GENERAL FARMING NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1971, 30 January 1914, Page 10

GENERAL FARMING NEWS.

A lino of fat lambs recently sent from tho _Eketahuna , district killed out at 37.351b., a very satisfactory average, considering thoy wcro held in short feed for several days beforo being trucked.

Tho Moumahaki Stato Farm dairy herd, has just emerged from a very successful tuberculin© test. Out of the total of forty only ono animal re-acted very slightly, a very nice.cow bought as a heifer at a dispersal sale. When slaughtered she will bo put through a very crucial txamination for Departmental purposes.

That the Maori is capablo of sustained endeavour,, and also of profitable direction of an industry is proved by tho caso of a Maori dairy farmer at Ohau. ITho "Horowhenua Chronicle" hears that tho sum of £100 was, paid to this dairy farmer on January 20 for his previous month's milk supply. He has a milking machine on his farm, and dur-' ing the summer his herd averages from 60 to 70 cows.

Cocksfoot cutting is now fairly general all over Banks Peninsula. Around Akaroa'and in other early places some paddocks are cut out. Labour appears to be plentiful, arid, given a continuance of the present fine weather, the harvest will bo a short one, except in some less favoured places, where cutting will not start until next month.

A correspondent reports to the Hawera "Star what appears to have been a daring attempt at cattle-lifting. A settler has somo property some distance from the homestead, in one paddock of which ho runs his dry and young stock. Tho animals were principally yearling heifers, and on a certain day lately wore seen at 4 o'clock in tho afternoon, when everything was all right. At 8 o'clock, however, just as darkness was coming on, a small son of the owner chanced to- be on the road, when he saw a person driving-the animals down the road. The boy recognised some of the animals, and the dri\er, upon being ac-costed,-made off.'

, , All effort is being made to re-estab-lish the. Fruit-growers' Association in Blenheim, and for this purpose, says tho "Express," Mr. J. R. 11. Archer, secretary of the New Zealand Fruitgrowers' Federation, will address tlio members of the association and others interested in fruit culture. The object of Mr. Archer's adrjress is to point out tho possibilities of the applo export trade.

A high tributo to tho stock-raising capacity of the Pelorus district is given by Mr. E. F. Healy, who acquired Mr. Dalton's property there some timo ago. On one river-bed area of not more than 60 acres, -Mr. Healy has been able, without usjng artificial feed' (the Nelson "Colonist" says), to maintain at tho fattening standard for a whole year a herd of cattle numbering continuously from 90 to 100,

Speaking to a local expert, the "Press's" Temuka correspondent was informed that a. fair number of crops in :the Tomuka district had: the Hessian fly and a form of blight at the roots. On some of the heavier, undrained lands, the wheat had gone down badly, and tares had como up in profusion. Up tho Totara Yalloy and on tho Waitohi Downs fairly large crops of wheat were down. Speaking from a commercial standpoint, tho absenco of shipping facilities, the high freights, and largo Australian crop made it improbable that the best wheat would open'at anything higher than 3s. Gd. Speaking gonerally, tho increasing demand for wool, mutton, and' dairy produce* threatened to mako grain-growing and potatoes side lines even in Canterbury.

"It's got to be done," said a choeso factory manager tlie other day. "Here aro other factories installing 'Victor' Vats, increasing their profits and the pioductive quality of their choose." Yes, Sir, keep in line and write, Pa rton today for full particulars 1 of the quality and profit-increasing capabilities of the "Victor" Vat. Drop a lino now. Albert J. Piirtoj, Plumber Carterton.-Adrt.