FARM AND STATION

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23883, 27 February 1943, Page 3

FARM AND STATION

By “STRAGGLER’

THE WEEK THE OATS EXCESS Since the attempt to prove that the Government did not ask for an extension of the oats acreage for the current season there has been no hint from it as to what it proposes to do about the matter. Farmers who responded to the appeal in good faith, and who have oats stacked in their paddocks er in the bags awaiting delivery, are naturally becoming impatient. They think that plenty of time has elapsed for the Government to make up its • lind. Some of these farmers contend that under the lure of the oats appeal they diverted ground that would otherwise have been sown to wheat. The appeal provided a channel for resting over-worked wheat land. These and other responders to the Government request certainly have reason to feel indignant. It was admlttea recently that the Dominion had lost the renewal of the overseas biscuit contracts. This need not be much regretted, as it involved the use of wheat which the Dominion needs for its own requirements. It was suggested some time ago that the oatmeal contracts went the same way, and this was the cause of the Government’s forgetfulness about dealing with the oats. It is believed since, however, that these contracts may yet materialise, in which case the problem of an unwanted over-supply would be solved. In the meantime, growers have had to hold their threshed oats on the farm, as there is no local market, and accept the advice to leave unthreshed oats in the stack awaiting something to turn up. As there is a moral responsibility on the part of the Government to make good its, promise these farmers are expecting to hear something about Government intentions. Fortunately, oats, unlike potatoes, can be carried over. It may be taken for grarfted that after the experience of this season’s unwanted oats there will be what our American friends describe as a “record low” of white oats grown next season. If the Government stepped in. therefore, and bought the oats and held them it need have no misgivings about any competition from next year’s crop. It would have the field very much to itself. The oats were grown for war purposes and have as sound a claim on war expenses as many of the items that are charged against that elastic account.

ENGLISH SEED MARKET

The Suffolk National Farmers’ Union recently criticised a Ministerial proposal that contracts at fixed prices should be arranged with farmers for the growing of red clover. It was stated (early in December) that no arrangement at all had been made in respect of any clovers or grass seeds, and that the contract system for clover seeds was not feasible, nor was it possible to fix the price of red clover seed. One speaker said it was impossible to grow red or white clover on contract when there was a flock of sheep on the farm. It was a case of letting the sheep go if the clover was to be kept for seed. Another member said there was enough red clover grown in Suffolk to supply the whole of England, Scotland, and Wales, yet the Government, as he was told, had enough imported red clover to last for three years. “Instead of wasting shipping space in this way,” he said, “the Government might have more usefully imported ground nut cake.” The “fed-up” point of the discussion appears to have been reached when one member said he was astonished to find that the red clover imported seed was being sown at the rate of 1001b an acre at one aerodrome.

S?FED EXPORT LICENCES When the Minister of Marketing some time ago announced that the Government had secured the consent of the British Ministry' of Agriculture to grant import licences for parcels contracted for with New Zealand for 1943, there was no indication of the quantities involved. Neither, naturally. was there any indication of the existence of a market. The British Ministry’s consent concerned the following quantities, “subject to alterations later, if necessary” for seeds for 1944: . , Chewing’s fescue, 200 tons; certified Montgomery red clover, 50 tons; certified white clover, 250 tons; Suckling clover, 25 tons; certified broad red clover. 12i tons; certified crested dogstail, 125 tons; cocksfoot. 20 tons; certified Italian clover, 150 tons; certified perennial ryegrass, 150 tons; brown top, 50 tons. The total export of clover seed to Great Britain in 1942 was 20.309cwt, valued at £309,177, and of grass seeds 62,142cwt, valued at £283,224. It seems plain that this substantial increment to the farmers’ income will be heavily reduced in the next year or two.

A WOOL SURVEY In 1924-25 the value of the wool sold in New Zealand averaged £29 a bale; in 1921 it was £9 a bale. Such a spread . ’thin three years suggests something of a difficulty in “stabilising” the returns from the industry—a difficulty, at all events, sufficient to puzzle the average financial expert, if not so much his counterpart in the political world. The survey of the industry of New Zealand in the last 40 odd years is given in the recent issue of Dalgety’s Review, the size of the catalogues, the price a bale, and the total value being set off in appropriate columns. The £9 a bale was not the lowest figure recorded in the 40 years. In the three slump years of 1930-31 to 1933, inclusive, the respective values were £7 19s lOd a bale, £7 10s 4d, and £7 10s 3d. Then in 1933-34 the average rose to £l6 Is 3d. There was again a decline in the two following years, but in 1936-37 the value jumped to £22 6s Bd, the total cheque for the clip of £15,344.231 being the largest received up to that time since the beginning of the industry. This notable return synchronised with the huge expansion in the public works policy of the company. However, there was again a fading away in the two following years—£l4 6s 9d and £l3 0s 8d respectively. Then came the first of the three war appraisement years, when th average value a bale was £lB 7s 3d to £lB 8s lOd.

The practice of shipping station clips direct to England was fairly prevalent in the first decade of the century. In that 10 years there was only one local catalogue offered which exceeded 200,000 bales, indicating the extent of th. system of direct shipment. When the war commandeer came in 1916. and was put into effect in 1917, all the wool was taken over. One reason advanced for the commandeer, or rather an explanation of why it was not adopted until so late in the conflict, was the discovery of the amount of wool that was finding its way to hostile nations. The first appraisement in 1916-17 returned growers £2l 18s 8d a bale, compared with £2l 2s lid in the final free year. In the years of commandeer prices which followed there was a slight advance, the highest years recording £23 10s in 1918-19 and £23 9s lOd in the final commandeer year. In the 1941-42 season the highest total of wool on record was appraised, the quantity being 826.759 bales, as against an average of 580,000 bales during the last war.

WHEAT YIELDS OFFICIAL ESTIMATE OF 37 BUSHELS The following estimated average yields an acre of wheat, oats, and baney for the season 1942-43 have been compiled from reports furnished by stock inspectors of the Department of Agriculture throughout the Dominion. The forecasts are based on crop prospects at the end of January. Actual average yields an acre for the season 1941-42 are also given for the purpose of comparison. District Wheat Oats Barley bush. bush. bush, ac. ac. ac. North Island .. .. 38 45 38 Marlborough .. .. 38 35 39 Nelson .. .. 30 36 ' 35 Canterbury .. .. 36 45 40 Otago .. .. 42 48 39 Southland .. ..41 57 51

Average (est. for the Dominion) 37 49 39 Previous season’s averages (actual) 33.61 48.66 35.99 The estimated yield an acre of wheat will, if realised, be one of the highest to be recorded. The estimated area to be threshed is well above the area threshed in 1941-42 and the average of the last 10 seasons. The relative figures are set out in the following table, which shows also the total yield of grain expected to be harvested. Last season’s ascertained results are given for purposes of comparison, and 10year averages of ascertained crop results are also given. Yield Area, per for Total Wheat threshed acre, threshing yield bush, acres, bush. Est„ 1942-43 .. 37.00 283,000 10,500,000 Ascertained, 1941-42 33.61 258,002 8,671,244 Ascertained yearly average, 1932-33 to 1941-42 .. 32.52 241,858 7,864,673 Oats and Barley In the case of oats; the estimated yielu an acre is slightly above last season's ascertained average yield of 48.66 bushels. The average yield of 44.01 bushels experienced during the last 10 seasons is well below both these figures/ The area from which oats were threshed last season represented 25 per cent, of the total area under this crop. Assuming that a similar proportion is threshed this year, the total yield of grain would be approximately 2,900,000 bushels, as against 3,444,812 bushels for the season 1941-42.

Barley, at 39 bushels an acre, is estimated to yield over three bushels an a re more than last season’s harvest produced. This grain averaged 35.89 bushels over the last 10 years. If in 1942-43 a similar average proportion of the total barley area is threshed as was the case last season, the total yield would be approximately 1,150,000 bushels, compared with 1,296,630 bushels for 1941-42. AN OPTIMISTIC FORECAST The estimate of 37 bushels an acre for the whole Dominion which was briefly announced a few days ago has been questioned by the bulk of farmers and the trade, as it is believed to err considerably on the side of optimism. All the information as to how the estimate has been arrived at is not available as the acreages in the six provinces are not announced. Less than three months ago the estimate would have been considered on the high side, but with the shoal of disappointing returns most Canterbury growers would at the present time suggest a return for this province of nearer 32 bushels than 36, and Canterbury, with its 200,000 acres in a total of 283.000 for the Dominion, dominates the position. These reductions in the expected yields are of sufficient importance to warrant a revised estimate, as a great deal depends on the statement being as near accuracy as possible. The first threshing returns should indicate the position to some extent.

There are one or two other points concerned with these annual estimates. The final yield an acx - e is based at the end of the season on the actual areas threshed. No notice is taken of the acreage sown, including that which ultimately is found to be unfit to reap. These areas should be included in the , area dealt with in calculating the average yield at the end of the season. A 60 bushel an acre yield loses its glamour for a farmer who from another part of his farm may have an area unfit for harvesting. The exclusion of such areas inflates the average yield and eventually affects the final total bushelage. It is stated that a number of growers intend applying under the new insurance scheme for relief for their damaged crops. In the meantime the country—and more important, the farmers—have been told that the next season’s crop should produce 10,500,000 bushels of wheat. The first reaction may be that farmers who are unwillingly consenting to an extension of their acreages may consider such unnecessary. It would be disastrous if this feeling should be allowed to develop by any delay in making a revised estimate, and also publishing complete figures to enable growers to assess the position for themselves. The need for such a revision is indicated by the threshing to date in the Marlborough Province. The headed wheat there, according to returns, is understood to be less than .10 bushels an acre, yet the official estimate puts the total yield down at 38 bushels.

AUTUMN EWE FAIRS AMBERLEY ON MONDAY The series of North and Mid-Canter-bury autumn ewe fairs for the season commences on Monday at Amberley. The following are the dates fixed:— Amberley (Southern) —Monday. March 1. Little River —Tuesday, March 2. Hawarden—Thursday, March 4. Rakaia —Friday. March 5. Amberley (Northern)— Monday, March 8. Culverden-Waiau Thursday, March 11. Methven—Friday. March 12. Ashburton (County breeders)— Monday. March 15. Sheffield —Tuesday, March 16. Ashburton Ram Fair—Wednesday March 17. Flock Ram Fair, Christchurch (mutton breeds)— Thursday, March 18. Flock Ram Fair, Christchurch (wool breeds)— Friday. March 19. Oxford Fair—Monday. March 22. Coalgate Fair—Tuesday, March 23. Tinwald Fair—Tuesday. March 23. A South Otago pastoralist at the Addington ram fair on Thursday told “Straggler" of a prolific Corriedale ewe he had on his place. In five years she had produced 14 lambs—the first set twins, and in each of the four following years triolets.