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Otago Witness, Issue 2810, 22 January 1908, Page 7

fore decided to await further information before taking action. A further comnvunieatibn on the subject from the Wanganui Association .stated that Messrs- Bartlett and Green had entered Scout and Spider in the -J. 517" gents' hunters- class"(for* qualified "hunters only). On being -requested 'to proflueß certificates they fatted* to 'do so, but said thas they had certificates which they would 0 produce on ttie 6econd day. Agaiu tlieyialled to do so, and' Mr D. G. Eiddifard^the master of the "Hunt Club" of the district} declared .that 'not* only were Bartlett and Green not members ' of] the, club» but their* horses were not 'qualified hunters. Ifcwas- unanimously decided to endorse the disqualifications.- Some discussion took, place -on the question, of how the disqualifications would affect this- society in view of- the fact that- here- there were no rules compelling owners of. horses hr the hunters class -to produce- certificates. -It -was generally* agreed that* the disqualifications- wouid only operate so" long ac the horses remained' the- property^ of- the present- owners. If a South Canterbury buyer • purchased one orboth of them- he-could not be debarred, from entering them, in the show: here. Mr Guinness- recommended that the incoming, pro? gramme committee- make some qualifications to, attach to the. entering of hunters. It ■mas ■ pointed out- that if this were done it would Be necessary to have an open clasßas, well, as many, horses which were not hunters were good jumpers. In recent years 1 the Ashburton CountyCouncil has done much to combat the smadlbhrd-. pest, but, despite the. enormous destruction of birds through' the distribution: of poisoned" wheat and the gatheringof- large numbers of- -eggs and heads collected; the trouble- shows -no sigitof-decreas-ing. Between. April 1 and November 30, 1907;-. tiie council 1 purchased 182,605, heads "of ! ' old birds, and" between' November 1 and I>ecember-31 180,6861 eggs and heads-of small birds were- purchased.. The-- greater number of • f aimers- on the light* lancfe* (says' the- Ashburton Mail) have already completed reaping, operations,. anoV it -is the intention of ' the majority to save -expense by threshing their crops - from the stook. Threshings <inachines are. very; much in quest, and" if the present weather continues the- harvest. this year will be finished iiu. record' time; So far- no • wheat has been threshed, but at the- beginning of next week the earliest reaped paddocks of. tnis cereal ■will be sufficiently matured' for threßhmg^ purposes. Some of 'the oat crops are= thresbicg' slightly above the- anticipation of farAt' present sa<ys.last "Wednesday's Eyttelton Times!- harvest! operations- are In full' swing? at- the Lincoln' Agricultural College, and* the- crops- are very satisfactory. In consequence of the* harvest coming- :il earlier- than, in- former- years' it .was- foundnecessary- ta curtail' the vacation, and the* students were recalled about a- week sooner than usual in\ order to take part in. the work of' getting-J in the, crop. The crop 3" tbroughbut< the- farm- are very satisfactory, and the' yield I . of wheat- and' oats will average about. 50 bushels per. acre, or about seven bushels- per acre more^than last year. One paddock of wheat which was being cut yesterday will yield at least 55 bushels per acre. With the exception of the repairs to the reapers and binders all the ■work is being done by the students. The cutting will be completed in the course of a. few days. _ Steam haulage plan's «r« at present lusily engaged conveying gross seed from country districts into Ashbe?§GSl (saye the Guardian). Messrs Knox Bros.' plant Brought 3ft; in one load, cose on 600 bushels of seed to Messrs Friedlander Bros.' store from the Longfceaclr 'district. It is expected that a start will be made to cart oats this week; and taking into consideration the expense of. shoeing, horses, etc., many farmers are of opinion- that the cartage of their grain by steam is less expensive than by 1 bringing their own horse-power into use. Another feature in favour of steam haulage is that by letting their carting by contract farmers are enabled to push ahead ■with their skim ploughing and' other necessary work, which in years past has been considerably hindered in consequence of teams being engaged in carting gram. One of the most objectionaßle and injurious phases in. connection with the Australian, method of re^dl" meat-selling obBerves the Sydney Meat Trades' Journal) a _4ha unnecessary exposure- of the meat in_ shops. It can in no sense, conduce to business to have a display of fine healthy, carcases forming a happy hunting ground for. the myriads of flies which congregate in jfche vicinity of such places. Apart from the disgust that is engendered m the mmds -it passers-by and customers, there is the mere Jinxpoi-fcant and serious objection <£*»« practice on the score of hygiene. We do not ouite realise, perhaps, what awful germs o£ aisease- are being, disseminated 'by flies Shrough the medium of meat thus unnecessarily exposed to their baleful influence. Wisitors'from other countries, where better •methods are invariably; adopted, gaze in amazement at the pernicious system prevalent in Australia, and wonder why the ftmmicipal authorities do not in the interest «f public health, step in and insist upon the. abolition of -the unsatisfactory arrangement new vrevsx&ag." Our civic officials are keen enough- in stopping lesa harmful things, ■ 4>u* ignora »n. ohiectionabla- and dangerous fiabifc, which is a constant and insidious menace to public health-. Some of-the butter factories, m Queensland Have commenced to pair on tßa flavour

basis. The dairy expert. Air Thomson, has advocated this reform for some time past; but the difficulty is to secure the services of officials who are capable of judging by the new method, i It is calculated that those, factories which. have adopted the system will- get Is 6d per .box- more for their butter on the- London 'market, the assumption- beings' that the " flavour- is the" • most certain indicator of tKe character of the ereanx^ .handled: - A strong .desire is eaid to- exist in tHe~ northern State to fitill further improve- the butter, which recentlytopped- the j market for colonial stuff. Jki-'' ready a number of the managers occasion^ ally visit, the grading stores for the punpose of. meeting the men who classify tHe boxes for export. They examine the butter and 1 allot- the points- for flavour, texture^ ! colour, and finish', and then see- how their opinions tally* with- the > experts., When ac difference in points- exists the matter : s' thoroughly debated, and reasons are given' by the Government graders- for their, scale of points. J Professor Wallace, of Edinburgh, has returned." from. America (reports- the- London ! Standard) ' with newa that the Agricultural. Botanical Department hap discovered a type ! of" wheat which will thrive on »- lOirr rain> f all. ' This ie of great importance- if ' confirmed, as- such a type would allow many-j millions of acres- to be put under wheat' in Northern Australia, Queensland, Rhodesia,. Cape Colony, and Nubia, all British possessions, where agriculture needs drought-re-sisting crops. Professor Wallace says : — "Great local differences in rainfall are the main trouble of the American botanists; but a type of wheat has now been: found-, which will gxow in a region with lOin of rain- Now, to. mate with ft, or, rather, to a'ternate- with it, to maintain; fertility and to-. supply- much-needed vegetable- matter in the' soil, a /dry- land- legume is required. Ai second search has- found the desiderated- • plant- -in.- a, new variety* .of lueernei Manynew: .varieties- -of lucerne, not. to mention, other/ fodder and crop -plants,- have, been: discovered in different .' parts of" the world by: the> officers ofr. the- division- oL plant introduction. In. earl^r summer; one expert returned^from. the limits; of noTthern->cultiv&-tion in, the -Arctic: Circle- wifchv three- newtypes- of lucerne — one with a. Yellow- flower not- improbably connected with our own weedy species, sickle medick, Medicago falcata* It' is- hoped, that at plant with a greater- power than oommon varieties* of re- j sistingpthe effects- of .cold" weather may hare been found. The weak point of' lucerne-J which has- been. in. cultivation, in climates^] that become cold in winter is- its. liability' j to v be* cheeked in: growth by frost, and to ] pa under- during:, the- cold season. In Argen- I tina^ whore lucerne has been successful on: a- \ very Jarge scale, the method of overeomvase the- difficulty 1 is,, to sow; with it eitherryegrass-, or; Bromus inermis, whieK grow • in the winter months and disappear duringrthc warm weather of summer, when; the lucerne is at its best.' The- Meat Bill recently passed in Cape Colony provides, among other things, that no license sha-U" be chargeable for selling South African, grown meat, and that no butcher's license shall be required by a i farmer who supplies the public direct from his farm with South African grown meat ! All contracts and undertakings in support j of any combination, the object of which :s: s -to secure the control of the sale of meat so \ j as to enable such combination to arbitrarily control or regulate the p-rice thereof, are he 1 d to be illegal and void. j The anal^is of stock slaughtered at the 1 Ashbm-ton abattoir during December i 6 as follows : —Cows slaughtered, 21 ; bullocks and heifers, 95; calves. 11; pigs, 26; sheep, 64ff; lambs, 178. Of these, none were condemned for tuberculosis, but two were affected with this disease, and one was condemned for other causes. One calf, three sheep and one lamb were also condemned; A meeting- of the general committee of , the Canterbury A. and P. Association was held on Wednesday last, Mr H. E. Peryman in the chair. The Sheep Committee 1 recommended that the system of counting points for prizes be amended as fallows, the number of points- counted to depend on the number, of entries in each class: — 5 entries or less, Ist 3, 2nd 2, 3rd 1; 10 entries, Ist 4, 2nd 3 r . rd 2, v.h.c. 1; 15 entries. Ist 5, 2nd 4, 3rd 3, v.h.c. 2,. h.c. L; 20 entries, Ist ft 2nd 5. 3rd 4-, v.h.c. 3, h.c. 2, c. L The Horse Committee recommended that the drivinij competition for pair of horses be struck out, and that only one open: competition be held for single jiorse in two-wheeled vehicle, instead of as afpresem one single open competition- and one- single . for ladies. Mr Deans said that he had some objection -to the proposed scale of points. An animal taking first prize in a small class migrJii te a rtraoJi better s-Jiibit thananother.>winner in a large c*aes r yet the exhibitor would, under the scale, lose two or. three points. Me Waymouth suggested that the sheep, horse, and cattle committees should hold a combined meeting, and- draw up a scale of points. Mr Waymouth's suggestion" was adopted," and the report was- referred to a meeting of the combinad' committees. The Horse _ Com- - mittee's- report was -referred to the incoming- .committee. In regard to the Ram Fair, the Sheep Committee -recommended that the fair take' pace on 'Thursday and Friday, March 12 and; 13 v that the regulation passed last year; "That; the sellers be asked to t give an. upset price of stud rams for publication in catalogue," be rescinded; thafc two- breeds of 6tud rams be sold simultaneously, on. the lines carried*, out in flocK

rams; that places be drawn for auctioneers in each breed of sheep, instead of 'one drawing for all breeds. TKe report was adopted. Between the tariff on cattle and other restrictions on importations of; live stock, the people of France are denied the quantity of meat they require. Not only are these restrictions burdensome Jn other ways, but the supply of domestic cattle has in no way met the home demand, and as a result meat in France- commands such, a price that' few can afford it. Petitions are continually .being 1 presented to- the Government to Abolish the* duty on live cattle, but ..without effect as yet! It may be that: tha approaching conference in Pari6 on the refrigerating industries may_ help to remove some of the present restrictions on frozen meat and. produce. There is evidently, a keenness among: people in outside localities- to acquire land in the Aorangi Government Settlement. The- other day (writes the Manawatu correspondent of the Dominion), another small holding off 30 acres E.1.P., was sold at -tils' substantial- price of' £900 for goodwill, and yet the owner now regrets? that he- sold out. The area.- sown for wheat in New South Wales last year is said to be 1,631,562 acres, showing a decrease from- the previous year of 234,1693 acres. This is according to the official figures; In view of the satisfactory state oi tne trade for all classes of sheep, it has been a matter of surprise for some' ,years that the breeding of sheep has' not been more extensively developed in this country (says ihe Field). . One of the- moat' reassuring circumstances connected with the pastoral puisuit of Great Britain is thatforeigi and colonial competition is not likely to"" increase: Many countries abroad are developing their sheep-breeding resources both kr respect to the quantity, and quality of the article produced,' but- the effect ofthis extension upon British markets is discounted by a remarkable increase in, the consumption of mutton in nearly every country abroad. Although nearly I^OOO.OOO' animals were kept in- Victoria during the past year, the Chief Inspector of Stock reports that re.markably lifetlej disease was- present: Cases .which came before the- officers of the stock branch were: — Tuberculosis 346, actmomycoeis 315. swine "fever 48, pleuro-pneumonia 18, and anthrax 8. Proofs of tho heavy weights of tne clips obtained on the various North Island sheep stations continue to arrive, 'especially from the Wairarapa.. district. In one- fleck the same number of sheep have clipped 12 per cent, more- bales than last season. On© iour-toothed ram, which was obtained from Mr John* Bidwill's well-known, Eomney flock at Pihautea> is said to have clipped 251b of wool, which is a. phenomenal Q&c'f, especially aa the ram. was not artificially fed or housed." Thfe average weight of a ram's fleece is about 151b or 161b. An important element in the prevention of. diseases in, crogs- is the selection of r^lihy seed. Some striking cases came under the notice of the Victorian Agricultural Department during the past season of the sowing of seed affected with a diseasewhich wculd attack the crop. These cases included lucerne and clover seed affecteJ with dodder, flax seed' with rust upon it, prairie grass seed with smut, and rye gra;s seed wit l i erast. In every instance a cavoful examination* of the eeed revealed ti-e presence of" the parasite, so that if the samples had been issued before sowing, instead of after, they would have been condemned. The smut in- the prairie grass sped was so plentiful that not a sound hoatl rould b> found in ihe resultant crop. Ths flax seed had the rust spores glued to it by small pieces of the stem, and 60 acres ot the crop were entirely destroyed by it. T n orde- to prevent the waste of time, money, and. labour the greatest care should be token in. the selection of seed. Siberia is the country which must sooner or later carry all before it as the cheapest butter-producer in the world. It is a wonderfully fertile country, and throughout the whole vast territory cattle-rearing is general, because or the abundance of rich'nastura<re and of cheap and plentiful fodder all the year round: There are about 30 million cows in Siberia, the majority being kept for milking 1 . Owing to the exceptional, rich-ness-of the forage 19ib.of Siberian mi.k -n winter, or 221b in summer, is sufficient tp produce lib of butter. In Denmark. 281b of milk is needed to yield thY same quantity. .'.Siberian dairy favmers enjoy many natural advantages, whilst the Government providas them, with' others. There is * professor of agriculture, trained teachers, and Government dairy, schools all over Siberia. Large towns are springing up alomj the course of the new main railway, and branclx lines will soon be tapping tflo rich dairying land on either side. Th® total cost of conveying a hundredweight of butter from Siberia to London does not exceed 6s. About 80 million pounds of. butter i?- now exworted,, but the cows- already owned by Siberian farmers are capable of producing fully twelve hundred million pounds. Labour is rixHculouply cheap, and corresponding abundant. This is the 'crass, of competition, against which Australasia has to contend. Owing to. the ravages of the caterpillar, pest fsaT3 the- Australasian), the present is. the worst season ever experienced, by barleygrowers in the Kbroifc district. Crons whick would ha.ye- returned" a yield of 60 or. 7ff bushels- to- the acre will average less than, half, wH 7 e in 6ome cases the crap was. left stacking, Becauser farmers considered

what remained would not return the- price 'of the binder-twine used. In many cases ! the "grain was far from ripe when cut. The | general opinion Is that, failing a remedy, farmers will have to discontinue growing English barley. '.Thrashing was fo havo* begun last week, "but was stopped by the heavy rain..