GENERAL FARMING NEWS,

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 841, 13 June 1910, Page 10

GENERAL FARMING NEWS,

The Nelson Freezing Company has shipped 24,500 carcasses this season, and has about 3000 -more to go. This is the company's second season, and it is stated that but for the depression last year in -the meat market tho amount of stock fattened for export in the Nelson district in tho early.part of this season would have . been much larger. The company has cool store accommodation for 6000 cases of apples, and about 2000 cases are now in store. A Matamata !• farmer informs a northern exchange . that he has been milking 19 cows, which averaged for 10 months, from August 1 to June -1, 10,0201b.' of milk per cow, yieiuiiig, 3551b. of butter-fat per cow. The strong demand for dairy cows which has prevailed for somo time past in the Waikato still continues in a marked degree, although on account of the advanced season little demand-now exists in the country districts for springers; but town buyers are much in evidence, and a largo number were present at a sale held at Pukekohe last week, when bidding.was spirited. Choice young cows reached up to 10 guineas, backward heifers brought as high as seven guineas, and aged cows realised up to five guineas. Mr. A- W.'.Giffen, of St. Clair, Marlborough, lias broken a record in the production' of. early lambs. The mild season has been favourable, and on May 29. several of. the ewes on the estate presented their owner with lambs. The percentage is understood to have been satisfactory, although such an early visitation is quite out of the ordinary. A report from Saskatchewan, Canada, describes the eagerness with which farmers in the North-West bid for all the horses shipped into their country. Young and old, largo and small, find a prompt clearance at £70 to £110 a pair for plain horses of 10001b. to 13001b. in weight. Many of these are shipped from the North-AVestern Range States, and others from Nebraska, lowa, and Eastern Canada. Mr. W. T. Aston, of Gisborno, has .written to Mr. W. Alters to the effect thatthe has made successful experiment's in preparing flax for manufacture into linen. -..•■:■ Alton Dairy. Factory,' Taranaki, w-ill probably remain open throughout the winter. Tho present supply, is now,, about 600 gallons daily, from which 7651b. of cheese is made. ' The Canterbury' A. and P. 'Association will celebrate its jubilee in 1:313, and it is proposed,to mark the occasion, by gage of £4900.un'derwhich the association now labours'.''-As to the means of accomplishing so desirable an end; it is suggested"that 'a monster fair for the sale of stock and produce should bo held. An industrial exhibition,.illustrative of fifty years ot progress—a display of hunters, hacks, polo contests, Olympic games, and a hundred and ono other forms of amusements, oxtending over two or threo days and-evenings,, with fireworks, etc., aro also put forward for consideration in the association's journal. ■-,■', For ten months: prided May 23 ono of tho suppliers ..of ; v 'the Waitara Dairy Company averaged'£l2'4s. : 6d. return for.' his cows. With a further two months to go there is very little doubt but that £13 will be reached, on; top "of which there is also the bonus,. probably equal to a further £1 10s. Not at all a bad record. , .. ' There is probably at the present timo fully a million acres of swamp land lying ' idle in the North, Island alone, which could be drained at an average cost of, about £lper acre. It,is no extravagant estimate, says the "Auckland Weekly News," to fix the .value of such land when drained and cultivated at £20 an acre, and this means £20,000,000 added to the wealth of NewZealand from this source alone, andanother £20,000,000 may be put down .as added to the value of the cities through tho .increase in land settlement. '

Ox-eye daisy, ragwort, and Californian thistle are making their ap-; pearauce iirthe::AVhaugauibmoua . dis-. trict. The seriousness of this- invasion will be readily understood by those even slightly acquainted with the district. The country is hilly, to a great extent still in bush, and large areas are logcovered. To eradicate weeds in such a country will be a herculean, work, and the disabilities of the backblocks settler would seem to bo only just commencing, despite tko trials of pionoering settlement. •

Clover crops are . yielding well in South Canterbury. -One of the best returns reported is that of a farmer on Seadown, who obtained 19 sacks from six acres.. Another return is 17 sacks from 10 acres near the Milford-Win-chester Eoad. Several other yileds are up to 2 sacks'to the acre. Some crops have been disappointing, one in particular, that early in the season looked promising, only, gave 10 saclvß from 15 acres. Another crop of 10 acres yielded 1401b. of seed. An effort is being made locally (reports the Dunstan "Times") to form an association of the fruitgrowers in the Clyde, Earnscleugh, and Alexandra districts, and a meeting for that purpose will shortly be convened at Earnscleugh. The main object'of the association is to secure a better system of distributing fruit in the central market, and also a reduction in the broker's charges, which are generally considered as far too high in comparison with the service rendered. If * the association becomes an established fact, the question of affiliating with the. Roxburgh Association will probably also be discussed. The purchasor of a voot crop on one of the sections of the Clandeboye Settlement states that he has never before seen such a mngnilicent lot of mangolds. A low estimate would be 70 tons an acre. Another fanner, a competent authority, says that for roots and grass the Clandeboye Settlement land is unequalled in New Zealand, and ho regards the purchase as one of the best bargains the Government , lias made. Just about the cleverest machino invented to keep milk cool and sweel:, and to preserve the dairyman his true test, is ENG'S AUTOMATIC AGITATOR and COOLRR, to be demonstrated at the I'alnicrston Show Its cheapness, effectiveness, and simplicity, should strongly appeal to all dairymen. G. Thompson, Wavcrley, Sole Agent. •