FARMING & COMMERCIAL

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1707, 26 March 1913, Page 10

FARMING & COMMERCIAL

THE OX-EYE DAISY. . A PERNICIOUS :WEED ON, DAIRY . LAND. "..■The ox-eye daisy is the.'subject;of .an; iutereshiig article by Mr. A. H.> Cockayne, (uownuiit'iit, Biologist), in: tho current Kttioutliv; •/agricultural •. "Journal.''; The weed .iu'Wiuestaorii'lays ,llr. Cockayne, is \\ uleiy di?,«;ib«ted thi'dughoilt Now • i laiid and 'is ojten. extremelyJ>r6yaient in; 'perinaiiL'iit.pastureß.'i 'Under cer'\xiii con-' .uitions \t, appeal's,' if left'unchecked;''to 'ba able "to obtain- almost complete postfcession of the ground, and. thus veiy, seri- ■ oitsly affect tho carry.ilig'aud nionuy-earn-■'•injf - capacity of tlib, larid.'.. i .'Eik , 3,.. most weeds, however, its seriousness i.gpends .'.very largely on tho purpose to whicli the land is . devoted.' In,' .certain 'piviseS of . agriculture intakes itsplace'as o),e of out most pernicious v weeds; while in .'titer-, ■"cases,llS' presence may, !haye"'but 'iiille ' economic importance. ' . . V .Ty'relative dainago,thatSwelds caujr, , under different conditions "is A Mf JSt iuk ].orh'.nt matter li'or full- investigation, as , oi. it depends to a".very large extent Hie necessity for sustained,efforts to .mm . their , introduction . iilto 'certain ivnes of • lend, and 'for- carrying! out adequate control measures when- once they nave. be-; conieestablished.' Thus fatlien ill land that, is used for annually soV/n Sprlrig-crops is ait exceedingly bad. .weed, but the, use of alsike containing fnthen-seed_' in'-autumn- ■ sown permanent-pasture niixtu.'Cs' 'will' 1 have very, little, if any, i'deleterious effect on, the future,value of ..the. pasti)r'e. n , One . of th? most important:facts with regard to ox-eye" daisy, is that' it is readily, eaten bvr slieep and is, almost l always.V' ejected * l 4' cat®-even when feed is olrcmely f.carce, and it is on tho single point.whe-,. vihei the land is,to, be' utilised,;!,gr s|ieep or cattle 'vthafc will determine whether or . ,;iot the sowing .of small ciuantitieG of nx.?yo as an imparity in"tltu "s'ecd *used vVill' ■:ause any appreciable, harm. v

Wticn Altornate Cropping Obtdins.'" 1 ,. i O.i land used . for.,altMiiato', . ;n;l where'the pastures; are,all <k a, ,'tem- ; , . ."iorary character,' px-eyo'."diusy,!,ca.ii'.i.evfr,; : je' lboked upon as a jseriqfl's is ijuite a shallow .rooter,O.and'..tho .piants si en solves are ! coiiiplettly .■'feTHK£*"by , .pldi'S.hiiig. . Of: cours^.'^iyhero:it; lias been ci.owedito seed a good iiany risy/ plants . are liable to cpmo.ri!P,:;;but;as ;,pn-, I ,this--, type' of country-there.is jiot.a .vei'y ;long r ''nterval before ,'the..«i:ourid..is broken 'up; •' ..--again, the : . plants ,'donot become^, sufli-, . jioiitly aggressiya,to ihatet':ar .. harm, .jit ■.•■would,.'.;hpwbvyj, . practice . to : graze', sheej) . (tiu'iiig - the. siininiei' on any, grass ..land . containing ox-C've daisy that is to'.he broken up .thh follow--ing autu'mn.", ,': Ifl ; ,tfii3, llQiv'eiiii'!; . "jiiid conae'nuent. production, .of-, seed, will; •"bo. reduced a'miniiiiiim.; ' Tlie sam*' • result mayvbe secured ,hy. ,takiiig a" hay crop off . the land, followed: by stocking , . with -slieep. " If ~th,o'. 'hay ' is, ciit, 'very early in tiio season./the px-'eyo 'inay :.fvcHaeutly flower before the, end of the fcunimer, but tho .sheep. ivill any isec.oud flowering -aceurrini;. ; . . Serious'on Dairying' Land". • ' - . .

, On dairying land ox-ej'o • daisy is a really senoirs ■•weed,-inasmuch .as "cattle Will not' touch' it, aud\iii eating down the' other constituents of; the, pasture, they. iriys. prove the conditions; for.- itiiei ox-eye to spread both by an increase'.'iii area occupied by the individual-plants- and the ..devex pme'nt. of large ; quantities .of seed;" 111; .time the; carrying".-:.and nibuey-eamiu;,' charity of 'the.land' l'or dairying is sen-, uasly interfered.with.lTftder,.sucli„.cir-" omistan'ces,' unless tlio ground'can'.be' prohtubly ploughed "up ,'.ari(l ?o\vii „witli !.a nurture containing a good'proportion "of :lovers, heavy- stocking with .sheep -will, be tii<s duly , remedy to adopt.' lii dairying,' ■ruikkcka that. are understocked the ox?ye is not- .nearly so likely, to assume eon-. ti'Ol, as' tha'.competition.' between it and' the other constituents is hiubli'inore ly .'balanced than when the- grass :is ; eaten bare and the ox-eye left. Whenever .oxeye appears on dairying land sheep should \k used to feed it down,'and if this is dons before the weed has got too strong a li-old '•'aay danger of its spreading will be'eliiniitilsd. A very gotfu example of the value ■ ui' sheep.for controlling tho;'spread -of oxrye lias, been shown- at the . i.erimen'uil' i'arnv. When 'soinevtime -ago It'iiw weed-^timatittSd'''to becolne' serioii'si .: J mliciouV' .grassing .'with'.sheep Ilia. I ?,how- 1 ever, vli'tiiallv 'eliminated' this "weed from the fariii.'.'.'.'Oii. dairying laud 'wliere bx-- .. ,eyt! dai:;y \lins b;efjti.' allowed .'.to' get ' the upper haml fairly heavy stocking with siic-ep .will be iiflcelssai'y.to, control'it','and' this -will ..'lt-ail,! to, a cipisiderable''dhniTlu-. tion -in' 'the feed available for the cows. In -such cases it-will bo necessity .tijVmake' i-xtia provision ior - 'the'." production of forage to supplement",:the . In this., connection...iucer'itej should. 'pl.sy a very iiiix>,oi'taiit'part aud provide a cheap fodder. By tills nieans the'control of the weed Wi. be ,accomplished.without interfering to' any, - serious 'extent --with the *~dairying,'iido'.'ofrifio-fiftmirig..operations.

■ Eifect on.Sheep .Country.' 0_« sheep- country ox-eye.'daisy is raraly prevalent. .-Theoreticnllyi it should neverbe a trAubles'dme wet'd'on such' land. ..lii , the 1835 ■ rsport of the Department, Mr.' v Kirk' v/r<ite':—•'Heavy 'stocking with. sheep will completely eliminate this weed."' - This is,-, perfectly'-true,'-but -it is not- always • practicable* to stock ': iuftkientlv . • .heavily.' 'This is especially l -"the case where tha areas are large, aiul are not , hiifficU'iitly subdivided ■ to/.enable the . stocking .to be properly, controlled,.'. In wnall shesp paddocks cx-cyo should'never became ill any way a serious weed. It is always desirable ..to'maintain a. certain' number "of sheep oil a dairy farm. Their .utility is in,;ol?selygrazing,.tlw-pastures in- orfer to obtain, an; even growth; by eating down by the sheep of->the patches rejected, .by. ;tiie, cuttle,..,..'UJiisimplies, i however. s:ii:vll'|::v;lt!--jrV:s. for .'the'.stocking by sheeii-liiiwl:. be. hsavy to be. effective.. The sanies thing;-, really,, upplies v to sheep, .'country^proper, where-it is'desired to reduce to a., minimum those .weeds; which will be eaten l.y ;sliodjj .-under compul-. sibn. ' .-.-.i;i\ • i.i:-; - Jlr. -.Cockayne also. deals .with agricul-. tural seeds likely -to< contain ox-eye daisy, the most likely, of which is timothy, and ■ with tho question of ,tii6.us«,of seed con- - taining a trace of the daisy.-' •

■ -POTATOES..: . Commenting on the .selection ami storage..of potatoes from-which next season's crop will be'raised, Mr. T. AV. .Lonsdale,, •of. Moumohaki .State, farm, says..,. that many growers' lift ami cart the wholo of,', the-crop direct to the .shed, -the 'tubersbeing alterwards 'SortecV 1 ;V4*'.dftiVe .'iife'riiiits." AVlien stored in tliis ,: jiromiscnertis""vraytho tubers heat. thus causing. ibpjii„to fend out loiiy spindly t-'hbbKs'Vh'.ih'' Md easily broken olf. These shoots, being the first, sh'Mild also be th(''strotYgdSty Vatel' shoots will not produce gr.od y(a'-Moreover, b,v allowing the clamp tb ; heat, a- great many potatoes fail to germinate, vritli the result 'that, instead of an, even, crop,, •numerous blank places occur." AVheii'lifting the crop, selection of seed should receive immediate attention.'' This is best done by observing which 'plants' produce the most .marketable;tul»rs, .and if these are true ''to type "of' thoiiv'vaiiety, select seed from these planj's'.nnd.'ilisc.nrd..those which give an- Hiiiwen'-'arid• jligbtr-yield. The tubsrs should then '.bs.'plactd in shallow boxes-where the-light and- air can 'freely'-roach thW.'l'Uc'eyes start,' intogrowth' slowly,'' and ..the shoots themselves ere'short ami hot easily.'broken, '"VVheii planted..'they . grow .'awajr." without* anj, •cheek, and 'time -is saved which; ..iii a reason of growtli' as, sliof t as, thfit ; 6f. the polato, is.iiiiost. important. : , > Numerous experiment-; have shown that the selec'ctpn aiul...sprouting. ,of the . tubers give an increased yield. Should-hot cvciv '.'.'grower, .'.therefore, I concludes Mr. Loiisdnfe,. aim .at producing, the utmost, on the land he' cultivates? ; -..

"Trifle* "make perfection" quoth an old Consider tho trifling--though wonderful improvement' in cheese Vats' as exemplified in the-famous."Victor" Vats. }r?nv.Pactory-Managers have already rea--1 iecd" tho profit-building', possibilities--of "vector"- VaK and have instilled them -cc'ordingK'. "J'is the sloping bottom that ('nunts! "Fbli particulars from Albert J. Parton,- I'luiriber, Carterton.—Advt,

NEWS AND NOTES.

NURSERYMEN'S CONFERENCE* (By Tolejjraph—Press Association.) rAuckland, Starch 2b. . The sixth annual meeting of tho New Zealand,--iSsociatiqii, o( Nurserymen was commenced this morning. Tho president (Mr. Alfred M'Donnld) occupied the chair. There was an ■ attendance of a dozen, including Messrs'. H. Bashford (Nelson) and lt-'W. Davios (New Plymouth). Jlr. E. W Boucher, of . the Department, was also. prcscnt> ' Tho president, -in extending a welcomo to,;tlie,visiting., delegates, deplored the paucity of attendance.. -In presenting the annual report on behalf of tho executive, the lion, secretary (Mr. G. -A; Green) "stated that 1100 copies of til© 1912 issue of the "Trade Hegister" had been published mid .issued'to those engaged in the nursery trade throughout Australasia:'.' '.The littlo booklets had, lie stated, been warmly received. In regard to'.''Australian-'competition, this matter had come up;.at tho last conference, and to write to the secretary of'the'Victorian Association on tho subject.. iLeading export firms in that State had agreed'i to fall into line, and signed ■a-guarantee not to sell in the Dominion below New- Zealand standard rates. Oyer ■10 New Zealand' firms had also signed.. The executive : had a lengthy 'conference witli the heads of-'tho Orchard Division ofv.the ''Agricultural Department, % with whom it had been agreed, that as soon as convenient: regulation's should be gazetted for registration- /and inspection of all .nurseries,.oil the-basis laid down in tho -proposed -regulations agreed to . between the executive and the Agricultural Department in" 1909,"'. which would include .the granting- of clean certificates to all mirserieS'passiiig the inspectors. In the case of any nursery -stock being ordered to be destroyed, 'the''executive urged that pay- I menffol' tlie ; «unebo made* on the basis ;"ot'-iialf the.;.value,—as in the case of 'diseased cattle'.''■ The- drastic action of tho "Agricultural 'Department in connection had-necessitated a vast amount of labour and,expense,, involving . manj 1 pounds , in ' cash ,and a ;great deal of research work on-i'-the part of ;the secretary and cxecu-;tivpj.,,-.Conferences had been held with.the 'heads-.of; tha Orchard Division, and a working-understandiiig as to future action agreed upon. Tho Agricultural Department had reported that after a most exhaustive inspection of.the Dominion nurseriss they . liave _ "lieen unable . to find traco of crown gall disease on any New Zealjind-grown -apple trees. Replying to the --inquiries of the association, the Director, of Orchards wroto that after considering the possibility of issuing a certificate to nurserymen before the first day ofj-March in each year, he regretted to eay rthat .it was hardly practicable. reaffirmed . the desirability. of; tho' inspection aiid registration of ,all.juirfcericsj -with a-view to clean certiiica.tes, 'being : granted. ' - -The retiring president (Mr. M'Donald) ..was re-ele6ted to;tho position for another jyear,, The'other'officers, elected were:—, ■ \'ice-presideht,3lr.' AV. >S. Johnston; „conunittee; Messrs',' J). A. Hay, i\ Bennett,, 'ti. J. Mapkay, AV. - Av. Giddon Richardson, . and one to bo elected by -the exeolitive; '.htniorary . secretary and treasurer,"Mr; G; Av Green (unanimously jjt-elected),- -hon;'-auditor, Mr. Gliddon Richardson'.''; """'

. Discussion in.connection with the work ; of ,tho Ofchard/Division of the Agrifeul-. ttiral ;■ ■ D'eparciiwuit '- -took place. 'I'lie ' W-angaiiiii'; Chamber of Commerce forwarded with its"sujlport a letter suggesting 'that tlio 'Administration of the Orchard. ,l?est Act and tils Noxious Weeds Act lie. removed from the present authorities', tind. placed, under the control of a commissioner,' -who should appoint ■ his •ow'ii'inspectors. The letter suggested that the Government shouid take over small pest-infected orchards and give practical .'demonstrations..: at: different -seasons of the' year. ' . ,»j 1 . Mr. ■'Boucher, of the Orchard Divisionof tlio'Agricultural Department, explained that similar' demonstrations to'those "proposed had been carried on' by the Government for tlio past four years.' Alreadythe. Government had fifteen areas for the purpose of giving demonstrations, while there were' forty offers of land before the Department at the present. time. Tlio suggestion that a. commissioner should be appointed-had- been put before previous .conferences,, but had always been rejected'.,, ,-He 'thought it would bo admitted generally that ' the Act had been -administered well,, but .the Department was handicapped by .the smallness of its staff.'- There had been an increase in the, staff .lately. -," Tlio districts . had been cut in half, but still the various inspectors bad far too much ground to cover. .'■'■•• Several nurserymen spoke, and agreeuthat' tlio Department had great difficulties to overcome, more especially as its staff was so small.' It was considered, however, that it would be wise for the Department to divert its attention somewhat from legitimate orchnrdists to smallpr growers "whose orchards were more infected. ' •*, _ . .The letter ultimately was referr** to •the<incoming. executive to deal with.

HELPING THE MILK YIELD. '''.GREEK FODDER FOR DAIRY COWS. . It is an admitted fact, saysltr. T. W. Lonsdale, in the Agricultural Department's . "Journal," that the best returns cannot bo obtained irom. dairy slock except under a liberal system of feeding, and: this should ■be maintained rigilt throughout the- lactation-period. Many ■farmers' will acknowledge that, tliey seldom supply all tho members of their herd with sufficient- feed at all seasons 9f the year to induce them to provide their maximum, flow.of milk. The proper feeding of dairy ciws is one of tho most .'pressing:problemsi.of the day. It is gratifyin"' to know (says Mr. Lonsdale) that lliilk-producers *in this country aro reathe necessity for .more attention being paid -io this matter, and many kinds'of fodder'aro being grown for the 'purpose. A fodder which is not appreciated as it- should • be, aiul ono which is jn great favour.in older-established dairy-ing-countries,' -is' a' mixture of oats ami pens. There are numerous varieties of oafe; some being more suitable than others, for providing a large amount of fodder. It is therefore advisable to select the oat best adapted to the purpose. It is questionable'..whether a fetter variety than the Triumph -is available for producing green, fodder.;. .Grown in conjunction with :peas ( ■. it-provides an ideal food for dairy! Triumph is a stronggrowing : variety,- and' produces a great quantity of Hag and a strong upright 'straw. '■ It is, therefore, well adapted for giving the necessary support to the .peas, whereas an oat' producing fine straw would-be-useless. - '

MANURE FROM DAIRY COWS. ITS VALUI3 to the-farmek. . Tho viilite, to.: put,,.on manure from dairy cattle is a.very complex,problem, and one, ..that ,has.not received due con-sideration.'.-in 'tliis country. Oil-most dairy; farm's the owners figure their profits from the direct cash returns without regard to .the-viilue to be, obtained from the manure, Figures secured by experiments conducted by Profe.ssoi W. X. i'raser. of the Illinois Experiment Station, U.S.A.',, furnish sonic interesting data iii this 1 'connection, although the 'conditions" on 'Vhich'. the remarks are based are not. on : all fours with the conditions ruling here.'.. The manure is figured at'll terns'per head, for cows producing SOOOlb." of milk- On the 20-acre dairy fai-ih : at the University last year, cows -which were kept in the barn during the winter and in,, a'dry field during tho summer produced 13 tons of manure per cow. The average value of the manure 'was put at 150 cents (6s. 3d.) per ton. At the Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station, on a three-year rotation of corn, oats, . and clover, manure has increased tho crop yield IGO cents (6s. Bd.) for cach ton of manure used, figuring ou tlio market value of the crops for the first three years after it is applied. No consideration is taken of the increased production from the effects of the manure after the first three . years. At the Ohio Experiment Station tho value of the crop yields has been increased 2M cents (9s. Od.) 1 oi-l-each ton of-manure-used. I- From these figures, 1;D cents (to. od.) I per' ton is a .conservative .value to put on

cow limnuri! which hits been well cared for. Cows which producc tluin S(:Goil>. of milk will produce, on the average, under 11 tons of immure, ntul those (jiving over 80001b. of milk will proiluco more manure, but it will be of better quality, owing to 'the fact that they are fed on inoru concc-nltales. Ths value of the manure is therefore lowered 50 cents (is. Id.) per cow. for every ICfiOlb. decrease ni milk production lxdow 80001b., and raided SO cents per 10001b. milk oyer SOOOIu.

INCUBATORS FOB 19i:!.-Now is the time to book your requirements ior Coming season, full on appaeation. A. and P. i'OOl) CO., Wellington.—Advt. COMMERCIAL ITEMS. PRODUCE EXPORTS. ;Tlie values of tho principal products exported during the flrst half of thu current month, compared with the figures for the corresponding period of last year, allow as under:— liar, 1913. Mar., 1912s J £ £ Butter 62.0C9 143.269 Oheesa 2W' 6 14/,669 Beef 3,527 , 18,569 Jlutton— Carcasses •••■• 57,1(1 96,200 Legs and piecc3 ... 120 ,?■??? Lamb ....'. 45,785 160,911 Wheat 23 „$2 Oats 711 9,C07 Potatoes 338 114 Hemp 147,021 .. 30,741 Tow *... 3,682 2,jC6 Kauri gum 20,535 15,437 Grain- arid pulso ... 2,875' 2.4C9 Hops 218 246 liltes : 14,506 4,510 Skins :.. 25,971 ' 33,202 Tallow 'Mil 26,502 . Timber' 25,459 23,614 WOSI 859,745 9C8.9Z3 Gold 105,448 56,803 1,322,689 1,685,253 OIL 'FUEL.

The question of fuel supplies is always ail anxious problem for those who take lons views into tho future, and in .this connection tlie permanence of the stores 'of natural .petroleum has to be taken into consideration. In view of the tendency to substitute oil for coal as a fuel, the extent of tho supplies of tho latter is a. matter of extreme importance. In respect of the Liquid product, Professor V. fi. Lewes recently stated in a public lecture that tho two srmt oil fields of. Pennsylvania tind Baku aro already showing signs of exhaustion. He likened natural oil fields to storage tanks, in which have aceuniulatcd the results of ages of nature's efforts to manufacture oil. With the possibility of exhaustion loominc at least sufficiently 'near to threaten a steady advance in pi-ices in years to come, one naturally turns to means of artificially manufacturing oil fuel. It has been, demonstrated that a. considerable quantity of oil can be distilled from coal, but reserves of that product, too, are beinpr .steadily depleted. Oil can also, be distilled from wood, and present indications favour • the view that ultimately timber will be grown for solid, liquid and gaseous fuels. Professor Lewes also pointed out another possible source of oil : supply, which does not seem to have received any commercial attention, but which interests him because he believes that much natural oil waf formed from seaweed and other marine organisms, ffearly seven gallons of oil has been distilled from a ton of common seaweed, ar.d one may yet find a- commercial means of obtaining oil from this source. Generously endowed es is Australia by nature, so far no paynblo- propositions of petroleum oil have yet been -discovered in this part of tho world. Tho chief known sources of supply are becoming more and, moro controlled. by, a,limited number of people,, ivith the inevitable result on prices t.o tho consumer: Unless means can be, found to check the predatory tactics of the various oil 'trusts, coal <ir\d wood will remain, the recognised fuel ol Australasia,

PIKE LOSSES IN AMERICA. Figures published recently in the New i'ork "Journal, of Commerce and Commercial Bulletin" confirm the impression Uat the ■ experience of Insurance compamea transacting fire business .in. the umtocl States and Crtimda during 1912 has been rather more favourable than losses for the year amounted to £15,064,180. which compares favourably with a of £46,867,150 for 19U. .Several British Insurance; companies derive a large proportion of tlieir premium income from North America, and reeiilts there'have an. appreciable effect on their prospects. J)ur.ing the last few y<sirs rates have shown, a tendency Ui decline, and brokers and oßents have succeeded in obtaining commission on a, lilp.aer scale. Ecduccd ralos are probably compensated by improved-'-ifcetliods of fire-rc-construction.aild'ttye increasing■use of fire-extinsiiishin? appliances, botii of which have been adopted to a considerable extent since the conflagration at San Francisco, but. the tendency towards a high »v Goalfl : of " commission ■in regarded with a|»prehension. ; Among British companies the Commercial Union, the London and Lancashire, the Liverpool and. London, aud Globe, the North British and' Mercantile. Ihe Phoenix, the Royal a,ml the Sun transact the largest amount of fire business in North America'. Several important companies. among which are the Alli&nce and the Guardian, do no firo busincfe iu the Btates,.and very little in Canada. ; NOTES.

A letter. from Amsterdam to tho "Infor-. mation," of Paris. announces that a group of Belgian and Dutch capitalists in thai, oity lias just founded an Australian diamond syndicate, to finance the prospecting for diamonds i;i New South 'Wales, where options have been acquired. Preliminary prospecting is'said to hav'o already given Rood results. 1 Mossrs. Samuel Montagu and Co. stated In their annual 'bullion review that "near, iy all the gold dug in South Africa ia burled afresh ill the soil of India." "This," says "Capital." "is undeniably true. Most of tlic sovereigns which are finding tliejr nay to India are beine used for hoard inc. as being to the ryot the only safe way (of putting, by for a ra.iny day." During the last seven months of last, year the number of immigrants that arrived in Canada was 300,841, of which onethird came from tho United States. Emigration from (Juvmany last ycatreached 124,724, against 78,305 • ill tho previous year. The emigrants went chiefly to the United States. The imports into Germany last year were valued at £514,6C0.CC0. showing an increase of £29,300,000, while the exports were £444,450,000, an increase of £39,150,000. The imports of Franco last year wore nearly £320,CQ0,CC0, and the exports £265,000,000.

According to the Board of Trade returns, British exports in 1912 of chemicals, drugs, dyes, and colours were - valued at £21,072,750, an increase of £7,528,198, or 55 per cent, over 1903, for which year the figure was £13.544,552. Net imports during the same nnriod increased from £7,314,402 to £11,030,737, or 50 per cent. Tho figures for the former year in each ease include the values of photographic plates and sensitised photographic paper, which in the,' later year are entered in-the returns under the heading of "instruments and apparatus." In regard to tho future of ocean freights, "Fairplay" states that, while many shipowners seem to think that the current year will bo as profitablo as 1912. eventualities could occur to cause some disappointment in this respect. Looking a long way ahead there are indications that the supply of tonnage will exceed tho demand, as most if not all of tho first-class builders aro full up with orders, until about the end of 1914.- When all 1 this tonnage is afloat and competing for employment it is bound to tell upon the freight market, and tho moment supply exceeds the demand there will be a formidable slump in Tates. The enor--moua increase in tho number of new vessels, combined with the riso in wages and cost rot material, lias forced up tho price of tramp tonnage over 50 per cent, during the last few years. It is this increase intho coet of new steamers that is the danger to those owners who have contracted at about £8 per ton, and such purchases are more likely to prove disastrous than otherwise. Docs anyono in his senses, asks "J.'airplay," believe that 275. from the.. Black Sea or 3Es. from tho Flats will bo paid again this year? .

As iho original design prepared in connection with the forthcoming tamo of nickel money in Franco was not considered suitable, fresh designs have been invited from ensrravere of French nationality, and the official selection will be made in open competition. It 3? proposed to jf-sne £32.800,000 in nominal value .of pure nickel coinage, all pierced with a hole in the middle of tho coin. The total, will be inn tic un of 1?.0,000,CC0 francs' worth of 25-ccntimcfi nieces, welshing 5 grammes cach: 3C0.0C0.000 francs'.worth of 10-centinies nieces, weighing 4 grammes, and 409.000,000 pieces of 5 centimes weighing 3 grammes. Approximately 30,000 tons' of pure nickel, it is estooted, will bo used in the of these new coins, the operation spreading over a neriod of about ten years. It is intended that the whole of the existing Conner coinage of France shall be gradually withdrawn n.t the rate of 7.000.000 frnnos nominal value per annum during and after 1915. Most of the European countries lm.ve now abandoned copper coinage, which U regarded as clumsy, dirty and out of ! date," and the British Government is be--sng strongly urged to consider, the ad- | visa-bicness of following suit.

THADB.IN AT,LBN STREET. Tomatoes.— Extremely heavy consignmcilts of tomatoes continue to come forward from the Lower Ilutt, and the prices are exceptionally low. ■ Veectables.-Calibaces have advanced in value so also, have French beans. The demand'for carrots and parsnips is steady. Choice yuallty green peas arc realism!: good prices. . ■ Potatoo'.—'The market is belnft well supplied with consignments from up the line, a'»o from Oam;'.™ and other southern port». and the current Quotation is £6 10s. to £7 ,103. per. ton, according to duality,

Onions.—Vrimc (twilily table" onion* are mak'ng 1 £7 lCs. per ton. and pickiuig onions U<l. per lb. t'lonr is without cliancrc at X 8 ICf. to £8 'lE.?, per (on f.o.b. ennth, less the usual trailo discount. Pollard is in good demand, tlio present quotation being £7 S?T to £7 10s., ex store. Brau is in heavy supply, and is tellins at «£5 to £5 ss. per ton. Maize at ss. per bushel, ex store, te exceedingly high, mid this is checking busiOatmea!.—There is a fair bnpiness nassinif £13 to. -£13 10s.. ex store. Kolled o:ita In 41b. bags arc seUiiis at 9?. per dozen, and oatiua at 9s. 6d., Oats.—Sonic exncllcnt samples are coming V) hand from the" south. Short feed oat? are quoted at 2s. 9d. to 2e. lid. per bushel; feed Algerian, -2?. 9.d to 2s. ICd.; sccm! Algeriati, 3s. to ss. 3d.; and dun cats, 2s. ICd. to 3s. .Kay.—Priinc Quality is selling at £4 IDs. to £5 per ton. Chaff has ndvnnn.ed 2s. fid. per ton, pr s me oatenshcaf chaff being now quoted at £5 to £5 ss. Tier ton. sacks in. Fowls' Wheat.—Good whole wheat is quoted at 4s. 4d. to 4s. sd. per bushel. Eggs—There has been only ?i very small carry-over from East?r, and prices arc well maintained. Best brand? of fresh eu«s are piloted at J*. Bd. per dozen, with preserved at Is. 4d. Butt-er.—'Prl'mt milled, in bulk, selllnK at ICd. per lb., with good quality at 91*1. ■partridge peas have fair inquiry at 3s. 9d. to 4s. Tier bushel. Prussian blue peas are selling at 6s. per bushel. Cape ba.rlsy i? quoted at 2s. Id. t-o 3s. 3d. uer bushel, and feed barley at 3s. Id. to ' 3s. 2d. Poultry.—Jlcns are slow of 1 sale at 2?. £d. to 3s. per pair; cockerels. 4s. to 55.; ducklings. 4s. to 4s. 6d. Turkey gobbler*?, ICd. per lb., live weight: turkey liens, M. Fruit—A nliipmcnt of bnnacxis in cases and bunches, transhipments ex Tofua- at Auckland from Fiji, came to hand, bitt the bulk of tho shipment reached tho market in an over-ripe to fair condition. Pcaches ire in good supply. A good demand exist* for choice pears, al°o for choice coloured dessert apples, the favourites being Cox's oranee ni'ppln. Tibstone pippin; Worcester ' pipnjn: scarlet pearman. and Jonathan's. Choice cooking apples .*ire meeting with cvcelleut deiri-nnd. yictorian "Dears r* n d f?outh Australian grapes are due on Friday.

Customs duties collected nt the port cf WclliDgtou yesterday 'amounted to £4399 7s. 4d. HIGIT COJDnSSIOXfe'S CABLEGRAM. The Penartraent of Agriculture,' Industrie.?, and Commerce has received tlie folhWins cablegram from" t"he Tlish fommisr.ioner for ?s r ew Zealand, dated London. 3»ra.roh 9!) fauotations, unless otherwise specified, arc average market prices' on spot):— ■ market is quiet, but rather steadier. No change in r»r\ces; Canterbury, %1. per lb.; Isorth Island. 4d. Lamb—There is a better demand for The market is steady at last nuotntiono: Canterburv. 6Jd. per lb!;; other than Canterbury. s?d. • I Tin market, is nuiet, but holders 1 are firp*. New Zealand binds, 3dd. per lb.; fo"es. 3Ad. Butter.—The market ts -weaker, and tendo^Tiwards .except for New /fanluul. is quiet but Arm. Choicest New Zealand, 11.95. per cwt. tealt*d); 121s. funr.aMed); , Anctrnlian, Argentine, Siberian, 1095.; Dan- • is??- 130s. . , Cheri"'2.—The market is quiet, prices i slightly weaker. r lliere Is less demand. The price for the week for finest 1 Xnw Z-vO.ind. c'lees-e per cwt., white, 61s. I 6d.: coloured, 61s. , ? Ifemn.— I lTie mnrkct is depressed. Tnnufflcfcurers operate very moder-ateH'. Prices r.vo. normal, at ouotatHns: pT«ot. ?» T ew Zealand, ccod fair rrrade. 'air f4r:«dc, .£3l; fair current "JTrnila, £33 TV»r--vnhl shipTP.en.tP: New Z?nl.and t?ood fair, . c "4-lOs.; Mr Ejrad®. £31 10s.; fair current Manila,, 10s. from-SEanila for the week was 22.CC0 bale?.

BEET SUGAR PRODUCTION. Rj Telegraph—Press Association-Coiijright London, March 24. v Herr P. 0. Ijicht. sugar expert, of Mairdelrarg, in. his monthly circular, r.tates that tho production of beet surar in Europe shows an increase of 2.5C3.CC0 tons. lie estimates that 1 for tlic crmmoitrii there will be a total surplus of 2,176,CCD tons. MINING NEWS. < PRIDE OF REEFTOI?. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) Racftcn, March 26. Further prospects on tile Pride of Reefton property disclose a 3ft. wide reef running parallel- to the old tunnel. Every sample taken from , the reef shows Bold. Tho reef lias been driven 50ft. 011, and shows no si'gns of failure.. It is supposed the pronrietary.-havo'struck the old Hussell reef, which crushed' 20 ounces to the ton. and wn.s'lost in 1894. There is a, good deal of excitement over the discoverv, and all th 3 surrounding country has been pegged off for a. distance to only three miles from Reefton. ...