RURAL TOPICS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2150, 5 August 1907, Page 1

RURAL TOPICS.

A wool-sorting class in connection with the Ashburton technical classes has been started.

Tho Hastings Standard reports that Mr. D. E. Davis, who recently purchased Chestcrhopo Station, has resold the property to Messrs. Forney Bros., of Tangoio, at a profit of over £6OOO.

There is ono immigrant! that this country is by no means desirous of welcoming to its shores. This is tho Australian cattle tick, whoso disreputable career was exposed by Mr. C. J. Reakes at the Agricultural Conference recently held in 'Wellington. Tho parasite, which preys on cattle with deadly effect, swarms in Queensland, and has travelled down as far as New" South Wales. It is practically impossible to suppress, once it gets n hold. A single tick will lay from 1500 to 3000 eggs, and it is said that eggs placed at- a, temperature of 17 degrees below freezing point for twenty-four hours, and afterwards incubated at 95 degrees Fahr., have hatched out. In describing what ho saw in North Queensland, Mr. J. A. Gitruth said that a hundred ticks could ho found on the tip of a singlo blade ol' grass. So groat was tho fear of • the disease spreading that in New South AVales not only horses, hut motor-cars from infected areas were disinfected.

“I thin'k you will find, now that the , sheep tax is removed, that the number of our flocks wilLtremendously increase during this year.” This statement, was made by a Canterbury, delegate at yesterday afternoon’s sitting of the Agricultural Conference, says the Evening Dost of July 31st; but why did the delegates laugh when the statement was made? No explanation was given, and the unsophisticated citizen hesitated to think that there had been any “dodging of the tax” by the simple nastoralist. A delegate front the South expressed the opinion that the conference should send its thanks to the Government for the remission of the tax, and this was agreed’ to. “Is it safe to do so?” asked a cautious Southerner. The chairman (Mr. J. G. Wilson) thought, now the tax was out of the way, the department might make up its returns of sheep it a different time. The present Into (31st April) was not the best time for getting the fullest returns. A number of motions were put and lost, the conference finally agreeing that the present arrangements should be continued. Some delegates thought 31st‘ March, after dipping, would lie the best time, and others wanted the time fixed at the periods when lambs were docked and sheep were sheared.