GENERAL FARMING NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 772, 22 March 1910, Page 10

GENERAL FARMING NEWS.

A paragraDh has lately been going the .rounds to. ,tne effect that .some Haivke's : Bay "apples'.were :epld.'in London at V 9s. 6d; a case, and-that, the; shipment-resulted in a loss of a shilling a'case to the growers. ".The facts of tho matter appear to b'e that four. cases were sent. • Mr. Thomas Horton was go-ing across _to tho •Fruitgrowers , Conference _ in. \vestern Australia, and he took with him four oases of apples on behalf of some Hawke's Bay, orchardists, shipping 'them to don from/Melbourne.. As Mr. Horton left New Zealand in October last, it is evident that the. fruit must have'arrived dnftho English ,mi>.Tket : -;yery much too late.: Mqreoyor, "it is stated,' that the apples were not in good condition on arrival.'. The sinalhicss of the 'consignment and the lateness of-, its arrival : mako it unworthy of consideration. /

• A practical demonstration, of sheep and wool-classing" was held on the Hastings Show-ground, list week..'' Sir; S. Wood, instructor 'from' the Technical School, gave a"-prac.tical demonstration 'of. rolling fleeces in various ways -■ and , o£ sorting. He was. of opinion that sheep benefited by bein? shorn as lambs, because it took off "the hairy nature of. the v;ool. Hi'. Geo'.' Elliott, of : Hastings, 1 described the different points characteristic of the Lincoln breed. In answer to a question as to .age: according to tho mouth, Mr. , Elthat,- -with sheep ' well, fed, aiid developed for show purposes, the teeth got ahead of "thoaniriial's age. Hβ .meant by that that a sheep well cared for would show, six 'teeth; whereas another'sheep of exactly the same'age; but not well looked after, ■' would show only four teeth. ',' ■■■■■■■•■ ■■-' .

In' a report to the Wanganui Education Board on a now agricultural which he ha 9 drawn up, tho chief inspector (Mr. G. D. Braik) eaj^s:—"l may -be'permitted to-.add that-1 think it is suicidal for district high, schools to give this course the go-by, as some havo done. Indeed, , I believe'-that: it ; is. high tinio,. for the board to refuse to let pupils take up purely secondary subjects as Latin and pure mathematics unless their work at the proficiency examination is such as to indicate exceptional ability."

The threshing season is: practically over in the Diuvs'aiKlel district, ..writes the • correspondent of the "Lyttelton Times," anpt must bo considered one of the most disappointing seasons that have been experienced ior many .years. ,The yields have" been smaller in some past years, but this year's yield is poor considering the quantity of straw -that had to be handled. In every case the yield lias been from 20 bushels to 30 bushels fewer . than ■ was expected. The'only redeeming feature.of the year.is that the price has held very good; otherwise some of the paddocks which Rave.promiso fo: an excellent yield would , not have been worth threshing. -Host of the threshing machines will finish, before Easter, and the amount threshed by each machino will bo between 40,000 and 50,000 bushels, about 20,000 fewer than last year. .'Fcwl is very plentiful, and stock.aro looking well. ':• • The proposed .central butter factory at. Ashburtou promises to be a great success. Reports from outlying districts received- at Hie last meeting of the committee showed tha.t between 1300 and MOO cows had been guaranteed for the first year, with substantial increases for secroml. and third years. In view of the satisfactory reports to hand, it was unanimously resolved;—" That a Co-opera-tive Limited Liability Company .bo formed, with the object of erecting :i central butter factory at Ashbu'rton. and creamorics wherever sufficient inducement offerSi" ... ■■;■

A number of practical shecp-farmera who were in attendance at Hie Ashburton ram and.ewe fair last week were of opinion that the quality and the breed of the slieep penned, as a whole, did not compare favourably with ewes offered at fairs held, a few years ago. When' it is considered that ewes of approved strains produce progeny and wool that always command higher prices than the , progeny and wool of interior, animals, and that they only . require' the same amount of feed, it is somewhat surprising (says the "Guardian") that farmers dij not take co-openitivo action—such as has been advocated by the Sheepbreeder.s'

Association—in endeavouring to. improve tho breed of sheep. , . Italian ryegrass seems to be in great demand in the Cliertsey district (Canterbury) for autumn sowing. Mr. .• Kings•bnry (Kyle) sowed down a paddock of this grass (with basic stag manure) on .April 17 last year, and turned sheep on it on September 1, when they could, not bo seen ivheu lying down. After keeping the sheep.on for some time he, shut the : paddock up for seed and threshed 32 bushels fo tho acre. . Tho Waiters Road- correspondent of tho "Tarannlri Herald" says that maize has been largely grown in the ' district this year for autumn feed, but grass being plentiful a large quantity has Ijc-an made into ensilage. Messrs. -E. Mcore, J. and H. Purdie are all making ensilage as an experiment, and the result of their operations will no doubt be watched by many in tho district.

: Seldom (writes tho "Waikato Argus") have farms in March presented s-uch a fino appearance, all pastures containing abundance of rich, succulent feed, while crops of. turnips, rape and maize are looking very fresh and green. Some serious loss : has, however, been, caused among swedes and kindred crops by the ravages of insect pests, chiefly crickets and grasshoppers, both of wliich are in enormous numbers this season. 'Between these- pests in the open country, and the devastations 'of • caterpillars in. the bush pastures, 'some of tho benefits arising from the moist, hot summer have been seriously discounted, wholo fields being swept, bare, .with very little chance of recovery until-the advent of cold weather. ' ''

; The potato disease has made its appearance iii a rather bad form in South Canterbury. A week ago, what appeared to be a . first-class sample of potatoes was brought into Tiinaru for sale. There was then no sign of the disease about the-tubers, but during the week almost every potato, in. the bag had developed the Irish blight in an l unmistakable degree.; It would appear that the disease lies, dormant sometimes, and that it does , not follow When potatoes appear, free bf blight at digging that they are always free. of it. Since August last the Cambridge Cooperative -Dairy Association has paid about ,£35,000 up to date for butter-fat. Last week the Feathers'ton Co-operativo Dairy Company, Ltd., paid out .£IOOO, being a further advance of Id. per lb. on butter-fet up to March 1, thus mak-. ing the advance of 10d. per lb. on' but-ter-fat up to date. The'. Northern .'Wairoa Co-operativo Dairy Company, Ltd., at Mangawharo, near Dargaville, are paying out on March 21 the sum of ,£IB6O Us. , 6d. .for 49,5221b. iof butter-fat supplied during February. The- amount paid for tho previous February was .£1606 14s. sd. for 45,2451b. butterfat. ■ -■ ■•■■ -. ■•■ ■• ' ■■■■ -

At the monthly meeting of the directors of the Danneyirko .Co-operative. .Dairy Company, accounts for, the month's milt supply, amounting to '.£BO4, were-passed for payment: The question of .manufacturing . butter of- cheese, was discussed, and it was decided to make inquiries as'-to the '-~price 'obtainable- fer, butter. . Should the. replies boi satisfactory and the conditions, generally prove favourable,!the; change.referred to will bo made for'tho balance of .the season. The TaniaM.. Co-operative Dairy Com-. pany.(Daiuievirke) is paying out ,£96ofor last month's- milk supply. . .'. . Dairy farmefs-iu this district (says tho Fcilding "Star") are becoming more and more convinced; of tho advantage of growing maize.fpr feed-.-for their■ stock.': Inthe Aorangi' settlmqnt, where tliero' are several gq : ahfea<lifanhers.s fine, crops' of maize may riow.be seen. Mr. Jas. M'Farland has a,growth of-over- , thirteen feet in height,', and Mr.-i S.Milsom also has a very fine;field'" "'.Jn pther;'parts of the district the- dairymenv.are -looking, on maize with increasing favour, and.there are signs- that before many seasons , are over it will-take tho place-of;, root aiid other crops'grown , -for the dairy herds. .

The following are'tho payments by. the Inglewood dairy companies for the month of February , :—Waitui, .£387; Maketawa, .£1396; Tarata; J1324 j' Tariki,'^llsß; Lepperton, .£3384. -. ■'■:'■ --''■;'.

TheVdairy' Goience class in connection' , with the Stratford Technical School,-was , successfully opened. on "Friday night, 1 ' Mr/ 1 , . J. Heafioy.iM.Scf,'conducts, this: class;

Classes in ,, : wool-classing are to be established in' the Haweni district. ■. Tho Education Board ; .has appointed a-second instructor. to meet the demand for these classes. ■ " . ■ .■'■.■''■ ... , ■, ! '...

"■ Diseases■ among .root props are. particularly pronounced | this . year throughout Hawera district. ' Th& potato blight wrought much-iiiischief, a blightialso attacked the' tomato plants and' shrivelled them up long before.. they ..ordinarily should nave ceased bearing, .and lately turnip crops, have-.come under.a diseaso that rots tlieni' c away: wherever, it. puts in an appearance. , ' .■" ' . ;i'' '.•■ '; Says the Waitahora correspondent.; of. the "Hawke'sßay Herald":—Farmers are experiencing great difficulty in fattening lambs in this district this year. , No matter how'good'the crops of rape, or what the breed of lambs, none have done nearly so well as in previous seasons. I hear that tho complaint is general-all over Hawke's Bay.

. Tho. pear crop in the Eastings district this year lias been very satisfactory, and in one instancei remarkable. ' Mr.' Kirkham, of Mnngateretcre, gathered from two trees 103 cases.

The machinery hall which the South Taranaki Winter Show Company is building will bo 214 ft. by 46ft., as against 200 ft. by 6ft. at Palmerston North, and tho dimensions of the produce section will bo 110 ft. by 46ft. ~'Tflo produce hall at Palinerston North is 80 by 30. The poultry hall in the Hawera building will be 85 by 46ft., Talnierston having a poultry department of 100 ft. by 60. -Tho available covered-in spaco of.the Hawera Show will be 19,700 feet, so that intending exhibitors will be sure of-being provided withauiplo accommodation. ■ s- ■ Cropping lias been a failure in Wairoa (Hawke's Bay) this season, owing to the damp season and caterpillars. , One paddock of oats at. Awamate, worth'-about' .£SOO, was overrun with caterpillars, and in three days was worth only about ,£SO. The Government paid Mr. A. B. Duff .£43,803 for the Clydebank Estate, £10,000 of which was represented by Government .debentures. .' ' ■~ ■ '■:,,-" Tho Otaki Hospital' and Sanatorium gardener (Mr. P. i Melrose), was very successful at the recent horticultural show held at Otaki, first prize being gained for a collection of vegetables; 33 varieties, which the judge said was one of tho best collections of vegetables ever exhibited in Now Zealand. Tho first prize was also' gained for the following:—"Water-melons, pie melons, quinces,, and tomatoes, and second prize for rock' melons. ' In connection with the honours gained in the collection of vegetables, it may be stated that considerable credit goes 'to , the patients, who Kelp considerably in the upkeep of the garden.

LIVE STOCK SALES. Messrs. Dalgety and Company, Limited (Pahnerston North branch) report as follows:—At our I'eilding sale on March 18 a very large entry of stock came to hand, the yarding capacity being taxed to the utmost. All lines of good breeding ewes met with keen competition, and lambs were again in strong demand. Quotations: Sheep—Cull lambs,3s.;small mixed lambs, fw., ss. 4d., ss. 9d.; wether lambs, t-o 7s. lid.; woolly lambs, Bs. 9d., 95.; ewe lambs, to 9s. 9d.; aged, ewes, sa. fld.j cull two-tooth ewes, 10s. (id.; small. two-tooth wethers, 10s.; two-tooth: wethers, to 11s. Sd.; five-year' ewes, Gs lid.; s.m. ewes, 10s., 10=. Id., 10s. Gd.,' 11s.. 11s. Id.; s.m. Komney rams, 10s. Gd. to 295. In conjunction with Messrs. Gorton .and Son, Ltd., wo sold on account of llr. Ernest Short: Five-year ewes, J2s. laU *our-.\ r ear ewes, 13s. 7d., 145,, and

Ms/id , .; six-tooth owes, 15s. Cd., 15s. 7d., 17s. 'Id.; four-tooth owes, 17s. 2<1., 17s. 6d.; two-tooth liomney rams, £3 35.; four-tooth liomney rains, JiG: 65.; -bulls, £2 10s.; store cows, £2 12s. Cd.; cows and calves, £a; eighteen-months steers, £3 55.;. yearling heifers, <£2 25.; eighteenmonths heifers, £3 to .S3 55.; fat cows, £i.

Mr. Freeman li. Jackson reports as follows:—On. March 1C at our .\Vaugan\ii sale we had a.full yarding, viz., 900 mixal cattle, 9400 sheep,. and 110 pigs. The attendance was large and bidding spirited throughout. Good wethers rained lato values, a nice line on account of Mr. Burnett from Ahu Aim topping tho market at 13s. 6d. Other lines sold readily, two-tooth ewes met a ready sale,, and sold as high as Ms. 7d.; aged ewes and hunbs somewhat easier. We, however, sold the bulk of the, entry before- the day closed at satisfactory prices. A good demand still exists for cattle, and we sold all yarded with tho exception of three small lots. Bullocks and cows suitable for-fatten-ing paddocks, also eightecn-months up to three-year store steers sold well, but weaners were easier than of. late. Pigs sold .well. On March. 18, at our Waverley sale, we had a yarding of 300 head of cattle' and 2000 sheep. The attendance was good, bidding for sheep free, and v/e sold all tho entry with the exception of one pen at ruling values. Cattle made their values, and everything quitted except a line of eighteeumonth.s steors. "We quote:—At Vanganui: Fat cows, ,£4 12s. to M 175.; light ditto, .£4 55.; empty cows, .£3 to .£3 55.; store cows, ,i£2 ss. to .£2 155.; aged cows, 255. to 305.; forward bullocks, ,£5 10s. to cCo 165.; three-year steers, JCS to 25.; two and a half to three-year steers, £i Is. to .£4. 55.; eighteen-months stoers, £3 to £3 45.; light fat heifers, .£4 Us. Cd.; eighteen-months heifers, £2 10s. to £2 125,; yearling steers, £2 3s. to S3 Cs. Cd.; weaners, 2fe. t0 ; 265.; calves (small), 10s.; steer calves^(small), 155.; springing cows (good), £& ss. to £5 105. , ; others, £-i 10s. to £a; bulls, £3 to £i; yearling bulls, 375. Cd.; vcalers, 155.; fat and forward wethers, 13s. 4d. to 13s. 6d.; forward wethers,.. 13s. to 13s. 3d.; medium ditto, 12s. Gd. to 12s. od.; two-tooth wethers good), 13s. 6d.; medium ditto, , 12s. 6d. to 12s. 7d.; two-tooth ewes, Ms. to 14s. 7d.; medium, ditto/12s. 7d.' to 135.; four, six,. and full-mouth breeding ewes, 10*. to 11s. Id.; shorn lambs, Gs: 9d. to 7s. small ditto, 3s. to ss. Gd.; medium woolly lambs, 7s. Id:; two, four, six, and fullmouth ewes; (medium), Ss. to 9s. 3d.; fullmouth ewes, 3s. 4d..t0 6s. 10cl.; good fat ewes, Us. 3d; to Us. lid.; fat ewes, "lite. Id. to 10s.-Gd-jEoinney two-tooth rams (small), ,235.; aged rams; 10s. to 17s. Pigs: Baeoners,S29s. 6d.; large porkers. 255. to 275. Gd.; good porkers, 235. to 245. Gd.; good stores, 17s. to 205.; weaners, 'ss. Gd. to 6s. Gd.; slips, 95..t0 13s. Gd. AtWaverley: Light fat' cows,,. £-1 ss. to £i 75.; forward bullocks (good), ,£6 35.; threeyear bullocks, £i 9s. to ,£5; two and a half to three-year bullocks, £3 125.; twoyear to two and a half-year lGs. Gd.; fresh cows, .£3 6s. Gd. to .£3 75.; cows'and calves (good), ,£4 13s. Gd.; others, £i 7s.j.store-cows, £2 to ,£2 10s.'; forward empty heifers, £i Is.; yearliag steers, £2 _ 125.; weaner steers, ,£2 . Is.; mixed weaners, 325. to 375. Cd.; others, 265.; yearling. bulls, ..£2 55.; bulls, £3 to £i; fat. and forward wethers, 13s. 7d.; four-tooth wethers, 12s. 4d. ■ to 12s. 5d.; two-tooth ewes, 13s. to 13s. 3d.; small two-tooth ewes, 9s. 5d.; full-mouth ewes, 7s. 9d.. to 95.; medium ditto, Gs. to 7s. 3d.'; culls, -4s. 'to' ss. 6d.; mixed lambs, Gs. Id.; small, ditto, 35., to 4s. 4d.

Messrs. Abraham and Williams, Ltd., .report on. their Feilding sale, held on Friday, March 18, as follows:—There was a large yarding of; sheep and a fair.'entry of cattle.. '. The.-, demand/for sheep was good, nnd wo.were,successful.in quitting at. prices .satisfactory ,to .vendors. tations:"—Four-year-ewes, 10s. 7d.,■: lls. : 11(1., 12s..'Sd;, to.-145.; four and five-year .ewes, 9s/, 7d., .10s.' 10d., 10s.: ltd. I fat ewes,' 105. , .- fid;- to lls.; two-tooth >' wethers, 95., ,10s.;; lls. , 6d., t0,125.; four-tooth weth-' ers,i2s.-6d. to 135.; good lambs; 65., 6s.' 9d., 7s. ,6d.,. 7s. 9d:yto Ss.;. small lambs/ 4s, 3d., 4s. 6d'., ss. Id., to ss. 3d.; s.m. eWes," 4s. Gd., 65., 6s. 3d.;- 75., 7s.V>6d., 75.,9 d . :, to-Bs. 6d.; cull'ewes, 25.,'25.: 9d.', 35.;6d., 3s. 7d.i 3s. lOd. , ;'two-tooth Romney rams;-3Jgns.;-,f.m. lino ranis, 10s. 6d. Cattle::-Springing;'cows,' £4 ,10s.- to- £5;: weanei-s, 15s. to .205.; empty cows, £2 lls; to: .£3,55.; fifteen-months heifers, £2 lls. to l ,ii2'lGs.;fat.cowi > \ i M 10s..'to; £4 123. Gd.'; eighteen-months steers, £2'. 12s. 6d. to dC2-18s; 6d.'-; ■ ■ •:'■: - '-.«■ .■•.

; •. HOUSE. SALE. .:: :;:■;', Messrs. ..Abraham and Williams, Ltd., , report at their weekly horse sale, held at Palmerston : N,orth on Saturday, March' 19, they had'"a'.very big entry of horses; over 80 being offered for'sale. Any young draughts or good harness horses sold well,,but;hged horses were hard to quit. They offered 36 ,horses.qn account of Mr. ■W.'S. Carter,, of ..Shannon, anij'quitted the lot- at;. satisfactory■.' They quote-—Unbroken. ..draughts, £13 10s., £U-Ws,,,m,£lS 10s., -.jei6, to JUS; lfeihdnths'fillies, ,£3.55. to Jia ss.;.two-year-' old : spring carters, JSl2' 10s. to .€l3:lOs.V aged draughts, ss. to £W 10s.'; fiveyear old ■ draughts, £25;' harness horses, £5 ■ to' .£ls; -aged horses, 30s. to £2.' ■ '