NOTES BY THE WAY

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21456, 24 April 1935, Page 8

NOTES BY THE WAY

CONDITIONS GENERALLY The Easter holidays generally bring a big crowd of visitors to the city, and the fact that there appear to be more this year from various parts of the South Island might suggest that there is a general improvement in financial conditions. One observant southern farmer informed the writer that it could safely be said that the big majority of the farming community had got on to safe ground again. There had been comparatively few foi'ced . realisations during the slump, and many of the "border line" cases of two or three years ago had now become sound. This visitor realised that the main cause of this was that land never soared to the sky high values that it did in the northern provinces, and a second cause is that the varied character of the farming enabled producers to secure a payable price for at .least one of their products. The transition to sheep, which set in about a decade ago as a result of the comparative disappearance of the oat market, and the increase in feed brought about by liming and top-dressing, commenced at a most opportune time, as the lamb market has been decidedly profitable considering the easy value of the land and the facility with which fattening feed can be grown. Many farmers were in a position to hold over the disposal of their wool clips during the slump years, and it was not exceptional for growers to have had as many as three clips to offer at last season's high prices. The ability to do this has meant the addition of many thousands of pounds to wool growers. The decks were pretty well cleared, and the same policy is being pursued this season. A big quantity of South Otago and Southland wool is being held for a better market. A difference in the system of stock financing to that of northern provinces was noted by this farmer. Whereas in the north the tendency was to finance on the "one-year" ewe, it was a common practice in the south to extend accommodation only on two-tooths or, at all events, young sheep. The benefit was that no matter how values fluctuated lamb raisers had a maximum producing flock on hand and had not to go into the market when prices were in the air, as in Canterbury. This observation is interesting, but an explanation lies in the fact that in the south there is generally sufficient feed to carry young stock along from season to season, whilst in Canterbury it is desirable, if not necessary in many cases, to quit the ewe with the lamb before the autumn scarcity of feed sets in, and obviously old ewes are the sort economically fitted, to the policy. However, visitors generally from all parts of the island are very pleased with the turn the season has taken for the better, after a most unpromising summer and early autumn. LAMB TROUBLES

Enquiries from the veterinary officers of the Stock Department in Christchurch elicit the fact that stomach worms in lambs are no worse than in the usual season, ; though there are evidences of an increase since the muggy and damp weather set in. The position, however, in Canterbury, is rarely as bad as that generally ruling in Hawke's Bay, with its greater rainfall and humidity and its ranker growth of pasture. A very large amount of prevention had been secured in Canterbury in recent years by systematic drenching—from the time the lambs are weaned and periodically until they are well into the hogget stage. In one case of a North Canterbury farmer, whose property was peculiarly susceptible to the trouble, the lambs, as a result of experience,. were .drenched every three weeks. It had been discovered that after the drenchings the lambs throve, but if the - drenching was extended over a longer period than three weeks, they commenced to go back. On this property it was at one time difficult to carry hoggets through. Now a big proportion of the lambs were got away fat to the works. The present conditions were favourable to the trouble, and farmers should not neglect the possibility of their lambs being affected.

LUCERNE AND MOISTURE A correspondent—"T.A.S." in "The Press" on Monday, in referring to a paragraph on the Farm Page last Wednesday, which stated that in spite of the dry season five cuts of lucerne had been taken off a lucerne stand near Christchurch, expresses the opinion that "to try to prove from this that lucerne does not require much water is misleading." Perhaps the correspondent read the paragraph hurriedly. The number of cuts and the dry season are matters of fact, not of opinion,

and were recorded as such. The article, however, went on to say that "there is no question that after a good fall of rain lucerne growth jumps ahead," and proceeds to explain the reason of the plant growing in the driest of seasons, which explanation lay in the fact that the roots of old-established stands are many feet down, "where a supply of water is doubtless available, or where there is some conservation of precipitated moisture." "The exceptional growth this season was in the autumn, subsequent to the showers which commenced to fall in February," was a further observation in the article. In explaining the good growth on light sandy soils in spite of the dry season, it was stated "that it could not be argued, of course, that lucerne could be grown as well with a sparse rainfall as with a liberal one," and concludes by suggesting a visualisation of what it would mean to the light lands of the province if they could have the benefit of irrigation. These observations scarcely agree with the suggestion read into them by our good friend "T.A.S." "that lucerne does not require much water," and which reading is consequently misleading. "T.A.S." makes some useful observations on the effects of moisture scarcity on the growth of lucerne, but the present note is merely for the purpose of dismissing the interpretation that he placed upon the original paragraph.

CATTLE FOR THE COAST The illustration on this page recalls an industry that was one of the most important in the early days of Canterbury. That was the sending of cattle to the West Coast for the miners, who in the late 'sixties and the 'seventies of last century made the Coast the most populous rural part of the Dominion. These cattle were travelled via the Hurunui and down the Teremakau, and were drawn from many parts of Canterbury. A prominent "shipper" in those days was Mr Walter (later Sir Walter) Buchanan. Mutton was a commodity that was difficult to transport, and as the average West Coaster in those days had anything but a delicate appetite, and as money was plentiful and free, there was a big consumption of Canterbury beef, ,and at highly remunerative prices. One good turn deserves another, apparently, and today the West Coast is sending fat cattle to the people of Christchurch. One of the most prominent of these suppliers is Te Kinga Land and Timber Company, for whose property a proportion of the line of 260, which forms the subject of to-day's illustration are destined. They arc stores, and as will be seen from the photograph, mostly straight breed Herefords. More than 200 of them come from St. Helens station, Hanmer Springs. To Kinga station is situated on the Otira-Stillwater railway, and is therefore only a fewhours' rail from Addington. This advantage enables the consignments to reach the market free from risk

of knocking about by long road journeys, and is helpful in securing for To Kinga cattle about the top prices ®t the market. CANTERBURY'S DAIRY COWS The consistency with which dairy cattle are finding their way into the fat cattle pens at Addington market suggests that dairy production is declining, or is likely to do so within the next year or two. Cull dairy cows have been a fairly large element in the pennings for a number of years, and it is not to be assumed that they have all been of the derelict type. Ordinarily there is a proportion of well-finished bodies. The element has raised the question previously of the effect the practice will have on the strength of dairy herds, but the Government statistics for the last decade do not show that the shrinkage has been very marked. In 1922, for instance, there were 88,236 cows scheduled as dairies in Canterbury, and in 1932 the number was down only to 84,514, a decline of less than 4000 in the decade. However, there was no dairy slump until the final year or two of the period instanced, ana doubtless the ordinary replacement by young cattle of the culled cows was steadily going on. With four years of poor prices, the crowding of the Home market by North Island production, and the talk of restrictions, a different complexion is placed on the matter, and it is reasonable to assume that replacement of the heavy culling now going on is not nearly so complete as it was a few years ago. The trend is a

natural one, v/hich may be arrested when a degree of irrigation is established, and when, as a result of it, the wintering of cows will be a less costly business.