RURAL TOPICS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2136, 11 March 1908, Page 1 (Supplement)

RURAL TOPICS.

Tho Government has granted £IOO towards the cost of a school labora-. tory at Manaia.

There have boen 10,000 calves inoculated against blackleg in Taranaki this year.

The drop in wool (says tlio. correspondent of the “Otago Times”) has had the effect of depreciating considerably tho value of sheen stations in Southland.

In consequence of the shortage of feed and the failure of the turnip and rape crops over a large portion of the Ashburton County, iambs that aro being slaughtered at the Fairfield Freezing Works are not up to the usual high standard of quality, and many are being classed as rejects.

The area sown in oats in Southland this year appears to be fully up to that of former years, but the yields aro, for the most part, somewhat disappointing to the growers. The continued dry weather has caused tlio crops to ripen somewhat too quickly, with tho result that threshings aro not up to expectations, though the quality of the oats is all that could be desired. v (

Broken-mouth sheep arc little, sought- after now owing to the shortage of feed and its hardness (says tho Canterbury “Times”). A line of aged sheep at the Ashburton yards on February 25 was started at 70 per head, and was subsequently sold at lid. Under favourable circumstances the line would have easily reared another flock of lambs.

Chief interest dn the dairying circles in this island (says a Wellington writer) is centred in tho question whether it will be more profitable to hold butter for the local winter market or ship to London. Already several factories are storing all their