GENERAL FARMING NOTES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 91, 10 January 1918, Page 8

GENERAL FARMING NOTES

The Government experimental. area at Gore is looking its best, and a visit to tho locality will well repay thoeo interested in agricultural science, says the Mataura "Ensign." The several areas in oats are all in ear, and to tho eye of the export the various varieties are easily distinguishable. There are several areas- in turnips, which wero sown on various dates. Somo of these havo already been thinned, some are almost ready for the same process, and some are just showing above the ground. An educative hour could be Bpent b ya visitor if ho had the plan of the oats area with the name <f the variety sown and the mairiri.il supply to each. The areas could critically examined and comp'tred, {.i.ul the same applies to the turnips find rape. There are also plots of beans nnd peas which look exceedingly well. The grass, which was top-dressed with suitable manures, shows yuod results.

Mr. AV. H. Booth and Mr. Tunnicliffe, of Carterton, have consented to act as judges of the Jersey and Ayrshire classes respectively at the coming TJorowhenua A. and V. Show. Mr. W. B. Allen, of Claroville, will judge the Eomnoys.

Tomato plants in some of tho Masterton gardens have this year been attacked by a peculiar form of blight, which causes tho leaves to wither and the fruit to decay.

A Palmerston man who goes in for tomato growing on a large scale was a visitor to Levin on Monday, Bays the Levin "Chronicle," offering two tons of prime quality fruit for sale, hut no business resulted. Tho best quotation he could got was fivepence per .pound, and he considered tho gap between that figure end the retail price of a shilling a pound was too big. "I would rather put the old boree in the trap and givo

the public the benefit of the difference myself," remarked tho wholesaler as ho loft to try his luck in Foxton.

A fine shearing record was put up by six moil in Mr. W. J. Poison's shed, Mangamahu, on January 1, the grand total of 1598, tho highest tally being 300 by A. Wilson. This ie the highest record ever known in the district (says the , Wanganui "Chronicle"). This tally, however, does not equal that of W. Villa, who shore 339 ewes and lambs in one day at Taihape recently. This is believed to be a world's record.

It is rumoured (says "Agncola, the writer of South Island notes in the "Fanners' Union Advocate") that some of tho wool has been condemned owing to tho wet condition in which it reached the stores. That means that tho scour will have to be resorted to. By the way, it appears to mo to be. somowhat extraordinary that when the shipping spaco is at such a premium there is not more scouring done. The authorities seem to have sot their faces against it to some extent, and the saving in space is not affected. When one remembers that about forty per ,cent. of the loss occurs in the weight of much of the wool that is washed, it will be seen that in sending Home wool in the grease we are shipping a great deal of dirt that could well be left here, while the space was taken up with a more valuable commodity. Moreover, owners are not encouraged to get wool washed in the fact that the scoured wool'lias never, in the local sales, brought anything like the same money, proportionately, as the greasy wool. Mr. Frank File, son of the lato Mr. Cbas. File, the original breeder of Romnoy Marsh sheep, is atpresent on a visit-to New Zealand. He is manager of. Mr. S. M. Osborne's station at Cooma, N.S.W., and five years ago purchased some 2000 Romney sheep in the Dominion. He came to New Zealand on this occasion to purchase a few stud rams, hut was unable- to ;« get those he desired, the suitable animals not being for sale.

About 25 farmers were present at a meeting held at Tokarahi on Friday night to consider the harvr.st question as regards labour and the price to be paid for it (states the "North Otago Times"). It was unanimously veBolved'that the following telegram bo dispatched to the Ministers of Labour and "Agriculture: "That this meeting of farmers, representing 3798 acres ot grain land,,urges you to decree and publish in all newspapers that harvest wages bo Is. 6d. per hour and found this season. Reply argent." It was explained that mill hands' wages had not yet been fixed by the mill.owners. At a recent meeting of mill owners Keld in Oamaru it was resolved that the milling prices for the season bs as follow: 10s. for oats, stack and stock; 11s. for wheat from the stack; and i2s. for wheat from the etook. Tuscan to be charged Is. extra.

\ point for dairy farmers to match, especially at. the present, is that they eecure sufficient milk cans to tido over the steel shortage.. A. J. Parton, Carterton, adTises us that he has a small supply of steel, and can accept orders for a limited number of c/ins. Promptness in ordering i 6 advieed.—Advt.