FARM & GARDEN NOTES.

Waikato Argus, Volume III, Issue 212, 20 November 1897, Page 2 (Supplement)

FARM & GARDEN NOTES.

The Weather and The Farm. —Beautiful weather has prevailed during the week, but indications to-day (Thursday) point to an early fall of rain. Up till today the days have been very hot. and the heat has forced the crops along in a marked manner. iSuccessional sowings of maize for green feed can be made up till Christmas time. Tares for soiling, for late summer use, might be sown by dairymen with advantage. The quantity of seed required for an acre is '2i to 3 bushels All kinds of stock are fond of this plaut, and if it is thought better to feed the crop off than to rut it as fodder, it may be so consumed, when the land will be left in splendid order for autumn wheat or oats. Shearing is now in full swing throughout the district, both large and small owners being hard at it. It would be well if newly-shorn sheep were afforded access to a sheltered paddock for a week or so after shearing, in case of a sudden change of weather. The last series of London wool sales having closed firm at good prices, the prospect of the clip meeting a good market at the approaching local sales on Wednesday week is good.

XX x Wheat Displacing. Sheep.—" Solopiun' in the Shrewsbury News, says:—The agricultural returns show an increase of 6,000 acres sown with wheat in Shropshire, but a decrease of more than 21,000 sheep. Why is this ?

A New Subsoil Plouoh.—The Sydney Mail says that a remarkable subsoil plough was exhibited by the Agricultural Department at the Wagga show. This American invention cuts out roots in great slices and still goes on ploughing as though it had hit nothing harder than loam. + + +

English Butter Market.—A cable this week informs us that colonial butter is ruling firm at £5 4s ; Danish at £4 17s. This is. we think, the first occasion on which colonial butter has been quoted higher than Danish, and the reversal of position must be gratifying to dairymen and manufacturers. + x +

A New Departure for Colonial Farmers : Fattening with Oic-cake.— Considerable interest was taken in a pen of cattle entered at tho Ashburton yards on Tuesday, as they were the first cattle that have ever come into tho yards that had been systematically fattened on oil cake. They certainly did great credit to their grazier an 1 fattener, Mr Herring, of Alford, as thoy were decidedly nondescript in tho matter of breeding. Mr 11. Herring expressed himself satisfied with tho experiment, as the bullocks fold at paying prices.—" Lyttelton Times." x .x x

A Popular Errob.—lt is generally considered that the nearer a horse is to the weight the easier it can draw it, hence it is thought that a three horse yoke in a plough is an advantage because the horses are clossr to their work, whereas in a four horse yoke the leaders are at some distance from the plough. As a matter of fact, howover, this is not the case, and the leading horses have to use no more power than the hinder horses in order to do the samo work. Tho only difference is that when a horse or a man is pulling at the end of a long rope or chain tho sagging of tho rope or chain has to be overcome. This is according to the rules governing dynamics. If the sagging of a chain was prevented by it being laid on the ground, then the friction against the ground must be added to the power necessary to draw the weight of the plough, or whatever it may be. In tho case of a team of eight horses yoked in a waggon, the pair of leaders cm pull as much as the two shatters with no more exertion, because there is no nagging to overcome, each horse beiog yoked to the chains of the one behind it.

Manure for Potatoes.—Dr Ludwig Hacke has investigated tho relations between tho potato and its plant food during the period of growth. (1) During the period of vigorous growth the crop requires much nitrogen, potash, and phosphoric acid. (2) The need for nitrogen is especially marked in the first-half of the growth period ; that for potash the second half. (3) The taking up or plant food is influenced in a constant way, thousrh to a small extent, by manures which promote the formation of dry substance —(ft) potash manure increases relatively to the amount of potash absorbed during the first half of the growth period, but diminishes it in the second ; (//) nitrsgenous manure diminishes the absorption of nitrogen during the first half of the period ; (<■) the absorption of food may stop if an essential constituent bo absent from soil or manure. (1) In spite of the influence of manures, the innate peculiarities of the potato plant determine the amount and kind of plant food taken up from the soil during the different phases of growth. Every kind of crop has its owu constant characters, due to inheritance and must be manured accordingly.

The World's Wheat Area.—On several occasions in the past we have, says the London Standard, pointed out that, in the first year of a deficient eleven average harvest of wheat in the world, after the absorption of the surplus stocks created by the extraordinary prolific crops grown in 1891-4, the price of wheat would be bound to go up considerably. The basis of this prediction was the fact that the increase in the world's wheat yrea lagged far behind the growth of the population of bread-eaters, while the area of rye, which is largely used as a substitute for wheat, had been absolutely diminished. The careful calculations of Mr C. Wood Davis, of Kansas, in tins connection have been confirmed by the independent reckoning of Sir Robert Giffen, as published in the Appendix to the Report of the Royal Commission on Agriculture. He shows that in the countries practically comprising the bread-eating world. the approximate increase of the wheat area in the twenty yearH ending with 1893 was only 19 per cent., as compared with a growth of 20 per cent, in the population. For the twenty years ended in 189 G Mr Davis mado the increase in the wheat area 18 per cent., a.id the increase in the population of bread-enters 20.2 per cent. As to rye, Sir Robert Giffen shows a decrease of o per cent in the area.

Shortage in Australian Wool.— Messrs Goldsbrough, AJort and (Jo, thus report upon the anticipated deficiency in this season's wool clip in Australia :—" It is to be feared that the shortage in the clip will provo greater than uns antkipitud, and that the ostinifiU-s of iho few who were intimately aiiquiiinled with the state of tho country during the past seu-

sin, which were regarded as exaggerated, will prove to be well founded. We have hesitated hitherto in forming an estimate, as we regarded .shearing returns as the only reliable data. These returns a e rather behind their normal dates, or a greater total would be available : but so far we have been able to aggregate clips. which last year represented over 30,000 bales, show a reduction on the present she iring of fully 25 percent. These are; principally from New South Wales and Northern Victoria, and from widelysepnrated districts, not selected in tiny way, but a simple comparison of clips, which are now complete, with the same brand- last year. It is hard to realise the heavy shortage this foreshadows, for upon this basis the deficit from New South Wales alrne would appear likely to exceed 200.000 bales ; yet there is no reason to suppose that the stations responsible for the returns have been exceptionally unfortunate, for the districts aro varied, and they present generally a fair average indication of the so:'son. Future returns may modify the figu»es, but they, on the other hand, would reqiure to bo exceptionally favourable, of which there is no indication so far." + + +

A Saoacious Collie.—The sagacity of the Collie has become proverbial. Instances innumerable havo been given of his clevirmss in various capacities, and ono which, just come from Wales, forms a fitting addition to the sequenco of such stories that have had publicity given to them from time to time. Every year there is a competition at Carnarvon, in which a prize is offered for the most intelligent sheep dog. A fold is erected with a very narrow entrance, and each dog is given three sheep, which he must get into the fold, the prize going to the dog who perforins his task in the shortest time. There is one dog who has won the prize year after year, but at a recent competition he was so severely handicapped by the refractory nature of one of his sheep that he lost the prize. He managed to get two of the three into the pen, but the third completely set him at defiance, and even turned upon him and tried to butt him. It was then that the intelligence of the dog showed itself. He placed himself between the sheep and the pen, and at every butt of the sheep he backed nearer and nearer to the entrance, so ert : cing the sheep forward, until at last the dog actually allowed himself to be butted right into the pen. The sheep followed him in, and then the dog sprang over the sheep's back and stood triumphantly in the entrance to prevent the animal's exit. + + +

New Process of Preserving Milk : Keeps Fresh for Twelve Months. The Dairy quotes tho following from a San Francisco Paper : John Russel, of Seattle, Washington, is .slid to have discovered a process for preserving milk that will stagger the condensed milk Deople. Some samples have been keep for a year, and the milk has proved as fresh ns when " put up." It is not " condensed," nor is it preserved by the use of any additional preservative. It i:s, however, subjected to a process known only to the discoverer. Milk and cream are both prepared in the i>amo way, and have the 6ame taste, appearance, and properties of the fresh nrticle. Samples have been submitted to Dr. Spenccs, the wellknown bacteriologist, who is reported ns having enthusiastically endorsed the milk us being pure and healthful. A factory has been erected, and the preserved milk is now being used in San Francisco, California. Tho possibilities of the discovery aro described as being enormous, and while it may injure the business of the milkman near the large cities, it will be of the greatest benefit to the more remote dairies and the consumers. At Point jßeyts, where the parent factory is located, farmers are offered twenty-five per cent. more for milk than they could make by turning it into butter. The new proces* takes milk out of the list of perishable articles, and it. is said that so cheap is the proce-s that it oan be practically sold at the same prices as fresh milk. A family an get a dozen bottles, or a hundred for that matter, and keep them on hand ready to use at any time. It is expected that grocers will keep it on hand also, just ns they do canned tomatoes or corn, as it can be handled just as safely and easily.

Inspection ok Cattle Surds.—The actual necessity which there is for the careful and frequent inspection of cow sheds and dairies must be apparent to all men who travel with their eyes and minds open. The natno "country" cannot be accepted as a guarantee of purity unless it is known that all the dairies, the pastures, and the water supplies are clean. That there can be quite as much of purity from the town dairies as the country ones, even in England, is shown in a recent report from Dr. A. E. Harris, the medical officer of health for the Islington Vestry, who maintains that the general condition of the cowsheds in his district will compare favourably with any in the rural district'. Dr. Harris says that atone time he held another view ; but his investigations in the provinces, and especially in Derbyshire, dispelled from his mind the idea that cows should be entirely relegated to the country and that the existing cowshed* in the town should be gradually abolished. What he then saw convinced him that the country cow--Bhed wasnot in so gooda sanitary condition, nor so clean, aa the shed in town is. Until there is a guarantee that the country cowhouses are inspected systematically by the rural authorities, he will therefore continuo to advocate the existence of such places in London. He quotes the experience oi Dr. E. \V. Hope, the medical ofrber of health for Liverpool, who found that out of 24 samples of milk taken at the railway station, seven sample.*, or 29 - 1 per cent., were able to infect guinea pigs with tubercle, while of 111 samples taken from sources within tho city only three, or 2'B per cent., were tuberculous. The report deserves the attention of country dairymen and rural sanitary authorities. + + +

Tin: Influence of Supebi'iiosi'matk —The following extract is taken from the report of the experiments carried out by the Glasgow and West of Scotland Department of Technical Agriculture : " A general employment of superphosphate to be sown with the seed in spring offers an efficacious and in every respect a satisfactory remedy. It produces a highly profitable increase of giain, and its tendency is to produce grain of a better quality, It costs little to begin with, and the return for it is obtained in a few months. The top-dressing applied in these experiment costs only 5s per acre, and a threeford return was got for it in the increase of crop. The increase of maiketable grain alone repaid the cost of the manure more than twice over. Its influence was beneficial on a number of farms in hastening the time of harvest, and the only soils of which its employment seemed of doubtful unility were those of a light and dry character, on which the crop readily burns up with drought. In the case of a grain crop after roots, with which the grass and clover seeds are usually sown superphosphate would appear to be a specially suitable manure. The use of nitrogenous manures on the sown out crop renders the straw more liable to be hud, to the injury of the young grasses and clovers but the use of a manure like superphosphate, which increases chiefly the yield of grain, is not open to the same objeotien. It does not unduly increase the straw by which the young grasses and clovers are liable to be injuied, audit acts in some degree beneficially on these plants, as wf 11 as on the oats. Its application alone to the sown oat crop on land in good condition would be a means, therefore, of adding alike to the yield and the profit of the crop, as well as of benefiting in tome measure the succeeding pasture."

Kkweii Cows ami Better Ones —This should bo tliu motto of every dairy

farmer. Instead of aiming at the keeping of a large number of cows, regardless of their average butter yield p r Lead, as too many dairymen do, whit is required is that the number of cow? milked should bo reduced as far as los-i----bl« without having to reduce the quantity of milk supplied to your factory. A too common mistake amongst fanners is the desire to undertake more than what cm be properly and profitably carried out. A wheat grower will make a great effort to put several hundred acres under cultivation, whereas if be confined his attention to just one-half the urea, and farmed it .veil, the average yield per acie would bo double that gathered from the larger area. The very same argument applies in dairying. As we have just entered upon another butter season, now is the time for the dairy farmer t> give the closest attention, to hi, business. The farmer who is losing money will seldom agree to attribute the loss to the right cause. lie will say it is through low prices, the drought, a wet winter, perhaps the tariff; anything, in fact, except admitting that it may be through some fault of his own. I his is an unfair way of doing, and a way that will never win in the end Shocks can only be attained by getting at the real cause of the trouble and removing it. V\ hat, then, is the real cause why so many dairy herds are not netting the" annual profits per head that they ought ? The real cause is not low prices, but poor cows. The price is somtlhim: no man can control, but he can help having poor cows if he is man enough for his business, lie cannot help it in a weik, or a mouth, or a year, but ho can commence helping it to morrow. It i» the lack of businesslike resolution thii: ails us when we feel getting ir.to the dumps.— Farm and Home. SHROPSHIRE SHEEP. From the Shropshire Sheep-breeders Flock Book, we take the following list of favourable points in connection with the pure Shropshire Slrep, complied by Alfred Mansell, Shrewsbury:— Prolifb Character.—One hundred and fifty to 175 lambs per 100 is the usual average —11,668 ewes in 1896 reared 168 lambs per 100 ewes, The actual produce was of course larger.

The Ewes Good Mothers, —Shropshire ewes are excellent nurses, and Nature has endowed them with great imlk-yi Iding prnperties. Wool Properties.—The Shropshire sheep cut a heavy fleece of wool of the most marketable de-cription, boing of good staple, fine in texture, and vory dense, and is always readily saleable. Adaptability to Various Soils and Climes. — The most übiquitous eheop extant, in every county in England the Shropshire sheep flourishes, also in the Highlands of Scotland, the humid climate of Ireland, and the mountainous districts of Wales, frequently at an altitude of 1000 ft abore sea level.

The Shropshire also thrives and does well in the United States, Canada, South America, Rusjia, France, Germany, the Australian colonies, South Africa, Jamaica, and the Falkland Isle*, and indeed in every patt of the world. Early Maturity.—lf well oared for the wethers are tit for the butcher at 10 to 12 mouths old, and that on a moderate consumption of food compared with other breeds. Shropshire lambs mature Very early as fat lambs, and the Shropshire cross for the fat lamb trade cannot be bca'on.

Constitution and Hardihood.—The breed is notoriously sound in constitution, and capable of withstanding extreme variations of heat and cold, and is one of the mo.-t hardy breeds in existence. The writer in the your 189 G saw a Shropshire ewe 19 years old, hale and hearty having reared 33 lambs, and herself enjoying absolute immunity from foot rot during the whole period. Quality of Mutton.—The mutton of tho Shropshire is rich in flavour, closo in grain, juicy, and contains a large percentage of lean meat, and commands the highest price in tho London, Manchester, Liverpool, and all the principal markots in Great Britain. Docile Character and Economic Consumer.''. —Tho Shropshire is a placid and contented animal, not given to rohraing and trampling down pasturage, and has the special aptitude to mako the lest of the food at hand, and to produce mutton at a minimum of cost.

[Note. —Theso characteristics are conveyed to the Shropshire crosses in a remarkable degree.] General Purpose .Sheep.—Shropshire sheep have rapidly increased in favour in all the Australian colonies, and combining as they do the most dosu'uble points (from a woo l and mutton point of view) to a greater extent than any other breed, with the minimum of objectionable features, they have obtained an eminent and permanent position in tho estimation of sheep-breeders all over the world. In fact they meet all the requirement* of tho present day as a successful general purpose sheep, and are therefore very profitable to farmers and graziers. Tho Shropshire has been largely bred for crossing purposes to produce freezers, with splendid results. The Shropshiremerino cross produces a fine eheop, and is preferred by many who have tried it to any other cross. Tho halfhrod is a deep square set sheep, well covered with a fine close fleeca which gives a high percentage of clean scoured wool, and commands a comparatively high price, whilst tho sheep are hardy and fatten to nice handy weights at a very early age. COWS AS BOARDERS. Many a dairyman has cows in his herds that do not pay for their keep, Prof. Jas. W. Roberton, of the Agricultura 1 College of Canada, in speaking on this branch of dairying, says that the dairyman should become an economical producer of feed. He should also become an expert and skilful profit making manufacturer of saleable products from his own raw material. A man who keeps cows, or steers, or swine, or sheep, is merely thercbj seeking to concentrate and give increased value to the raw material which he has obtained from his farming operations. The animal, therefore, is to the farmer what the machine is to the manufacturer—an appliance or convenience for elaborating and making more valuable the raw material he has produced or obtained. Rut without arguing further on that line, let me take up another style of discussion. A cow ca's the food that is provided by the man who owns or keeps her. Therefore the cow boards on somebidy. Now, I cannot board teu men at my table for the sake of their company. I am not fond enough of company for that. Well, if 1 boarded ten men tor tho sake of the pay, and five men paid for (heir board and live did not, 1 would soon find that out, and let tho five men who did not pay find another boarding. 1 do not sec any difference in the economical espect of the question, if you substitute cows for imu. If ten cows hoard in my stable they board on me, and I look lor pay for their board. I am not likely to keep tlitm for their society, or because I am fond of looking at them. Neither do I think, though many would do so, that it would be quite fair for me to palm them off upon my neighbour. That would not be good farming nor good citizenship. An unprofitable cow should he sent to the butcher and made to give up through her carcase what she won't give through her milk-bag. You will need to understand the kind cf cow that is likely to pay for her board. Here arc five points that may serve a man to judge a gooil cow, because all good eo,vs have power to make profits, and power in any department of the physical world is usually indicated by certain external evidences. A real good dairy cow should have a long udder lengthwise of her body, and it should be very elastic in quality. The clastic quality means loom to make milk. Shu should have a soft skin, a mellow skin covered with mossy, silky hair. That a cow has onl y one Bkin is self*

evident, and still most people hardly ever think < f it ; one skn around her body ard clear through by way of her stomach. The'kin, if coar.e and harsh, means sluggish digestion inside, and that means an expensive cow th t doe? not digest h r food or thrive well. Then, a com' should have a largo, roomy b rrel, h Ming plenty of good, long \ lui ky, chop Feed ; it should be fiiiel up twice a day. It will pay a man whe his never done so, to try the experiment of feeding his cow twice a day. Those who hwe done so have never gone I ack to any oth"i- practice. Then, again, while a large barrel is an indication of pre fit making power, it will pay a man to scj that the milk veins under the cow's belly are prominent. is a far more important indication than actual size would be. Firm muscles nirun good constitution. They are one of the b:st evidence of endurance and thrift tint you ean find in a cow ; and endurance to stand the strain of giving milk continu-ou.-dy is what you wanr. A cow should have bro id loins with long rump». She shou'd have a long lean neck, with clean cut face and prominent eyes These points indicate eudurng power to stand the strain of a long milking season. If a c.wlns these five poiuts she will usually have the power of serving a man well, namely :•—Long silky hair ; a large barrel with broad ribs wide apart, and very firm muscles in the abdomen ; broad loins, with long rumps and lean hips ; long mok, clean cut face, and largo eyes. She should be given a chance of paying for her board. .She should be kept where she is comfortable. Con.fort is the e senee and sum total of all stabling of'attic, whether the stah'e be of stone, brick, or wood. All arc equally good if the cow is equally comforta'de. If a in m kerps his enw uncomfortable, he has so far deprived her of the power of making profit. The cow should be curried every e'ay. My thoughts go back to the old homestead, where wo had forty cows which were curried once a day. A cow gives more milk when she is comfortable, yhe should be made to pay her board just as she eats it ; that is the best way. A man is not a good manager who lets his cow live on him for six months in the year without paying, and then expects her to pay for the whole year's board it: the other six months. He can hardly expect that the cow will pay for her wint r's board in the summer.

THE EXPORTATION OF LAMBS. THE CRISIS IX THE TRADE. The growing of fat lambs has for a long time past been the most profitable branch of sheep-farming in Canterbury. Fat lambs have taken the place that wheat occupied in former years as the fanner's sheet anchor. But it would appear, from the experience of last season, that wo are not only running a profitable branch of productive industry for all it is worth, but are, in fact, making a mess of a really good thing. The collapse in the lamb market during the latter part of the season is attributed to large quantities of stuff being put upon the market as lamb which was not lamb. It is curious, however, that the English consumers should have discovered so suddenly that a teg or a hogget is not a lamb, for it is quite certain that last season was not the first one in which hogget carcases have been sent home as lamb, and in large quantities too. But the ways of markets are past finding out, but although the London market may be able to absorb a certain quantity of "teg" mutton, and consumers be willing to pay for it at lamb rates, it appears from the undeniable proof furnished by the prices obtained that last year the shipment of late lambs was altogether overdone.

GOVERNMENT CONTROL NOT DESIRABLE.

At the conference, held in Christchurch during September, on the fat lamb question, it was generally conceded by the delegates present that something should be done, but what form the remedy should take was not at all clear. The suggestion of a close season seemed to present insuperable obstacles, as it would practically give a monopoly of the fat lamb market to the earlier districts. There was, and wisely, no suggestion as to legislation on the subject. The delegates assembled were of too enlightened a class to hold much faith in Acts of Parliament as a cure for difficulties which present themselves in the course of business. The great frozen mutton trade has been built up without any direct governmental assistance, and the same industry and intelligence which has carried the industry over so many threatening obstacles in the past will, it need not be doubted, be sufficient to carry it over the present difficulty. If, therefore, a close season were declared, it would have to be carried out by the freezing companies declining to freeze lambs during a certain season of each year. But such a course, even if desirable, is not really practicable, for although the freezing companies exercise a good deal of despotic authority in the matter of grading and in the rejection of unfit animals, it would not do to dictate to the producers in the management of their own business to the extent of saying that during certain months of the year no animal shall be sold as a fat lamb.

The source of the difficulty lying mainly with our own producers, the evil should not he an incurable one. It is just a question of producers adapting their operations to the demand of the market upon which they depend. The producer will naturally proceed on the lines which offer the best inducement of profit. So long as the consumer was willing to pay lamb pi ices for sheep nearly twelve mouths old, it was a very profitable thing to supply them with that kind of sheep : hut if lamb prices are not to be obtained for sheep of more than a certain age and weight, tho only thing for producers to do is to restrict the lamb export within the limits which leave the highest margin of profit. THE REQUIREMENTS OF CONSUMERS.

Previous to the time when frozen lamb made its appearance on the English market there was with consumers a season for lamb, much in the same way as there are seasons for different sorts of game, and it was only during a certain period of the year when people thought of eating lamb. It went with certain sorts of vegetables, and the vegetables and the lamb disappeared from the table at the same time. English butchers did not continue to offer their customers lamb until the lamb had become a fairly well-grown sheep. The importation of frozen lamb may have altered the customs of English consumers to some extent, but customs in the old country do not change very readily, and therefore a glut in the lamb market may he more easily brought about late in the season than at an earlier period when lamb is more generally eaten. It may appear an absurdity to the colonial producer to suppose that lamb is not as good to eat at one time as another, hut. however that may ho, our profit lies in consulting the tastes and habits of our customers, and this is a point which we do not sufficiently take into account, lllld especially so in the distribution of the mutton, Ouroxport of frozen lamb and mutton has grown to vast proportions within a comparatively short space of time. There has been no want of energy on the part of producers and others connected with the trade at the colonial end of the business, but the method of handling the commodity and disposing of it at the English end has by no means kept pace with the business. MOKE LATE THAN EARLY LAMIiS SHIPPED. The ligures showing the number of lambs exported from Canterbury during the different months arc very instructive. In the two first months of the year, when lambs really are lambs, a relatively small number was 'shipped, the January and February shipments making up only a few thousands more than were shipped in March alone, and considerably fewer than were shipped in either April or Ma v. The heaviest export took place during 'May, that is when the lambs would be about eighteen months old. The arrival on the London market of such an immense quantity of meat, which could not he classed cither as lnrob or nurture mutton, and at a time of the year when the season for eating land) is considered to be over by most consumers, had the very natural'effect of bringing prices down with a run. Tho period of shipping lambs has been from vearfo year gradually extended until practically if has become unlimited, but tlit: experience of the past season will cause both producers who ship on their own ac< ut, as well as speculators, to pause and seriously consider their position. It is a matter 'which must, in the long run. be adjusted by flic laws of supply and demand. If'it Is found to he profitable to continue shipping meat of a nondescript age, pro-

ducers and others will follow the line of profit, but if the profits vanish it may he depended upon that the shipments will in a great measure he discontinued.

EARLY LAMBS SHOULD BE MOST PROFITABLE. The lesson to ho drawn by producers is that, in order to retain the benefits accruing from the fat lamb market, they must endeavour to grow the feed requisite for bringing a larger percentage of the lambs forward earlier in the. season. It was stated by Mr Grigg, who is a large shipper of lambs, that previous to last season late lambs have always been the most profitable ; and it is probable that late lambs will continue to yield good profit, providing that the supply is not overdone. If the same number of lambs had been shipped in January and February as were shipped in April and May, in all likelihood there would have been a severe drop in the price, and we should probably have been told that there was a great falling off in the quality as compared with former years. Though late lambs may in past seasons have been found profitable to the grazier and the speculator, it is very certain that early lambs must be the most profitable to the breeder who both breeds and fattens. Generally speaking, the producer, who docs not ship on his own account, gets about the same price for a fat lamb in February or March as he does in April or May, and that the earlier lamb must be the most profitable to the grower is as plain as a pike-staff.

The fat lamb market is a source of exeeptiounl profit, and it is obviously worth while on the part of the producers to make special efforts in order to retain the full advantages of that market. It has been suggested that farmers should grow feed which would enable them to hold late lambs till they reach good weights as tegs, or come under the class of small sheep. This suggestion is a good one up to a certain point, but there would lie more profit to the breeder in growing early feed, by means of which the shipments during the earlier months of the season might be increased, and the supply in some degree accommodated to the demand. To send in the heaviest supply at a time when lamb is becoming less acceptable to the taste of consumers, as was done last season, is a fatal proceeding.—"Ovis," in X.Z. Country Journal.