FARMING NOTES

Wairarapa Age, 27 March 1920, Page 7

FARMING NOTES

A Tinui farmer states that there is an unlimited Bupply of lime in that district.

A big cash transaction in land was put through about a fortnight ago, when the Glen Murray estate, near Mercer, was purchased by well-known Taranaki sheep-farmers, the purchase price for land and stock exceeding £70,000.

Messrs Abraham and Williams, Ltd., Levin, advertise particulars of the Weraroa annual sale of Friesian; Red Poll and Guernesy bulls, to be held on Bth April. The cattle are bred at the Central Development Farm, Weraroa. Catalogues, may be obtained on application to the auctioneers.

"Lucerne has adapted itself to so many soils, that it should be always given a suitable trial before being condemned. It is one of the most nutritious of all the foods, and the beauty of it is that on© has it for at least fifteen or twenty years," remarked Mr F. E. Ward, of the Department of Agriculture, when addressing a meeting of farmers at Tinui yesterday.

The Government has completed the purchases or three areas of native land —two areas of 10,680 acres, and 2092 acres in the Wharepuhunga Block, and another of 2609 acres in the Rangitoto Tuhua Block, all in that part of the country popularly known as the King Country. The Wharepuhunga land, is not far from the place where the head Works of the Arapuni hydroelectric scheme will be established. All the land is open fern country.

As an indication of the upward tendency of land values, a Councillor at Kimbolton last .week retailed the experience; of a Umutoi soldier. On his departure from New Zealand he endeavoured to dispose of his farm at £ll per acre, but could not find a buyer, and in that respect was fortunate. Some little time after the soldier's return from the war, he heard his neighbour wished to sell out,,and on asking the price was quoted £25 per acre. He gasped in surprise, but eventually came to—and offered £2O. Next day the neighbour, quitted his holding to a third party at £25 10s.

A report has just been made of results obtained in experiments in Missouri, made to demonstrate the efficiency of lime and fertilisers in increasing the yield of alfalfa. At the time of the report, two cuttings«.had been made on four plots. ,It was clearly shown that lime aided materially in increasing the tonnage of both cuttings. Lime and acid phosphate brought about still greater improvement. The addition of barnyard manure in addition to these two substances was found to be further beneficial.

It ia announced that an officer of the lands Department is to leave for America shortly to buy drainage dredges and machinery for the breaking in and roading of newly-drained land, Already great areas of swamp land hare been reclaimed by tho Lands Department and turned into some of the beßt pasture land in the country, but from early in the war operations have been very severely hampered by the Department's inability to replace old and worn-out mahinery. Should it be possible to buy new machinery in America, the Government, it is understood, will push ahead not only with these works partially executed, but also with several new areas' as yet untouched.

Dipping operations are now general throughout the East Coast district.

A number of the Tinui farmers are busily engaged in erutching operations at the present time.

The country in the Tiniii district is at the present time looking somewhat dry, and there will probably be a shortage of cattle feed tor the winter. Although the feed is somewhot bare, the grass is surprisingry green.

; Mr. B. Allen has commenced mowing white clover on Mr. H. J. Cooper's farm, «' Ellesmere," Opaki, the crop Of which constitutes a record for th» district.

The following letter has been received by the Dominion Executive from the Minister of Agriculture, in connection with its representations to him regarding the plant lantana:— "With reference to the resolution regarding the above-mentioned plant passed at the recent Dominion Conference of your Union, I beg to inform you that the necessary steps hate been taken inclusion of this plant in the Third Schedule of the Noxious Weeds Act, and I forward herewith three copies of the notification in this respect which .appeared in the New Zealand Gazette."

The following telegram has been received by Mr W. Earl, Waikari, in answer to a letter sent to the Hon. W. Nosworthy (Minister for Agriculture), which contained a request to allow millers to pay up to the highest price fixed for any kind of wheat grown : "Received your letter enclosing petition signed by farmers of your district regarding wheat prices/ Matter will receive very careful consideration, and further reply will be sent you later on my return to Wellington."

In the course of his remarks at the farmers' meeting at Tinui yesterday, Mr F. E. Ward, of the Agricultural Department, remarked that the Americans say that they have records of lucerne reaching a» depth of 129 feet in good soil. Several * members present were of the opinion that the statement was just a little too "American," and very much doubted it. Mr Ward pointed out, however, that he knew of instances on the Government Experimental Farmß when the depth had been proved to be between thirty and forty feet. "And I think that is nearer the mark," commented the speaker.