Agricultural Notes.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue III, 1 September 1891, Page 3

Agricultural Notes.

The export of w-^ol from Sydney last year -was 509,342 bales giving i'or the twelve months the very largo i»ci'6{ise of 77,887 bale- 1 , or over 18 per cent. The authorities nt the Ontario Agricultural (-ollege and its experiment farm have been making some ••xpenuvnls in the growth and uso of rape. They have arrived at tlie con lusion that it is not suitable for milking cows, inasmuch as a taint is conveypj to tlid milk produced, but that it is an excellout fend for pigs, and one to which they are particulaily partial. A number of Soma'i sheep were exhibited nt the show of the I ssex Association, which has just "been held at Maldon. Their uppearance (says the Field) was that of a shorthaired goat rather than of a sheep, for they had no wool. They had iu tensely black heads, their bodies being milk white'; and they show ns neat frames as any newly shorn Southdown, so well sprung are the vibs and so straight the spine. Their great peculiarity was the accumulation of fat about the setting on of the tail, which, itself short, thin and pointed, sprang cut of a cushion of blubber. Their black heads were polled singularly neat and; hefp like, and they had a dewlap of black so much developed as almo3t t > look like a bad case of goitre. Thero ' wete five adults, ono of which had a lamb of tbis season sucking on her. Whether this very distinct ,aud pretty type ever will have any economic value cannot be foretold, but they are among the prettiest pets and ornaments of a lawn that we ever BOPn. At Christchurch last week it was decided at a meeting of farmers "That tho farmer.s pivsent form therose'ves into a Syndicate, with a view to carrying outthesnggoslions contained in Mr Perymau's letter, so as to givo the experiment of the manufacture of starch and other products from potatoes a fair trial." Mr Peryman's letter was read, BUggasting that farmers should club tojMj^v subscribing £5 each nnd t^^»s of potatoes, for the purpose o^^Bjp an experiment, electing a ComSivfce to carry out the the exp riment, when, if successful, a Company could be formed. Tlio sub committee reported that the o« st o the plnnfc required to put through 20 tons of potatoes per day would be £250. The pr cc of the product it was slated, would be from £18 to Jt'l4 per ton. It would also used for dextrine, &o. Tho Jftiiitul required for the manufacture Of JBu9 Ipn* nt pvtHtßß* IMj BiM

tons of'stnrch would be £2800, less advances on 320 tons at il^f.o.b. s The estimate of cost was utr.tefl as ,£ being ba^d on a cost of 20s per'toii a i f'"* p <tatOes, which was higher than the mgrW price ruling for some ? time> ___— .