GENERAL FARMING NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1975, 4 February 1914, Page 10

GENERAL FARMING NEWS.

T|e milk supply at Rongotea is stated to bo decreasing a good deal owing to tho .very dry weather, but .notwithstanding this the cheques have been good this season, both Glen Oroua and Rongotea dairy companies paying out Is. per.-lb. for butter-fat for December last.. The crops of oats in Mangoro and tho surrounding district have,- according to the Auckland "Herald," been unusually large, the'yield being in most instances, over 2j- the acre. Tho harvest generally has been'one of'.the'best, and and the farmers have now- an abundance of feed for the coming winter... The first part'of tUo hay crop, which was much damaged by tho rain, 'has, in many instances,' been converted, into ensilage. The Rata Dairy Co., Ltd., have forwarded the "llangitikei Advocate" the results of the cow-testing for- tho past month. Nineteen herds, comprising 642 cows, were tested, and the- averago per head was 7881b. of milk, making 29.101b. butter-fat at a test of 3.69 per cent. The highest individual yield for tho month was 15301b. of milk at .5.4 test, making 82.621b. of butter-fat. Tho lowest was 2101b. of • milk, test 3.2, 6.721b. butter-fat. Tho best herd was' No. G, 23 cows, whose yield for the month was 15301b., test 4.5 per cent., butter-fat 28.62; The worst herd was No. 1 of 40 cows, whoso yield was 8601b., 5.7 test, 37.621b. butter-fat. 'Tho bulk of tho crops in North- Canterbury is now in stook or stacks, the fullest advantage having been taken of tho favourable harvest weather. Some threshing from tho stook has been done, and sorao good yields are reported. Mr. AV. H. Foster, of Spye, in tho Omihi Valley, had a return of sev-enty-four bushels of garton oats per acre, and Mr. P. Kennedy, a settler in tho Culverden Estate, threshed an averago of fifty-one bushels of solid straw Tuscan wheat per acre. Some of the pea crops arc .turning out very unsatisfactory owing to damage by tho heavy rains in midsummer; and in several cases the potato crops aro wholly or partially a failure. ■ Ragwort is reported to be spreading considerably in parts of tho Pahiatua district, and settlers are getting alarmed at the growth of this noxious weed. The present shearing season is a record ono in point of lateness, so far as the district around Levin is concerned. 'The "Chronicle" states that at Mr. J. R. M'Donald's Heathorlea run there aro some, fivo or six thousand sheep still unshorn, though a full board is daily at work, with the machines. Many aro the uses of a motor-car (says the Stratford "Post"), but hero is an ingenious ono. Mr. T. Chamncy, of Tarata, finding a, difficulty in securing motive power for chaff-cutting, rigged up a contrivanco in connection iwith his Ford'car,- and cut fifteen tons of chaff in fine style. Outsido his labour in making tho platform for the car and other work, the cost of tho job amounted to two tins of benzine. The Eltlnim "Argus" learns that there is a very noticeable- improvement in tho general health of tho pigs that are now boing reared in "aranaki. Tuberculosis is not so common as it was,; and there aro not so many rejects as there used to be. Mr. E. Short, of Tarorangi, has received 200 guineas for a'Komnoy Marsh ram sold to Messrs. Bayloy Bros., of Kai Iwi. Pnstoralists in tho Martinborough district state that tho present season is ono of tho best experienced for many years from a fattening point of view. Tho number of fat stock sent, to tho freezing works is stated by tho "Star" to bo very considerably in advanco of previous years. Dairy farmers aro highly gratified at tho breaking of tho drought; which had given every indication of detrimentally affecting a most prosperous seanon. A farmer in a big way of business in. tho Ashburton district, who was in Timaru on Saturday, had a very cheorI t'ul tale to tell concerning the season's

actual results and prospects. There was a cheery optimism about him which was in marked- contrast to_ some fawners who, even if they are doing well, generally seem loth to admit it (writes tho "Lyttelton TiincsV' correspondent). Ho declared emphatically that tho teason had been a splendid one, and that there was no reason why ho should hido the fact, AVKfc tho exceptionally fine grain crops that they had been able .to grow this seasoiij and with fat and store lambs at their present price, farmers could not help but do well, ho said. "It's got to he done," said a elicess factory manager tho other day. "Here are other factories- installing 'Victor' Vats, increasing their profits and tho productive crflality of their cTieese." Yes, Sir, keep in lifle and write Parton today for full, particulars of the quality and profit-increasing capabilities of tho "Victor" Vat. Bro-p a line now. Albert J. Pajton; Plumber, Carterton.—A4vt.