RURAL TOPICS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9178, 29 August 1908, Page 6

RURAL TOPICS.

(By "Agricola.")

THE WEATHER. In the early "part of the week ••several hard frosts were experienced, but warm days succeeded, and on the whole, the temperature has been mild and genial, conducive to a good ■deal of growth in both crops and pastures in the Wairarapa. Some farmers state the soil is as yet far from saturated with moisture, and that a steady warm rain would be very acceptable and beneficial. Conjversing with a settler of long residence ori the East Coast I learn that the country in the vicinity of Kawhata, Homewood, Flat Point and Glenburn is looking well, but inland about Te Wharau the grass is somewhat backward. Stock were in good condition, and there was every prospect of a good yield of both lambs and wool.

STOCK SALES AND VALUES. Dairy cows recently sold on acoount.of Mr A. Hooker, of Tarafcahi, by Messrs Dalgety and Co., realised excellent figures, springers ranging in value from £5 15s to £8 15s. It ia anticipated that tho price of dairy stock in the Lower Valley, and in fact throughout the district is likely to go up, as many farmers have to replace their herds, which were depleted during the last summer drought. The local sheep sales do not indicate any great riti-j .n .mui fa, though most W " i iv ' ' changed hands at fnir prices Sell of fat sheep complain of the low price offering ior wethers (about 15s), whiph certainly seems low for the time'of year, and the amount of fleece they are now carrying. But at Johnsonville, on the 25th, there was a marked contrast with Wairarapa prices. At the former place wethers returned from 20s 4d down to 18s. It may be that these sheep were of better quality than, Wairarapa stock, but even so, there is a marked difference in value. It is not very encouraging to fanners who have been fattening sheep on turnips during the winter to receive such poor returns as 15s for fat stock. STOATS AND WEASELS.

Enquiries are now being instituted in the Wairarapa, from Australian sources, as to the beneficial results, or otherwise, of the importation of stoats and weasels, in combating the rabbit peat. Stoats and weasels were first introduced into this district by Mr E. Riddiford, the well-known owner of the Te Awaiti station. Then followed the formation of a Rabbit Board, which was constituted with the special object of introducing the natural enemy of the rabbit. A rate was levied on settlers' land within the area over which the Board had jurisdiction, and several thousands of stoats and weksels were obtained from Great Britain and liberated on the properties of those individuals who paid rates. The cost of the experiment ran into a considerable suta of money—in the purchase, conveyance, food and caretaking during the voyage. There was a c jnaiderable amount of mortality in shipments, attributable to the. neglect of a caretaker in not keeping the animals thoroughly clean. These losses, of course, added to the average cost nf introduction. At the time the animals were liberated rabbits had become a veritable scourge, and at first the comparatively small number of stoats and weasels had very little appreciable effect in reducing tho number, but it was soon observed that they attacked and killed rabbits. More efficient means of poisoning were brought into vogue and carried out, and this, coupled with the increase of the natural enemy the pest was reduced to such a minimum that for some years no great harm has resulted to the pastoraj industry; in fact, it is generally conceded that the stoats and weasels are now holding the balance of power in so far as the Wairarapa is concerned. Pessimists predicted dire results from their introduction, such as the killing of lambs, the destructoin of game and injury to the poultry yards, and it was even suggested that children would be attacked. Fortunately, however, with the exception of game birds, very little harm has been done. , The Dominion flocks' still show satisfactory percentage of lambs, and the poultry industry is thriving. In addition to the good effected ofi the rabbit pest, the stoats arid weasels may also be credited with having destroyed myriads of rats, thereby lessening tho dangnr from bubonic plague. TURNIPS AND MILK. It is some time since our Canadian cousins gave up endeavouring to manufacture good dairy products from the milk of cows fed on turnip?, as it was soon manifest that it did not pay to ,ship cheese made from such milk to England, and the same remarks aoply to butter made for export. This is a lesson that the dairymen of New Zealand should take to heart, for there is a tendency to feed dairy cows on turnips in more than one part of the Dominion, and if the high standard of excellence we have obtained is to be upheld, the practice should be abandoned, and the factories should discard and refuse to take such milk. It; is auid that no country in the world except this now feeds dairy cows in the v/inter on turnips. The evil effect on of turnip-feeding may be counteracted in a great degree by careful adjustment and balanced rations of other foods.' The safest plan, h iwtver, is to give up turnip feeding in toto, and resort to growing other crops, of which there are so many suitable for winter sustenance. Winter dairying ijiust yet come largely into vogue in this country, and the prime lesson which must be learnt by our farmers is "What are the best cropsto grow to tain a copious supply of sweet and nutritious milk?" LAMBING. This is one of the most important subjects that at this season of the year engages the attention of the sheep-farmer, arid too much care cannot be exercised in respect to both the ewes and their progeny. It is at this time that a good shepherd displays hia worth and value to his employer, for with good judgment and care hj« can save many lives of the anitriuld under his supervision, such important results depencfon the care displayed during lambing, and t le subsequent uocking that it is surprising that more attention is not jgiven to it Docking is too often

carried out with far too much haste and rush. To see some Hock 3 handled, the observer would surmise that the be all and end all was to work at high pressure, quite regardless of care and attention in mothering the lambs. Large mobs are massed together, hurried through the yards with the ultimate result that there are hundreds of motherless lambs which succumb, or linger out a precarious existence and grow, if they do live, into unprofitable stock, an eye-sore and curse in eveiy way. Suddenly this afternoon (Friday) the temperature has fallen very low, and there is every appearance of a cold southerly gale setting in. The Arbitration Court is to sit in Masterton on September 29th, when it is expected that the Drovers' | Union demands will iome under review.