Page 18 Advertisements Column 1

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20987, 16 October 1933, Page 18

AUCTIONS. 11. MATSON AND CO. and CO FARMERS SUFFER BIG LOSS Bv LEAVING FAT ON DRIED SKINS. The faulty preparation of. sheep and "bobby" calf skins for the market results in heavy losses to farmers. The principal fault is that lumps of fat «nd flesh are left on the skins, which deteriorate as a result, and it is stated that the loss on one consignment was 2s per skin. When prices for dried sheepskins were very low, many farmers and country butchers either did not bother to market them, or if they did. little care was taken in the "take off and curing process. Now that higher prices are being obtained, skins are considered an asset, but they have to be properlv prepared, and farmers •".-ill be interested in the following rather serious complaint which the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research has received from England: PERSONAL ATTENTION PERSONAL ATTENTION IS GIVEN fo cve'-y Consignment of Sent in to our Woul Shed for Sale. WRITE TO US FOR SKIN LABELS For Consigning Odd Lots to "MATSONS," CHRISTCHURCH. ENGLISH OPINION. ■'Many packers." states the : authoritv, "do not show sufficient interest in the pelt and its condition. So rnanv skins come in the 'sound pelt' grade which are really seriously damaged-in fact, definitely secondary —for the reason that quantities ot tat are left on the skins before drying. '[ the skins are dred and packed without being freed of fat, the result is not only that the pelts arc damaged because of stateness due to decomposition where the fat is left on, but that the purchaser is buying a weight ot substance at a price per lb which not only does he not want, but which is harmful to the goods he is buying. .In othpr words, the purchaser is •buying trouble.' This could be avoided u packers would stipulate that skins at least slaughtered ones, should be packed free. This operation is very simple and inexpensive if carried out directly the skin is taken from the sheep, by putting them over a beam ana scraping the pelt with a ilesher s blunt knife.'" In some cases large slabs of fat have been left on skins, often an inch thicrwith the result that although the rest of the skin has dried out. the portion "beneath the fat is still moist. During storage putrefaction sets it. It is suggested that the following precautions should be taken in producing a sk::t of good quality:— (1) The ooening of skin in flaying should be such as to ensure that the pattern is square and uniform. II the skin is folded down the back from the head both sides should be of the same size and shape. <2> The process of drying should !>2 carried out in such a way that the -kin is sheltered from ram and direct sunlight. Alternate wetting and drying allows bacterial action to take place, and the skin is damaged. I lie action of hot direct sunlight is to dry the skin too much, with the result that it does not soak back properly m the fellmongering process. This prevents the wool from being removed. ;;nd also such a skin does not make good leather. "BOBBY" CALF SKINS. The chief value of a "bobby" calf is its skin, and if farmers and country butchers desire to obtain the maximum value for the skin, the Department >f Scientific and Industrial Research omcers advise that more care should be exercised in taking off. and more curing must be given. In a recent consignment of about 400 "bobby calf skins, there were very few good ones, the chief faults being: '1) Large lumps of flesh and fat left adhering to the skin: (2) bad flaying, viz., knne cuts on the skin; '3) very bad shape; <"4) bad curing. The price of this consignment was Sd per lb, and the price of freezer "bobbv" calf at the time this lot was sold was 12id and over. The average weight of this consignment was a little over 51b, so that the loss to the farmer or butcher was approximately 2s per skin. BIG YIELDS PER ACRE IS ONE OF THE BEST METHODS OF OFF-SETTING LOWER PRICES. The Rent of Land and Labour Costs in preparation of a crop are the same whether a low or high yield per acre is obtained. A HIGH YIELD means that every unit of produce, e.g., each Ton of Potatoes, is produced at a lower cost. AN IMPORTANT FACTOR IN GETTING BIG CROPS FERTILISE WITH PROVED FERTILISERS MATSON S. MATSON S. MATSONS. LOWER COSTS On' THE FARM. To-clay the question of lowering production costs is of paramount importance in farming. In fact, it is about the only thing that a farmer can do as the price ho receives for his product .is beyond his control. How can costs be reduced? Firstly, it can be stated how they can be raised, and that is by getting lower yields per acre. It is important to differentiate bcIween more production and better production. If it is not intended to get a bigger output of a certain farm product, the best plan would appear to reduce the area devoted to any crop, and then by sound cultural methods, use of good seed, and by judicious imanuring, get the yield from the lower acreage. For instance, the cost of getting eight tons of potatoes from one acre would under this method be less than that involved in getting the same quantity i'rom two acres. For such crops as potatoes, mangels, chow moelliers, kale, turnips, etc., it pays to-day to use possibly a smaller acreage than formerly, but •to secure by sound farming methods a higher yield per acre, thus reducing unit cost of the produce. In this connexion wise manuring is ■essential, as manures return many times their costs, especially when used along with good cultivation method. Jrhe same principle applies also to areas for ensilage and hay. Even in an era of 3ow prices efficient methods still pay. It is penny wise and pound foolish policy to pay rent of land, have labour costs expended, and then limit the return because of economy in fertilisers. has definitely shown in New Zealand that judicious fertilising pays, and it gives the best return where good farming methods are used. H. MATSON and CO. M 6735