GENERAL FARMING NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1022, 11 January 1911, Page 8

GENERAL FARMING NEWS.

THE COCKSFOOT HARVEST. The cocksfoot crops on Banks peninsula have ripened rapidly during tho last few days, and reaping is now in full swing round Akarca Harbour ancl Little Riveiv-The that the crops generally are thin and disappointing m the earliest paddocks. From tho outer hays, however, reports are more hopeful, there being same good average crops, a few of tho later paddocks being equal to,' if not better than, those of last season. Labour is now urgently needed in these bays,-tho seed haying ripened so quickly. : 'Tho growers are anxious to get it down before it.shakes. For good reapers Is. 9d. per hour is being paid, and inferior hands can eartf- according to ability,. Rpturns.to hand, up to the present point' to aboiit half'the usual yield. Potato Wight has made its appearanco in 1 the Kaiporororo district (Eketahuna), though at "present crops attacked are only slight!y ; affected. The -settlers in, tho vicinity of Pahiatua have commenced to harvest their oat crops. It is anticipated that the quantity of 'chaff available for the market this season'will considerably exceed that of former' years. Several oat crops kayo been harvested in tlio Dannevirke district, and stooks .of corn aro to be seen in : paddock after paclclock as one passes through'the district. In addition, to 180 cases of cheese shipped Home last week, the Greytown Dairy Factory aro sending out, this week, five tons for local consumption. During the month -of December, 211 boxes of butter wero shipped to Vancouver by the Cambridge Co-operativo Dairy Company, and another 100 boxes aro to be shipped to the same country within the I nest few' days.

Owing to tho fact that it is cheaper to drive cattle than to send them byj train, large mobs aro regularly passing along this coast for Pctono freezing works (says the "Otaki .Mail"). On Saturday -last a-magniiicent herd of-800 tfine fat bullocks was driven through ,Otaki, /en 'routs'for' tho' Gear freezing works'at Petone. It was one of the finest lots of fat stock seen passing through hero for somo considerable time. Those who have notified their willingness to. act as judges at the forthcoming show of the Masterton A. and.P. Association ai'o as followLignt horses, Mr. R. H. J3issett, Timaru; draught horses, Mr, J. Gow, Mosgiel;. Shorthorns, Mr. D. Potts, Hamilton; fat'cattle, Mr. J. Fergusson, Halswoll, Canterbury; LincolnSjMr. J. Elliott, Hastings;' Leicesters, Mr. P. J. Andrews, Springston, Canterbury; Southdowns, Mr. H. Pannett, Springston, Canterbury; Shropshire Downs, Mr. E. Barribal. Waihuku, Auckland; fat sheep, Mr. T. E. Bamber, Wanganui; pigs, Mr. J. R. Waltors, Auckland; dogs, Mr. P. Hunter, Porangahau, Hawke's Bay; agricultural produce, Mr. J. E. Macassay, Napier; bread, cakes, and scones, Miss Talbot, Wellington, and Mrs. E. Harper, Masterton. .

The first shipment of bacon pigs from the Taratahi Dairy Company were trucked last week at Clareville. Writing,of Hhe grain .crops- in. Ashburton county, the "Press" correspondent states,-.—"lt is safe to say that the average yield whole district will be considerably in excess of that for last harvest, and it is also safe, to say that' the rolling'.stock oil the- railways after tho general: threshing of: the prain has takenVplace will »boV'ax£cl to its fullest capacity. A co-operative creamery is likely . to bo Erected this coming winter at Matamau, Dannevirke, .to start work at the beginning of next season. A Chertsey (Canterbury) farmer has expressed the opinion that the oats crops would yield on, an average from 30 to 35 bushels per acre, anil wheat between 20 land 27 bushels.