GENERAL FARMING NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1065, 2 March 1911, Page 8

GENERAL FARMING NEWS.

Large numbers of rabbits (says a liasterton paper) in tlio district have been drowned, it is stated, as a result of the recent heavy rain. Wlmt with the wet weather and poison the pest is being considerably reduced in this district. The milk supply at tlio Oaonui (Taranaki) factory is decreasing daily, owing to the recent droughts. The farms alongside the bench suffered • most, but those who were fortunato enough to have good crops of. maize aro now reaping the benefit of it. It is satisfactory to note (says the "Taranaki News") .that, the tests are going up steadily as tho milk, decreases. The farmers are now wondering if'we have taken a sudden drop into -winter or if. wo. are going to have any more hot weather, which is absolutely nccessary to make the feed grow for-winter use (says tho Fitzherbert correspondent of the Mariawatu "Standard"). Tho several crops of maize that were grown here proved of immense use- to those settlers who were fortunate enough in having some of that useful fodder as a stand-by; and there is no doubt that next year will see a much greater area of land devoted to the cultivation of maize. The bush fires are now just' about out, there being only odd logs that are left 'smouldering, and all danger is now over for this year (says the "Taranaki News"). One. could not believe the .damage the fires-.have done on. tho' Warea, Newall, Carrington, andPuniho road if he had not been to look after the fire had swept the district. Not a blade of grass is. to'be. seen tm some of the farms, nor is there a fence' left standing anywhere, and the whole country' is -in' ruins, The wagons have been, coming, 'out of NevA Plymouth lately loaded with bags of. grass seed. "During the recent'fires a farmer on the Kent road, New Plymouth, opened his pig-sty - and liberated his. hogs to give them a fighting: chance for _ their lives. One of the.animals crawled into a.hollow log arid was. roasted; The sty escaped the fire.—"News." I, Mr. R. M'Nab, of Palmerston, intends starting a; stud Bomney Harsh flock on his southern property, luiapdale, and with this intention has purchased GO stud ewes and a'ram from Mr. E. Short, Fcilding, states a Manawa'tif''exchange. Threshing operations were'' interrupted in--various-.parts, of the. country by the recent heavy rain. :The average value of cattle exported from England the past year was .£•l9 Is. ; 6d., 'sheep £7 ifls. 7d., and pigs ■£10 12s. 10(1. Altogether - the value of the cattle, • sheep, ;pigs, and horses exported in 1010 was £1,536,712, against .£1,351,628 in".-1909.1 /; ... v.".