FARM AND DAIRY.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5499, 22 April 1910, Page 4

FARM AND DAIRY.

o Ibe South Wand is this year al most self-containing as regards sheep. The nsual big exodus of cheep from the North Island to the Canterbury districts h|s this season been replaced to a great ihe'ent by big consignments from South land. It is stated on unofficial authority (telegraphs the Dominion's Taranaki correspondent) tbat during the past four yeara nearly a quarter of a million calves have bean slaughtered in the Province of Taranaki. This with the opening up of new areas for dairying purposes has caused a shortage amongst dairy cattle there, from which it is stated it will take f uljy two years to recover. The result is that there has been a distinct advance in the price of d«4-e stock, «nd this it is said .jpifiZ*^ „jS!&^l ^^^nXring nuuioftbies further state that, even with the expected decrease in call slaughter, the demand for dairy cattle will considerably exceed the supply. Everyone interested in the dairy industry will be pleased to hear that a conference is being arranged by the Minister lor Agriculture (Hon. T. Mackenzie for the purpose of discussing the question of pasteurising skim milk. There will be present at the conference the Minister, the nffiicers of the De putment concerned, and representatives of the butter factories. The place and date of meeting have not yet teen fixed Pasteurisation of skim milk and whey, as has been pointed ont time and again is the first essential if tuberculosis is to be eradicated. Some very high prices were, realised on March 2 at the sale of Shorthorn bulls at Birmingham, when the animals entered in several of the classes for bulls were disposed of. Mr C. F. Baphael's tihenley Banner was sold at 1000 guineas to Mr D. Maclennan. Mr E. N. Casares gave 900 guineas for Mr. J. Gravm's Fanfare ; and Mr C. F. jfap bael's Sheoley A donis made 700 guineas to Bir William Van Home. Others told at 470 guineas, 240 guinea?, and 300 guineas. Gabled advice has been received that the first of the experimented consignment! of bacon sent from Wellington to London has arrived at its destination in good condition, and has been sold at a satisfactory figure. The returns of linseed in the Drummond district in Southland have been disappointing this harvest, although the current price of 7s per bushel is something of a set-off against the reduced yield. One grower, who last year thrashed out twelve bags to the acre, only hu an average of six bags this harvest, whilst in another instance eight bag* to the acre shows a reduction to five.