AN INSTRUCTIVE TOUR.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19972, 5 July 1930, Page 12

AN INSTRUCTIVE TOUR.

IMPRESSIONS OF NEW ZEALAND. MILD CRITICISM. (I'EOV OUR o\V* COKKESroNOKKT.) LONDON, May 30. In an-article in "The Times" of May 20th "A Correspondent" gives some impressions of tho recent farmers' tour of New Zealand. "Prom an agricultural point of view," the writer says, "tho tour was exceedingly instructive, and it is hoped in the course of a few Aveeks to issue a brief statement of the impressions gained during the visit. Two things, above all, impressed the party, as it must al) visitors to the country—the remarkable fertility of the soil and the wonderful character of the climate. In .these respects no country in the world has been more richly endowed by Nature. The settlers have been quick to respond to these advantages, and their industry and enterprise, and not least the spirit; of unity and co-operation which permeate tho whole social l structure, have brought the reward which they so much' deserve. "If one might venture a criticism of New Zealand farm life, it would bo that' the average farmer thinks too little of his ' personal comfort, arid is content, •with a residenco in keeping with early pioneering days. Even taking ipto con-, sideration the risks from'• earthquakes, which, although of periodic occurrence, cause little or no anxiety to the resident population, a much higher typo of farmhouse and buildings might be expected. A new era of farm architecture in New Zealand is much overdue. Filled with Admiration. "A number of the more important freezing works and dairy factories were visited, and everyone was filled with admiration for the strikingly efficient lines on which these institutions were run. The •widely extended system of grassland top-drfessing as a means of stimulating production proved of especial interest. The area under this treatment is being increased at the rate of many hundreds of thousands of acres annually, and, according to the Director-General of Agriculture, some 35,000 tons of phosphate fertilisers are now used in lengthening both the growth period and increasing the actual production ',of high protein gra<;s. "Included in" the touring party wore several authorities on both sheep and cattle. In- the opinion of the sheep experts, tho soil and climate of . New Zealand are well suited to sheep-farm-ing. Tho fact that such numberß are It opt and so many lambs are sold fat when weaned, while others , are easily made fat without artificial feeding, is considered to bo proof vpf tho value; of the natural conditions. : Tho Roni- j neys, Corriedales, and . merinos are the | principal ewe flocks, the Leicestevs and Southdowns being kept mainly .ta breed | rams for crossing purposes. Cattle of the Dominion. "Ju cattle the little Jersey is popular throughout tho dairying districts of the North Island, but is followed at no great distanco by the Friesian, the Shorthorn, and the Ayrshire. The majority of the cattle of the Dominion, however, are blendod with the best of the various breeds. Somo of tho experts were Jess impressed by the beef cattle. Tho majority of these cattle were four years old, and frbrn lOewt to 13ewt live weight before they reached the freezing works. It is not assumed that the country cannot produce early matured animals—in fact, in,my fine" bunches of yearlings and two-year-old cattle were seen, many of them fed entirely on grass—but at the moment beef cattle apparently occupy a secondary position among wealth-producing animals, and are largely used to trample down tho native bush forn and other growths us a preliminary to cleaner and better pasture for sheep which follow. "Opportunity was taken on several occasions to call attention .to the exist-, ing restrictions in New Zealand on the importation of stud stock from Great Britain. It was pointed out that both' Australia and South Africa had nowlifted the embargo, and were receiving, after quarantine, stud stock from the Old Country such as New Zealand"evidently needed at the present time. "It is to be feared that the suggestion that New Zealand should, similarly admit stud stock from the Old Country met with little or no approval, although the need for fresh blood was generally ad-' mitted."

AUSTRALIAN SHEEP SALES. NEW ZEALAND ENTRIES. The cables yesterday notified the successes of New Zealand breeders at the Sydney Sheep Show. A number ( of sheep were consigned for breeders to the show and subsequent sale by Dalgety and Co., the list being as-fol-lows : R. J. Low (Highbank)—4 Border Leicester ram hoggets. T. S. Little (Oamaru) —6 Border Leicester rams. W. O. Rennie (Doyleston)— 50 Border Leicester ewes and 12 rains. L. E. Meyers (Oxford) —10 Border Leicester ewes and 12 rams. D. Sidey (Glenovis) —2 Stud Southdown rams, .10 flock ewes, 5 Corriedale stud rams. D. Grant (Timaru)—Bs Border Leicester ewes (for sales), and 32 show owes. For the Melbourne sheep sale, to be held on July 30th, and 31st, the following sheep were dispatched by the Maheno on Thursday: W. O. Rennie (Doyleston)—2B Ryeland ewes, G Rye!and rams. J no. Brooks (.Irwell) —30 Rveland ewes. 9 Ryeland rams, 15 ,Southdown ewes, 3 stud Southdown ramß. ' Sheep sold by Dalgety and Co. (consigned bv the same boat') were-on behalf of the. following breeders':— A. W. Adams (Pareriga; 5 first stu'd_ Southdown ewes, and 1 ram .to S. King (Victoria). . Jno. Brooks (Irwell)—10 Specially selected shearling Southdown ewes and 1 show ewe to R. Burgess (West' Australia) : also, on account of satne breeder, 7 stud Southdown ram hoggets, to B. T. Millavey (Victoria). A FRIENDLY HINT. When your friends are in consistently good health and spirits,. adopt their habit take Stevens' Health Salt doily. Sold in 2s 6d bottles at all chemist* ami (teres, f.

Explanation of Items in Schedule. Feed.—The amount of food required varies, in proportion to the amount of work dono by tho horses. A hardworking horse ia Canterbury requires approximately two acres of grass and five tons of chaff or additional - feeds per annum; but for horses worked lightly, lens chaff .is necessary. Chaff should be charged on tho .sehedul : (a) Where it is produced on the farm —at average Bale price, less cost of! cartage .to rail or store. (b) When it has to bo bought—at average purchase price, plus cost of delivery on the farm. It is important to remember that where horses eat home-grown chaff, the cost of hard feed is only a cash charge, in so far as chaff-cutting, use of bags and twine, etc., are concerned; moreover, chaff can often be grown in a rotation when horses and man-labour would otherwise be less. profitably employed, and as a surplus in seasons fter the ground has been used for winter grazing of sheep on grass or green feed. Grazing.—This item should be the rental value plus rates on the amount of grassland required for grazing purposes. ■ Sundries.—These comprise general expenses in', connection with horses, harness and equipment, and vary considerably from farm' to farm*. Depreciation.—Horses should be valued at the end of each year and a list made : -on the lines set out below. At the end of 1930 any purchases during the year should be added' to the 1929 lißt,. and any sales' during .the year added to the 1930 list. Any reduction in the value ,of the team, as disclosed by a comparison of these lists, will then be the amount of depreciation to be written .off. Value of Horses onHajad at the Beginning and End of the Tear. Name Age Value Age Value vears 1929 years 1930 £ £ Dot • .11. • • -35 .12. . .15 Dolly -10 15 U 15 Bess 9 -0 10 15 Bill S '33 9 20 Sam. . . .7 . . . 3 .2 ... Jess t> 7 30 Tom 5 6 S5 Value of team ' at' July 'lst; 1929 ... 175 Add purchased during year— Jean 4 35 4 35 Value of team at June iiO, 19S0 ..165 Add Sales during year . Sam 8 16 £2lO £lßo' Difference: Depreciation in value of Team, £2lo—£lß<h3sßok

Example : PLOUGHING COST SCHEDULE. £ s.. d. Cost of Horse-labour per day, ploughing with 6 horses, working S hours each, i.e., 48 Horse-hours, at■ 7cL .. .. .. .. ..1 S- 0 Cost of Man-labour per day, working 240 d»ys, at £2 per week and keep (£l6B por annum) .. .. ... .. .. .. 0 J-t 0 Total Labour Cost .. .. .. £s- t ~2 0' Labour Cost per aere, if 41 acres ploughed per <day ... 9 4' Overhead Cost— "tl. Interest on Plough, £25 at 6 per. cent. .. .. .. 110 0 '•.••• Depreciation on Plough, £25 at 5 per tent. .. . .-1 5 0 Ropairs .. .. .. .. ~ .. .. .. 212 0 Ploughshares .. .. ~ V. .. .. ..200 Total .. ..£770 If £SO acres ploughed in year, overhead cost per aero ploughed will be 0 7Total Cost of Ploughing per acre .. 9 -n

Whore horses are renewed by breeding rather than buying, tho increase in value of young horses is. offset, by the increase in tho amount of feed required, the reduced amount of work obtained from the brood mares,, and the amount of service fees paid. On farms; where horses are bred for the purpose of sale, it is advisable to keep all costs in connection with wording horses separate. Over the last twenty years, work horses at the College have had a working life of 12 years, commencing at 3'yeara old; therefore, the annual depreciation between the ages of 5 .and 15 has been 10 per cent, of the five-year-old' value, although depreciation can, in some cases, be reduced by skilful buying and selling horses again at a profit. .The value of horses affects both interest and depreciation costs. Prices should be fixed at conservative ing sale values, according to ; the age and usefulness of each horse. The number of horses kept should bear some 1 relation to the acreage cultivated; the ' maximum acreage that coiild be handled per horse ia usually reduced 1 by the fact that the most profitable cropping rotation involves unavoidable 'peak periods; e.g., on the heavy whoatgtotving land the peak period for horse labour usually falls in May,-, and again in September; on the lighter plains land the peak period usually falls in-Decem-ber and February. Where sufficient horse, or tractor power, is kept on to cover peak periods, costs can be reduced by -growing additional supplementary Crops, or by carrying; horses more cheaply with little feeding, in : the, off period. If the acreage worked per, horse becomes lower than the average, it is usually the better plan to reduce, horse numbers and do the extra work, by contract. As a general rule, the lowest costs will occur on a'farm where the'horses are good, fast-moving, valu-, able horses, and. six horses worked per, man. With a low acreage worked per horse per year, 1 cheaper and older, or breeding horses, can be kept, thus reducing ' interests or depreciation costß.' The economic use of the 6-horse team of 7 horses, however, is usually only' possible" on the comparatively large cropping farm, where at : least 120' acres" of heavy or 240 acres of light land iscropped each year. Indirect Costs. Beference to the schedule will show that, -.to-'the"' total direct'costs,-'must also be added the indirect costs, of interest on value of horses,, and" interest and depreciation on stable and 'harness, less manuriar value of feed consumed. Total costs are the sum of all these items. Conclusion. An examination of the items involved will indicate that there -is. a consider* abl*: divergence--in, r horse < costs - on

' 'fy'.'fy-.Ck.-, \ various 'farms, and' each; case should, i therefore, 1 :be considered con its own | merits, 'At the same 'time, horse-labour i cosis are;, so considerable, an item of i expense :in connectiOn,withvcropping~costs ambuntiig, lor A-ai±.*horse team, to ;ov annum—that it is 'well-' worth the farmer's,while to investigate the: expeM0 J <r£■.■working' his horses with." a view to discovering whether or notthese charges can/be reduced, withoutj prejudicing/hjs returns. The -total cost i of. horse-working , varies 1 with. ' tho»| amount ofwork done, the mpst- important i -jiolntibeing '.total<'cost^por' > acr6 i worked,.which* should not-; be • Allo#ed*| to • exceed .contract * rates. ; Working costs .can "be"reduced ; by, worte&gjnot leas than - six' horses per man,' aa*i»any 1 acres as possible per day, and making ] efficient use,of man-labour when iiot engaged in team work. Accurate ' costrecords - on the. lines.: suggested in . this Bulletin will place at a' farmer's disposal valuable information as a basis for important decisions in connection With- farjp management. For! instance, complete cost records will materially assist in the solution of such problems as the relative advantages of te«m, tractor, or team plus, tractor, tho' labour cost of permanent ;Hknds compared with contract workers, and the comparative net returns ■ obtainable from cropping or grazing. The progressive application of modern- business*, methods to .farming ensures the early adoption ' of accurate eosting .systems'-by. the farming; com-* munity, which is responsible for the; management' of the Dominion's' most important : industry.

MILLIONS PROM DAIRYING. WAIKATO FIGURES. "I have seenf Morrinsville grow from j the • first beginnings," said . J.'EI Leeson (chairman;of > directors of the Morrinsville ; Dairy Company), when speaking at, a; Farmers' Union funotion, on Monday of the process: made' by Morrinsville during his 27* years'. i»ssociation with the. district. "Nine years ago there was ;'not a pound of butter manufactured^in Morrinsville. All the cream was v sent 1 away manufactured. % j continued Mr Leeson. • "In spite of low prices- for 4airy> produce at. the present tune, we' have imwiufacfcWed* this season at the,, two factories - in the town -of Morrinsville 3600 tons of but7 a j. at aild ' ; '»t the" "Within a radius of Morrins-' > nor> c^ ee ? e value. of 4.3,450,000, and w addition there is gkxo aud milk: powder and con&Jd k' +V ave pi < buttery or a quarter of New"'Z«a> land s -whole output; of butter, .and 6400 tons of cheese. The whole of tbe ScSh ruuch butter as .the - whole of tho Island, and" within 1000; tons as eheese «b the South Island. a 3. mi,c^ productivity ' v h w wef live. We are nndouSv S,« i faT<rar«d?spbt -in, New-ZealHnd?' I

BY THE | LISH GROWERS, -AND' I ABLE OF i THE" WORLD'S'. B^ST, EVIDENCE OF THEIR I HEBE i SET -I—-Exhibitor** f~iiTlin f i hi" Yarie'tleg, specially «h.:the I. s gardetg&eir-fZt'Meti SEt s—Selected, tioa of - »U. t^i ■ Blafl—of .'each 205,: SET 3—A Collection designed * Gorgeous 'Garden Display - I Oat Flowers '.n abundanco. !"*' flowwlns, named ing alt ib .best "colours.'. 10in all,.:: for :50a: This is «^,™ cl4sa «°lleclion, and SET 4 ' (Primulinus Hybrids}— graceful in pppearanc# and - fnl colourings. 13- best each 7«-6d, 3 of each SOs, of 10,: varieties, 100 in ALL ORDERS OF SOs AND AGS FREE. ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUE FOB 1930 POST Ffifl|9HH *. . Speeialiitii CAMPERDOVT2T, VICTORIA, AUSdHg&B