NOTES BY THE WAY

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23000, 20 April 1940, Page 8

NOTES BY THE WAY

POTATO YIELDS The recent rains have benefited the later-planted . potato crops on the heavier land very materially, and prospects of a better yield are much brighter than they were a month oxsix weeks ago. There has been little second growth reported, a contingency that is always feared when warm weather follows the rains. Prospects are now for a return of near normal — that is as far as early diggings enable an estimate to be made. On some of the medium land the returns have been very disappointing, the February lack of rain being fatal. Instead of yields in -districts in North Canterbury of five to seven tons, some have been as low as three tons. On the other hand, the better land is producing good yields, which in the aggregate should compensate for the decline in the return from the medium ■potato land. The area, though larger than that of last season, is still substantially below that of normal years, but the heavy export of seed to the North Island last season indicates that a much bigger quantity was planted there. This is an aspect that Canterbury growers should not overlook if the demand from the North Island sets in later this season. There is one ‘aspect that growers should i y moi-e attention to in view of the possibility of Australia opening its doors to New Zealand potatoes. The main influence against the lifting of the embargo for years has been removed by the changes in the Australian Government, and as there is a war on it is probable that the Australian Cabinet may consider the needs of the few millions of people on the mainland in preference to those of the few thousand growers in Tasmania. If potatoes are to be allowed in, however, it will be under the most rigid inspection. The point to which attention is drawn is referred to by the Fields Superintendent, Mr R. McGillivray, elsewhere on this page. Last season seed was damaged to. such an extent in the mechanical digging that the tubers were disqualified for certification. In some of the earlier crops lifted this season damaged table potatoes have formed a heavy proportion. There is little chance of potatoes of this class being passed for export, and so the position that confronts growers who do not minimise the evil is that they will be unable to supply the over.seas demand, apart altogether from the saleability on the local market. RABBIT* INDUSTRY The “de-commercialising” of the rabbit' industry was urged by one of the speakers at the meeting of highcountry runholders at Tekapo on Thursday. “Why should we keep the fur industry snug for nine months of the year, so that for three months professional rabbiters may take the cream of the skins?” he said. Rabbit farming used to be a lucrative side-line in the. early days, and the funds of the State frequently benefited from the fines that the Courts inflicted for repeated failure to destroy. But while authority frowned pn the commercialising of the rabbit in this manner, the carcase in the early days and the skin later have brought some millions of money into the country. The extent of the industry is recalled in a paragraph appearing in Southland papers. It was to the effect that the Woodlands Meat Works were being gradually pulled down, “and with them goes the last hope of the residents of the township that they would be reopened.” It is interesting to recall that these works opened away back in 1869, or more than 70 years ago. They were one of a number opened about that year by the New Zealand Meat Preserving Company, others being at Styx, Templeton, and Washdyke (in Canterbury), Kakanui and Green Island (in Otago). The works were to treat mutton, the idea being to preserve the best joints and to render tallow from the rest of the carcase. Owing to the unreliability ■of the canning the ■ works did not pay and were either closed down < r diverted to x-abbit preserving. The Woodlands works went into the rabbit business, and in the succeeding two or three decades, millions of rabbits were tinned at the works. It was the biggest concern of its kind for many years, and kept going even after the refrigeration of rabbits had become an established industry in the south. It. was deemed sufficiently profitable to justify, the erection of a similar concern at Croydon Siding, near Gore, early in 1890. Operations were successful for some time', but with the advent of the freezing companies into the rabbit business this concern eventually had to close its doors. The Woodlands works were privately owned and operated for a further period of years, but irregularly in the last two decades. The “commercialising” spoken of at the Tekapo meeting related to the skins. It is interesting to note that the average value of rabbitskins exported in 1938 and 1939 was £255,000. The export reached as high as £503,000 some years ago. A big share of this doubtful wealth has to be credited to the high-country runs. A little more

than 11,000,000 skins were exported in 1939. It is estimated that five rabbits consume as much as a sheep, so the sheep-carrying capacity of the country is being depleted by the rabbit to the extent of more than two million head annually—much more if account is taken of the number of destroyed rabbits, the skins of which never reach the export stage. THE CORRIEDALE ABROAD Corriedale breeders will be interested to learn of-the extension of the Corriedale breed overseas. The “Melbourne Leader” of April 13 publishes some figures of the extent of the move-; ment in Australia. “Steady progress,” it states.' “continues to be made in the development of new Corriedale studs in Victoria and other states. The' useful Corriedale is proving popular for its dual purpose supply of- wool and mutton. Significant of the high quality of both commodities yielded by the Corriedale was the fact that at the recent Yarra Glen show the first prize for the most valuable' ewe, irrespective of age, and judged on a wool and mutton basis, was won by a Corriedale ewe. The prize for the most valuable fleece also went to a Corriedale fleece.

“The strong support given to the breed in Victoria is shown by the fact that of more than 500 registered Corriedale studs in Australia, approximately 200 are in Victoria, being well distributed throughout the state. Membership of the Australian Corriedale Sheepbreeders’ Association continues to show a consistent increase, with a proportionately large number of new members being registered in Victoria.” The extent of the advance in the number of registered Corriedale flocks in Victoria can be judged from the fact that the number in New Zealand just exceeds the 200 mark, practically the same number as in the State,