Page 1 Advertisements Column 7

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume II, Issue 145, 15 May 1900, Page 1

Farm Topics.

■~ 'O

It seems that all sheep exhibited ai the Paris Exhibition, " must within fifteen days of the date of exhibition havo been shorn bare, with tbe exception of a tuft of wool behind the left shoulder." This practically means that the show will be one of clipped sheep. ' Merinos alone are exempt from thid " decree."

The Council of the Royal Agricultural Society of England have expressed the opinion that " the excessive colouring of sheep as now practised is objectionable," a view which will, indeed, meet with almost unanimous assent, thor^b different people will, no clou b l, <,ivo different meanings to the word "excessive." But the Council further agreed that " the matter be referred to the breed sociefcie-i foi. 1 consideration with expression oL tho Society's opinion." Theie are many persons who, while personally objecting to the practice of colouring, still hold that it is not a point upon which exhibtois should bo coerced. If the breeders themselves will take up the matter and exerc their influence collectively uo discourage -thp practice, they might very soon bring about a better state of affairs. After all the question, must be at bottom a commercial one. Sheep are presumably presented for show in the form which, their owners 'consider will best; commend them to the judges first, and next, and perhaps first in many cases, to buyers. The breed societies represent both sellers and buyeis of shfcej-*, and they ought, therefore, to be able to ariive at a reasonable conclusion.

Several more outbreaks of foot and mouth disease in England are reported, making six since the discovery of the di&ease on Jni'ii-y 29th. Referring to an ot'\f 1' at, Biggleswade, the '" Livo Swo'Journal " says that " thj ■ outVfiak may be regarded as very syuja?, having occurred at sach a loihj distance from the othec known centre?, and tho movement <o£ all animals out of the fil st scheduled district of Norfolk and Sufiolk having been prohibited for the last fourteen days, the occurrence is evidence of the dangerous nature of the disease as regards its transmissibility other than by the living diseasefl animal."

The Age is publishing a series ol articles on the New Zealand frozen meat trade. Commenting on them it says that tha extraordinary increase of the trade shown plainly what eneigy, cntei prise and a firm fbstering policy have done to turn stock-raising into the most flourish-* ing industry in New Zealand,. Comparing the backward state of trade in Victoria with New Zealand

it says the latter country .cannot claim any " special advantages as regards the area of .grazing country, soil or climate. Altogether there is not the -slightest /reason -wljy Victoria should not export as miibin as New Zealand, "" . i