GENERAL FARMING NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1155, 16 June 1911, Page 8

GENERAL FARMING NEWS.

A New South Wales correspondent reports that Messrs. F. M'Gratli and A. Campbell, of Hargravesj have recently carried out experiments with the strychnine methods of destroying green timber. These experiments are being watched with grent interest by local landowners. A ring of bark was removed.'from a tree, and strychnine applied. Within■'three days the other portions of the tree had died, and after a week or so two or three feet i)f tho trunk below tho place where it was ringbarkod had also died. But whether the roots of the tveo will die remains to bq seen. The majority of those who have witnessed the experiment consider that, should the trees be ringbarked near the ground, the operation • musbresult satisfactorily.

A 'Sydney paper states:—The determination of the State authorities that the official inspection of potatoes shall in future be condncte/l strictly in accordanco with the provisions of the Vegetation Diseases Act has made it necessary for officers engaged in this work to pass a qualifying examination under the Act.

A Molbourno message states that tho Victorian Government has decided to again encourage the immigration of farm labourers, and to grant them concessions in passage money, to induce them to como from ■the United 'Kingdom. t-

In anticipation of an increased supply of milk at. the Jfahoe creamery, and in order to be better able to copo with the pasteurisation of skim-milt, the directors have thought fit to increase the 'power, and, in consequence," , the old 12horse power boiler that has done service for the past.ten years is to bo replaced by one of 50-horse power.—"Stratford Post."

The grass grubs are playing havoc in certain (but, happily limited) areas in this district, says tho Okaiawa correspondent of the "Hawera Star." I have seen one paddock which is almost bare of grass owing to their depredations. Although the area affected is not great so far, there is no telling what it may be in the future. In a recent issue of the "Star" it was stated that ploughing was the only known remedy, but the experienco in the locality is that even ploughing is not effective., A local settler broke up a paddock which hail only been laid down in grass for a couple of years owing to the prevalanco of the pest. He cropped it with turnips and oats, and then grassed it down again. That was only a year ago, and now the grub is as bad as' over. I recently heard of a South Island farmer who fallowed his land for three years in an endeavour to got rid of the pest, but without success. I was recently discussing the matter with a Tnranaki farmer, and he suggested rolling the land with a heavy roller as a possible remedy.