FARM AND DAIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 253, 5 April 1915, Page 3

FARM AND DAIRY.

NEWS AND NOTES.

A pastoral run of 5528 acres down the Mohoka river, liy a miles from the Xapier-Taupo road, was offered for selection at the Napier office of the Lands Department on Tuesday afternoon, but no applicants came forward. The freezing space at the Waingawa works is still severely taxed. A sufilsient number of carcases are, however, being shipped to enable the'works to put through stock that is offering. A consignment is being put aboard the Rotorua this week. Some idea of the desire there is at the present time to get on the land may be gathered from the fact that about 1850 applicants were received by the Land Board for the 44 sections on the Hauraki Plains, which were balloted for on Tuesday at Paeroa. So eager were some of the applicants to get a section that they decided to have 44 chances, and therefore applied for each one offered. On the average, it 'is fair to assume that each applicant put in for 10 sections. The clerks at Paeroa had a inisy time listing some 18,000 names. The area offered was 1700 acres in one case, and 2485 in another.

Beferring to a scarcity of potash, owing to the cutting off of supplies from Germany, a Wairarapa paper states that in order to fertilise their land many Wairarapa farmers are now collecting and burning logs and running the harrow through the ashes, so as to disturb them. Farmers by this means are able to secure sufficient potash 'for-small areas. The cost of providing potash by this means is very small, while there is the additional benefit of clearing a paddock of unsightly logs. The Eangiwaliia correspondent of the Rangifikei Advocate, -writes:—The great majority of our farmers are in hearty sympathy with the -work in agriculture taught in our schools. Whilethere are many'branches of agriculture that a primary school cannot teach, there are many that can be taught. The value of basic slag for the soil, 'the results 6i too much superphosphate 'in producing sorrel, the value df green manuring, seed selection, etc., and the •proper care of tools are items out of many which have been demonstrated. With bread at its prtscnt price, it is hoped that every boy will start -a. garden of his own at home and supply vegetables for family use (as some are-now doHig). 'By so acting he will'be putting into 'practice some of fLose things' he has 'learnt at school and proving tbat his time in agriculture has not -been wasted.

Returns made lip to tlie end of Mareh, of the ; stock put through 'tlie Patea. Freezing Works, furnish some interesting figures. Tor the period ending, March 31, 1013, 2457 cattle-, were put! through; 'in 1914, 3 2234, and 'in 1915,' 4581. Vtffl. 1918, ftsl; 1914, W88; 191n.': 1838. Sheep in WiX 29,109-; 1914 ' 28,317; 19T5, '30,025. The poundage in-' ■crease this -year, as compared wfaii last year was approximately 1,131,0001'b5. It may lie mentioned that when the present company ioo'k over tlie works, tlie storage room -was eipia'l to only 15000 carcases; to-day there is storage room for -34,(100 carcases. We understand tltat the directors contemplate, during the coming winter, remodelling the present •engine-room and f«*-zing-room, and in* stalling an RO-ton free/or with a view to extending tlie present freezing storage by anotlier 20.000 carcases in readiness for next season's operations. This would then permit of three thousand liead being killed and dealt with daily. Tt is interesting to note also, that since August Ist of last year no less a sum than £13,000 has S>een spent on the worfei at Patea.