GENERAL FARM NEWS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2455, 7 May 1915, Page 8

GENERAL FARM NEWS

The St. Andrew's branch of the 'iFarmei's' Union have made representa--tions to tile Sliuister of Lands to have a, few acres sot-aside out of tho new settlements for workers' dwellings, but-, ifcho limaru "Post" points out in its re-:-port, of tbo annual meeting _ of that 'branch. replies have been received from tho Department-to the effect that the request could not be granted. The, chairman of the meeting (Mr. P. Pater-! son) claimed that tho union had been responsible during the year' for .removing; the restrictions from tho free sale of" wheat.'- 1 .He said that the union should consider tho question of a war tax. as a section of the public had advocated a tax on land, and this would press heavily on the farmer, whereas :the whole community should bear its fair share. At tlio North Otago A. and P. Association's annual meeting it was stated -.that tho number of members on tho 'toll for tho, year. ended March 31 was ?467. The number should be capable •of considerable increase iu such a district as this, and the committee are •"Urging members to endeavour to get all i farmers in the district to support the 'association by becoming members. This j.was all tho more necessary, in view- of (the fact that labour agitators are going [about country, districts with the sinister object of creating discord. Farmers in the Cheviot district aro ' 4till anxiously hoping for rain.. While 'it is too lata for any strong growth of &rain a good fall of rain would enable igrain lands to be ploughed, which is impossible-at present. Prospects of iWint-er are- very bad. feed generally iheinK very scarco. All ■ stow is being this-year, even wheat straw being, 'iu strong demand. One effect of tho y.rv weather has been tho drying up of ,a number of wells in and around Mackenzie. This is the first time the unUorcronnd supply lias been kuown to ■£ivG out. In comiectioii with lucerne growing, St may. be pointed out that a Capo ■Colony grower, whoso lucerne fields deIpend entirely upon periodical , fiood- ' water diverted from Sundays. Rivor by lineans of a weir across the stream, says ■that during a.recent period of terrible drought he made in six months £1300 '.from fattening hameis, and £700 from jjiiakiue butter —a total of £2000 from ;about 150 -acres of lucorne. Deduct [front this £100,- six months' expenses of Imilkiug and tending-' the cows, and (tending tho haniels~. in..the paddocks, land 3s. 6d. per ;acre" oir;150 acres for .water, amounting -t0;£18.155.,. making ja total for tlio six months of £118 flss. This will leave a credit balance 'of over £1880 from 150 acres of lucerne inn six months, being a profit of over' ££12 per acre in six months, or £25 per jacre per annum during severe drought, i'l'his farmer in the ono year made, [from butter alone, £5 per month pex 'iacro. from ono ten-acre field of luIcorno under dairy cows, equal to £60 '.per aero per annum. He was also making £70 per month from buttor in a Wrought, when, without lucerne, he ijvoultl have been unable to make butter it all. "Of course," writes "Visitor," [•'these figures will ba regarded as small in Australasia, but they-show what dry South African land is capable of with intelligent treatment." . .

Near Orange, N.S.W., the Government has cleared 27,000 acres of bush land ready for the plough in threo (months. This is the record of operas jtions extending between December and '"Atarch. at the recently-acquired Government wheat area of tho old "WoodjlaJids" Estate, in. tho Tottenham dis.trict. A Government official describes itlie undertaking as the biggest ever attempted in Australia.

Reference Ims frequently been made •as to the tremendous development of ithe cheese industry iu Taranalri, and in this connection it is interesting to note ?that twenty years ago the total export of cheese from the whole of tlio dominion was £99,626, while during ;tho last month of the old year and i'ihat for four weeks only, l'atea's expor.t for South Tarauaki alone reached the Inigo sum of £176,718: furthermore, ior the week ending February 2, Patea exported more cheese than the rest ot the •ports together, the value of l'atea's output being £78,382, and other ports •£49.049.