FARM NOTES.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11502, 7 February 1903, Page 9

FARM NOTES.

"Weekly Press and Referee." The present year has certainly seen the Aberdeen-Angus breed and its crosses in tlie ascendant at the fat stock showß in the United Kingdom and America. The only championship of note in the country that the polled breed missed was that of the Edinburgh meeting, where it supplied the reserve, while its representative crosses won the supreme honours both at Dublin and Chicago. Tlie latter triumph is the more remarkable in that the only evidences of the animal's lineage are those reflected by hLtype and character, for nothing whatever h known of his breeding. It speaks weil for the quality of tho grade of store cattl. of the L'nited States that an animal fit to win the premier honour at Chicagi could be picked up in a random consignment. Much has been heard in the course of the past year of the use of wool substitutes, remarks "The Field," but it seems as if the limit to scientific possibilities in the discovery of artificial " wool" had by n> means been reached. From Germany conies word of a new substitute, which, if present expectations are fulfilled, will become hardly less formidable than the plebeian shoddy itself. The new> product is made from turf fibres,, and it is claimed that byt means of the latest processes of refining it is made so fine and soft that it can be spun as readily as sheep's wool, while it possesses excellent absorbent properties, and, morec\er, is capable of being bleached and coloured for i>se in the many different textile industries. According to report, this artificial product is being i-Tgely employed in the manufacture of cloth," bandages, hats, rugs, etc. It almost koks as if the growing of natural wool were soon to become an obsolete business.

Prices of beef have not been kept up in Chicago. In November, on account of heavy supplies, there was a sharp drop of from 2dol to 2.50d0l in tho course of a few clays. This year there has been abundant herbage in all the grain-growing States, and the produce injihe shape of cattle have been poured into the markets in unprecedented numbers, with the result that prices have gone swiftly down. In a statement sent out from the Union Stockyards in (Chicago, it appears that the expens there "feel sure that cattle prices during the next six weeks will be forced to the lowest level that will be seen during the next twelve months." The ground on which this prediction is based is that the country is full of'cattle "on feed,'' and that there is an immense azuount of sofc and damaged corn in tlie grain States which must be consumed. Holders of stock seem afraid that prices will fall further, and hence the rush that has taken place in the markets.