GENERAL FARMING NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1996, 2 March 1914, Page 10

GENERAL FARMING NEWS.

: At a well-attended meeting of dairymen in Christb'hurch on Friday, it was decided, 011 account of tho high prices Jlo'iv ruling for dairy cattle, arid tlio 'diminishing stipply of milk,; to raise the retail price to fourpence per quart,from yesterday. .

A farmer named Heinisch, residing in tho Ornihi Valley, ha'd tho misfortuho to Wso three valua'blo dairy cows last week. .Some 'wheat which had been recently threshed was covered with straw, but the' cows horned this on 0110 side, ripped open.' tho sacks containing tho wheat with their horns, and ma'do a fatal nieal of tho contents.

. Messrs. Baker's Estate, Waipara, thrft'shed a ..paddock of Garton oat? of 2350. bushels, which averaged 65 bushels per acre.

H&warden farmers on Friday effected tlio salo, Mil Christchiirch, of .'JoOO bushels of Tuscan - and Solid Straw wheat at 3s. 6d. per bushel. Reports from the country.'districts of, Canterbury state'that largo numbers of sparrows were killed in Thursday' morning's storm. _ Cases- are mentioned in. which blackbirds, as well as sparrows, were picked up dead ill the suburbs of Christchurch after the storm had passed. Farmers in the Balcairn, Cust, and Oxford districts of Canterbury arc finding now that many paddocks of springsown wheat that looked particularly well when growing a few weeks ago, have blighted ■ off and are - almost worthless. One well-known North Canterbury far-' mer states that he is at present cutting' a lieavy crop of'wheat as far as straw was concerned, but'he is (juito satisfied it- will not pay for harvesting. I-Io had, •however, to cut it to'get it off tlio.'field, and out of the way. The bliglit is referred to as "Take-all," and it is.difficult to account for, but it means a big reduction in the anticipated, yields.

During the past few days, t'hero have been several commissions !. afloat in Southland to secure lambs for tho north, 'and according to oho authority a lirio of COOO has been secured by one firm,- Ono farmer in tlio Eastern dis;&ici';'has,.obtained 20s. per bead for a 60;;porvceut: pick, and-another a shilling less for tho first "run.off." Referring to'the fat lamb trade this year, the -VMatanraUEnsign", says that Mr. A.. ,Bollj' of' East Oliatton; has sold 80 per .cent.'.of:his lambs for 18s.. Ctl. Six years .ago'.for. tho. lirst "run off" he obtained "lOspper-'liead.' ■ ■■■ ■■-- . jjjWl'lw-jjresent >eather conditions (Says "tlio" "V'Taiori- Advocate") are all that '.'could:,bb desired for harvesting, but a foiv hours •• of rain -would ba welcome for tho turnips. A f;oo<l deal of crop has boon--cut, and stacking .has commenced. Tho presont_pricp of oats is 'causing .fanners to stack tho oat crop, instead of threshing from tho stook. Some threshing has already lieen done, and 'it is; anticipated that the season will -be .short, as the crops are poor on tho western side of the plain. In contrast to tlio Taieri, the crops at Jliddlemarcli aro looking remarkably well. -The blight is'making its appearance on all the potato, crops.. Even those that were ; i'egulM , lv. y')_raved_ are beaiiminjl to go.