AGRICULTURAL ITEMS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 9015, 28 December 1907, Page 7

AGRICULTURAL ITEMS.

iEXPORTS OF FARM PRODUCE,

There is not a great change to report in the exports of farm produce, .says the "Farmers' Union Advocate." Butter is almost exactly the same as in the month of November of last year but cheese shows a marked increase—Nov. 1907, 19,823 cwt against 6,763'cwt. in 1906. Beef is about the same, and almost entirely •exported from Wellington. Mutton is just double, and it is very significant to note that only two carcases were exported from Lyttelton. The number <»carcases from the four exportingqentres were: Gisborne, J 13,349; Napier, 4,666; Wellington, 27,454; Bluff, 29,142. Napier heads the list with lamb, with 1,941 carcases, and Wellington (the only otherport from which any of consequence were exported) sent 1,226. Canterbury lamb is not yet ready, and perhaps the drought may curtail their export materially. But the late rains have freshened things up. In grain, as was to be expected, there is no export at all. Flax (New Zealand hemp) is Just about the same, but there has been a serious drop in the value, which, in the export leaflet Ho. 50, is put down at £6 a ton. We are' afraid, however, that this will not cover by a considerable amount the fall in prices. This fall (although there are signs of improvement) is a very serious thing for New Zealand, and" it is to be hoped that it is only temporary, for there has been a great deal of money invested in land and plants for this product, and it absorbs a great number of hands. THE POTATO BLIGHT. The potato blight, according to a statement made to an "Auckland Herald" representative by Mr Kirk, Government Biologist, has made its appearance this season in most of the districts of the dominion. Where the weather has been dry the crops have not suffered to any great extent, the disease always being worse in wet seasons. Mr Kirk stated that where spraying with the Bordeaux Jftxture, as recommended by > the De?trtment of Agriculture, has been systematically carried out, the j damage has not been very marked. In the Auckland district in the first year, he said, ample demonstration of the efficacy of the Bordeaux mixture had been furnished in the cases of persons who had carried out the spraying according to directions, although, of course, when there was continued wet weather the good results of the treatment had been lessened to a more or less extent. WHAT IS IT DOING? This is what our legislation is doing:—Kennard and Cameron, stock and station agents of Toowoomba, Q., report the sale of the whole of No. 1 subdivision of Condamine Plains, some 8,300 acres, to Mr J. C. N. Grigg, of Longbeach, Canterbury, New Zealand. Mr Grigg is the owner of the far-famous "Star" Farm of New Zealand, and is a decided acquisition to the" Darling Downs; bis extensive experience in lamb-raising and interests in freezing should iead - to the establishment of a very big industry, and no doubt many New Zealanders will fofiow his example and secure similar holdings on Condamine Plains, Yandilla, and Ellangowan, three magnificent estates now being subdivided and unsurpassed for mixed farming, comprising beautiful alluvial flats, open plains; and lightly timbered forest, at prices from £3 to £5 par acre.