RURAL TOPICS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2164, 21 August 1907, Page 1

RURAL TOPICS.

From different parts in Taranaki it is stated that dariy cows are cal t ing in large numbers con&ide'ably earlier than usual. There is at yet no growth of feed.

On Mr. Startin Ashby’s farm at Baicairn a cave gave birth to a lamb having eight fully developed legs and two tails, the body and heads being normal. The monstrosity did not live.

Mr. Lloyd, a settler of the Hawera district who is leaving this country to settle in the Argentine, is taking with him four Jerseys, two bulls and two cows, with the object of establishing a Jersey herd in that country.

Tlio first entries of the new season’s lambs were seen at the Addington market on August 7, and realised prices ranging from 16s 3d to . 235, the highest price being obtained for a small line forwarded by Mr. W. Buss, jun., Waikari.

An Ashburton resident recent’y lost two valuable dairy cows, and a- veterinary examination showed laat the cause of death was poisoned gia-u. The animals must have gathered the poisoned grain that had been too thickly scattered on the road or in their paddock for small birds.

The Hawera Star is informed that 9 1-lGd is the best offer that has been made for butter, which would allow of about 7d being advanced suppliers. For cheese it is possible to got 5Jd, which, according to a dairy compamy chairman, is equal to 13d per lb for batter.

The lambing season (says the North Auckland Times), which commenced at Maungakaramea fully six weeks ago, so far has beon as wet and cold as any experienced for many years, alternating between gales, hail, rain, and thunder; but yet the lambs have weathered the storms remarkably well, though the hoggets have scoured rather severely this year. "With cattle matters as not quite so easy, as feed begins to get scarce about this time, especially in any exposed places.

The valuo of brooding a good marketable class of slioep and depasturing them on good feed was recently demonstrated at Tinwald. A line of 99 crossbred ewes in lamb, owned and bred by Mr. D. Crowo, of Tinwald, was disposed of at 2Gs 3d per head.

Tho Podding A. and P. Association had an income las* year of £1230, and w.itli an expenditure of £1251 lGs, a loss was made of £2l 4s, which, considering the very bad weather experienced on both days of tlio society’s last show is considered satisfactory. The prize money for next show has been fixed at £OOO.

"Whatever the political view of tho delegates to the Agricultural Conference, one thing they are unanimous upon was in entertaining a high opinion of the Agricultural Department. They all recognised, said one delegate who is not a supporter of the Government, that the Agricultural Department was the best department in the country.

Slaughtering operations at the Fairfield freezing works are very slack. It is intended to close the works down for the season on August 22. Although the weather during the past six months has been somewhat unfavourable, the number of stock slaughtered is above the average for any previous season since tlio establishment of the works.

In speaking at the Conference of the desire of the Department to further co-operative experiments, Mr. J. D. Ritchie, Secretary for Agriculture, said that already Mr. Aston, the Departement’s chemist, was preparing to distribute basic slag for experimental purposes. Tlie Department had a good many paddocks througlitout the colony, and it was intended to conduct experiments on these, supplementing them, it was hoped, by experiments through the Agricultural and Pastoral Associations.

Referring to the decision of the Tariki Company to manufacture cheese instead of butter, the Dairy Commissioner, Mr. D. Cuddie, expressed his view of the decision at the opening of the new factory of tho company. Mr. Cuddie said ho felt convinced the company had made no mistake. New Zealand was admirably adapted for cheese-making. He did not, however, desire to see the cheese industry flourish at the expense of the butter industry of the colony, but he did not think this would be. He saw no reason for any outcry that there would be a slump in cheese. It was right to weigh the matter well before going from butter to cheese-making when the former was once established. So long as the colony kept on and made the best butter and cheese it could, the prices commanded in tho Home markets would always be the highest. In the North Island they were now making cheese Which it- was almost impossible to tell from cheese made in thc_South Island. This indicated that improved methods were general. One tiling needed in the business was more real co-operation among the’factories. And suppliers should back up their directors for the general good of the company, A good mil'k supply was imperative. Mr. Cuddie expressed the hope that should any Tariki supplier fail to send in good milk, his fellows would give him such a bad time that lie would be heartily glad to mend his ways.