THE WEEK

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23445, 27 September 1941, Page 6

THE WEEK

EWE HOGGET PRICES The sharp jump in the last few weeks in the value of ewe hoggets has not been confined to this province. At Addington this week one pen, an openwoolled line, made the good price in comparison with other classes of ewes, based on recent markets, of 35s 6d. This price, however, was more than equalled at southern sales. At Winton last week a pen of 78 open wools sold at 40s 7d, and a big pen of 333 at 35s Id. These prices indicate a general belief that young ewes in the autumn will be short and that the boom which has existed this last two years for strong-woolled ewes is showing no sign of easing. The buyers of these highpriced ewes will have to carry them along for another six months before mating, on the return of the wool, that is if they intend using them and not reselling, so that, on the prices, openwoolled young ewes next autumn appear as if they are destined for prices equally as high, if not higher, than those of last season. The demand for fine wool young ewes in the autumn may be relatively as strong. This is dependent to a large extent on the toll taken of ewes this winter in the high country. If this should be as heavy as feared, the scarcity in the autumn may be acute. A bigger proportion of ewe lambs to the total crop was sent to the works last season than ever before, and as there was a big reduction in offerings of two-tooths at the, last autumn fairs, a real shortage may be developing. This possibility is helped by the fact that more young ewes will have to be kept on the stations to replace losses. This aspect of snow losses does not affect the availability of opcn-woolled ewes as it does fine wools, on account of climatic environment. Consequently there should be no shortage of the former—at all events comparable with, that of fine wools 1 THE LINEN ACREAGE The southern districts are not standing where they should in meeting tihe call for an increased linen acreage, dnd unless a solid last-minute effort,' is made in this quarter the Government's objective for the season will probably not be secured. The reason of th«s development is difficult to explain, as at least one of the laggard districts produced some of the heaviest and* best paying crops of flax last season. There has been some criticism by farmers’ bodies in the south concerning the control at one of the processing factories, and another complaint voiced at one meeting was the effect the high wages of linen flax operators was having on the supply of farm labour. This, it was claimed, was making agricultural workers more difficult to Iget than ever, and oat growing and winter turnip provision had declined to an extent that many farmers had only small tillage units. Last week it was reported in the south that the Tapanui district, which grew exceptionally good crops of flax last season, had contracted for only 65 per cent, of the 2000 acres allocated to it, and the Gore district, where a factory is to be erected for processing, 85 per cent, of the 1000 acres allocated. Last week-end it was reported that of the Southland objective of 7500 acres 5282 had been contracted for; Farmers’ organisations are urging their members to reach the objective. THE KEA AGAIN Not a great deal has been heard about the depredations of the kea in the last two years. Possibly this is partly because so many other highcountry troubles have loomed up that the kea is only now entitled to a place in the ranks, instead of near the van. Another reason is perhaps that the snows were lighter in the last two seasons than ordinarily, and the kea did not have its usual feeding buried from it. With the high country feet under snow this season for practically the whole of the winter, the kea has had to look for substitute feeding further down, where sheep are more numerous, and where the binds’ depredations are more quickly and more easily discovered. Whatever the position may be m Canterbury this season in respect of destruction by the killer, it has been at work more seriously than for years in the high country of northern Southland and in country also that has never been regarded as “high.” The Fairlight station at Garston and the Greenvale and Kinnaird stations are among those that have suffered unusual losses in the last month. Usually keas do not come below about 3000 feet, but this year they have been attacking sheep' on much lower country. Recently the manager of the Fairlight station (on the southern boundary of Lake Wakatipu) found 40 dead sheep on two spurs of an area of 400 to 500 acres. He said there would probably be a good many more in other parts of the station. In 20 years he had not seen such losses from the kea. A rather novel but a sound reason is advanced regarding the kea’s meat preferences. Contrary to what would be expected, keas do not select lambs or small sheep for their victims. At Fairlight they have gone for the bigger sheep, and where there were wethers and hoggets they went for the wethers. The chief reason appears to be that the kea can get a stronger hold on the thicker fleece of the big sheep. SOIL EROSION During his extended visit to Australia, Mr R. McGillivray, a report of an interview with whom appears on this page, saw, and was told, much about the soil erosion menace in the inland parts of the country. Whilst the incidence of soil erosion is somewhat different in Australia from that in New Zealand, causes are much the same, and in the opinion of Mr McGillivray the devastation in the affected parts supplies an ominous lesson for the Dominion. Wind erosion is the worst form in Australia. Frequently great clouds of dust are to be seen passing from areas where the unprotected soil provides a playground for the winds. Originally much of this lighter country was covered by scrub and other parts with bush. The indiscriminate destruction of this covering was fatal to light and many areas of marginal lands. Western New South Wales, northern Victoria, and South Australia were mostly affected by wind erosion, the eastern part of New South Wales being subject more to water erosion. From inland New South Wales to Spencer’s Gulf, a distance of fully 800 miles, there was a belt of wind eroded country. In districts where close settlement had taken place much protective forest had been destroyed, and the soil was on the move whenever a wind, no matter from which quarter, attained any velocity. These big reddish dust clouds could be seen on occasions from as far away as the capitals on the coast, and when a rapid change took place the resultant rain was of a peculiar red colour. A lesson taught from the position is that closer settlement of this class of land is a huge mistake, as the intensive farming necessary led only to the disturbed soil surface going with the wind. Summarising his observations as they may interest this Dominion, Mr McGillivray said that he was convinced we would have to look forward to a more intensified afforestation policy if any check was to be given to the various forms of erosion now becoming acute. This was not an engineering problem, he had learned from his observations in Australia, but one for the practical land man, who knew soils and farming.