FARMS AND FARMERS

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 November 1939, Page 9

FARMS AND FARMERS

ITEMS OF INTEREST

(By

“Rouseabout”)

KEEP UP PRODUCTION I / I OFFICIAL APPEAL TO FARMERS. |

Following the announcement that the rationing of butter and bacon has been introduced in England, the New Zealand Farmers’ Union issued the following official statement: — “It now behoves every farmer in - New Zealand who is producing these products to make his utmost efforts to produce more, and it behoves the Government to take effective steps to bring the cost of production of these commodities into line with their prices. Unless the Government takes the effective action referred to, the farmers of this country will not be able toj carry out properly their duty to New! Zealand and to the Empire. “The union is confident that notwithstanding the handicap under which the farmers —particularly the dairy farmers —are working, they will loyally strive to produce to the utmost extent of their ability. “It should be emphasised also that the farming community is willing to cheerfully bear its rightful share of any sacrifices which the war makes necessary. Their contention is, however, that up till the present time these sacrifices are not being equally borne, and quite apart from the dairy farmer, who is now expected to produce for the same price when costs are much higher, the case of the fruit grower is the most glaring. The fruit growers of New Zealand may -have to make the great sacrifice of losing their overseas market in order that the other producers of New Zealand may be able to ship their produce. This sacrifice on the part of the orchardists should be borne equally by the whole community, and they should not be asked to bear the whole of the loss. “M/e would reiterate that the farming community will at all times strive to produce the things in the quantities which the Old Country so urgently requires, but we feel that the policy of the Government should be altered so that farmers may be able to perform that duty to the Empire which this emergency demands.’’

SMALL FARMS WANTED i KEEN DEMAND IN WAIKATO. There is a keen demand at present for farm properties in the Waikato. In many cases land agents are having difficulty in securing properties to suit the prospective buyers. It was stated

that few farms of up to 100 acres were being offered for sale, although many inquiries were received for this type of property. Owners of these farms appear reluctant to sell, even when very favourable prices are offered. It has been noticeable that a number of men whose businesses have been seriously affected by the import restrictions have been investing capital which cannot be otherwise used in farm properties. Transactions in most cases have been completed for cash. For the first month after the outbreak of war, few deals were completed, but in the last six or seven weeks there has been a stream of inquiries. It appears as if people are settling down to the war conditions and are investing in farm properties with the object of finding security for their capital. Prices for properties in country districts are the highest for the last two or three years. One factor which has prevented many people from completing transactions has been that the ingoing depos-

its have been too high. Most buyers are prepared to pay up to £lOOO, but in many cases the deposit wanted is much higher. LAMB FATTENING SILVER BEET OR RAPE? The fattening of lambs on silver beet is a matter that has been advanced from time to time, but a well-known farmer who has tried it out over a number of seasons has expressed the opinion that it does not compare with rape for lamb fattening. Lambs will definitely not do as well on this crop as they will on rape, or chou moellier. Authorities have listed the fattening value of silver beet as approximately 60 per cent, that of rape. Against this, however, once sown, the crop will provide at least three feedings per season for three years, although regular inter-row cul-

tivation is called for if it is to give of its best. In addition, while subject to a form of rust, it is free from the depredations of the diamond back moth and the cabbage butterfly, which is a very definite advantage. / When the position is summed up, it seems that while the sowing of rape or chou moellier entails a risk of extensive damage to the crop by insect pests under seasonal conditions favourable to their depredations, this risk is worth taking in most cases to secure the added feeding value, as compared with silver* beet. FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE PROBLEM FOR GERMANY. A report that there is a new outbreak of foot and mouth disease among cattle in'Germany might easily herald one of the most significant developments since the outbreak of war. If true, it could go far of itself to starve the Nazis into surrender. This stock scourge, happily unknown

in New Zealand and Australia, has been a scourge of much trouble throughout Europe and the British Isles in recent years, but it has been particularly prevalent in Germany. It is possible that the fight against this danger has, on a short-sighted policy, yielded precedence to more immediate military considerations in the eyes cf the Nazis, who may now find themselves faced with an enemy which will cripple Germany’s food supply on German soil. Diseased stock cannot walk, and thus cannot feed. They soon become emaciated, and their carcases are useless. Millions of pounds have been spent on fighting the disease, but it has never been stamped out when it has once appeared. An effective cure has yet to be discovered, and apparently the only way to curtail its ravages is to slaughter the affected stock. Those familiar with its virulence know that it will spread very quickly, and it is extremely likely that not only will Germany’s meat supply be greatly impaired, but also her dairy produce, which she badly needs, will be similarly affected.

| THE PRICE FOR WOOL 1 “GOOD STROKE OF BUSINESS.” LONDON, October 20. “A good stroke of business,” is the comment of the “Yorkshire Post” upon the prices agreed upon by the New Zealand, Australian, and British Governments for the Dominions’ wool clips for the duration of the war and one year after. ’’ The Dominions, it is observed, have secured an assured market and price for their wool for the period of the war, and the United Kingdom has acquired supplies at figures which avoid the inflated values already in evidence in some markets of the world. The deals are regarded as a fine example of the smooth working of inter-Empire trade relations. z

“It would seem that the Dominions have done well out of the deal, but it is important to note that last season’s average prices were low, and the increase is not quite so striking when it is added that last season’s prices did not repay production costs to the growers,” the “Yorkshire Post” adds. “The new prices, while ensuring a reasonable return to the producer, do not represent anything extravagant. “As a purely commercial proposition, it is probable that both Australia and New Zealand could have done better at the moment by offering their wool in world markets where remarkable prices are ruling under the influience of war speculation. They have wisely forsworn freak prices, which may be only temporary, in favour of less spectacular but more stable prices offered by Britain. “There is must speculation in wool trade circles to-day as to the advance which may be necessary in the price level in this country as a result of these Dominion wool purchases at increased prices. The general view in the trade is that the Control may issue a revised price list in the near future, and it is commonly anticipated that it will register useful increases in permitted maximum prices. “An advance of 30 per cent, in wool does not necessarily foreshadow an exactly similar advance in the price of tops in this country, for example, as the latter commodity embodies costs besides wool. At the same time, many of these other- costs are known to have increased in recent times, and it is expected that any revised price schedule will take account of that fact.”

THE ENEMY WITHIN SOIL EROSION DANGER. “New Zealand is faced with the expenditure of probably vast sums for national defence against human enemies at a time when the more serious enemy ‘erosion’ should be fought with no uncertain hand,” states a writer in the November issue of “Forest and Bird,” published by the Forest and Bird Protection Society of N.Z. He adds:— New Zealand is now attacked from within and without. It might be asked: “What is the use of defending a country from without if the enemy within is to be allowed to destroy the life-sustaining soil and thus in time render- the country worthless for human occupation?” This internal enemy must be fought in the same determined manner as the foreign foes. The situation is certainly serious, but it is not irremediable. The necessary force of public opinion is, however, essential.

It is safe to say that, if the people of New Zealand had a full knowledge of the havoc already wrought by the “demon of erosion” and could foresee the further damage which will be due to blunders already made in the destruction of protective forests on steep watersheds, they would insist on effective action to safeguard the fertile soil. ■’ Already it is easy to see on a tour of New Zealand huge areas where productive soil has been lost by the lack of intelligent policy in regard to “bushburns” for settlement, timber milling, and sluicing and dredging for gold. Very important natural assets, which would have helped to strengthen New Zealand, have been sacrificed for the passing profits of comparatively a few persons. The soil is nature’s Reserve Bank for the maintenance of the human race, but man has a tendency to wage a suicidal war against nature. The people must be told the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth about erosion. The truth will certainly alarm them and make them eagerly willing to agree to the making and working of a strong policy for their own salvation. SOIL MOISTURE IMPORTANT ROLE OF HUMUS.

The fertility of the soil depends very largely upon its capacity to hold water, like a sponge, sufficiently close to the surface so that it can be drawn upon by the roots of crops or pasture plants.

An immense amount of soil moisture is required by a crop. It was proved at the British experimental station, at Rothamsted, that a crop of barley removed from the soil more water (equivalent of 9in. of rainfall) than had evaporated in the same time from an adjoining bare fallow. The action of a crop in draining the soil of its moisture is mainly due to the rapidity with which water evaporates during daylight from the surface of the leaves.

The water that evaporates from the leaves goes off as pure water vapou’*, the substances dissolved in the water —minerals and plant foods—remaining behind in the plant. Experiments have indicated that from 250 to 3001 b of water are evaporated from leaves for every 11b of dry matter which is added to the plant. It will thus be seen what an enormous amount of water must originally be in the soil before a heavy crop can be grown on it. Vegetable matter (humus) plays the most important part of all soil ingredients in retaining moisture in the soil near the surface, and for this reason alone humus is invaluable, and indeed, essential. Humus has a further value in that it acts as an insulation, maintaining even soil temperatures, and it also supplies food directly to the plant through its decomposition, and to the soil bacteria which convert minerals from insoluble to soluble forms. VALUE OF MT. EGMONT FOREST. "People of Taranaki have often been told that the prosperity of the large areas of fertile dairying land on the

Slopes of Mt. Egmont depends on the careful preservation of the forest mantle, but the great majority seem to doubt that fact,” said a member of the Forest and Bird Protection Society rceently. “Year after year the Egmont National Park Board appeals for sufficient money for campaigns against destructive goats, and for other necessary operations, but there is a very disappointing response. The board periodically holds out a pleading hand to the Government and receives a grant, but it seems to be in a chronic state of ‘hardupness’ because the farmers and othei- ratepayers, in the aggregate, begrudge the comparatively small sums required as a premium to maintain an insurance policy for their own welfare. They seem to have a belief that Mt. Egmont and its forest should not be regarded as the mainstay of the farming industries, but rather as a national scenic asset, and that the general taxpayers of New Zealand should be responsible for the preservation of the beautiful mantle which conserves and regulates the flow of water to farmlands.”

DEMAND FOR CASEIN. Because casein is used for building military aircraft, it has become scarce and has trebled in price since last year, when stocks were difficult to dispose of. All casein made by one Tara-' naki company is to be sent to Canada for aeroplane manufacture. The price of casein fell to £2O a ton last season, and averaged only about £3O, but the dairy industry will benefit this season by the increase in price to £55 a ton. The development of the Canadian scheme for aircraft production is stated to have been primarily responsible for the raising of the price. Stocks hi New Zealand are believed to have ' cleaned out as a result of the war, and in view of the scale on which it is.proposed to build aeroplanes in Canada for the Royal Air Force, it is expected that the already heavy demand will increase. Recently Japan bought a large quantity of casein from Australia at between £3O and £34 a ton. The fact that ;casein made in Taranaki is being bought at nearly twice that ligure is taken as an indication of a better class of product from New Zealand, which has had a reputation for some time of being of better grade than any other.