FARM AND STATION

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21086, 10 February 1934, Page 18

FARM AND STATION

By "Straggler."

ADDINGTON MARKET SUSTAINED DEMAND FOR STORE EWES ttKF.F VAMFS IMPROVK The main inlcrcsi in Uie Addingtor. Market on Wednesday again centred in Ihe store sheep section, v.-here n large yarding was entered. The gallery was big, but the bidding v.as noticeably more restricted than that of last week, particularly for vclhers. The proportion of old ewe.> vas heavy, and there was a slackncoj in the demand for them, but, Tor anything good satisfactory prices were forthcoming. The sale was chiefly notable for the season's price for twotooths being paid, a line from H. M. Burgin. Swannanoa, making 33s 9d. They were hnlfbreds, showing excellent breeding and condition, but were not outstanding, ihis price is 10s !)d higher than the best price :ocured at the fairs last year, and is a further indication of Ihe values to be exported in March. Compared with last, year, as the fable so clearly demonstrates, prices .for old ewes are outstandingly the most advanceci. F.wcs whirn last year would not have fetched a bid, or at most would have changed hands at somewhere below half-a-crown, are worth this year in the vicinity of 10s, a rise of 400 per cent. Wethers were cheaper on Wednesday, but ihe selecuon was not good. Most of the offering consisted of travcl-stair.cd Marlborough lots, and there was not a great deal of interest in them. The following table gives a comparison of prices ruling on Wednesday with those at: the corresponding sale last year:— |.vi, s IVh 7. I il l.::. 1 i,-w< _ S - S - s <>.■< l ihd 'o -I "Tlh ild " M t,. it 104 to 2:tj (icod -1-ir. Jbrl ■ - 214 to ->•> anJ fail- , in- nv.uth }bd • u 'i 10 l! l? \l«d* a2<-l t'od 111° 1B:( Inf. 3U0.1 4t.fl »<• i r nnd 2-th i-1.1l m I.;J -- 10 2!) * I ),-il - tl) 10 1 ~.. ~) f x |„| Hi to 11 iloml'" - »li IM 1,1 ,9i 07(1. -th illll 14i <° 10 -1 l' anJ n . lh - 10 !>i ,:; i ,0 ISi o.j.J :h \bii loi 10 i:s to 18 i The lamb sale again attracted heavy nitric.-:, the bulk of which were made no of fine-woolled lines. The demand was as keen as ever, and values were a little above those ruling last week. Great keenness was shown by farmers in the purchase of ewes, which /old consistently well without great regard tor condition. As long as the breeding showed, the money was available. i i.amhs »■ "■ -I m.v hi 10 li.J - \;. m - . . KJ lo Eli 10-V to 10 A • •• n: < . . V Hi - to 1 ."> i 1 1 ' to r, ii- J , rtlicr . . f'.J 10 7 to 173 >f ,ji ;;;1 r -.\» - to 04 1 (j:i to is; ii 'lirwNv put: to 7i 1-tJ to 164 West Coast lambs formed a conndtrablc proportion of the total yarding of fats, and a line from there lopped the market. The bidding was keen throughout, and although the export schedule remained as it was last week. keener bidding by butchers forced exporters to extend a little, and the price was distinctly firmer. In the last three years the Coast has consistently improved the quality of its lambs, and now they have become ;t recognised feature of the summer offerings here. The breeding is good, ;:nd they generally show signs of careful management. . ri: 111 • li*,tvv 10 1;± 10 201 | "-llllf I.' :i V V .. It lo li; 22j to 'J 141 ' I! i to Ii Ml 4 to 22 i.■ :ij to 11 10 to 19 Although practically every district i;i the South Island was represented 111 the fat sheep pens, there was not much 01 the offering of good quality. All over New Zealand fat sheep are .-•carce. and this scarcity is well reflected in the yardings which have been coming to Addington for some r.ionth:.-. The sale was steady at late rates, but owing to the scarcity of the type, butchers were prepared to pay n little more for the best prime wether?;. Exporters operated freely. Wrtlirrs-- *• «■ «• »• >■:. ;.i-:»i.' lu.v.v ■— to l&S -- •" ! 1 :rrj o !k<v. y 1t» to I 7 i 'J t to '~!0 :T; it .1 :;jt t<. t:.i to 2;::; iird;-.Mr> 114 lo IP. 104 to 21 i I i-iK 04 to t I 10 to 19 I 'V--V----f.-:. j.nrr.lu-.ltv lo 12* lo 205 I■, \r.w heat v ■ ■ 04 10 t I 21 10 234 v,t ..r,m- 7 4 10 9 17 to 205 1 : S ht ."n-J or,l. 5 lo 7 11 to 10' 4 A reasonable yarding of fat catlle came forward, and a.- a consequence values rose over a brisk sale by £1 to £1 5s a head for the best, and were appreciably improved even for secondary beef.

EXCHANGE AND WOO I- j Despite the higher prices ruling for i Tvool since the New Year and the fact | that rates of exchange between Japan end Australia increase the cost of raw material for Japanese rnillmen, very extensive purchases have been made for that quarter, states the "Sydney Morning Herald." The cost of v/00l lias increased decidedly for her since December. 1031. when she suspended ihe gold standard. Before l that time 'he Japanese yen was worth 44 Australian pence, compared with 18d latterly. With the alteration in rates of exchange and the higher wool market, wool is costing Japan in the vicinity of five times as much as in 1931. By way of contrast, wool bought. by France at 20d in Australian currency cost barely 2francs French money, but the low cost has not resulted in v ery large purchases for that country. The situation shows that cheap wool will not alone induce free buying. Oood trade, or at- least some prospects of better business, must be experienced to induce an appreciable flow of ouying orders. Whilst exchange rates niake wool imports more costly for •'apan, m the reverse way they make g S ch£lap for foreign pur- ' t «o^ie!uh n £i are dangerous ! use I

BRITISH BEEF QUOTAS SECURING A NEW DliAI, home i'roduceiis' I'osrnoN The "North British Agriculturist" remarks editorially that amongst the many agricultural meetings which marked the Smithficld week in London there was none more arresting in its significant results than that of the Council of Agriculture at which the Minister for Agriculture was present and spoke. It was of more than ordinary importance because the main question under discussion was beef, and further that the discussion brought from the Minister a definite declaration on behalf of the Government that effective action would bo taken foitnwitlt to meet the situation. it m;. the claim of the Council ot Agne.lilin e that yotn:; regulation of l:vpe.aal awell as foreign supplier, v.as essential if British agriculture was to sur\ i\e. Mr Filliot frankly accept.:-.! that, declared necessity, and admitted that the situation would have to be grappled with by the Government. One reassuring feature of the situation is that Mr ElTiot admits freely that, "it is the bed man's turn now" and he is ",<>in.; forward with that as an instruction from the Council of Agriculture to the Government.

A Difficult Tosition j What actually will be done remain;to be seen. It will be interesting m , the first place to see what the | Reorganisation Committee on the meal, j question have lo say in their report ; which is expected to be issued shortly..I' may be cold comfort for stock , breeders and feeders to suggest that ; a little more patience is nece-s-iry, ! but the fact has to he recognised t.iat the live stock position is a very: d'fi'cult one to deal with, beau:", a - , Mr Elliot remarked, we have not. ; merely a great home production loconsider, but a great Imperial pro- j duction. But the actual seriousness ; of the difficulties only emphasise thej. necessity for all the more strenuou. i effort being made to solve them. It ' is now generally admitted that the;Ottawa Agreements fell far short oi j safeguarding home interests so far | as meat imports were concerned. It j is no doubt true that had thc.y ! agreements been carried cut with . proper care Home producers would not j : have lost so heavily as they did riur-! ; ing the greater part of the prevent I: year; but to "cry over spilt milk" is j a mere waste of tears, and it can only , ; be hoped that having thus benefited | bv psst experience the Gi.:v:r;imen'. ; will so adjust its future tic key that j: the Home producer will h-.ive a turn j ol that fair play to which lie is • ; entitled. ; A New Deul i Or.e standing dii'ilcuhy in ihe . i solution of this meat problem, uni'or- ! ;

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tunatelv. is that the Ottawa arrangement does not come to an end un.u June. Mr Elliot took occasion to remind the Council of Agriculture of that fact, adding that then the cards would be on the table and there would be a new deal. But June is still about •s'x months off. and if this suggests that nothing practical is to be done until the agreement comes to an end the position cannot be regarded as other than disquieting, despite the assurance given by the Minister for Agriculture. It is very difficult to conceive of a continuance of the existin" situation being possible for another six months. It would moan innumerable <:lock-ownei\s being down and out. Surely the scandal of boneless meat imports, for example, could be competently dealt with pending the settlement of matters involved m the Ottawa agreements. If that were out ot the way a very important step would have been taken towards relieving the Home meat situation. One other possible change would be the compulsory marking of all foreign meat put on sale in Britain, or more effective still, perhaps, the marking of all Home produced meat as such, for consumers might then be encouraged to more firmly fix their fancv on what is produced in their own cminlrv But whatever is to be done ••t'ould'bo done quickly: and the results or effective arlion will be Iwo-lolcl, for not oiilv will it tenet to put Iho Home cattle Irade on its feet, but go f;ir to solve (Ik- problem of Homcc.rowii oat::. FORCED CKOWTH K K.MARK A HI. F, KFSFI.TS (.I,AIMED Much mterrsl has been aroused among British agriculturists concerning a commercial method of intensive cult ivnt inn that has been introduced from Germany. Or. Spangcnberg. the inventor, claim;-, that a complete crop of wheat. barle\. or oats can be grown in ei-gh'i weeks from :<ccd treated for 4,", hours before sowing with the nutrient, solution which forms pari of the process. This process is being thoroughly tested at the National Institute for Research at Shinticld, I.'oadiug. -ind exports consider it advisable to await the report of these experiments before framing an opinion a-, to tin l commercial significance of the method. Should a successful report be issued, the procc---; may have ;i vital influence on many places of agriculture. For from an apparatus with dimensions of oft by 7fi by V',lt. it is churned that .".'fl'icienf' fodder can be grown to Iced ISO lit.'id of cattle all the year round. Its utility under conditions of drought end winter feeding can be appreciated, orovided i Mifiicteiiev of water exists 'for the working of the plant. At the recent Inventors' Exhibition, where the int- -;:rivo cultivation plant was awarded a gold medal, Lord Aslvntli sealed one of the cultivation trays cont'.ining mni/.e se?d. This was opened by him 10 days later, and showed a i-i-p of 'U'-c.ilcnt fodder that had a growth of Hm.

&WPCF—S r r iK\. prime* hr-.ivy tr> •' X to .1 l :i rvimo heavy . t 0 h <1 1 O 10 r i Prime med.um \vei~li t In fil S lo Light find orr|. 23 to :•> 5 to JHeifere— 84 Kr. pxinr? to fi.? Primo • • In 5i ;> to 7 Med. and light Hi to aa to 4% Cowf— Ex. prime to 64 — to 7'1 Prime, . . 34 to 4il 4£ to 8 Light And m<?d. U to 3 — fo 4