Agricultural and pastoral.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume XIII, Issue 563, 26 March 1868, Page 3

Agricultural and pastoral.

AGRICULTURE IN OTAGO,

{Otago Witness.)

A strict adherence to all the minute details necessary to constitute successful farming in the old country, is not requisite here. Fortunately our agriculturists are on a much better footing than their brethren in Britain, Here, almost all are their own landlords. There, heavy rents have to be paid. Our soil is virgin in its character, possessing all the constituents to yield a bountiful return. Theirs is in an exhausted state, requiring a liberal ap plication of varied and expensive manures ere the man that binds the sheaf can fill his bosom. No game laws or poor rates exist to be decried by us. They have to maintain as much game as the laird chooses to protect, and the poor rates are, in many cases, grinding. Other favorable contrasts might be stated, but are unnecessary. The only disadvantage on this side is the rate of wages paid to servants, and wlmn this is fairly considered it is a very trifle. Wages for good men run from <£4o to £QO a«year here ; at home, they are from £lB to .£4O. There, a farmer must have double the bands required here, so that the difference of rate is made up by the larger number, and the advantage of longer hours is met by the cost of keep. The real vantage ground ou which the farmer at home stands, is his training, with its results —system, economy, and application in management.

When a farmer has .£2 an acre to pay for rent, £3 for manure, ,£1 for labor and rates, his management must he a carefully considered plan; his labor economised and turned to the best account, and his own attention closely devoted, before bis efforts yield him a profit compensating for his risk and anxiety. Whilst a close adhesion to the whole routine of culture is not essential, still there are certain general principles which underlie all success, and cannot be omitted. These are the following— Draiuage Rotations Change of seeds On them the whole fabric of agricultural prosperity is built. Attention to these in practice proves to the farmer their indispensable character, as they amply remunerate him for the cost they may put him to. It matters not what mode of husbandry is followed, each and all of them hold a primary position, and profitable action in the various branches of both agricultural and horticultural science mainly depends on the attention paid to them. "Whatever discoveries have been made, and increased knowledge gained, in the advance of the profession, have only added weight to their importance, and testified to their indispensable character. To each of them, and their kindred branches for practical uses, future notices will be devoted. FACTS AND SCRAPS. VARIEGATED MAIZE. I The Australasian has the following paragraphWe have been shown some specimens of the “ Zea Japonica, folyariegata,” grown by Mr Sims, of Brighton. This plant is new to the! colony, and is likely to become fashion-! able, as particolored fob age is in almost as much favor as flowers just now. It has leaves striped like those of the the old fashioned rib grass, only more delicately colored, some of them being nearly white, and semi-transparent I It also bears a small cob of sweet corn, useful for culinary operations as practised in America. The seed was imported last year from England, by Messrs Law, Somner, and Co. **“ OAT BRIGHT IX AUSTRALIA. A Western journal states that a new and most destructive species of blight has attacked the oat crops in the vicinity of Lispower, and at the farms situated near the Bald-hills, whence it is traced as far as Yarram Yarram on the one side, and for a great distance amongst the farms to the north oi the latter place, on the other. The blight referred to is a description of insect. Mr Elliot, who is the largest settler in the neighborhood where it was first observed, states that whole paddocks have been so completely destroyed that they are now being mown down or thrown open for cattle. In gome instances wheat has also suffered

so badly that the scythe is at work, and the cattle admitted. Mr Petri, who lives but a short distance from the llopkins-hill, states that his whole breadth of crop is completely destroyed. The ravages of the insect give the ear a prematurely ripe appearance, and ou opening the leaves myriads of them are disturbed in nearly every instance. TO rATTIvV GEF*> K. The Irish Farmers’ Gazette says : The way to fatten geese is to put up three or four in a darkened room, and give each bird one pound of oats daily, thrown ou a pan of water. lu fourteen days they will be found almost too fat. Never shut up lass than two together, as they piue if left alone, FATXEXI.VG POULTRY. The London Field states that poultry, properly fed, will acquire all the fatness needful for marketing purposes in a fortnight or three weeks at the most. Their diet should be Indian, oat, or barley meal, scalded iu milk or water—the former is the best, as it will expedite the fattening process. They should be fed early in the morning, at noon, and also in the evening just before going to roost. A plentiful supply of pure fresh water, plenty of gravel and sliced cabbage or turniptops. If the fowls are required to be very fat, some trimmings of fresh mutton suet may be chopped up and scalded with their other food, or they may be boiled iu milk alono and poured over the meal. This renders the flesh firmer than it otherwise would be. When fit to kill, feeding should be stopped for twelve hours or more, that the intestines may become comparatively empty.

IMMIGRATION TO NEW ZEALAND FROM CANADA WEST. (From the Now Zealand llcvalcl.) Great interest is taken in the colonisation of New Zealand by settlers in Canada West. 'Die reasons for this are many—such as the extreme vicissitudes of heat and cold, the prevalence of sickness, incompatibility of American and English habits, and other minor causes. The following is taken from a letter laid on the table of the Auckland Provincial Council, by the Provincial Secretary : “ The news that we have lately received from New Zealand, particularly from Auckland, has not been at all encouraging, still we frequently hear of parties going there from this part of the world. Mr informed me of a person from the mountains, a sawmill owner, who has gone. I heard of an old gentleman, a member of the legislature, who is off to inspect how he may settle his family there. He has considerable means—has been a farmer, distiller, saw-mill proprietor and storekeeper. When he returns and makes his report, I hope to hear the verdict. New Zealand as my ultimate home, and that of my children, is my constant theme, for I cannot think otherwise than that it will some day be a great country. At the same time it is my present opinion that there is not now much energy being put forth in the development of its resources. But when your 200,000 white population gets to he two or three times that number, better results jmay he expected. I would like to hear more of the climate and capabilities of the Bay of Islands district —whether it is too hot in summer, whether it can produce coffee, oranges, olives ; and whether it is as healthy as farther south. The resources of British North America may be considerable, but Yankee annoyances and severe winters are great drawbacks.” The writer intimates that scarlet fever was prevalent among children, and much sickness and considerable number of deaths in his part during last summer. The rams at the fall of the year unu me iuaiva are causes of much mortality. Here is another passage: — “ War between England and America, whenever it takes place, will be disastrous to this country. Xu such an emergency you New Zealanders would escape. Indeed, if your climate and resources are only as represented, it must some day be one of the finest countries in the world. By this time you will, no doubt, have your mind fully made up on this head, and will 1 be authority which I should not gainsay. I should like much after your i experience thus far to hear your opini ion. The Yankee duties on Canadian [ produce are almost, if not entirely,

prohibitory. There lingers here a want of confidence—a something to fear all the time. (The italics are the writer’s own.) 1 constantly think if I could purchase a good run or plantation in Northern New Zealand I would be free from such contingencies. How would evaporating salt (solar system) do as a business in the North; or raising figs to dry, grapes to make wine, olives to make oil or pickles, oranges for the Auckland market, coffee, if possible, or walnuts to selli dry. I may err in these ideas, but mention them as probabilities. If your coal discovery turns out as expected, it must make the North of New Zealand a most important district.” Such are the enquiries being made by many enterprising men, with means, and the reasons given for them are apparent. It does certainly seem a most suicidal proceeding for any person having influence to waru such persons off. The above contains sufficient internal evidence of the class to which the writer belongs; a class which contains personally and substantially all the requisites for successful settlement and permanent residence.