FARM AND DAIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 212, 15 February 1915, Page 6

FARM AND DAIRY.

PATEA FARMERS' CO-OPERATIVE FREEZING COMPANY. Tlie Patca Farmers' Co-operative Freezing Company are out to break fresh records (reports the Press). On Monday last t!i ( . foundations were laid of the additional freezing space thai; '.he directors recently decided to erect. Already the first floor has been laid, and one wall completed to a height of some -0 feet. It is the aim of the builder, Mr. F. Amoore, to have the whole work completed and l'eadv for occupation by the, end of the, month. The additional freezing accommodation will bo more than acceptable at the present time, as the company are still working at high pressure, ami are hoping io get away the whole of their stock on hand for Home, shipment, Should the ships not be available, the extra freezing accommodation will be utilised.

The new space provides for the cold storage of 10,000 carcases, which will bring th e total for the work's up to 30,000, as against 12.000 in previous seasons. The new works when t'ullv completed, will be a revelation to fanners in Southern Taranaki. What has been effected during the pa?t few days is rather more, than astonish.'ug. A "new fcrro-concrete m.'.nure mixing and spring building, 70 by 43 feet in extent, has been put in hand, and is well on the road to completion, and, in addition io t!rs. is a fcrro-concrete tallow house, with everything on up-to-date lines, de-sii;/i»'-sl to e avc !<•< much labor as possible, all now within an ace of completion.

What strikes one very forcibly is the fact that so many separate buildings have been undertaken at ten fame and brought to a point of completion. Wednesday last was the anniversary of the fire which destroyed the comnnnv'", works. Since .that time the. directors have built practira'ly two separate works, for the old works were re-erected temporarily, and utilised within fourteen days of the late fire. There should be very little l'hk from a fire-in future as the new works, with the exception of. the freezing chambers, are in ferroconcrete. Whatever may he the stare of the markets, the faraiers in the I'atra district can rely on having the \vork3 io:' all time.

A new variety of wheat from Italy being tested in the Knakura Farm of Insiruction, gives evidence of great drought-resisting powers. It is stated that a farmer in the Gera'dine district has thrashed out a crop of wheat, from 1 lie stool; averaging fit) bushels to the acre. The wheat crop in the Taieri shone! yi-M a fair average, and the Advocate understands that pome of it has already hei a sold at Shortage of labor is reported for turnips and harvesting. At a meeting of directors of the Auckland Fanners' Freezing Co., held at Hamilton this week, it was decided to increase, the capacity o" tee Waikato branch work's from '2OBO to 3000 carcases daily.' The potato crops in the Tfalcombe district this season are said to be the best ever seen there Spraying has been most effective in preventing disease. A farmer at Halcomho states that his wheat crop is equal to 40 bushel-, per acre, which will return, him £l2 per acre. :

There has been considerable activity in the live stock business during the past two weeks at Hastings. Through ;\:i agency a special train, comprising 43 tr",:bs, carrying 2500 sheep and !>0 head of cattle, left for Auckland recently, and a further consignment is to follow. The auctioneer interested is also shipping 00QO sheep to the South Island. According to the Marlborough Press, it is likely fliat the !"icton Freezing Works will discontinue working at the. end of the present week, on account of the storage chamber being taxed to its utmost holding capacity, and there being no signs of a Homo' steamer arriving in. the immediate future. A rather curious weed was to be seen last week in two pens at the Teniuka salcyards (says the Leader). It is believed to be' the Bathm'st Burr, which is a terrible curse in' the Chatham Islands. The weed is believed to hr,-.'e. been brought to Tcmuka and New Zealand by a draft of Chatham Island sheep, which occupied the identical pens whore the weed hail taken root. The Oamarii Mail states that the red-dish-brown rust oil the Californian thistle which appeared in several districts last year, and practically decimated whole patches of this farmei's bete-noir, lias shown up for the first time at Kauroo Tlill. The blight starts on the stem of the plants, extending to the leaves, and rats downward to the roots. Steins in an advanced stage liav easily be pulled out of the ground. It the thistle is doomed. High winds will be interesting to watch the effect of the parasite upon roots, for many believe that once the red-rust conies in, spread the infection rapidly.