Farming Notes.

Feilding Star, Volume XV, Issue 247, 23 February 1894, Page 2

Farming Notes.

[BY " AGhICOLA."] PKICR OF STOCK. The farmers are beginning to wonder when the prices of stock are going to cease falling. It could scarcely have been credited some time ago, when stock went up with such " leaps and bounds," that they should have fallen again to such prices as are now ruling. We seem to be going back to the " boiling-down " times, when legs of mutton were sold at a shilling each. By the way* people are enquiring the reason why butchers do not lower the price of meat. As I stated before, we go the " whole hog or none " business in New Zealand in all we do. 'I'he shrewd ones take the advantage of such fluctuations in the market and make money, but the majority aie on the losing side. Farmers who go on the principle of having " all their eggs in one basket " will not be so successful as those who act otherwise. I presume we shall learn in time the lesson necessary to 'make us successful farmers — viz., experience. It is prognosticated that if the dry weather continues much longer the prices for stock will fall lower still. Those who are in the midst of harvesting operations would prefer the dry weather to continue a little longer, whilst those who are short of feed would like to see a good downpour of what you are short of in Feilding just now. It is a difficult matter for Captain Edwin to please all parties. THE BOT FLY Whilst at Mrs Whisker's, on the Awahuri road, the other day, I got a specimen of thu bot fly, to which I referred in my last notes. From personal experience with this specie of fly wo termed a wasp in my country, I have come to the conclusion that it is the same. As I stated then, it— the wasp — was not regarded as \ery dangerous — at least, I never heard of any animals having to succumb through being stung or swallowing the eggs or larva of the wasp. I will leave the specimen at your cilice for inspection. Mr Whisker, in catching the fly, displaced a portion of its head, so it is not (|uite perfect, but the weapon which is the terror to the animals — I refer to the sting — is very prominent. POTATOES. it was presumed some time ago that this edible article, commonly called " spuds," the absence of which from his dinner table would cause Paddy Murphy, and n;ost of us, to enquire the reason why, is not going to be such a good crop as was anticipated. The dry weather setting in so soon has caused this succulent tuber to shrivel up, especially in clay subsoil, before it has come to maturity. I hear of potatoes being sold about this district at from £3 10s to £4 per ton. I should say that good potatoes will fetch a high figure at the end of the season. CHOPS IS THE SOUTH ISLAND. I heard from a person who lately visited Canterbury that it has beon impossible to save the grain in good condition in that province this season, owing to the continual wet weather. He say/ quantities of wheat in stooks, the grain grown quite green qgain.