GENERAL FARMING NOTES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 92, 11 January 1918, Page 8

GENERAL FARMING NOTES

That (Jtamatea County., in North Auckland (says the local paper), appears destined to K become ono of-the chief fruit-producing portions '<,f the Dominion* is shown by the fact that on the Komiti Estate alono 40,000 friiit trees, mostly apples and lemons, liave beon planted during the past few yeftrs, whilst miles of shelter bolts have been planted on the Northern' Wairoa side of the estate. As a vinegrowing and wine-producing territory, Otamatea has long stood in the fore-, most. ranks, and there is every, probability that iiii the .near future its, fruit assets will rival its already valuable pastoral wealth: items.

It can now bo said confidently (says the- "Oamaru Mail") that the harvest will bo much earlier than usual, partly on account of the favourable season, but mainly because of a change of policy on the part of farmers. A considerable area of oats has already been cut,, and some are in stack awaiting thrashing. In sevoral directions the thrashing mills have commenced operations, and it seems likely that there will bo little break in.the work if the weather continues Hug,. The general opinion is that the harvest will be spread over a longer period than usual. ' This in part will be due to more general autumn and winter sowings of oats, which are maturing quickly. Harvest will, therefore, commence in a general way earlier than is , customary, and oals will precede wheat in the garnering. Hut many fields of wheat are in a forward condition, and with a continuance of the ripening weather experienced during the past few days, will bo ready for cutting within a fortnight, by which time.most of the early oats will be cut. Thereafter wheat may be expected to come in 'steadily, spreading tiio work over a longer period than is usual. Should that prove the case it will be of advantage from the point of view , of labour. As to the prospects, the general verdict is that the yields of both wheat and autumn or wintersown oats will be good all round, with some worthy of classification as excellent, but .spring-sown oats have not responded 'so well ; and unless late rains help them will give light yields. A great milk trust or combine has been formed in, England, with a capita! of £4,000,000, which is to buy up all the dairy concerns and milk and buttcrmen of the metropolis. The new trust will crus,h out the small dairy' and the individual milkman as effectively as Selfridge's has annexed the Welsh drapers to the right and left of the mammoth establishment in Oxford Street. Tin's is the American idea of business, the policy' of the Standard Oil Trust. If the employees of the Milk Trust want higher wages, or prefer to lie arbed in the morning, the London household will have to go milkless to its day's work. The milkmaid or milkman with yoke and pen-dant-pails and crooning cry will disappear as quickly as tho hansom cab, and be replaced by the milk motor, or perhaps milk will be laid on in pipes.