Farming Items.

Feilding Star, Volume XV, Issue 318, 19 May 1894, Page 4

Farming Items.

PRICES OP STOCK ANn POULTBY. Only extremely low prices are still ■ obtainable ior stock of all sorts, including' poultry. Everything - seems 5 j to be increasing* very much during the past good seasons. Under pre- ' sent conditions it would be well for producers to use as much of their poultry as Dossible, and have at least the satislaction of so much benefit I from cheir labors. Poultry will ; hardly pay exper-ses to market these • days. The butchers must have their ' golden times at present, as they are able to purchase stock at nominal prices, while their own charges per lb do not fall very much in proportion. Dwellers in the country parts, however, are pretty independent in this matter, as it is possible to purchase a fine tat sheep at a small cost, and then it is a case of " every man his own butcher.'' MERITS OE BERKSHIBES They have small bones, round bodies, erect ears and white faces and leet. They are uniform and symmetrical in appearance, and when well cared for are very hardy and healthy. Besides, they possess industrious habits, possibly more so than any other breed, for their motto evidently is to ' Root hog or die ' They cut up with less wastage for both the block and packing For the latter, probably no hog is more desirable. Their flesh is sweet and quite solid, while hams cured from them are plump ami attractive, and always command good prices from consum rs. Do not make the flesh too lat. MANAGEMENT OF GROWING PIGS. When the pigs are young the sow should bave a generous diet, but as they grow it should be gradually reduced, tor to push piys from pighood to slaughter time is not advisable : the oniy aim should hi- to keep th^m healthy and in good growing condition xperience ha? taught that a pig pushed from its birth is nparly all lard an-' fat and otherwise undesir able, but a hog of slower growth, and which must take more or less exercise in search of food, makes more lean or marble meat, and consequently does not lope as much in weight when converted into pork. WOOL. The rates of wool in New Zealand this season, as shown by the table prepared by Mr Harley, local manager of the New Zealand Land Association, amountei to about 85,300 bales, against 74,985 bales in the season 1892-93. The increase of about 10,300 bales does not represent the expansion of the trade in New Zea land, as an unusually large quantity of wool has been sold at the weekly sheepskin sales in Christchurch, and so much has yet to uume forward that it is proposed *o hold another sale here, ihe local sates in iNew Zealand, as in Australia, are year by year becomiug more lully recognised as the best market tor our wool pro. duct. 'Ihe prices realised during the season must be con-idered more than ever satisfactory since the further fall in prices in Londou ha 9 occurred.