AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2815, 26 February 1908, Page 22

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

A farmer near Milton informs the Bruc3 Herald that he ne\er knew poisoning to be so successful in the case of rabbits as it has been with him recently. He got a supply from the Mosgicl depot, and laid it out on hie land on one approved evening;, and tha result was that rabbits, voting and old, were picked up dead in all directions. He is quite satisfied that just now poisoning is the thing.

The price of butter in Timaru has fur* tlier advanced to Is 5d j>er lb.

The wheat crops of South Canterbury are not threshing out up to expectations : about 20 bushels ruling where much heavier crops w ere expected. A Masterton farmer recently did well over a rape crop he had succeeded in getting into a forward state. He purchased a hundred fat lambs, and after running them for three weeks in the rape paddock sold them at an advance of £30.

A fine line of lambs was delivered at the Fai 'field freezing works last week from the Colt'etreom Estate. The line numbered 301. and they averaged 3841b. They were all passed without a reject or e\ en a second 1 quality ticket. The lambs were fattened Onrap 3 and one lamb weighed 65 1 b. It is the heaviest killed at the works this year.

Threshing reports from the mills in the Che\lot district are that the yields o£ wheai aie very good, with an excellent sample. Messrs F. Kcllv, W. Bruce, and S. Haugtoev. whose farms aie on the flati near the township of JM'Kenzie, have obtained over 50 bushel* per acrp. Grass-seecJ on the settlement averages thirty bushels Speskinpr at a gathering at Wairoa, Mr J A Gilruth. Chief Veterinarian, men* tioried the work of the Department in tha inspection of meat, which prevented such! scandals a* occurred in Chicago. The Americans were daily spending thousands of pounds trying to counteract Sinclair's

KEXXARD * CAMERON, Stock and Station Agents. Toowooniba", Darling; Downs, Queensland, report continued good) saies of Downs properties, principally _ to* Victorians and New Zealanders. Acting) under instructions from I. M. Greenawayji formerly of Orari. Canterbury, they ate offering No. 1 Subdivision of his famous Felton Estate, comprising some 13,000_acres.subdivided into farms of from 150 to 320 acres, at prices varying from £+ to £7 pert acre. This estate is beautifully situated^ within easy call of rail; and handy to Too* woomba. and contains undulating black soil ridges, lightly timbered, and open plain 3« Water can be ,got anywhere by sinking^ Well sheltered, perfect climate, with a.ri average rainfall of 30 inches. Ideal farmai for dairying and mixed farming. Thel ternr.s are specially attractive, being onefifth cash, one-fifth in three years, an<J balanci at end 'of 10 years, with 5 pcs c"s l . irtrrc-t. Kennard and Cameron alsot : .i\e pu;t'.culHr= of a larg£ number of irn* Pom") propeitiei, also subdivisions ort Y.ipdilia, E'ltTifrowan. and Balgownie. in i m.< diat' vimty. Correspondence invited anj eve*; uJoruiation given*

exjjOßlirC- The pub.ic had now no objee tion to offer to the inspection or meat or the regulation of dairies and rhc export of butter and clicese. The noifc of the De partmenc had boen such that now other countries, m order to effect 'ales ill Lon 'don, put tho magic Irfrers '"N.Z." on thpir products. Emln jeais ago m Smithfield he bought a bc\ of Xew Zeala''.d chickens — beautiful Xew Zeahnd* chickens— and he got a receipt for rhc;n as such ; but he very soon found they had come from Xew York — (laii'-jhtei) — and not a biid of them had been hatched in Xew Zealand : and a> to Kew Zealand meat, the only way to got it was by asking for ''prime Scotch" (laughter). The firs* prize awarded to the King at the Agricultural Hall Catt'e Show for his exhibit of Highland cattle is th 3 latest demonstration qf his Majesty's success as a farmer, of which he is so desenedly proud. When the King began breeding, nearly 40 years ago, the Sandringhan: farm lands were in an almost hopeless condition, barren, and barely capable of cultivation. Today, according to Mr Rider Haqgaid. " it is a wonderful farm, for nowhere is so much high-bred stock to be seen on thn same area.'' But piobablv nowhere will you find such an array of plates and cups won at shows as that which Sandringham boasts. At a =m:jie £\hi!v't;on h ; s M^JP *v once won no fewer thin 14 first prize-- In 1903 life captured five first prizes and cuo>, in addition to numerous scconrs and thu <"!••: in 1904 his prizes numbered 20: in 19C5 he won a c-riampion plate, a challenge cup. and 18 other prize*, ineluui'ig four fn-'l^: while last year he took, at t hn SmithfiMf' Show, 10 firsts, nine "bicel" cnos r.i^l plates, six other prizss. and fvoral "highly commenced? ; " -n<l c^eiy puze-winv 1 he -nas .bred himself.