CURRENT TOPICS.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19461, 7 November 1928, Page 3

CURRENT TOPICS.

ADDUTGTON MARKET. On account of the general election falling on the date of next Addington sale —Wednesday, November 14th—the market will be held on the day preceding, Tuesday, November 13th. THE BRITISH FABMER. We have heard so much about the depression in British farming this last year or two that it is a relief to read of a change. The Beason in the United Kingdom has been a good one—in marked contrast to that of 1926 and 1927—farmers are getting better returns than they did last year. Prices for live stock have improved sufficiently to inspire a little confidence for the future. Grain growing is not profitable and the result is seen in' the decline of arablo land by 200,000 acres in the .past year. Dairying seems to offer tho best chance at the present time, tho prices for milk being on the up grade. It is Baid that herds would be increased both for milk and beef production were it not for the straightened financial condition of the farmers. Sugar beets, which have been boosted for some years past ,by means of Government bonus are not fulfilling the hopes of the promoters. In fact, it seems doubtful if the industry can bo established on an economic footing in the country. Barley is to some extent taking the place of wheat —the grain being in good demand for the malting trade. In this connexion, it is interesting to note that a combine is being tried out by the Oxford Institute of Agricultural Engineering. An air drier to reduce the moisture of the threshed grains is also being used which should make it possible to secure a better sample under English weather conditions. A leading farm journal ventures tho opinion that agriculture is finding its way back to better times by such improved methods and by business organisation. MERINOS IN NEW ZEALAND. An "official" classification of the breeds of Bheep going the rounds of Australian papers states that the merino comprises, in Australia, 83 per cent, of the total sheep, and other breeds 17 per cent. Queensland has 99 per cent, merino and South Australia 97 per cent. New Zealand ia credited with only 2 per cent, of merinos. The New Zealand statistical returns as at April 30th, 1928, phow that merinos number 1,108,590 in a total of 27,133,810, or approximately 4 per cent. The proportion is not very impressive, but shows that the Australian published statement is wrong by 100 per cent, "TOO MUCH WHEAT." A well-known English publication, the "Corn Trade News, 1 ' asserts in a recent issue that the production of wheat haß reached a stage when tho world is Qonlronted with a plethora of the cereal. North- America alone has a harvest surplus sufficiently large to feed all the countries ol Europe that import wheat. Argentina has increased ner acreage, and that country and Australia are expected to have export surpluses of 25 and 16 million quarters respectively. The paper goes on to say that all this wheat will have to be marketed during the Current cereal season in Europe, and that it ia ovident that the international wheat trade is faced with- an unprecedented situation. The "Corn Trade News" believes that the present weakness in the international wheat markets can be traced largely to the tactics of Canadian and Australian pool managers. They, it says, have worked persistently to keep the price of wheat above what is now evident was its true, economic level. As a result producers have been tempted to grow larger crops than consumers need. ; Not unnaturally pool managers in Australia deny that the responsibility for the present weakness rests on their shoulders; They place the blame on the exceptionally heavy crops being harvested in North America. Australian papers point out that the estimate of that country's export is extravagant. Good rains have fallen lately, but the chance of Australia exporting 128 million bushels of wheat ia very remote. The world position, nevertheless, not look very promising lor high prices» which should -cause growers in the South Island to. reflect with aatisfao* tion on the watertight protection now afforded their industry. LUCERNE FIELDS. Bright spots in tho Canterbury landscape prior to the break in the weather , were provided by the. lucerne fields. There ■ are not many extensive areas of the plant to be seen, but there has been a substantial increase in the number of small fields. The stands maintained a steady growth whilßt the dry conditions prevailed, and whilst pasture and grain crops were practically at a standstill, and with the advent of rain they jumped alioad. Many fields are now reaidy for the first cut, but the changeable weather is causing growers to delay this- operation until the weather becomes more settled. • A popular practice now amongst dairymen in order to overcome the weather difficulty is to make the first cuts into ensilage.

STAECH.FBOM POTATOES. Few farm products vary in price so suddenly and bo widely as do potatoes, as the produce trade in Christchurcn has had reason to reflect this season, values some weeks ago douhlmg in the space of a fortnight. -This irregularity is not confined to the New Zealand market. In Victoria it is frequently either a "feast or a famine," and big variations in prices occm This son has been a bad one for the grower in that State, the price ruling recently being as low as £3 a isa. and steps are suggested whereby the periodical gluts can be dealt with. A Melbourne paper states that it looks as though the Government has practically decided to establish • factory for the manufacture of glucose and starch from potatoes. The adoption of that course has been repeatedly urged by growers »n view of the heavy crops which have been produced in the last two or three seasons. Portion of the necessary plant has been purchased fit a cost or £1376 from the Canadian By Products Co. which had nlanned to start o factors- at Ballnrat. but discontinued the enterprise. Before proceeding definitely with the matter the Government will await the rerecipt of a report from Mr A. O. Mendelsohnn, who is in England making enquiries concerning the manufacture of starch and glucose from Efita-" toes.