GENERAL FARMING NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1147, 7 June 1911, Page 8

GENERAL FARMING NEWS.

Winter shows are keeping various division heads in the Department of Agriculture busy just now. A while ago quite a number of them proceeded to Auckland to the winter show there. At present Mr. D. Cuildie is at Hamilton attending the Waikato Winter Show and judging tho dairy produce, and Mr. W. M. Singleton is iu the south. There was a request for Mr. Cuddie to judge at the New Plymouth Show which opens tomorrow. \ farmer on the swampy land of the Hinds (Canterbury) district has just dug a fine crop of potatoes. The crop, which appears to be free from blight, yielded slightly over ten tons to the acre. The* mild spring-like weather, with the occasional showers experienced dnrin" the past two weeks, has brought about a wonderful change in the Ashburton County.' The grass pastures arc showing up fresh and green, the rape crops have sent out a new growth, and early-sown o'ats are making satisfactory headway. In many districts re-owing of early oats will have t'o be undertaken owing to the ravages nf the grub. Although a, large area of land is plougned to receive winter cereal.- , , comparatively little has been sown, farmers having stayed progress in the hope that the grass grubs will have stopped their ravages. Sowing should bo very general tins month. The president (Mr. W. Ambury) of the New Plymouth Winter Show Committee says that the show has doubled in size since last year. The entries number 1(100 (228 more than Auckland). The dairy produce entries number 2". Mr. John Hunt', a dairy farmer in the Lower Tlnmpstead district of tho •\shburton County, has harvested fifteen acres of red clover, which has yielded a good return. From the fifteen acres lie obtained 30211b. of seed, averaging 2011b. per acre, which he disposed nf at BM. per Hi., bringing in a return of £0 10s. per acre. . '