THE FARM INDUSTRY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 548, 1 July 1909, Page 8

THE FARM INDUSTRY.

ON HIGH LAND NEAR HALCOMBE.

ANECDOTES AND OBSERVATIONS.

CHEESE AND THE TURNIP BLIGHT; f

It was certainly a bitter cold day, and on the high lands abovo Halcombo tho wind carno sweeping across from tho Saudon district in a very unpleasant manner. I was glad to don" my oilskin (says our travelling correspondent), for that road ■ leading from Kaloomba to Alornit Stewart is very much oxposed to all the winds that blow. .All'the same, I was. hardly prepared to seo a ploughman following his implement, with 'his overcoat on, but, as ho. said/ it was such a bitter day that lie could not keep warm. A good deal of land is being broken up in this district—in many-cases to bo sown down, with' wheat—and, from what 1 1, could learn, there is likely to be'a good breadth of l>a.rley put .m. Too many farmers -havo been hit by tho low prices for oats and chaff, and their : proprietors now say . that they will •■try.'more, wheat. The question is : What are the prospects for wheat next year?'. I:'have asked many: farmers,.in different cropping districts, and tlio majority seem' to consider that, the price for wheat will bo a paying one for the next two seasons.- At the same time, when wo hear,: and read, about tho immense, increase iu the acreago of wheat all tho world over, it makes one wonder whether it-will bo wise to abandon oafa altogether, as some are doing this year. . Many a. time.havo,l travelled by train south from Marton, and have wondered, what sort of country lay away back from ■ tho' railway west of KakariM. A fow days , ago I rode down, the Mungaroa flats, and was pleased to see some splendid land there. ■No doubt, at'some former, time, the' river, ran under the. hills, "though now the' Rangitdkei is very much lower. I suppose it must bo somo twenty-eight or twenty-nine yeora ago tha£ a man ; came into ii store with which,: at that time, X was'connected;. He asked, mo if I could -buy any cheeso, and I'said "Yes,, if it.is. all right," He went out to his trap and brought in a loaf cheeso, and asked me toisamplo it. I did so, and asked him the price. "Eightpence," h6' said. . "How much . have you got said '1... "About' two tons," ■said he. I replied that I would tako.the. lot. It : was the best .cheese I had .tasted, and it sold like hot cakes, especially tho loaf size, :as thero wero so'many bush-felling-and roadmaking camps in the Manawatu at that.time, and the handy little cheeses were., just what was wanted. . Well,* after all these years,' I; •came across tho place where this cheese was made. Mr. Ferguson was tho farmer, but, no ono was at homo tho day .1 called}-though' IVam tinder the. impiression that the farm is now carried on by ono of the :'sons., .. _ A little further on' I went up a nioe, easy hillside, to. Jlr. Henry Cornioot's place— a farm; of. somethiiig like a : thousand, acres.: It comprises; rich flatsa and rolling downs, and' .is an ideal sheep farm., The, manager told : mo that it is';vory>healthy country,: arid that,' out of seventeen hundred ewes, they -Vhad only lost seventeen.—-ono per cent. Thero .was a nice mob of lambs on 'rape, 'about tliroo hundrod and fifty. The turnips, like most others this season, woro only a middling lot. j : a . y, ; This: brings up a matter' is exercising tho. minds.of'a'gdod many farmera,. and that, is What arc,wo going to do in 'tho,.future ; some '.relief : can * be' obtained from tho :;bhght..'which, .'for< the last thrTO years, has .caused such, : serious: lossV, among the turnip crops Thero.can bo very ; 'little doubt but : that, tho disease is' becoming worse, and inoro widespread, each succeeding 'year—so. much so that Some/sheep, hieii have told,mo they' aro Jlmost afraid to try turnips next, season/ Tins being the cas(j, it may bo well to ascertain what, substitutes'canbe.'obtained:-,for the varions varieties : of:' turnip,,, Undoubtedly mangold? would fill (and more than: fillV ,the bill, only the handling would bo prohibitive as,', to' ensure' their.; full' value, they• would havo to bo pulled .and stored, in order' to develop tho sugar.: ..Then they would have to bo carted out' into. the'"padfioolis , again: All these handlings would militeto;-against. them._ However,;, the Vmatt6r.--is,;so ..sepouß that it would, be: wpll worth i while for sorao farmer to v try the experiment. - v

MOISTURE IN BUTTER.

NEW ZEALAND CHIEFLY BLAMED.. Privato .advises by last week's 'English mail;(says the /'.'Australasian" of last week) 1 , state that a,mooting of the : London Chamber of Commerce was; held ,ou May '13,.. at which the matter : . of ;excessive ; moisturei-in.', New, Zealand;, arid, Australian butter, was > dealt /with. Serious coftiplaints were:'made bv soino members of ; the'chamber who belonged to.;;'.'the- provision trade.; /They.,stated.' -that the troublo occurred' more' especially " with New - Zealandbutte'iy which/, thby,:- alleged,' showed' moisture to - the. extent of 19 to -20 per cent.,''a groat "increase as compare! with tho; butter -.marketed in .previous -years. - They .also pointed ; out that this-was doing ,great harm to the salo .of ; colomal;.butter., It is regrettable that a.-'charge ; of : !;tliisylimd,,6houl.d be; made in connection with a valuable export tra'de,- ] and 'it-' is to be .hoped, that the .matter Will be fully':investigated.'. The.'English l s ure Foods. Act. and the;, Commonwealth Commerco Act limit; the amount of moisture in butter to 16 per cent., ami; if that per-' 1 contage is- exceeded-; the 'manufacturers/-of tho- product ' ouglit,>to be.^.punished.'..For years colonial butters, have-' been 'noted- for their low moisture content, and it .seems hardly, credible that;.manufacturers' are' now indulging in a reprehensible;, form'.v off-adul-teration, for that it'whattho charge amounts .to. As a. matter ;of; fact. butter. fakers, in England have. everyi season;:'for years' past' -purchased large '..quantities.. of. Australasian' butter, ..in order to, use,.it., in'. the I manufacture of .bogus butter, becauso >tlie low. per- : cisntage ,of- moisture in': lin-from '10 ; to-12 per cent—render,eel it- valuable for tho purposo of :• their' trade.- .'Durih'g the past season 711 samples of Victorian-butter were analysed, and r they/showed an,average moisture content, of . only 13.69' per cent.' ■ The allegations .against' New Zealand butter are; exaggerated. Jit is/generally-ad-' mitted that, New Zealand : butter .;has':.been' moister this year >than .'in previous seasons but careful watch has been kept by the authorities,; and very; little'butter j.Kis i been .detected exceeding: tta standard, ;;The .but-, ter samples, taken' 'from .'biilk, ,'at ■>- randoiri' for.one of the competitions at the National Dairy Show last week; had moisture content's ranging from 10.48 up'to 15.70. Only'five of the Sl samplesiexceeded 14 per cent.; •••

i . PROSPECTS.

.< -A Press Association message from Feildinfr states-that local farmers i-eport that the prosaxe much better ..thaji was anticipated three, months, ago. ■ .The season has been very kmd to the man on the land. "TJiera;: are--110 surplus farm labourers, especially hack from the railway limy though unskilled 'labourers are plentiful.

THE RABBIT'PEST.

■ An. Auckland Press ' Association telegram; that ! the rabbit pest, which at one ■time had assumed , serious dimensions' in' the Waikato, isvnow: being rapidly- eradicated. At a meeting of farmers it ; was:,stated that phosphorus poisoning ■ had 'been "very' effcctivor' arid that' whoro' thoro wero onco hundreds, of rabbits , thoy a.ro hardly seen; now. j

LIVE STOCK SALES.

Messrs. Dalgetyand C0.,/.Ltd., report-on .their opening' sale at Waikanao yesterday as .follows:—A fair sheep and cattle ■camo forward, all of which met with a readv sale. Wethers and young ..cattle sold particularly well; a complete clearance being, made," We quote:—Fat.and forward wethers, Ms. fid.; two and four-tooth wethers,'l3s. 10d.; light fat sheep, '12.9.' 3d. , .to 135.; small two-tooth wethers, lis. 10d.; medium lambs, Bs. Sd.; twoyear, steers, v£3 j plain cows, My springing cows, .£4'ss. to .£■! 18s.; small wenners, 18s. 1 ; small ,-heifers;: .£2; spring' heifers, JC3 125.; dry cows,' Is.; 18 to' 20-monthS:steers, J32 . MS.; . ■ •Messrs.. Dalgety and iCo.i. report:—At . -our Wim»anui' sale . yesterday, . 2500 ' sheep and. a : small entry of .cattle were yarded. ..'A big, pro-,' portion of tile sheep entry> consisted of medium .lambs, which wld remarkably wll, with tli« ': " : •' j- ■■ .

oxcoption of one pen of sheep and ono pen of cattle.\A total clearance was made under the hammerfull market rates. .Quotations:— I'at wethers; 12s. 9d., 135., to 13s; 2d. | aged' store wothers, lis. 94.;. mixed ago ewes, in lamb, 10s. to 12s. 4d.'; cull cwjs, 75.. 3d.; cull ompty owes, ss. to 65.; medium to good lambs, Ss. 6d., Bs. 9d., to' 9s. 3d.; otlipr lambs, ss. Gil.j small cull lambs,. 35.. 7d. ; small empty licifers, £2. : _ : . Messrs. Dalgety and Company, Ltd., report, having held their fortnightly anclion sale at Waipora yards yesterday, when they offered a limited number of sheep and an exceptionally good yarding of cattle. The sheep 'comprised principally ewes in ,lamb, which wero woll competed foi 1 by the largo niimbor of buyers present. Cattle were represented by all classes, and competition was brisk throughout, so that practically the . whole yarding was cleared. The report adds:—On accouut of Messrs. Wall and Lord' we 'offered a vory nico line of bul; locks, which brought ,£5 10s., and the tops out of samo lino reached the high price of. VfG 13s. 6d. We quote as follows:—Sheep: two; four, six-tooth, and , f-.m. ewes, in lamb to Itoraney rams,, 95., 95. : Gd. to 10s. fid.; s.m. ewe?, in lamb to Shropshire rams, -up to 125.; fat -and forward ewes,'Bs. fid. to lfls. 6d. Cattle: 3£ to • 1-year-old steers, from 'M 10s. to .£6-17s, Gd.; 2-year, Btrors, »63 2s. to. £i 25.; 18-month steers, £2 10s. : to '<£3 -•16s.'} mothei'-rearcd weaners, 225. to 285.; fat and forward cows and heifers, .£4, 25.;, year empty heifers, £2 175.; cows in calf, ,£2 ,ss. to ~£3 10s.; springing heifers, >£3 10s. to.vdM <s. : ... Messrs.; Dalgety and Co., Ltd., ropart holding their Blenheim stock salo yesterday, when they offered 1200 sheep, and GO head of three and four-year-old heifers. Tho quality of the stock Svas of the best. :■ Competition . waskeen, and every line sold at advanced prices, : which were: as follow:—Fai wethers, ,13s. sd. to -145." 2d.; forward wethers, 10s. -id. to 12s; 7d.; fat lambs, ishorn,, 95.; ewe lambs, in wool,' lis. Gd.j evie lambs, shorn; :10s. Gdi; wether lambs, 9s. lid.fat ewes, 10s.;. forward iCWcs, empty, Bs. GdV;.two,'four, and six-tooth eWes, lis. Bd.-; four-year-old ewes, 12s. 9d.; aged: ewes, 9s. 7d. ; ■ mixed ages, 10s. The whole.'line of heifers' realised, from £i 15s. to £5 7s.' 6d. (ByVTeießraph.-Prc39 Association.) . V . : Ghristchurch, June SO. At Addington lrro ■ stock -market . the entries 'of-: 6took ivero - smaller than of. late, no doubt on account of tho wet weather on Tuesday..: There was'a'good attendance. . Ewes showed -an advance,. and other store, sheep were .without : change. Fat, lambs were down about Gd. per head, and fat' sheep opened at about last weokV rates. Fat cattle improved to\ the extent of about Gd. per 10011). -Pigs sold with-, out change in values. . The entry of store sheep, was about the . same,.as 'last-week's in point of- numbers, the largor: proportion -'hoggeW. :-Breeding ewes were m strongendemand, and sold at an advance of Gd. to Is, per head: on last week's rates..: Several pens of ewe .hoggets,, both half- ■ bred, and crossbred, sold' well, -A-, .well-grown line of ewes.ifrom 'the'south made! lGs. 7d. to 16s; :9d.f.m.. eWes, 10s. 9d. to lis.and aged and cnll sorts, 75.-to 9s. Gd. Thre«-quarterbredi ewe higgets made 12s Gd. to 14s. Id.; half bred ewe ; . hoggets; 12sl 9d.: to 15s. Gd., the latter price' being realised; for a good lino of Leices-ter-merino , cross. Mixed sixes made 9s. to 10s.; and 'wether hoggets, Bs. 9d: to 9s. lOd. Wethers, of which -several viwcro'.yarded,: sold., at last week's ; rates, .: forward' . sorts -making 12s. ' to 13s. . , : ■ ■ There .were a.bout 3000:. fat lambs penned, and' the . quality, ivas below'.: the average,, though there .was one lino' of exceptionally good tegs.The market was easier, and prices' were down about Gd. per head. Togs sold up to 15s. 7d.; a extra heavy to 18s.; average freezers, 12s. Gd. to 145.; and lighter sorts', 10s. 6d. to 12S. ■'.' v:.' ! : .: ■■ . 'The yarding of ,fat . sheep, was smaller - than: last week, the bulk being' wethers. There w«s : not such keen competition for freezing wethers 'as-last 'week, .and' wethers were, consequently somewhat easier. Ewes,- on tho other hand,' .were firmer;.. Tho range: of prices was: ITfeez-.. mg- iiethors, ,14s. to 15s. 9d.;. heavy butchers'. wethers,' 16s. to 18s. Bd.'; light-arid-unfinished,' 12s.' 3d. to, 13s. 9d.;-' prime ewes, 12s Gd. to 15s. 3d.; medium, 10s lid to 12s; light and in- . ferior, ,Bs.. to 103... _There '• a' ;sinali>..yarding' 6f store cattle. There,was dull ,sale at tho following rates:— Eighteon-months,. .£2 95.; two-year' heifers, at Is.; .threoryear steers, w£s 10s. Bd. to £0 135.; and dry cows, 205.. to 10s. ' ; v ' Thero wero a few good dairy cows among a small .'.yarding: .of: this ' class;.: but',\ tho better sorts were in good . demand; . Sales took place at 10 to .£9 5s ' Tho supply;, of; beef '.totalled .259 ' head: of 1 good average, quality.; ; : i;Thb;. salij - begani.'with fairly, brisk- competition,'-!but -bpehingi raftcs. were not maintained, though prices at the close showed an ;.s advance of Gd, per 1001b. on last week. Steers made £7 to JBII 55.;-heifers, .£5 to £S 15s. J and cows)''Xi 10s. to .£8 55., equal to 20s Gd. to 225. Gd. for prime,- 19s. to 20s. for medium, ■ and 17s. 6d. to 18s. Gd. for cow and inferior per 1001b. 1 ■ . ' . ■ The yarding of pigs. was not a large one, dnd.: prices 'showed little change, stores being m good demand. Choppers sold up to £5 55.; heavy, .baeoners,'- 555.- to 625.; and lighter sorts; . 50s. ■ to- 545. (equal, to 4Jd. por lb.); lnrge- porkers, 38s. .to, 445:; and lighter Borte, 325. to 375, (equal to sjd. to Gd. per lb.); I targe stores, 28s:' to 335.; smaller, 18s. to 275.;-l ttnd'!weaners,'l2s: Gd..tb;lGs.;Gd. ;■ -■ .: : . (By TelcEraph.T-Prcsb Association.) ; ; • .' Dunedin, .luno 30.. I ,- At Burhside stock market: 195 fat cattle were yarded;. At t'io commenceinent prices were much, the same' as last week, -but they eased' considerably towards the'finish. Best bullocks, ,ri£9; 10s. to ,£10 : 10s.; ■ extra,- 55.; medium,' v£B ss. to'c£9; inferior; to '£' 10s;; best cowg. and heifers, i£6. 10s.; to ■ ; extra, to :.£8 10s.; medium, :'i£s' to £5 155.; inferior, JU to £4 10s. Sheep: 3143 yarded, a large entry. The quality, was good,. and, prices, 'oh- account of the freezing .huyors, .'wero.- firm: at late, rates'. I 'Best wethers,; 16s!■ to -17s. 6d. ;. extra, 18s. : 3d.V medium, 14s. to 155.;; inferior, -12i. Gd. to 135.; best ewes, 14s. to 15s. 6d.;"'extra; 16s. 9d.; medium, lis.,to. :12s; ;Gd.; 'inferior, 8s; ,6d. to 9s. 6d. . : Lambs: 2083 yarded. '': The ,;yarding V was medium.' and prices quite uu to those obtained of late. ' Best lambs, 12s'. ; Gd..to 14s. ; medium; lis. Gd...to''l2s.j-f.inferioiv 9s. Gd. to 10s. Gd. Pigs:; 140 .yarded. .' Small;. pigs formed a good proportion of the yarding,' good sales, resulting. ■Porkprsj.and bacohors.-were ;iri good numbersi andj- owing to/some outside; buyciiß. being present,..brisk salq;tbok'pla^.'.'Suckers, 9s.- to 135.; -..slips, 14s.- .to ,175.;: stores, 19s. to ; 24s- ; porkers; 335. -. t'o' :395.~; light ' bacohers, 435.. to 48s.;'heavy, 535; to G(s.-, . " :