FARM AND DAIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 150, 1 December 1914, Page 6

FARM AND DAIRY.

EXPORTS OF PRODUCE. At Wednesday evening's meeting of the Wellington Harbour Board, a most interesting summary of statistics for the port for the year ended September 30 was presented to members in committee, and at the conclusion of the meeting were handed to the press. With respect to butter, cheese and meat, the results shown were:— 1913-14 1912-13 Tons. Tons. Butter 11,414 10,488 Cheese (record) v 37,776 35,851 Frozen meat (record) 38,358 32,078 87,548 84,417 The Commissioner of Crown Lands estimates thatthe South . Australian wheat crop will yield from 3,500,000 to 4,000,000 bushels. The entire stock of pedigree cattle and horses from the Kaiser's estate at Reminte, East Prussia, which has been acptured by the Russians, haye arrivad at Smolensk, and will be distributed among the agricultural associations. The near hind leg of a cow is on the opposite to the near hind leg of a horse. At least, we have stated upon the authority of Mr Reid, S.M., who thus corrected counsel in the Carterton Court (says the News). It is not often legal ! gentlemen miss the "milking" side of anything. In these days of advanced poultry- [ raising, the felne pets generally get the eredit for all the missing chicks of a tnder age. A resident of Runanga, however, was greatly surprised one. day to find that an altogether unexpected pet in the way of a seagull, had begun depredations among the chickens, and was caught inthe act of taring up one valuable brood.

The statementtjiat the Germans have I been buyuing on all ljands in preparation for Hie war is evidenced in a Gt>v•••—imf-< ro'.'.i'T to hand. This shows that during the quarter ended, June 30, New Zealand exported to produce valued at £217,430, as compared with £40,131 for "the corresponding period in 1913 —in twelve months, trade being multiplied five-fold. Napier's trade alone amounted to £33,068, which is only £7OOO short of the whole of the previous quarters total New Zealand trade with Germany. According to the Russian year book, there are in the Russian Umpire about 5,700,211 beehives owned by private owners and peasants. It is added that agri- i culture is bound to become one of the chief industries of ea»trn Siberia in the near future. In an editorial article dealing with the close of the session, the Farmers' Union Advocat states that Mr Masscy has had an anxious time in preparing the cvxpcditipnnry force for the help of the Motherland and of the manning of the defences of the Dominion's coasts against possible aggression. "It is only fitting," further comments the Advocate, "that ! we should give due recognition to the 1 party led by Sir Josph Ward, for the manner in which the party spirit was sunk and all united to assist the Government in its onerous tasks. It was ! good to see the fine spirit displayed, and [ though the decision to hold the general election at the present time has awakened tlife sleeping dogs of party warfare, the strain is relaxed for the present. The four or five weeks time to the coining elections is so short that there will not be the opportunity w stir up much bitterness, and by the opening of next I Parliament we trust that things will i again resume the normal."

Ail interesting letter is publish de in the Manawatu Standard from a Marlborough sheep owner, who, referring to the drought conditions, says:—"The drought in Marlborough is reaijy appalling. I have never seen the country so dry in the driest autumn. Sheep are starving and springs are drying, and this is October. The cereal crops are coining into ear before they are six inches high. The Awatore, they tell me, is even worse-. Other years all my sheep have been sold months ago, but so far I have not sold a hoof. It is really most ser- , ious. No one remembers anything like it liere; 'and we have been advised to inaUe provision for storing our wool indefinitely. Sounds cheerful, doesn't it?" When the subject of parents' insistence on their sons pursuing avocations Uncongenial to the youths was mentioned at the Wellington Industrian Association's meeting, an interesting story was told. A wealthy New Zealand farmer, it appears, had a son who wished to be a doctor of medicine. "No," said the father, "you shall be a farmer, like myself, and carry on this place." Thq son won a scholarship, and used the money to aid him in getting to Edinburgh. There he studied medicine enthusiastically. He earned his living, while studying, in various ways; and to-day he is practising lucratively as a doctor in the Scotch citv.

Mr J. Watson had an experience the other day when felling a tree on the Kokonui Road (states the Winton Record. A weasel approached him and rushed into a hole in the trunk. He put the straw into the aperture and lit it, but the weasel did not make its exit for some time. Curious to know what the hollow contained, Mr Watson split the lag and discovered six voung weasels about the size of'kittens, all dead. They had just been killed by the mother. The weasel showed fight several times afterwards, adn Jfr Watson, having read in the papers some time ago about a man having been attacked by thscc ferocious creatures, kept a watchful eye 011 his assailant.