GENERAL FARMING NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 846, 18 June 1910, Page 8

GENERAL FARMING NEWS.

The Minister for Agriculture (tho Hon. T. Mackenzie) states that lie lias authorised Mr. Clifton, director of field experiments, to select certain, poor lands in the North, of Auckland i'or beginning his experiments as to the best methods of cultivation, and tlio most suitablo fertilisers and seeds. Mr. Clifton is also to select land for similar experiments on the West Coast of the South Island. The investigations in the mysterious bush-sickness in a portion of the Tauranga district are being carried on an extensive scale by the Department of Agriculture. Mr. Aston, chemist to the Department, has returned to the city with a large number of samples of soil, etc., for analysis, and the Minister states that he is having a quantity of standing bush felled and new clearings mado for experimental purposes. Old and recent clearings are also now undergoing special cultivation, and every clue which gives promise of throwing light on the problem is being sedulously followed up. A correspondent informs the Ashburton "Guardian" that a paddock of three acres of clover on Mr. W. Morse's farm at Heinington yielded six bags of seedthat is tw.o bags of seed per acre. 'At the ordinary ruling ; pricc this means the handsome return of about -£17 per acre. The takings at the Ashburton winter show amounted approximately to as against ,£207 last' year. At the Ashburton winter show a prize was given for the best field exhibit of mangolds, the cost of production to bo shown. Mr. W. Strange, of Riven-dale, Tinwald, secured the prizo with eightythree tons to the acre. The area under cultivation was 5} acres, and the total cost, including ploughing, grubbing, harrowing, rolling, drilling, wecdiug, and manures amounted to <£3 lis. Gd. Tho crop was sown twicc. owing to tho first sowing having beeu flooded. The annual report of tho Waimato A. and P. Association states that the year opened witli a debit balance of <£94 lis. ; Id., and closed with <£7 13s. 4d. in hand. ; A meeting of breeders of HolsteinFricsian cattle has been called at the National Dairy Show on June 23 for the purpose of forming a v Uolstcin-Friesian Cattle-breeders' Association. Circulars have been sent to between thirty and forty breeders, and there is every prospect of forming a strong association. .At n meeting of fanners in l ? eilding on May l'J it was decided to urge the Government to furnish tho technical >.ehools with progress and permanent records of agricultural ' experiments carried out in this district. Tho Hon. Thoa. Mackenzie now informs tho director of the technical school (Mr. L. Wat? kin) that the Agricultural Department "hopes shortly to publish, a periodical Agricultural journal, and the results of the experiments will be set forth in this. Technical schools will be able to obtain copies of the journal, and will thus have the record they require." A Mandevillo (Southland) correspondent writes the weather experienced during the past fortnight has, been moro like spring than winter. Tho grass is still quite green, turnips aro growing, and stock of all kinds aro in. tho pink of. condition*

Tho Jlawora "Star" stales that at .the seventeenth aninia.l Otago Dairy Show, which received sucli ilattoring remarks from tho Hon. Mr. M'Kenzie, tho entries for the dairy produce were some twenty Jess than the Dominion Dairy Show, to bo hold in H.iwera next month, has received for its first show. For tho Hawora Show tho dairy produce alone will require- 280 foot of 4ft. tabling, these figures being worked out by the Dairy Division, who aro tojudgo tho exhibits. There will bo several exhibits of fruit ffotii tho alotiicka district at tho Palmerston iSTnrth Agricultural Winter Show, to bo held next week, tho 'chief being from the Lower Moulero Fruitgrowers' Association, and Jlr. D. E. Fry, of liiwaka. Mr. •Fry. says (lie Nelson "Mail," intends corn-lic-tiiijf for the Dominion championship awarded for apples. As a successful competitor at fruit shows in and around Nelson Sir. Fry is well knpwn. The annual winter school for fanners at tho Ifawkesbury Agricultural College, New South Wales, which will enter upon its month's course on June 20, is proving a groat attraction this year. In previous winters up to SO farmers have attended, and oil this occasion it was announced that provision would be' made for 100. The number of applications already exceeds that total, and they aro still being received. Though we aro now well into June, writes tho "Waikato Argus," there has been no serious check given to the growth of vegetation, and it looks as if another mild winter is to bo experienced. Under these circumstances it is not surprising that farms generally are looking well, in fact, have seldom presented a finer appearance than at the present time, pastures being of deep green colour, whilo autumn-sown grain is showing a phenomenal growth. A scheme- of co-operative purchasing has been approved by the Auckland branch of (ho Farmers' Union, and it is proposed to raise a capital of .£SOOO to get it under way. A suggestion has been made that there should be a land agpney branch in connection with tho scheme." Tu<: registration of horses in the Argentine was only undertaken from January 1, 190!), when the Stud Book was started. During that period the foll6wiiij,, English-bred horses have been entered :—Clydcsdnlc, 180 stallions, 15S mares; Shires, 11G stallions, 151 marcs; Suffolk Punch, 13 stallions, 10 mares; 'Hackneys, 81 stallions, 187 mares; Yorkshires, 1C stallions, 25 mares; Shetland ponies, 1 stiillion. S marcs j polo ponies, i) stallions, and one hunter stallion. The Ontario Provincial Winter Fair Association recently held its anntfal meeting. This organisation conducts tho winter fair at Guelpli. Receipts last year totalled .-£1570, and expenditure JC4321. Tho association enjoys Government patronage to tho extent of .£2200. It is not a money-malcinß institution. Its function is purely educational. Congress has appropriated for tho United States Department cf Agriculture for 1910-11, whilo other permanent funds will bring up tho total income of tho Department for that year to no less than X 3,511,500. This does not include the appropriation and funds for the forest service. Such figures aro simply astounding, and surpass enormously those of any other three Agricultural Departments in tho world combined. The very mild winter weather that has, so far, been. experienced this year in the Ashburton county is shown by the abnormal bearing of tho applo trees in different parts of the district. In the garden of Mr. H. A. Flower, in Ashburton, an applo tree is so far out in its calculations of seasons that it has produced apples as largo as a plum upon the. ends of the branches; and the young fruit is surrounded by loaves which bear tho brilliant colouring of tho autumn. just about the cleverest machine invented to keep milk cool and sweet, and to preserve the dairyman his trno test, is ENG'S AUTOMATIC AGITATOR and COOLER, to be demonstrated at tho Palmerston Show Its cheapness, effectiveness, and simplicity, should strongly appeal to all dairymen. G. Thompson, Waverley, Solo Agent. ♦