GENERAL FARMING NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2401, 5 March 1915, Page 8

GENERAL FARMING NEWS.

A few days afio some 4000 acT6B of property in the Te Wharau district was swept by fire, and many miles of fencing destroyed. The sufferers were Messrs. Kummer Bros., D. and >V. T. Douglas, Barren, Vennell, Can, and Forest. . ' \ Some 753 crates of cheese are being, loaded at the Carterton Railway Station for shipment Home this < week. The Dalefield factory is contributing 300 cases j Belvedere 150, Parkvale 130, Carrington 84, Taratahi 75, and .Longbush 14. ■ » A six-acre paddock of Messrs. Rayner and Sons, of Woodlands. Parkvale, has just yielded 61 2-5 bushels of wheat to the acre, and tons of straw. . It is stated in a southern paper that the hop crop in most parts of the Nelson district is on the light side. It was intended to begin picking in the Riwaka gardens on Monday, hut as heavy rain fell at the end of the week it is not unlikely that operations have been postponed until fcho vines are dry again.

KILLING BLACKBERRY BUSHES Wellington district property-owners who are troubled with the blackberry pest will bo much interested in the report of Mr. T. E. Bould, Fields Inspector of the Agricultural Department, that "tlio use of kerosene spray as a, means of destroying • blackberry has I been tried with success in the Thames district." Ho says: "The manager of the Nicholls Estate (Mr. Harris) informed me that he has sprayed blackberry with kerosene, undiluted, with the very best results, the blackberry being completely destroyed, whde- the grass about commenced to grow again after the .first rain; Kerosene 1 was first tried abont eighteen months ago; and no blackberry has come again where the 'spraying was- done. ' Sir. ,Harris says' lie is so satisfied with the results secur--lei that'he is obtaining a large consignment of kerosene to spray with this year. The cost is no doubt considerable, but the blackberry seems to be destroyed with the one spraying, thus saving further expense of cutting or I spraying."