AGRICULTURAL

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 150, 26 June 1915, Page 16

AGRICULTURAL

POTATO PLANTING MACHINES. The potato digger having passed beyond the experimental stage, and become a praotical fanning implement, attention is now being paid to the bringing out of successful planting machines. One was shown at work in Canterbury some two seasons ago (says the Christchurch Press), and it appeared to be capable of doing satisfactory work under suitable conditions. The Highland and Agricultural Society held a public demonstration of potato planting machines in March last, near Edinburgh, the exhibitors' expenses being defrayed by the society. There were six machines entered t and they were a two-row "Richmond" patent potatoplanter of Messrs. John Wallace and Sons, Glasgow, who also forwarded a one-row "Richmond" patent planter, with artificial manure distributor; a double-row planter by Messrs. J. Bisset and Sons, Gtairgowrio; a new double-row planter by Mr, Arch. Hunter, Maybolej the "Eureka" potato-planter, No. 8, manufactured in Utica, New York, and a new patent dibbler exhibited by Mr. H. Davies, Southport, Lancashire. In, view of the scarcity of farm labour, considerable interest was taken in the trial, and the official report of Professor Richard Stanfield, M.1.C.E., consulting engineer to the society, should be instructive. The Scotsman reported that the field in which the trials took place was in good condition, considering the heavy rainfall in the Edinburgh district on the preceding day and night, a strong easterly wind having dried it remarkably well. The soil is of a deep easy loam, dunged in the stubble after wheat and manure sown broadcast on the previous day. The land has a northern exposure, and gave the machines a very good test over uneven ground. The test included the planting of an ordinary round seed of liin, 24 drills being set apart for two-row planters and 12 drills for one-row planters, the planting of cut seed in a separate break, and the planting of large seed (Golden Wonder) also in a separate break. The drills were about 250 yards in length, and were on a slope. Each machine did a trial round. Should this trial prove that a practical machine ha« been evolved it will not be long before they are more heard of in New Zealand. The outstanding feature of the last Addington market was the sharp rise in fat lambs. The entry was a small one to start with, and when the freezing buyers started in to pick up some lines things boomed. It is estimated that the rise was equal to quite 2s per head, and some put it at 2s 6d. . Australia is millions of pounds better off than it was a fortnight ago, by reason of rains which have broken up the drought where it lingered over great stretches of wheat-growing and pastoral country in New South Wales and Victoria. Matters were shockingly bad in many places that have benefited by this drought-dispelling downpour. Many farmers and settlers had been obliged to abandon their holdings after suffering disastrous losses. Although , late as compared with the autumnal rains in normal years, the falls of the past week have come in time to, enable seeding to be done over extensive areas, which could not otherwise have been dealt with. The situation may now be regarded as saved, and as largely increased areas are this year, being put under cultivation, and as high prices are likely to rule in the world s markets for a good while ahead, there is a prospect of our farmers being able to get back early a substantial portion of the severe losses they have been compelled to endure in this year of drought. Big prices for stock continue to be realised in the Sydney market. Latest averages are : — Six bullocks, £30 Is 8d ; nine, £22 15s; seven, £20 19s; nine, £20 6s. Averages for vealers were — Twentytwo, £5 4s Id ; eleven, £4 7s. Seven steers averaged £14 2s lOd, ten £13 16s, twenty-two £13 ss, nine £13 3s, and five £13. The Waikato, Times has a reference to a good gardening achievement by a former resident of Timaru, (Mr. H. Whittaker) who is now farming near Hamilton., The paper named says that Mr. Whittaker set out 400 onion plants on a plot of reclaimed swamp land, 26ft by Bft, and from there he harvested 4301b of good 6ound onions. Many of the bulbs weighed 21b each. , They were of the Giant Rocca and Silver King varieties. The manufacture of cheese has been under consideration by the Bunnythorpe Dairy Company, for a while past, and last week a meeting of suppliers was held to consider the installation of cheesemaking plant. Tho matter was fully discussed, and a decision arrived at to abandon the proposal. The company at present manufactures butter and casein, and will continue on these lines. The Martinborough paper states , that dairy farmers generally are complaining of the shortage of feed for the winter months, and as high as two shillings and ninepence per head per week is being offered for grazing. The Eketahuna Express says:— "The New Zealand Farmers' Dairy Union's butter factory at Eketahuna, which when erected was considered one of the most up-to-date concerns of its kind in tho Dominion, and which has bean closed down for the past three or four years, is now being dismantled, the machinery having been sold to the New Zealand Dairy Company, who arc erecting a large factory at Northern Auckland." The Blenheim Co-operative Dairy Factory Co., Ltd. (says the Express) announce a further advance of one penny per pound on butter and butter fat. This brings the price of butter locally on a level with other parts of the Dominion. Owing to the shortage of butter, and the unprecedented season that has been experienced, it is hoped that farmers will show tho true spirit of co-operation and endeavour, as far as lies in their power, to milk right throughout the wintor. The price now being advanced to them for buttorfat, namely, Is 3d per lb, which, is understood to be the highest price ever paid in Marlborough for butter-fat by a butter factory, should in somo measure- compensate them for th© high price of winter feed. Very little cheese is being made in North Otago at present, aa tho hand-feed-ing necessary in many cases prejudices the flavour of the milk (says tho North Otago Times). Better quality milk is wanted for cheese-making than butter-making, and as little is doing in either line at presont it is likely that the wholesalo price of choese wll be raised from the current 9d per lb. A supplier to the Riverbank cheese factory (situated between Pabiatua and Woodville) says that the total prico paid for the past season's butter-fat would be about Is 7d per lb. A bonus of 2d per lb of biitter-fat waa paid out this week to suppliers to this factory, and also tho Woodvillo cheese factory. Tho whey-soparating plant at Rexdalo (Mangamaire) cheese factory will probably bo used for milk separation during tho offseason this winter, when only a small quantity of milk is available. Tho high prices ruling for separated cream will make the proposition a payablo one. While it is quite feasible to separate milk every third day, milk kept for a similar j period if! hardly suitable for cheese. Negotiations are still proceeding in connection, with the' new co-operative cheese factories at Mangamutu and Hukanui. It i 3 anticipated by the promoters that the two factories will be in readiness for manufacturing cheese at tho commencement of next season.