POTATO CROPS

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21793, 27 May 1936, Page 6

POTATO CROPS

SOME GOOD DISTRICTS

There are exceptions to the fairly general rule of disappointing potato crops this season. Digging is now in full swing throughout the Courtenay, Halkett, and Sheffield districts. The acreage does not appear to be large, but the yields are turning out well and the potatoes are sound. Crops noticed during the week in process of being lifted showed a big percentage of tables, particularly in one case, where a digger was at work with abqut half a dozen pickers. This' heavy proportion of tables may result in a position forecast some weeks ago—a scarcity of seed and consequently high prices. The possibility of the Australian embargo being lifted, if not relaxed, is likely to give more attention to the acreage sown, although it requires some degree of optimism to regard an Australian outlet as likely under present conditions. An outlet is only likely to come about when potatoes in Sydney are on the way to the same price as oranges—which actually has occurred —and the absence of an embargo will be very welcome as paving the way for export should such a development take place.

“GREEN” WOOL

THE CAUSE

Reference was made some time ago to the display at one of the autumn shows of a sheep with green wool across the back. The singularity is very rarely come across, particularly in Canterbury, but instances of it elsewhere have been mentioned to “Straggler.” Naturally such sheep get short shrift from the judge when they are exhibited, on account of the wool being out of condition. The cauge is too much rain, which apparently affects sheep variably, according to the openness of the wool and the conditions in which they are grazed. Where sheep camp under high trees from which the water continually drips on to the fleece is a favourite source of the trouble. Possibly more exercise by the sheep would have a combating effect in the drying process the heat of the body would create.

CASTING OF SHEEP

A NOVEL SUGGESTION

It is known to sheep hands that there are ewes given to casting far more than the average. It just happens, according to the particular idiosyncrasy of the ewe. But a Scottish breeder advances the novel contention that this tendency to get on their backs is an hereditary fault, and can be eliminated by culling. In an address at Edinburgh, a Mr I. E. M. Sandison, who said that his shepherd had served his family for three generations, pointed out to him that it was only a few sheep in every flock that repeatedly ‘‘lay awald,” so that it was decided to get rid of any individuals found thus helpless. Hereditary or not, the annual loss on this account has been reduced from 2 to i per cent, since the offenders were disposed of.