GENERAL FARMING NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1117, 3 May 1911, Page 8

GENERAL FARMING NEWS.

Tho Wairarapa and East Coast P. and A. Association lias decided to hold its annual show on October 25 and 26, a week later than Hawko's Bay, as usual. A Canterbury farmer has been experimenting with a fodder crop known as emerald, rye. It grows very much like purple crocus, and then stools out. Unless eaten down its value is lost. If sown in autumn it is , ready for stock in a month, and can bo grazed upon right up to December. Sheep do particularly well on it. •While inspecting sonio pears for shipment in Victoria'an officer discovered a suspicious case, and on being submitted for investigation it was found that tho disease was tho dreaded American pear blister. This is believed to bo the first intimation that has been received of the presence of this disease in Australia.. Mr. W. D. Lysnar, of Gisborne, is at present in Wellington to undergo treatment for his sight. ■ Asked whether the fact that younger cattlo irere coming forward to the meat works in Queensland was a sign that supplies were getting short, a well-known pastoralist, Mr. A. J. Cotton, said recently:—"This is largely because the cattle aro now used to being handled and fattened much younger than formerly." The London correspondent of an Otago paper says that the cheese market is hopeful. "At tho end of February. New Zealand stocks vera declared to bo 27,000 double crates in London, as against 26,000 last yoar, and the report of shorter shipments later should help matters. NewZealand cheese is gradually climbing up tho scale, and Canadian shippers should be aware of the danger of its competition in English markets." No fViver than '1000 horses, are shipped from" Townsvillc, Queensland, every year. There is an increasing demand for small horses for Java and Manila. The lato maize sej=on on the north coast of Australia has been prolific in some parts. Ono Fcrnmonnt farmer claims to have raised ono patch equal to 110 bushols to the acre. The North Canterbury Executive of the Farmors' Union has endorsed a suggestion that a meeting should be arranged with the North Canterbury members of Parliament for the purpose of discussing the legislative) measures required by the ajjri-, cultural industry, and that the.Provincial 'Conference should select the subjects to bo placed before tho meeting. Inspector Daypy, of Geelong, has discovered a parasifi* which lie claims is capable of working havoc .'.amongst the apnle 'and pear'borer' pest. Accounts state that the parasite is likely to prove' very useful. A cable to Australia, dated April 25, stated that tho Western Australian apples cs,lndiaf sold from 12s. Gd. to 15s. Cd. per case, and the pears from 7s. to 10s. per case. The New South Wales apples sold from 10s. to 12s.- 6d. The pears wero mostly wasty, but a few realised 11s. per case. -- '■'■■' ••■•••-.' • ■