WAIRARAPA EGG CIRCLE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2717, 11 March 1916, Page 8

WAIRARAPA EGG CIRCLE

The. annual report of the - Wairarapa Egg Oirclp shows that during tho year the circle's agents' in' Wellington, Masterton, and Greytowji, disposed of 30,422 dozen eggs,_ which realised £2086 ss. 7d. Since the cirolo was instituted ,in May, 1910, n'o"fewer than 206,-737 dozen eggs liavo been sold," the- amount realised being £12,832 3s. Bd.Tho membership of the circle is now 83. The report says: ''Nbtwitlißtaiiding the representations that were made ..to. tho Government during the past year, they signally failed to provide any relief- towards obtaining feed at reasonable prices, with the result that many thousands of laying birds were killed off."

,f. Nelson early tomato raisers are' ap- - : prehensive ■as to ..tho competition, of .the Rarotongan article. , The "Mail" , - learns that the Island tomatoes are ■ .. . grown by whites on- the/island, not by. Natives, as is generally suppesed, and , the starting of the industry was duo to au inspector' at,, Earotonga who was a tomato-grower in New Zealand. The fruit-is .-inspected before being allowed • to. leave., Tivo days are-occupied in the .journey, yet tho tomatoes are landed in New Zealand "at a cost of Is. a case; Last year 13,000 cases were shipped,; but it is expected that 30,000 1 . ' -cases will'_ be; shipped this year. One . grower proposes.to liavc2o,ooo'plants, , while several growers are contemplating : : - setting out 10,000 or 12,000 plants. It .. . : is estimated that each plant gives 51b. frpit for export. ' Shipments commence at the end of Juno, and continue , ■ to about the middle of November. Last, year a few were' tried in December, hut it was found that, this shipment did not pay, as tho island produce did not compare'in flavour with that produced in. New Zealand. Tho average returns : for the island tomatoes last year wero Bs. to 9s. a case, plus expenses. The , Barotongan exporters were, how'ever, . handicapped by the uncertainty of the times at which the boats leave the islands. A good deal of loss . • is occasioned, as fruit may be ready foi • picking, and no boats may arrive till it : is too.forward for shipment. There is a.moyement on foot to secure a duty on' . the" island tomatoes, but as '• all New. Zealand pro&uco and goods are admitted : duty free to Rarotojiga, it is a ticklish " point the Government has to consider. "The'fruit farmer's drawback and main enemy is the insect pest," said Mr L. Paynton, in his lecture at the 'Hastings Show on Wednesday, "and as each year passes they become more numerous and harder to control. Of these the codlin moth is undoubtedly tho most serious to the fruit farmer. These pests can be classed under three headings— • the chewing, sucking, and fungus sects—which can only be repelled 'by ■: sprays of poison, insecticide, and fungr/cide: respectively. " When the Govern-' ; ment regulations came out prohibiting '.'■' tlio sale .of fruit infected- .with codlin' : moth, the farmers in the Auckland di&- '. trict opposed it, and after some length .; of time the Auckland fruit farmers were allowed to retain, not, more than 5 per cent.'-of tlie infected fruit; The farmers in the. Ha-wke's Bay, Hamilton, and . Wellington districts are not allowed to ( ;; ' sell any more than one per cent. The result is that to a certain extent the . - . . disease in districts is being restricted, while in'the Auckland district it,is;increasing, and now the farmers are wishing-they had not put up such ■ a! vigorous defence." A very serious loss of stock' was sustained by a farmer at the western end ■ . of Martmborough: -It is supposed that some stray dogs got amongst a flock of lambs and hunted them down a track , to a swamp, where over 160 .of them • were drowned and smothered. The loss is,estimated at'about £150. ■'" It is anticipated that .practically the . whole output of apples from the Hast- . ings district will next year be shipped .to the Argentine. 1

Refuse from an acetylene-gas generator is useful material for application to a clay soil, inasmuch as it is' mainly- composed •of slaked lime, which, as farmers are awaro, has a marked effect in improving the texture of clay, soils. The '-'New Zealand Agricultural Journal" suggests that it should bo broadcasted on the surface early in winter, preferably on grass land which has to be broken,up. In tho case of a good strong clay the application of two tons per acre would not be too much,. but any lesser quantity would have a proportionate effect. A Dunedin merchant who returned from a visit to Southland this week states that. if : the weather being experienced continues for the next fortnight, 90 per cent. of_ the crops south of Dunedin will be in stack. He said he did not suppose that .10 per cent, of the crop was now uncut. Most of the crops remaining uncut appear to have ""been beaten down by the weather, and are Evidently being left to the last, while more pressing work is being carried on. Southland is not a wheat-growing district, but the crops' of this cereal seen by the Dunedin visitor were of good quality, and the returns should be above the average. The oats crop will be a heav'y one, and'most of the oats sliou!d_ bo of A grade quality. The grass in Southland is holding out well, consequent on the warm weather and tho genial showers. A good deal ■of grass , seed has already changed hands. Several thousand sacks of Chewings's fescue have been purchased by agents, and there is very little fescue now left m first hands._ A fair:quantity of tho ryegrass seed, is of rather light weight, and some of it has been discoloured by the showers of rain. The turnip crops are looking splendid, especially those that have been ridged. Taking • them all round, the Southland crops arc fully a month earlier than usual this season. Never has the demand for clear-headed constructive thinking in business been bo as it is right now. We are living in a progressive age, and must take advantage of all up-to-date methods. It is in savings from . waste of any description. that money is made to-day. and by concentrating one's efforts on all detail's of our I business we claim to be able to produce results for our many cream suppliers. We want more cream. Can you supply-ns? Further particulars, Wanganui Fresh. Food Co.—Advt. , - '' Cheesy factories which use Parton's Victor Vats are "better equipped, and therefore 6how better- dividends. The .victor Vats have middle drainage, to whicli tho lx>ttom clop&s* This makes for-complete elimination of whey and' more uniform curd. Get details. Write straightway.'. A, J. Parton, Carterton.-' Advt. - • •