THE COUNTRY.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16422, 16 January 1919, Page 3

THE COUNTRY.

NEWS AND NOTES. JOTTINGS FOR FABMEKS. Mr 0. Branigan, Government Fields Inspector, Ashburton, who has made investigations regarding the disease in the wheat crops in the county., states that it is prevalent in most parts of the district, but only in isolated instances is the disease in an intensified form. What further developments would take place before the crops were cub he was not prepared to state. Hessian fly is attacking the wheat crops in the Lynnford district. j At the Addiugton saleyards yesterday live purebred Shorthorn heifers* j three years old, were sold by Messrs' Dalgety and Co. on behalf of Mr E. D. Giles (Parnassus) to Mr John Nixon (Ivillinchy), at £24 per heacr. Experiments which are being made at Mamaku, in the Rotorua district, in connexion with bush sickness among stock, are said to liavo been so far successful that it was now possible to graze and fatten cattle in the district throughout the year. Tho present object is to find out the minimum amount of top-dressing which the land required, and that will necessarily take 'time. RANGIORA. At the fortnightly meeting of the Bud of Hope Druids' Lodge, Bro. E. Coker, A.D., presided. A welcomo was extended to the visitors from the Ainberley Lodge with whom was Bro. W. Dwan; District President, . who' had come to install the officers for the ensuing term. Bro. G. Bridget was appointed Junior Auditor. Bro. C. Tyler, Senior Auditor, gave his report on the audit and balance-sheet. Bro. W. J. Rouse gave tho report of the meetings of the Druids' committee. ASHBURTON. | Mr A. L. Craig,, who has occupied , the position of accountant on the staff ! of tho Bank of Netv Zealand, Ashburton, for about five years, lias received notice of his transfer on promotion to the pQsition of acting-manager at Newtown, Wellington. He will leave to take up his new duties towards the end of the present month. During the past few years the dairying industry in the Ashburton countv has developed rapidly, and the industry may now be regarded as well established. Three years ago the fjymefits to suppliers for the first five • months of the season totalled £10,408: last season the payments for the same period were £15,022; while for the present season the payments already exceed £20,000. For the season 191617 tlie quantity of butter manufac-

tured was 81 tons; in 1917-18 144 tons; wlnle this season 100 tons have already been manufactured. The average return per cow in the Ashburton county is about 1401b, while in the North Island in many districts it is from 170 to ISOlb of butter-fat. This is accounted for to soiae extent by the length of the season in the North, but a much more important factor is the culling of the dairy herds. The North Island dairymen find that it costs no more to keep a high-testing cow than one with a low test, but few in the Ashburton county take the trouble to have their cows tested.