GENERAL NEWS.

Shannon News, 12 February 1926, Page 4

GENERAL NEWS.

Four truck-loads of Angora goats were railed from Taranaki to Hawke's Bay last week. They are to be used .in eradicting blackberry. According to the Alexandra Herald the Manuherikia Rabbit Board is at present engaged in a general pollard poisoning as a means of coping with the rabbit p'est. Market-gardening is not always profitable. ' A local Celestial informs us that after paying 6d per tin for the picking of beans, added to which was railage, he received 6d per tin! A train traveller who was struck with big patches of blue in a paddock near Marton was informed that crops were Californian thistle. The ground had other crops, and the traveller was surprised to learn that the more the land was cultivated the more prolific the pest. "You have some fine towns in New Zealand, and I find that they are very English," said Mr. E,"F. Hutchings, of Bristol, with the touring bowlers. New Zealand could not help , progressing". "What is wanted, however, was 1,000,000 more, people on the land. They were not needed in the towns. A fair quantity of oats is now to be seen in stook in various parts of South Canterbury, and many crops of oats and .occasional fields of barley are ready for the binder. It will be three or four weeks, however, before the main portion of the wheat is ready for cutting. The Okoia Co-operative Dairy Factory Company has received advice that the shipment of butter despatched, by the Port Hacking sold at prices ranging from 170 sto 176 s per cwt. The average price for the shipment was 173 s and this may be regarded as a satisfactory figure considering the present marketing conditions. ( The executive of the Palnrerston North Hospital Board met on Thursday afternoon to discuss with Dr. T. H. A. Valintine, Director-General of Health, the proposed additions to the institution and also the proposal to close the Otaki hospital. The proceedings were in committee, but the matters raised will be discussed at a meeting of the Board "early next month. There is a. wide diversity of opinion this year as to the probable yield of crops in Canterbury. The rain has been irregular and Very patchy, and whilst some districts are looking decidedly backward, others again pro*mise fairly well up to the average. However, the bulk of opinion is that generally the yields per acre will be well under normal. New stuff is being offered very sparingly, and most of what has come before merchants' notice is assessed by farmers at more than the trade's ideas.

The simplest ~vay to ascertain the approximate weigit of a pig from measurement is just to take its, girth behind the forelegs in inches. A pig 36in in girth, r: of medium length and well fed, should give a dressed carcase weight of 6st—;hat is 841 b. Practically for every v ch over 36 in girth a stone (141 b) wi 1 be added. A pig 40ia ■in girth should give a carcase Weight of lOst (1401 b). A lengthy pig, however, that is a so prime fat will give a rather heavi ;r carcase weight than lOst if it-is 4)in in girth. The rule holds best for ] igs of 6st to 'Bst or 9st, that make tidy pOTkers or small baconQXB A list'of the HO leading dairy cows in Scotland ha: been prepared by the Scottish Milk liseords' Association. In preparing the ! ; st the Association calculated milk y eld and butter-fat per eentage, and oily included those cows that calved ag: in within 13 -months. The first five cews in this list are Brit-, ish Friesians, tl e sixth is a Jersey, the ( seventh a Shorihorn, the eighth, to the thirteenth Fries ans, and the fourteentn an Ayrshire. The British Friesian cow that was fourt" in 1924 was first m 1923. She is Mr. E. M. Broadfoot's twice 2000-galk a Thorpe Playful. Her

butter-fat percentage was 3.83 in 1923 and 3.63 in 1924. The provision of shelter-trees and hedges for stock depasturing on grass is a most important aspect of farming. lAls ,the ,-animals spend the bulk (Of their time in the fields provision should be made, by the planting of trees, to protect them from the hot sun and cold biting wind or driving rains. Such an undertaking would quickly pay for itself by means of increased production and a reduction of the numbers of animals sick- Even trees are a longtime in growing, their presence on the farm even as saplings will greatly enhance the value of the land on the market. Having provided shelter for your animals, it is certain that you will also profit by an increase in the value of your farm. " A good story is at present going the rounds of the medical fraternity of Napier. There is a former resident of Aberdeen who lives in one of the back country districts of Hawke's Bay, and the local doctor smiles whenever his name is mentioned. The man from the Highlands was in Napier for the wool sale the other day, and called on the medico with the idea of getting some helpful advice regarding his'loss of appetite. The doctor heard him out and then confidently recommended more exercise. "Saddle a horse," he said, f'and ride 20 miles a day. That wii. give you a fine eating mania." " Nae doot it wull," eanve the thoughtful reply in rich Scotch brogue, "but what sort o' an appetite will it gie' th' horse?"

"Men are far 'ar&cr t' please than women," exclaimed a woman attendant impatiently in an Auckland shop. The customer, says the Star, was a middleaged man who had entered a shop in one of the by-streets to purchase a ready made suit. There was no lack of variety, either in design or colour, among the suits in stock; but the exasperated woman was at her wits' end to find one that combined all the qualities required in a single suit. 'Some of them want the corners square; others want them round; some want flat lapels and coats cut straight at the back; others want them waisted, and they must have the button to do up like this," she went on. "Why, they must think they're in a tailors' shop!" Presently she looked round her ample stock; and regaining her good humour, began to discourse on the variety of the colouring. "You can't call them by one colour thes'e days," she said. "Just this minute I 'ad somebody comes in and tells me about something he called 'yellowish-green,' and thcy oftcn comes and describes their clothes to me like that. And who do you think is going to buy them clothes? Oh 1 'spose it's the rich folk," and she shuffles back into a rear room laughing heartily.