AGRICULTURAL REVIEW

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 5 January 1927, Page 10

AGRICULTURAL REVIEW

<3Y DEPARTMENT A\. DIRECTOR. UNFA VO UR A HUE WEATHER. THE DA IE V ENDt’S'JM! V.

The past agricultural lias been revieweu in me nonunion newspaper nv m. C. •> - iraeives (.Director or Agnture) m the loiiowmg terms: ' the calendar year just closed has been one showing variation in climatic conditions and m production in cinerent parts oi the nonunion, tne most prominent feature being the very serious drought affecting a considerable portion or tne east coast area of the Aorth island over a period or several montiis. in addition, considerable uairying arnas experienced unfavouraoie weather conditions in the spring or last season, and tms was reflected in a reuuction in the totav output or dairy produce a. 5 com pa red with the previous year. •‘The yield of dairy produce as shown by the export grading hguies was less than in tne previous year. The grading hguies for the twelve months ending July 81 (the usual dairying year) were as follow : flutter, 52,50< tons (a decrease or 10.9 per cent, as compared with the preceding twelve months); cheese, 74,i45 tons (an increase of 5.9 per cent, over the preceding twelve months. lii terms of butter-fat, this shows an over-all decrease of 5.6 per cent.

‘\vs regards the current season, the position with regard to the volume of production has improved considerably since its opening. Comparing the production for the 'four months, August to November, with the corresponding period of the previous year, the production of butter was 9.9 per cent, greater, and cheese 2.3 per cent, greater, or equal to an increase in butter-fat of 7.6 per cent.

“The weather conditions during the past month have been particularly propitious for dairying, and the dairying •districts are reported as never having looked better at this period of the year. A further very satisfactory feature of the present season is that the standard of quality of both butter and clieeso. is well in advance of the good .standard previously attained. A feature worth noting lias been the shipping of some butter to the Australian market to meet a temporary local deficiency caused by dry weather conditions.

“Farming practice in the principal dairying districts continues to show gradual improvement, the most notable feature being the increased use of topdressing for pastures, which has been stimulated by the lower prices ruling for fertilisers. There is still plenty of room for improvement in the provision of winter feed for cows, and for good feeding throughout the milking season, but the position in this respect is gradually improving year by year, though a greater consideration in the direction of saving hay crops would be a marked advantage. ■ ‘The use of purebred bulls to head the ordinary dairy herds is extending, though it is more marked in some districts than in others. If' we are to continue to improve the milking qualities of dairy herds, purebred bulls with good butter-fat backing are essential. ‘‘For the season 1925-26 dairy herdtesting in the Dominion showed a slight decrease in the number of cows under test, as compared with the preceding season, when the greatest number in the history of the movement in this country since its inception in 1969 was recorded This decrease is quite probably accounted lor by some farmers. after having their herds under test for a year or more, dropping out for a time. A review of the past eight years shows that herd-testing in New Zealand has increased very rapidly during that period, and sJome variation in the number under test irom year to year may be expected. “The certiiicate-of-record testing of purebred dairy cows also shows a slight decline as compared with the previous year. The most probable explanation is the fall in the sale price of purebred dairy cattle. This, however, is broken upon as merely temporary, and no doubt as general economic conditions improve the testing of purebred dairy cows will receive still greater attention. Some 699 purebred dairy cows, representing the Jersey, .Friesian, milking Shorthorn. Ayrshire, and Red Poll breeds are at present under the C.O.P. test. Frozen Meat. “A satisfactory increase oi about a quarter or a million carcasses in the output of lamb from the freezing works of the Dominion took place in tiie past season, although mutton killings did not equal those of the preceding year, jjeef production was adversely affected by the lengthy period of droughty weather on the North Island east coast, comprising districts which normally supply a large part of our best beer cattle, and slaughterings ol this class were reduced by over one-liall compared with the 1924-25 season. The output of boned beei was fairly well maintained. The increase in lamb took place entirely in the North Island, the South Island aggregate showing a decrease. Reports from Otago and Southland indicated that larger numbers than usual of ewe lambs have been held this season by local farmers. “Efforts have been made to induce farmers to increase their output or pork, the action of the British Government in prohibiting the introduction of fresh pork from Continental countries having created an excellent opening for increasing our export trade in pork. One of the drawbacks facing fhe dairy farmer in this matter lies in the relatively high cost of foods, especially gram, needed to supplement the separated milk obtained from his herd, but the movement is being strongly pushed by the Meat Board and the department, and it is hoped that a marked increase in our

export- frozen pork, as well as of bacon and hams, may be brought about. During the eleven months ended November 30 the quantity of frozen pork exported was 6A.678cwt., as compared with 46,067 cwt. in the corresponding period of the previous year, while 432 < cwt of bacon and hums were expoi'ted, as compared with 3320ewt. in 1925. Mutton and Wool. “As regards the number of sheep in the Dominion, a further increase was recorded, the total number (including lambs) at April 30 being 24,91)4,993, as against 24,547,995 in 1925. Estimates of this season's lambing, prepared by inspectors of stock, show a lambing oi 84.57 per. cent., an estimated total of 11,794,699 lambs, as against an actual lambing of 11,435,780 last year. The experience of previous years is that the inspector’s estimates have always been very near the mark. “Following the high values lor wool in the 1924-25 -season a- marked drop occured in 1925-26, yet this was by no means art unmixed disadvantage, since the prices obtained established a market of quite a stable character, which has continued into the current season, with a little improvement. This season’s clip is good in quality, except in Hawke’s Bay, where drought conditions had their effect. The 1920-2 b clip showed a decrease in the quantity shorn as compared with the preceding year, the weight of wool produced (exclusive of wool sliped at freezing works, etc) being, according to the Government Statistician’s _ returns, 173 402,7641 b, as against 180,030,0401 b in 19 0 4-25. This is largely accounted for by shortages in the Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay, and Wellington districts. The number of cattle of all classes in the Dominion again shows a slight decrease, the total being 51,208 less than in 1925. Dairy cows alone show a ‘decrease of 19,576, this being probably accounted for to some extent by the culling of unprofitable cows, hut also bv the I act that some farmers who had for a time changed over from sheep fanning to dairying have gone hack to sheep again. Grain. “The season 1925-26 was not particularly satisfactory from the point of view of the areas harvested of both our two main cereal crops. In connection with wheat, the actual area thrashed was 151,673 acres, which was a decrease on the previous, season by 15.291 acres. Furthermore, the yield per acre, although up to the Dominion normal average, was slightly over two bushels per acre less than for 1924-25. “The growing season has been quite a good one, and, provided a normal yield is obtained,, and this is confidently expected, there should be about 61 million bushels of wheat available, against 44 million bushels last season. Unfortunately, this is hardly sufficient , for Dominion requirements, and im- - pollutions will have to be made, al- * though these will not be as large as in . the previous year. “The area in oats should he sufficient , to meet Dominion requirements.” | Corns killed with Progandra—l/6. — ■ Advt.