FARMING NOTES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10712, 18 September 1912, Page 3

FARMING NOTES.

(By "Man o- the Land.") Tho derision of ti'o Wairarapa P. and A. Society to-continue- its annua 1 , stallion parades Las given satisfaction to r. large number cf breeders and hor.-e-ownors. Tr.o parades have uot. be;-a patronised, as they should hove Ik'lmi in recent years by either owners or public; bur. tho threatened discontinuance' has aroused interest, and tlie parade tin's year promises to be a great success. Tho breeding of horses has not the attraction it had hefore the. advent of the motor car ; but there is still money in horses for those who breed on tho right lines. It will bo a long time before ploughing is done by motor, or milk cans convoyed to th« factory in cars.

Tho mortality amongst breeding owes, has assumed serious proportions this year in some parts of the Masterton district. Farmers do not soem tc understand how simple is the 'treatment, or they would not allow their sheep to bo sacrificed. Any person could return the protrusion and put in a few stitches if they only had the apparatus. Fvory shepherd should know how to treat sheep for this complaint.

The-question of veterinary instruction cannot ho too freely discussed. It is surprising how few of our young farmers know how to treat the commonest ailments in stock. It is more surprising that when the managers of the;-Master-ton"" Technical School endeavoured to establish'veterinary classes for farmers, there was practically no response. The. farmers in New Zealand seem to bo either too careless or too well off. Thousands of pounds could be saved every year if farmers possessed but a rudimentary acquaintance with veterinary science.

The re-appearance of the grass grub is causing a good deal of apprehension to farmers in the Wairarapa. It was thought early in tho year that the wet weather had destroyed the grub. This would not, however, appear to be the case. In several parts where the ground was submerged, the pest is appearing in the worst form.

" Farmers in the Masterton and Wairarapa district are beginning to look for.wa.rd with'interest to the opening of the freezing season. -What is going to be the opening price for lambs and wethers? There is a concensus of opinion that the price for both will bo higher this year than last, and the Home reports appear to support this opinion. But supposing the strike fever attacks our freezing woife. What then? The future is, indeed, in the lap' of: the gods, though we all hope for the' best.

That was n significant paragraph which recently appeared in.the Age as coming from the mouth of tho organiser of "the Shearers' Union, There m not likely to be, any shearing trouble this year unless the shearers become involved in the mining, strike. That word "unless" has a great deal of -itfeifieaneo a!-, the present juncture. The J Shearers' Union is'identified with federation of Labour, and the Federa- j tion lias promised to,do things. As sheariug will be commencing in a- fsw . I weeks' time, the outlook'is certainly rminous. Will the shearers refiiE-? tc- : ] work ovt vl :;y-i r .\t!iy. «*!'. t! - ™ [n ' ers? "TV:- alone ;.r: >!!.. .

The supply '.u «V-IV. to the respective factories in t-h« Wairnrar"' i: xejiortpd to bo well up to the avoingo. ease."? it is considerably, higher thai'' u was tin's time laM, year. If dairy-jfar--21y v s v.T.:it the best from their herds they >vil! require to nay grcate;- atceu. tio.i to winter feeding..

The crops in the couhtn; nroiniu j M'fi.sffVtoti are showing nn well; a.:? d m-. dictations T oint to a sjood liarva-v. A j number of our farmers, benefiting by the 1 experience of those; who hnva had jilarjro viplclfl in rcw>rit seasons, are | abandoning the old variety of oat for '•he new and more p r olif:>

Th" price of potatoes, liavnij-; boor. It liifth clm-ipo; flip past son son.' ;\.iivmil)cr of ct+lon; in the Wairarsr.n. are purtins flow", patens of tv.h'M'% t'lis year. Thin district fan wow potatoes wi tinny nari o: tho 'Dominion, proyidinj: tliP 1)I'«;M .'■'lo?-: not appear. Fortii"ato.lv Hie Illicit s'-'ems if have rVctl coiiip'.ptfly or.! i:-. recent roars. .