ON THE LAND.

Shannon News, 12 February 1929, Page 4

ON THE LAND.

NOTES AND COMMENTS. I A remarkable growth of white el is reported in all parts of North 0| this season. The yield of honey, shl therefore, be heavier than usual. .1 Rural Southland is looking all best. Northern travellers are lolil ih eir praise, of the appearance of I provinces ; and also of its excel roads. I For the month of December, 1928 J number of cows tested by the var| herd-testing groups under the Sol land Associations was 9709 or I herds. j Borne of the wheat crops in N 1 Otago are reported to be turning bl in patches, and it is feared that a i form of disease may have appea: Smut is also fairly prevalent in crops. . There is no change in fat h prices in South* Can anbury, which main at- IOSu up to 3L-.b;'i.od 301 b 421 b; and 96d for over. There] been an increase of per lb in price of lightweight wether and mutton.

The wheat harvest in. New S Wales is expected to exceed 50,00( bushels. In practically every wl growing centre in the. State the ; closed with yields much heavier :

were believed possible a month ago! The director of Rangitikei d| Co. decided to pay suppliers at I rate of Is 6d per lb for December 1 ter-fat. The supply , exceeded that! the corresponding period: of 1927 bJ per cent., which is a record, and*] pay-oht will absorb £12,400. A splendid crop of barley is at ] sent being harvested at Mea] Hawke's Bay, of land that has been cropped for years and is lie to flood every time the river overfle The barley was somewhat, damaged! the recent hail storm, but it suffc less than other patches in the si district.

Maori kumara-growers are plantH now for a late crop, and anticipatH good return (says the Poverty Herald). The .sale of kumara plaH has been a source of satisfactory ■ venue to some of the Natives, who H able to get scores of seedling plaH from a single tuber. The/Succull vegetable has the advantage fff bel immune to pests, and will grow in I most any soil, providing it is planl with care. It *is stated that sol Natives who have been planting I years are not familiar with the bl system of planting, and that ill viduals have evolved methods tl make their crops almost. failure-proH Frost is the greatest enemy of I kumara, but on land not subject I frost the‘tuber will grow for years, I ternating with potatoes as a' gene* rule. One kumara patch at Waiiß beach lias been cultivated for over I years, with the alternative crops I the two tubers,* and the owner boll that the kumaras fertilise the groufl for the potato crop. 1 While admittedly the dairy cow h| made the Waikato, run cattle have all played an important part* iff its devi opment. With increased prices fl beef now ruling, considerably mo steer calves are being reared, and t future of the beef market in the d: trict should be assured (says the Star An inducement to pursue this bran< of the dairying industry lies in tl fact that as much as £6 has been pa this season for yearling calves of got quality.. With such satisfactory pric< as this being realised it is obvious will pay handsomely to grow and fa ten cattle, thereby improving the carr ing capacity of the farms, and revi ing an industry that has languishe greatly since the slump. Fertilisei have increased the wealth of Waikat pastures since its rise from the virgi .state, but the original system emploj ed for breaking in country whs to ru cattle, and then bring them in to bet tor class pastures to be finished ofi During the past four or five years however, there has "not been a grea deal in this class of farming, and con sequently a number of farms have de proeiated in value.' Well grazing dowi by cattle improves the sward of th< grass, but let run to seed, pastures wil rapidly deteriorate.