting story of a nest of mice being found in a sheep’s fleece on a farm at Elgin is vouched for (says the Ashburton Guardian). The nest was made of straw, interwoven with the wool, and in it were four young mice alive. How the mother mouse procured food and tended the Tittle ones as the sheep moved about the paddocks is a bit of a puzzle. The total number of cattle in Ireland returned in June of this year is the largest on rec0rd—4,932,625 head, as compared with 4,848,498 in 1912, an inrcease of 84,127. Sheep show a decrease of 208,105 as compared with 1912. The number returned this year amounts to 3,620,724, as compared with 3,828,829 in 1912. The total number of pigs has decreased by 263,597.

Nearly 59 per cent, of the pastures of New Zealand consists of natural grass land, consisting mainly of a tussock, vegetation, amongst which many introduced plants have obtained a footing. These grass lands are virtually in an unimproved condition, and although, so far as area is concerned (comprising over 23,000,000 acres), they are the most important, they cannot be compared in value with the 15,000,000 odd acres of artificial pastures that have been laid down since the colonisation of New Zealand.

AT Burnside last week there were fair yardings of all classes, and prices showed a falling off when compared with previous sales, except in the case of pigs which were firmer. Fat Cattle— hundred and ten yarded, chiefly medium quality bullocks and heifers. At the beginning of the sale prices showed a drop of 10s per head compared with previous week, and towards the end there was a further decline of about 10s. Quotations: Prime heavy bullocks, £l2 15s to £l4 ss* extra, to £lB 15s; medium, £ll 10s to £l2 ss; best cows and heifers, £9 10s to £lO ss; extra, to £ll 12s 6d; medium, £7 10s to £B. Fat sheep—lsßo were

yarded, and this was quite equal to butchers’ require* ments, prices falling from-ls 6d to.2s per head.on previous weeks rates. Quotations: Prime . wethers (in wool), 26s to 29s 6d; extra, to 335; prime wethers (shorn) 6d to 25s 6d; extra, to 275; medium (in wool), 23s 6d to 255; medium (shorn), 20s 6d to 23s 6d; best ewes (in wool), 25s to 27s 6d; extra, to 29s 9d; medium, 22s to 23s (3d; best ewes (shorn), 22s to 23s 6d; medium, 19s 6d to 21s 6d. Fat Lambs—penned, a large yarding, prices showing a fall of 2s per head. Best prime lambs, 20s. to 22s 6d; medium, 18s 6d to 19s 6d; inferior, 16s to 17s. Pigs—6l fat and 75 store pigs were yarded, and prices 'for both were firmer than at last sale, Baconers, to 78s; porkers, to 655; light do, to 555; slips, 24s to 295; suckers, to 20s; stores, to 355.

There was an average attendance at Addington last week, in spite of dull and rainy, weather. As regards the yarding of stock, there was not any outstanding change noticeable from the more recent markets, the entries being about the same, with the possible exception of fat and store sheep, classes which were _in decidedly larger numbers. Pat lambs were von * n h , ette supply. Fat Lambs—There were about 720 fat lambs in the pens, as compared with 528 at the previous week’s sale. Prices were on a par with the previous week’s rates. Fat Sheep.—The entry of fat sheep showed an increase over previous .week’s market, ewes and wethers both being well represented. heie were practically no woolly sheep in the section at the sale, and the quality of bulk of the pens was good. The fact that exporters were holding off had a\ depressing effect upon the market, as the supplies were rather in excess of the local demand. The sale opened only^moderately well, and a weaker tone manifested itself towards the close of the market. Fat Cattle— Steers, £8 5s to £11; extra, to £l6 5s ; heifers, £5 17s 6d to £9 10s; extra, to £l2 ss; cows, £5 7s 6d to £10; extra, to £l2 7s 6d. Pigs— Choppers, £3 10s to £4 12s 6d; heavy baconers, £3 5s to £3 10s; lighter, £2 10s to these prices being equal to 5d to 6£d per lb. Heavy porkers brought £2 3s to £2 7s ; lighter, £1 17s to £2 —equivalent to 6d to 6Jd per lb.

' NO FOOT, NO HORSE.' ::' A good old motto is that stated in the above heading (writes a well-known authority on agricultural matters) ) and it is difficult to understand how there is so much indifference— shall we call it ignorance—a horse's foot and its management. The difference between a good foot and a middling one is so palpable that one wonders why men overlook the matter as they do. The lesson is not difficult to learn. Yet, apparently, it is unlearnt in many quarters where one would little expect such a thing. I have seen a mare win in a brood mare class whose feet weie such that, in my opinion, it was a mistake to breed off her at all. She was all right and a good-looking mare enough—-except her feet. I heard all kinds of encomiums pronounced on her stock, and I went to look at it. And 1 there' I found what I had expected—the dam's faults exaggerated, and I 'would not buy any of that mare's stock in any circumstances. Yet I have heard a judge severely criticised for putting a mare back that had bad feet, and that stood incorrectly. It is very difficult to overrate the importance of what the Clydesdale men describe as being correct on the ground. When a horse does not stand correctly—when he turns his toe out, or when he turns it in—there is a certain amountand that no inconsiderable one—of wasted energy. If the horse stands correctly, and is properly balanced, for every exertion made there is obtained a corresponding return ; nothing is wasted. The horse that stands correctly—that is, correct on the ground— up to 'more weight than the horse that does not. This is not, perhaps, quite so apparent when the, horses are fresh, as when they are beginning to tire.' The horse that throws' his feet about tires very fast, and, what is perhaps as much to the purpose, he cannot save a fall, as his better balanced rival can do. :. <J

FOR LOVE'S SWEET SAKE. Y (Continued ; from.' page 16 —Supplement.) ' l Frank could hear no more of their conversation, as they moved = towards the gate opening out on the road; but He .could see her walking by his side, and knew she was pleading hard for something, he could not imagine what. He could scarcely control his feelings sufficiently to think of what it all meant. Why should Fannie have a clandestine meeting with a man whom she declared she never wished to speak to again ? Had she deceived him. Was she false? Ah! surely not. He would not condemn her until he would speak to her, and hear an explanation from her own lips. He watched in the orchard, knowing she would return that way, and ten minutes later she came up the narrow path through the trees, weeping bitterly", He came gently towards her, but on seeing him she gave a start of surprise, and attempted to pass without speaking to him. ... He caught her 'gently by the arm, and compelled her to stop; but he met with an overwhelming surprise when she refused to give him any explanation of her words to Sir Aubrey. ' Oh, for heaven's sake do not ask me,' she cried, and, breaking away from him, she ran quickly towards the house.

The demon of jealousy entered Frank’s breast. ‘She was false, his Fannie, his “lily maid,” and he had thought her so good, so true, so pure-souled. He had been living in a fool’s paradise during the past week; it all had seemed like a dream; but, alas! he had had a rude awakening. The next day he saw her again; but she still refused to give him any explanation, and he felt absolutely certain that she had been deceiving him all the time.

A few days afterwards he decided to leave Mullaghmoyle. To live so near her, to breathe the same air with her, to see her almost every day, would be more than he could bear, and he resolved to go to some distant country where he would never see her again. He had donned his best suit of clothes, and with a last lingering look at his old home, he set out towards Dungannon, intending to catch the evening train to Belfast; but ere he had gone half a mile along the road,, he saw Fannie approaching him. It would be hard to pass her without saying one word of farewell ; but she did not care for him, he thought; she did not love him, and he would let her see he did not care either. On approaching him, he saw she was excited looking, and instead of walking coldly past him, as he thought she would have done, she ran towards him.

I can tell you all now, Frank,’ she cried; ‘there is no longer any reason why I should conceal my troubles from you. Sir Aubrey threatened to evict us when I refused to meet or speak to him, and that is why I was pleading with him that night in .the orchard. I feared to tell you the truth, dreading that if you knew how he was tormenting, me you might do something that would bring ruin on us aIL Now, however, it can make no difference, for he has just told me that nothing I can say or do will prevent him from doing as he has threatened, and your father is to be evicted also,’

Frank felt like a man who has been reprieved at the gallows foot. A sudden wild joy.leaped into his heart. That the two families were to be thrown out on the roadside was by him forgotten in the wild rush of gladness caused by the fact that Fannie was not false.

e Oh, Fannie! Im so glad,’ he exclaimed. Glad! she echoed. ‘Have you lost your reason? Do you not know that it means ruin for us all ? ?’ , / It means heaven to me, Fannie,’ he answered, to know that you were not deceiving me.’ In those days a landlord’s orders were autocratic and consternation reigned in Mullaghmoyle when the news of the threatened evictions spread; but Sir Aubrey did not get the opportunity of carrying out his nefarious, design. He was killed by a fall from his horse coming home one dark night after a drinking bout in

Dungannon. He had always been most exacting with his tenants, and, needless to say, his death caused but little regret; in Mullagbmoyle, especially the inhabitants of the roadside farmhouses, who might well be pardoned for looking on his untimely end as noth’ <r short of a visitation of Providence. : &

/ Ere the summer had passed,- Fannie and Frank were married. The clouds on the horison of their lives were dispelled as if by magic, and in the quiet calm of their peaceful country home, free from the restrictions and conventionalities of the fashionable worldfree to live and love just as they pleased, the perfection of happiness and connubial bliss was theirs. There were no unsatisfied yearnings for ideals unattainable; the foolish, dreadful, wonderful, agonising past became as a dream, and as the years glided by, calm, successful harmonious, bringing new cares and new responsibilities, nothing came to destroy their sweet content.— Irish Weekly.