AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL , .SLEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2810, 22 January 1908, Page 6

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL , .SLEWS. -

J "Under the .minimum -wage system hov*j " could 'a. farmer treat a. man .-who could only; - dig three bags of potatoes a day whilst; another man could dig eight -baggs? '' one of the employers' -representatives «ab the Conciliation Board sitting at Waimata (says the >I»yttelton 3?imes). "The three-bag-a-dav man would probably be a broken- > down lawyer or clerk who had been turned loose into-the'CottnfecyTto-Tiiafc-e-a living'-oufc' of the farmer;" retorted the witness; "..and if l he could not|o'o''better-than'-that*-he ought to .go^back to\<±he :town. .Men like -that spoil the :good man's chance of bettering " ■his, condition, for they are often willing -to -work simply for tucker. .They ought 'to improve or . get out." Some days ago a ,Doric farmer brought in a number of ladybirds to the secretary! of._ the Ashburton •A. *and P. Association, and expressed the opinion that sthey were destroying a '-well-arrown ernp of ,rra&a- sAs the paddock in "which -the lap.c was growing was' surrounded by ,a. bluegum plantation, the farmer thought that possibly the insects whidh infested his 'rape crop were identical with the beetles that were liberated about 12 months ago for the purpose of combating -the blight that had attacked the bluegums. "Under the circumstances, Mr Christian forwarded the ladybirds to ZSt T. W. Kirk, Government Biologist, who -lias sent the following reply : — " Yours of .the , 30th ultimo and specimens to hand. The beetles sent are the 11-spofcted ' ladybircfs. This is a friendly insect that-feeds on aphfs-, and does' not do any damage." It is in no way connected with the beetle tha<^ feeds on .the bluegum blight." If it were act for the presence of the 11-spotted ladybird tha rape crop would, in all probability,'' l ba greatly damaged by the green fly." '' Some time ago the 'Ne*g Zealand \Dafry Union sold 100 ions of butter at a -satisfactory figure to a- London Tniyer, who, upon receiving it, cabled out for another* 50 tons at -the -same price (says -the Ingleweod Record). The union refused to sell at tliati price, _and has -just received advice that *same buyer will take -another 50 tons forward shipment at a. price considerably higher than the first one. The crops of oats fn .the Tauranga district have turned out "very weil. Farmers*' are now busy with harvesting operations, for which the past week has been favourable. The maize crops have made ' rapi<l progress, and a good yield is anticipated. « A farmer in the Chertsey district -re-ct-ntlv threshed a paddock of oats wthicK yielded 27 bushels to the acre. This is ai fair yield considering the season, but fully eight to ten bushels below what the earns class of Jand would produce in any ordinary season. One of the most noted 'properties in. Canterbury for the production of wool and mutton is the Culverden 'Estate, and? it is shortly to go the way of other similar pieces of country, _the Government having! decided to ' take it for closer settlement purposes. The monthly meeting of 'the Timaru A. and P- Association was held on the lltß inst. Mr B. Irving (president) in the chair. At the previous meeting a letter was react from the Wanganui A. and P. Association) asking the Timaru Association to endorse the disqualification of two owners of houses and the horses, Scout and Spider. -. Tha letter did not send particulars concerning; the cause of disqualification. It was there-

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