GENERAL FARMING NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1101, 13 April 1911, Page 8

GENERAL FARMING NEWS.

Mr. J. D. Cruicksha'nk shipped a fine, stud . Lincoln ram from Wm\ Perry's ''Penrose", flock to Mr. John Duncan, M.P., of the Grove, Ficton, by the Pateena yesterday Samples of potatoes riddled with the worm have been dug up in gardens in Toilding this week (telegraphs our correspondent). A month ago some of the ■.potatoes when lifted showed, scarcely any signs of the worm. An authority here a'lvises that potato-growers should be' very careful to .cover up all potatoes at night, and'riot leave'any exposed. The moths, which fly. about at night, lay eggs on any potatoes they find, and tho grubs are hatched almost immediately, and bore into the.potato, which at once loses all. commercial, value. ■ '

The balance-sheet of the Eltham branch of. ;.",the.. New Zealand Farmers' Union shows a credit balance of £1 14s. The • total receipts were: <£29 ' Bs. id., .£l9 10s. of wkich. was .in members' subscriptions. The amount paid in provincial and Dominion levies was J215 10s. •A plan has been submitted to the. 3lasterton. County Council of the proposed stock bridge over the Waipoua Eiver. A potato giwer down south maintains that the .potato grub pest' is bes controlled by cultural, methods the same methods also ■ checking Irish, blight. If :the potatoes arp well moulded up to a fiiino npoint, so that there are no hollows near the stalks, the grub nill be kept away. He also stated that the potatoes, when dug, should not be allowed .to lie on the ground over night, for the moths come out during the evening and lay their eggs on tho potatoes,' principally, on the eyes, and then the infection . takes place. .. But if the dug potatoes are bagged in daylight,., aiid. those in the soil protected by monlded-iip earth, then the pest can be controlled. . At the annual meeting of the Eltham branch of the Farmers' Union it was resolved (according to the report of the "Argus") to send tho following remits to the provincial,conference: "That this branch considers that cow-testins; should be more widely practised; that the pasteurisation- of milk and whey .bo made compulsory; that ■ branches be nxgeA to erpsrimeht with manures, crops, and fodders; that in comparatively clean districts the Noxious Weeds Aot be more rigorously enforced." The Havelock Dairy Company paid out .£4ll 7s. lOd.Jor the .'March supply, etc., tho items, being'.as'follow:—Milk, ,£373 175.; wages, 15?,. 3d.; , sundries, £31 ,15s-..'- 9d. r.Tlie company will pay Is/-per. :Ib. ?_fo rbutter-fat. supplied during AJrilj less'-the usual twelfth.—Exchange. PotatoKligging has now become general ;over the Killinchy and Dunsandel districts. The tubers are coming out in good condition, and the yield over tho district seems to be satisfactory. A correspondent of a southern paper, after ■making inquiry- as to the-scaro about the potato ■ grub, states that so far it has mot.made any appearance in either district, but a Lakeside farmer informed him it had made havoc in his district. Several farmers were having their crops ruined. The-crops that are dug in. the Killinchy district are perfectly' sound, , and free from any sign of grub or blight. One sale has been made for delivery next week at JB3 ss. for Up-to-Da'tes on trucks. ■ -.

The Ivaiparpro correspondent of the "Age" says that the London reports now .arriving, make very satisfactory • readme. The report on the.Tainui shipment is given as follows:—"Good flavour and good curd.. \Ve must express our very groat satisfaction at the woy your cheese, is trtniing out, and have no doubt f hat" it is goin? to. make a name -for itself on this market." '