GENERAL FARMING NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 780, 1 April 1910, Page 8

GENERAL FARMING NEWS.

Messrs. and Co., Ltd., have received cablo advice from Sydney that the bullock and. fat cow sent across lo tho Royal Show, Sydney, by Mr. F. W. Fairey, of Nelson, have been sold for .£26 10s. and «Cl 2 respectively. In both cases these were tho second highest prices obtained for fat bullocks and cows at the sale. . Another batch of 500 carcasses of frozen pork is to bo shipped from Wellington to Great Britain tins month. The other day tho Star of Australia picked up ut Wellington a consignment of seven.tons of bacon and 30 carcassss of pork. Eltham business people aro somewhat concerned at the rumour that the Butter Box Company intends shifting its plant to the bush country on the Main Trunk line. The industry is an important'- factor in tho business of Eltham. Up to the end of February tho output of the Hawkc's Bay Fruitgrowers' Company, Ltd., totalled 17,000 cases, as against-19,000-eases for the corresponding period,of last, year. . . Hop-picking is now finished in the Nelson district. On the whole, the crops have been on the light side, but growers havo been recompensed by the increased orices offering.

Reports wore current recently that Australian butter boxes were being bought up in London and refilled with margerine, which was sold',;as Australian produce. From tho latest mail advices it appears that no definite information of such misuse has been obtained. A solicitor was, however, still making investigations. Another visit of inspection to tho Nelson district is being paid by Mr. T. W. Kirk, head of the Orchards Division of the Department of Agriculture. Last week's shipment of horses to Australia by'.Messrs. Hoult and Son, Feilding, brings tho total sent across by the firm this season up to the respectable figure of 133. A somewhat remarkable phenomenon was to be observed at the Strath-Toieri A; and P. Show at Midrtlemarch on Monday (says the "Otngo Daily Times"). Tho air was full of what seemed to.be a coarse white dust, dancing and shimmering in the sunshine, and, as the result of a gentle ■ breeze, drifting slowly across the showground. Investigation showed that tho dust was really myriads of tiny active, insects, best known to the harassed fanner under tho name of the turnip blight: This scourge is at present very prevalent.in the Taieri and StrathTaieri districts,' and when there 'is a warm sun and gentle breeze it rises off the more or less ruined turnip crops and drifts about in tho manner described.. The committee of the- Wairarapa Egg Circlo has appointed Mr. W. Jessen, who has had -, considerable experience, to be agent for' tho circle. He will commence his duties in Wellington during April. A big fire was discovered in tho 1 Ma-' kerua swanip on Monday. It is'thought to have been caused by a spark from an .engine. A strong wind blowing at tho timo soon caused it,to spread. Several largo gangs of men were soon on tho dpot, but made very little headway in subduing it. The extent of the damage done is not stated. The Forty-Mile Bush District is at present looking in splendid condition, and a well-known farmer in,that district states that there is a better bottom in tho grass now than there has been at any time during tho present season. ' |A' Wairarapa resident, who recently acquired property in the Waikato district, writes, to ,the"Age" as follows:—"I. have been really surprised that the capabilities of tho soil in this territory, 'after tho. adverse opinions I have heard expressed in the past. : It is certainly not tho fault of the soil if- ono does not succeed, but the fault of the methods adopted. Any of the progressive farmers in" the ' Wairarapa would make big money out of almost any farm in this locality, and it is therefore not surprising to hear that a number of them intend coming this way as soon as'they are in a position to clear up their affairs at • your end. The climate is simply perfect, there being a maximum or beautiful-sunny, days, and yet ample rainfall for all purposes. The nights, too, are cold and bracing."