GENERAL FARMING NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1094, 5 April 1911, Page 8

GENERAL FARMING NEWS.

Caterpillars, wliich attack oats, are a plague in the Ratapiko district just now, says a correspondent of the "Taranaki Herald." ■ Mr. Ernest Short has been nominated for' the presidency of the Feilding A. and P. Association. A slock .buyer, who visits both North and South Islands, explains (states au exchange) that the recent sharp decline in the value of fat sheep down south was duo . more to the . fact that values had ruled unusually high just previously, buyers' "having purchased heavily, which fcrced up rates! Before long those-same purchasers-at high values had to resell,' with the result that an unsteady market succeeded. >-Thero is every dikeliliood, he'.added,' of fat' sheep reaching extreme values shortly, .as store- sheep are riot to bo had-in-largo-numbers, and extensive areas:.of new sheep country, are being taken un in both Islands. In the annual report concerning the port of Timanij: the following' occurs :— "In consequence of there-being-no grad-ing-store •at the port, butter and cheese has-.been.vailed to Lyttelton. YVith. trie object of , retaining this trade,.. we acceded ' to' tho request of-tho directors of the South Canterbury Cold Storage and Produce .Distributing Company, • to erect a. grading store.' Tho' stoTO having .been passed (gazetted January 9,'1D11), by'.the Government Grader, the first parcel—7lo boxes of butter'and 89' crates of cheese— was graded on December 30, being subsequently shipped by the s.s. Del=hic." '