RURAL TOPICS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9184, 5 September 1908, Page 6

RURAL TOPICS.

(By "Agricolu.')'

THE WEATHER

The month of August which baa just passed was characterised by a good deal of frost, but the rainfall was only normal as compared with other seasons. The advent of September was ushered in with ideal weatner, warm and spring-like days —though the nights have been chilly, with frosty mornings. Tha frosts are gradually getting less severe, and tlie snow is rapidly receding from the summits of the Tararua mountains. Slieap breeders should be well satisfied with tha meteological conditions, for nothing tould have been more favourable for lambing. Crops and pastures would, however, be much benefited with a day or two's warm rain. One result of the fine weather is that the roads have dried up i-apid-ly, and are now in fair traffic condition in the Masterton and Wairarapa districts. In and around the neighbourhood of Te Nui, where pastures during the winter were short, are now showing sitrns <>f good growth, and sheep are looking remarkably well. It is a pleasant sight to see the number of strong healthy lambs that are now desf.orting themaalves in the paddocks of the farms in tne neighbourhood of Upaki, Upper Plain, and other parts in the vicinity of Masterton. There is an opinion, that on some of tne larger .stations the lambing will not be mute u r > to Uie usual high average of past years. THE SHEARERS ACCOMMODATION BILL. Tliia measure, which is now before Parliament, is exercising the attention of the pastoral community, who consider that it is much too drastic in many of its provisions. Not having had an opportunity to peruse it, I am unable to comment upon it. No doubt the Farmers' Union will pass it under review—though quite recently the Masterton A. and P. Association had not received a copy of it. THE DROVERS' AND SHEPHERDS* UNION. I gather from conversing with several of the members of the Drovers' and Shepherds Union that regret is expressed that the Union was formed. It is reported that no steps will be taken to bring the demands before the Arbitration Court at present, but will he postponed till the new Act is passed by Parliament. THE STOCK MARKET. There has been little movement in stock sales this week, either in regardlto numbers submitted, or a forward movement in prices. Dairy cows still find purchasers at good Value, and the advertising columns of the pilars shvw that a number of good stock will be auctioned soon. THE DOCKING OF LAMBS. The season for this most important and necessary operation is now at hand, and a few remarks on the subject may be appreciated by some ot the readers of this column. It is very essential in the first place to cleanse all the yards of manure or any other foul refuse, particularly from the smalL yards in which the ewes and lambs are being handled. A good plan to adopt after the yards are cleaned out is to saturate the surface with some disinfectant —if nothing else is at hand a little dipping fluid will be found effectual. 'These precautions,' which will not entail much labour, or expense, will to a great degree minimise the risk oil mortality among the lambs from "blood poisoning," which has become only too common in the Dominion of recent ysars. The actual operation of docking, ear marking, etc., is generally carried out by shepherds or others who are up-tu-date in their methods, and, therefore, comment on this is unnecessary. A rail or plank should be provided in the yard fence, not less than eight inches wide, upon which the lambs are to be held. This will prevent the animals from being bruised when struggling under the operation. The rail should not be placed at too great a height from the ground, if so it entails a great deal more hard work in lifting on the men who catch and hold the lambs. Just when the operation of docking has been completed, and prior to the lamb being released by the holder, it is quite worth while to dress the tail, and raw surface and surroundings of the wounds with isome disinfectant as a preventive against "fly blows and blood poisoning." This is easily accomplished by having, whatever liquid i 3 used' in some vessftl, a tin billy at hand, together with a swab to apply the disinfectant with. In releasing the lamb, the person holding it should use every care in dropping it on to the ground, so that it rests on all four feet. It is just as well every now and then at stoppages to remove all the docked tails and other matter from the yard likely to attract innumerable flies. Some sheep-farmers, instead of having the lambs dropped into a small yard after docking, provide a paddock of some two or three acres into which a few of the ewes from the mob have been previously turned. This plan has its advantages, for many of the lambs pick up their mothers almost immediately, and certainly run less risk of being fly blown. It is very desirable, when practicable, that in mothering lambs that they and their mothers be taken from the docking yax-ds back on to the ground from wnich they were mustered, and kept in hand, but not too closely, for several hours by one or more shepherds. For very small paddocks this is not necessary, but in any case it is of great advantage to have docking yards', if only temporary and moveable, made of hurdles or netting, in, or ill close proximity to the lambing ground. It can often be arranged toat at the junction of several fences, one set of yards may be made to serve two or morel paddocks. SMALL BIRDS AND PARLIAMENT. The Parliament of the Dominion is often only t> ready to postpone and make excuse for not passing legislation v/hich is of importance 1.1 the welfare of a very large section of the community. A case in point iq in connection with the Small Bird Nuisance. The Hon. the Minister of Agriculture, in answer to a question in the House, said a Bill had bfen drafted, "but as the session was to be i short one, there will be no opportunity to pass it j to law." Members of Parliament

are elected and paid to conduct the business of the Dominion, and it should not be a question of "long or short" sessions if it is of importance that any particular measure should be passed to redress any wrong or suppress any nuisance affecting the community. If M.P.'d would curtail their verbosity, and nut waste time in profitless debate, filling columns of Hansard, and would not adjourn the House to go junketing to Fleet and other celebrations, there would be ample time to perform a great deal more useful work than at present obtains. These clouds of small birds, depicted by Mr Hardy, M.P., with their increase, will take heavy toll of our farmers and orchardists this season, devouring quantities of the food supply of the people and lessening the profits, of the producers. But this is a mere "bagatelle" when compared with the convenience of Ministers and members who desire to hurry away, address, and cast a glamour over their constitutions prior to seeking reelection —making thtm believe what wonders have been done on their behalf, and what more good things are in store, if only they are sent back to Parliament again. It is quite a solace indeed for the orchardist, who has been compelled to spray his trees to kill scale and blights, to have his fruit crop devastated by miriads of small birds', whose destruction Parliament has no time to deal with.