WOOL PURCHASES

Grey River Argus, 17 January 1940, Page 10

WOOL PURCHASES

By

Britain

USE OF CROSSBREDS FOR UNIFORMS. With purchases in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom clip, the British Government has become the world’s greatest wool merchant. Great Britain is certainly well equipped with supplies states Winchcombe Carson, Ltd., Australian woolbrokers, in its latest market survey.

During the eight months before the start of the war, British imports of wool were very, heavy and re-exports were less than usual. The quantity of imported raw material retained was the equivalent of 2,052,000 bales, being 40 per cent, more than the average for the corresponding period of the previous five years. The United Kingdom is, therefore in a particularly strong position with the sheep’s staple. Surprise has been expressed that prices for crossbred wools are on such good levels compared with merinos. The New Zealand clip, 97 per cent, crossbred, is sold to the British Government at only about Id per lb. sterling basis, less than the Australian clip, 84 per cent, of which is merino. Use of Crossbreds. War-time conditions or preparation for such circumstances give a definite fillip to the use of crossbred for uniform purposes. The keener demand for them w r as evident during the 12 months before the war. In the more peaceful times of 1935, 46’s coarse crossbred tops were quoted ih Bradford at IOJd per lb, and In August last were 70 per cent, dearer. Their present control price is twice the 1935 level, but 64’s merino tops are only 30 per cent, higher.

Crossbreds are not in a favourable position because the British authorities have a particular leaning toward producers of them. Circumstances are the cause. Though about 75 pe: cent, of the world’s merino wool is grown in the British Empire, only approximately 25 per cent, of the world’s crossbred is Empire-grown, and that proportion includes Indi.?, the clip of which is all of carpet type All other countries are seeking crossbreds, because, neutral or otherwise large bodies of men are mobilised

Australian Record. South American producers of crossbreds appear certain to find a read> outlet for their clip. Shipping trans port may prove a difficulty, but even in that regard Argentina and Uruguay are a relatively short voyage compared with Australia and Nev’ Zealand.

The time lost by the absence of sales in Australia during September has now been fully recovered because of the rapidity with which appraisements have been conducted. With the current season's clip ana the carry-over, the quantity of wool appraised is likely to be a record for Australian market turnover, the previous highest total being 3,000,075 bales in 1932-33. That quantity is likely to be exceeded by at least 300,000 bales.

High Yield and Long Life

MONTGOMERY RED CLOVER. Montgomeryshire late-flowering red clover has proved itself to be the most valuable of the red clovei' group. Ten years ago it was almost unknown to farmers in New Zealand, although in 1927 some of it was sown in a pasture mixture at Lincoln College for trial purposes. Five different lots of red clov n r were used in different portions of the mixture. After four years of close grazing red clover still existed on the Montgomery plot to the extent of 12 plants to the square yard, on the remaining plots which included English Late Flowering Red, and New Zealand Commercial, the clover had almost disappeared. This trial was one of the first in the Dominion, and the results indicated that late flowering red clover had a much longer life in pastures than the New Zealand broad red and cowgrass usually sown.

In those days farmers often discussed the relative merits of rei clover and cowgrass, and some were quite sure that it was easy to identify one from the other, because of one having a solid stem and the other a hollow one.

Many years ago a perennial strain of red clover known as cowgrass was introduced into New Zealand, but there was no visible difference between the seed of red clover and cowgrass, with the result that the strain soon lost its identity; cross fertilising also took place, and for a long period there has been no difference between the two. Discussions om red clover are no doubt more frequent than ever, but the controversial subject mentioned is seldom referred to.

During recent years there have been many inquiries as to the length of life of Montgomery clover under continuous grazing, and also when cut» fairly regularly for either hay or seed purposes. As the clover has hardly yet come into the general use that its valuable qualities warrant, there has been a limited number of farm experiences and in consequence information, particularly on length of life, has been confined to a few progressive farmers in each province.

Nine-year-old Stand

One of the oldest stands of Montgomery red clover in the South Island is to be found upon Mr Charles McCallum’s farm, Black Swamp, Waikouaiti, Otago. His first sowing was made in 1931, and the paddock was harvested for seed in 1933, and it has been seeded each year since then. Satisfactory crops have been secured and the average yield of seed to the acre has been three-quarters of a sack. The soil in this No. 1 paddock is a good heavy one, and has been maintained in a high state, of fertility by top-drecsings of super and lime. The stand has so far shown

little or no sign of deterioration; it is now nine years old and appears to

have a long life still before it. On lighter originally second-class hill country Mr McCallum has a four-year-old paddock of Montgomery. This one has behaved somewhat differently from the other on the heavier and more fertile land, but it has been and still is a very satisfactory proposition. This paddock was sown in 1935. In the following season phenomenal growth occurred, but the seed was poor because of wet weather. The second year’s crop was also exceptionally heavy and the yield of seed was particularly good. In the third year the growth was light, and it appeared that the two previous heavy crops had exhausted the vitality of the plants. However, in December an application of 3cwt of super to the acre was made, and by June and July it had made a remarkable recovery and wintered 40 head of cattle. This season the prospects are for a good normal crop of seed. As the outcome of considerable experience, Mr McCallum has found that a light yield can be expected periodically following exceptional growth in previous seasons. Also, that a recovery year on the part, of the plants need not cause alarm provided the stand is well treated with fertiliser to enable it to regain its former vigour. On good-class country heavy yields of hay have been obtained, and four tons to the acre have been common. After the hay crop is secured the aftermath has been found very satisfactory for fattening lambs, and is also very good milking feed for a dairy herd, particularly in a dry autumn.

In Southland a good deal of Montgomery clover has been sown in recent years for supplementary feed in the form of hay or ensilage. Two cuts have been obtained and harvested, and it has been found that two cuts of Montgomery have yielded a greater weight of hay to the acre than three cuts of lucerne in the same season. Several trials of half Montgomery and half lucerne have been under observation for several years, and the owners of them are so far of the opinion that the clover is less trouble than the lucerne, although both have proved satisfactory.

In one issue of the Scottish Farmer, Gartons, the well-known seedsmen, reported after trying out a great many varieties of clover “that they had yet to find. a better clover than Montgomeryshire Late Flowering Red.” General experience in New Zealand indicates that the clover 4s building up a high reputation and in the future is likely to obtain a very prominent place on most of our farm lands. The Department of Agriculture has included Montgomery, clover in the list of certified seeds and purity of strain is thus assured.

THE POULTRY FARMER. STRANGE FOODS USED DURING LAST WAR. There have been frequent references in these notes during the past two or three months to foods suitable for fowls during war time, and some remarks have been made to conditions which prevailed owing to the rise in food prices during the last Great War. Just now, however, the subject is viewed far more seriously in the Mother Country than it is out. here. Much has been said about the use that can be made of house scraps and garden refuse, but this only interests the smallholders. Those who keep fowls in large numbers cannot feed their birds to any appreciable extent o nhouse scraps, unless, like the pig-keepers that collect from hotels, restaurants, etc. So far as smallholders are concerned, it is being pointed out that if required more table scraps could be collected from neighbours who do not keep fowls. The following, which appeared in the Feathered World (Eng.), is interesting and informative, as it shows “the strange foods used during the last so-called Great War,” The writer is allowed the leading space for his contribution and says:—

During the latter part of the last war practically all corn and offals were unobtainable. Some substitutes were palm nut kernel and coconut cake. Both these were rich in prote’n but the palm nut kernel had a very high fibre content and caused bad scouring. Probably up to 20 per cent, was as far as one dared go in using that food. Malt culms was another feed obtainable and useful as a substitute for bran, but would not store owing to the bad keeping qualities, and was not obtainable everywhere,. In addition to the above, a meal known as oat husk meal xyas marketed, and was simply as its name implies, ground oat husks. I remember one mash of which we were particularly proud when we could obtain the ingredients. It consisted of about 50 per cent, chat potatoes, palm nut kertel, and/or coconut cake, some damaged second-grade flour, and as much blood—which was boiled—as we could obtain from the local butchers.

Green stuff from the garden was included, and the whole mess dried off with oat husk meal. The damaged flour was only a temporary luxury, and very little came our way.’ We were not entirely without corn, as odd parcels of damaged wheat and maize were sometimes procurable as w'ell as a very thin and weedy oat.

During the worst of the U-boat campaign, fair quantities of salvaged wheat' could be obtained. This, in most cases, was almost black, and stank to high heaven. Amongst the foods we used were some which I might call purely local A miller, to whom we had rendered some good service, risked much by sometimes smuggling up to us a sack of real broad -bran, milled in his own local mill. We also managed to obtain at' intervals supplies of horse flesh from a neighbour, as well as small parcels of tail wheat from local farmers —at a price I would add. Our chicks were dry fed, and their rations consisted of the bran mentioned above, pinhead oatmeal of the human consumption variety, tail wheat when obtainable, and when not a certain proprietary brand of chick feed which appeared to consist of many highly coloured seeds of most known and unknown weeds, to judge by the strange plants that sprang up from where the feed had been scattered. The lack of . cod-liver oil did not enter into oui’ problems, as. unless' my memory is playing me false, it I

was rarely, if ever, included in diets of chicks or adult birds in war or prewar days. Naturally, the birds were some little time in adapting themselves to the new foods, but it was amazing how healthy they kept and how many eggs they■produced. Attempts were made, I believe to introduce cotton-seed meal,, castor oi.' bean and Brazilian beans, but we did not experiment with these, and I fancy on the whole that they proved to be highly dangerous.