GENERAL FARMING NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 685, 9 December 1909, Page 10

GENERAL FARMING NEWS.

' All A.'and P.' Societies are. how being circularised ,by,-the Minister ;fbr Agriculture suggest-ing-that each society should appoint a representative, with whom; the Department might periodically- confer on matters of" 1 interest. to . tarmers.--»,"' : ...','"':■. •'"-'. ■■'■!.■ ■VA "Press'-Assooiatioii message from ' Christ..church;,Mates,that.a\)nption favourini; the convening of ; a conferenco regarding the' frozen'' meat trade' has been' adopted .by: tho committee of the Canterbury A. and P.' Association. The motionVas-p'roposed by Mr. 3. 1). Hall. ;i:. : A'llr. • Jennings,' M.P., is - asking the ''Minister for,-Lands, .whether--he will give instructions' to the effect that where timber on lands belonging tovtlieCrown'has been "removed it shall be an imperative - condition that such' lands be grassed as soon as possible, in order to prevent the .spread of ...noxious' -weeds. The rapidity; of the'growth of.nnderscriib and noxious weeds on land, after timber is felled can only be coped with; he;urges,:by the sowing 'of suitable grass-®ecd:,;..;-'.;'.:;;.-;-.--..-.-.-.-v; • i .-- ; -;~- '■'■■'.;..' ."■' ■-.-.■■' .'■; A .prominent Roniney. breeder sounds' a note of warning to breeders against the' tendency to attach'excessive,value to weight'of fleece. He says that as' v;ool .is a product'.'.of: the- sheep's b'ody.nts growth makes a. drain on the animal's constitution.- : A heavy'fleece bn.an animal well able to carry it is,eminently-desirable, but.'a heavy fleece gained at the expense of the sheep's constitut'ion'.is''another .matter altogether. ' M the"present; time' (says this: .informant) .our Konineys are beginning to give wool as heavy as; that'' of; Liucolns." - The justice. of .-'this remark regarding. Roinneys has beea confirmed .by the. exhibits at nearly -all--the shows this season, and-perhaps the 'warning, is timely. 'The Berkshire pig, which iiiljlow Zealand is porker,' baconer, •; and everything,, is restricted in ;Britain"ito tho,-category,,bf, porkers.'. .This theßerkshire baconer is other',. than' prime, but because. the breeder of, Berkshires finds-them .make such typical porkers that; he sends nearly all of them out in .that .form; ' The baoon market draws; its siipplieslchiefly'frbiiKthe Yorkshire, Tamworth, ' and; large'- black Ue.Wn .varieties.'.'"-"i'". " V • ..'-It.is stated.that.^tho paper ) on': < 'Oil Sprays;", giyeiv.byy.the biologist'(Mri !Gockayne). v at'thd' •■Fruitgrowers';.' Conference, in// Wellington last'J month, has created such aVwide..: interest in this , method of fighting ■-. fruit pests that many applications v havo bean,received-by the Department for : the services v of Mr/ Cockayne, to repeat .bis ; lecture- and ' demonstration •. in fruit-growing districts.:', ;-, :'"J:"' ~'. :.. : ; :. ;Our,;PalmersTon. correspondent.,states, that suppliers : to ihe' Dairy TJniou, were paid ,£8555.. 'for;.the .November milk. This, is an'.incrcaso of-;'sEl7B6.'.6u::the,f amount -paid o'ut'for ■ the corjrcsponding"inpnthVlast'year. '.'■';', ,: -'' : ; '■..-.). ; .The trials' of ;_ a''scheme for ..predetermining se'x'an' sheep,' which, an enthusiast, was- per-; mitted toieston a floct of ewes at the Wereroa; State Farm-this season, are'reported,to have, •.proved'', valueless.:... , : ' ■-. -',;.; ■'•'■' ■■■':'■'.. ■ '-■ A Press .Association message .from '.Adelaide, states that the South Australian' 'bacteriologist; has discovered the cause; of. the disease dry bible, which;is responsible.for'^tho'annual loss of many,thousands of pounds';.worth; of cattle..

:;: ; ; -;'AnGENTINE:MEAT TRUST.: ; ; '"In; connection, with, the struggle for. the control'of the freezing business in. Argentina, ..the "Eeview-of 1 the Eiver Plate" states that ,tho-' Swift Company intend,erecting worts at Zarato having a capacity, for 400 head.Of 'cattle and ,400.0, sheep; a: day. , . Congress.. has. already; r granted: exemption from Customs , duties' onall : the machinery, ■. to. the value, of '200,000, dol''lars 1 gold."''This -action on tho 'partibf Swift's would-lead, to .the opinion that the -trust do hot-intend to purchase "any of the existing-' works in Argentina, at all events ' for the pre-' sent,; That they will increase thoir. hold ■upon: Argentina there is, not a shadow.of doubt, adds the; "Koviqvr," as.every your -'the .'available, amount' of' meat. r for '• export ■ from the 'United States-;is,becoming;smaller, and-the trust have', therefore to ; ;look 'for new fields. : Argentina: presonts' the best.' source of supply to, them.' The increase, in the. number of.works will;be; goodTfor breeders, and ;at times; it,will be' ■fdifScnlt to supply the .demand. Some ideaVqf tho: shortage of suitable animals in Argentina, at present-can from' the fact that i'riu ite "'.recently,;/ spine.'.;; cattle, ;-.for,V,chHling,~pnrr : . poses-.have'lbe^ about'-100 ;per';cent., more thak tho' price' of. best -cattle during normal" times, The ■enhanced prico is entirely due-to the losses and impoverishment; of: stock ; during; the . recent. drought. '.'■■.■'.■:"",;' :'• : --';:'■;;/*;;.;1' : ,■- '■ '■'-:■ '.:,-..'-... ;: .---"-

{ : : '; AtfSWEIUTO COEIiESTONDENT,;, , : ; ''Novice,-''. 'PetGne.-T-Sy,:Rn,error in tho reply to ..your auestion yesterday, a margin of :.six :■: months , was jstate'd. ;. It. .should,' of :■ course, ';' have been;six: weeks.'.: 1 ":.'': : ' '."'. •'; "'