GENERAL FARMING NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 765, 14 March 1910, Page 8

GENERAL FARMING NEWS.

Asked how the local, market would be affected by the rise in butter, varying replies were received from the merchants in town, on Saturday. There is a likelihood that a rice of a penny a pound may take place if London prices hold up. The Canterbury ram fair, held en Thursday and Friday, was. very unsatisfactory throughout Irom a seller's point of view. The "Lyttolton Times" says it is difficult' to account for the diffidence of buyers, especially sinco the stud sheep wore up to the standard of recent years, but, notwithstanding this, the best prices offered were much below the average of last year, when, too,.it must-be remembered, the sheep were, brought forward in poorer condition as a result of ' rnfayourable weather conditions. Tho entries in the flock ewe classes were very meagre, and the demand was slack', several lines being passed. Lincoln flock ewes made one guinea, English Leicester ewes l.lgs. to 2gs., Sjouthdown ewes 2gs., and Kyeland ewes IJgs. to %s. Lincoln stud rams made 2gs. to sgs., Border Leicester rams sgs. to 23g5., • English Leicester, rams 24gs. to .ibgs., liomney rams ags. to 18gs., Shropshire rams sgs. to lSgs., Southdown rams Ggs. to logs., and Corriedale rams 4gs. to 25Jgs. The highest price realised during . "the day was for an English Leicester, ram s(u't forward by Mr. E. Kelland, of Tinmrii, which changed hands at 45g5.,: at which price it was secured by Jlr. P. C Threlkeld. ■ • . It is reported in Timara that the farmers in the Otaio district have not commenced-threshing yet. They ara vrailiDg to see what prices are obtainable. Owing to the; wet weather, experienced in the early part of the" season, grass in the Ob.io and St. Andrew's district has lo*r its fattening qualities mid the output at the , local freezing works has decreased. ' ■ Mr. Wm. Wilson, of Jfayfield, Canterbury, has grown some particularly fine crops on his farm this season. He has threshed a portion of a Danish oat crop that yielded well over ,80 bushels per acre, and a crop of wheat that should yield, when threshed, considerably over 40 bushels per acre, belies the idea that has prevailed that that class of cereal cannot ibe favourably grown in the locality. •■;.;.: ■'.'-■ Mr. H. J,..( Clayton writes to the "Poverty Bay - Herald" quoting two in-stances-that have come under his own notice- of fires being'enused: through the sun's rays.'being .focussed through the neck of a bottle'of water. One was in a Gisborne chemist's shop,, and the other was at Omahu, where' six stacks of hay nnd the paddocks were, all''-burned through a bottle of wateT'being left in the sun in the paddocks near where the men had been dining. -.-'■',. Threshing went on merrily enough in North Canterbury till Thursday ; afternoon,, when rain coming on caused a check. The Christchurch "Press , - , , of Saturday' states, that a fair . quantity' of grain has-been put through the machines, and as so few of - tho stacks have been thatched or protected with: cloths,- if is evident that the majority of the farmers are awaiting'their turn, with the mill, and do not propose to. hold their wheat in the stack. A .lew. good returns np to 45 bushels for wheat have been:obtained, but the averages have been for the most part rather disappointing, owing to the lightness of the grain. Some of tho pea .crops have turned out fairly well. Those who have red clover out are keenly watching for it,'to ripen, 'and are expecting heavy seed on the appearances and promising condition of tho crop. The potato growers, it is to. bq regretted, have not a .bright prospect in view. Many very promising crops have gone-off:.with the disease during the very 'hot weather,' and the rain of the previous week has. in some lands caused second, growth with the in-' termediatq crop. ... :' Y .'■ It appears froni;a.letter written by the .noxious weeds inspector to ' the EalmtVston Hospital Board that the Borough Council, has ■■not yet v ; declared ■■ penny-, royal to 'be..'a-' noxious weed,, and until this is done he cannot take action. Tho board decided to call tho attention of the Borough Council to'-, tho omission, and to. ask that the- 'weed be. declared, noxious, at once, it. was spreading l alarmingly. V ■■-.•. ... ,: ■