RURAL NOTES.

Waikato Times, Volume XXI, Issue 1770, 8 November 1883, Page 2

RURAL NOTES.

A niTHi:in() unknown form of the potato disease (Xatuio states) winch hud been making slow Imt steady piogiess near Stawmger during the lii^t ton or twehe years, has locontly begun to show incieased eneigy. The stalk of the plant is the p.ut anected, iiud here Heir Anda lias discovered small white fungoid growths \\ iiich .iftei a time assume a gieenish, and finally a black, colour, after attaining the size of ,i siiuill hu.m. While the fungus is l.ipirlly incieasing at the expense of the plant, the inteiioi of the stem is fust 1 educed to a pnlpV condition, and next shiivelled and holloaed out, until nothing lemains but a more outer shell, which breaks down on being touched. When the lipo bi.ick germs of the fungus have leinainod in the earth till \\ intei , they .ue found after the leturn of the ne\t years warmth to have developed small stalked fruits filled with minute spores, which penetiate into the young plants b'ifoie they appeal above the giound.' Tlio end of July or beginning of August is the tune when the i«uagop ot the fungus aie most conspicuous, and at those peiiods whole fields of potato plants are often lapidly reduced to the condition of witheiod straw. The Kunimaiy of the Agricultural Re- [ tmn.s of (iieat Britiau, collected on June 5, compared with the similai 1 etui us in the two proceeding years, has been issued by the Agiicultural' Depaitment of the Pi ivy I Council. Tt .shows that the extent of 1 nul in (heat Britian under the ii\e chief ciops was as follows :— ln 1881, wheat, 2,801,80!) acres ; barley, 2,422,334 ; oats, 2,1)01,274 ; potatoes, r»7!),334 ; hops, 04,342. In 1882, wheat, 3,003,1)00; bailey, 2,2">,20!) ; oats, 2,533,8(h ; potatoes, 511,0(14 ; hop.s, (J5,(i1!1. In 1883, wheat, 2,1)13,147; barley, 2,2'.)], U84; oats, 2,D7;">,3r)7 ; potatoes, .■>13,4o r ) ; liop.s, 08,027. Cmupaied with last year this year hhows a decrease of 13 pel cent, in the aiea devoted to wheat ; and the following iuci ease:— IO per cent. in Ijarley, ."> per cent, in o.ith- o'4 j>er cent, in potatoes, and 3"7 per cent, in hops. Conipaied witli 1881 the present year is a decrease of (».!) per cent, in wheat, and of (i "2 pel cent, in bailey and potatoes; and increases of 2 •(» percent, in oatb uid of i.7 per cent, in hops. The tot.il liunibei of li\ c stock in (Jip.it Britain was :— ln LSSI— Cattle, ."),{)11042 ; .sheep, 11i.143,101 -Jambs, ]>ig,s 2.045,0!)0. In 1882 - Cattle, .y507,4!)l ; 5,4";37,!)02 ; total .sheep and LunUs, 24,.")81,0")3 ; hheop, 1."),r)73.884 ; lambs, 8,74."»,88]: ; sheep and lamb-, L'1,31<),708 ; pigs, 2,510,402. hi 18S3-Cattle, ."),!)52,771 ; sheep. ir,,<>4.->,<>(>7 ; lambs, i),121,(>04 ; sheep and lambs, 25,070,271 ; pigs, 2,017,744- The foregoing show .s an mci ease over 1882 in every class as follows :— Cattle, 27 per cent. ; sheep, 2.4 per cent. ; lambs, 43 per cent. ; sheep and lambs together, 3.1 pur cent ; and pigs, 4.3 pel cent Compared w ith 1881 the present year is an impioveinent in every class except sheep, which are less numerous by \"2 per cent, than they were two years ago. The other mci eases over 1881 are— Cattle, 0.'.) per cent. ; lambs B'l percent. ; taking sheep and lambs together, 2 per cent. ; and pigs, 27*8 per cent.

Attention is drawn to the advertisement of Mr I). Elliott. Hamilton Furnishing Depot, in another column. At a meeting of tlie creditors in the estate of R. K. R.insomc, r.iupin, held at the Hamilton Court-hmisi*. je^ti-rday, A. W. lillis was api pointed creditors' trubtco. Mr A. Helps, auctioneer, Alexandra, will sell at his ni.irt on Saturday nc\t, horses and working bullocks. Messrs W. J. Hunter and Co. will sell at the Ol'aupo Yards on Thursday next, store cows, ONon, f.it heifers, &c. The diroctom of the Waikato Cheese and Bacon Factory Company notify that they have made a further call (the sixth) of Is pur sharo, Mr J. S. Buckland will sell at the Ohaupo Yards on Tuesday ne.\t, 150 head mixed store cattle, sheep, horses, &.C., &c. Mr Tohn Kuo\ will sell <it the Hamilton Auction Mart on Saturday, 100 pairs boots, hats, caps and drapery, five tons potatoes, pigs, fowls, etc. The winning numhers in La Don's and the Waikato consultatiorson the Melbourne Cup will bo found advertised in our business columns. The P.iterangi Cheese and Dairy Produce Company invite tenders for the erection of a cottage at the factory. Mpssrs Clark and Gane, auctioneers, will sell tho prhilfgPS of the forthcoming race meeting at Cambridge at thoir mart, Duke-street, on Wednesday ne\t. Messrs I. Lovett and H. Tristram, butcheri, Hamilton, have filed declarations of insolvency. The first meeting of creditors in each case will be held at the Court-house, Hamilton on Friday, the ICth inst., at 3.30 p.m. Messrs Hunter and Nolan will sell at the Durham Yards, Auckland, on Monday next, a. largp number of valuable horses from Taranaki, Paten, and ■\Vangamil, chiefly the property of Mr T- s - Cavorhlll, tho well-known breeder. I'ull particular! are given lnthn advertisement. A Plucky Job.-— Dressing fowls. Extract from a letter of congratulation : "lam delighted to hear that Mary is doing so nicely ; but you haven't told me of what sex tho child is, so I cannot say whether I am an uncle or an aunt." Lobi> Derby is not supposed to be given to joking ; but he >is credited with the following witty observation to a brother peer who waa complaining of the' coldness of the, House of Lords whenever he addre»?ed' it— " I am becoming iaccu?' \tomed s tont f , but? af tiflib I felt like speak.