BY THE WAYSIDE

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 97, 7 April 1934, Page 11

BY THE WAYSIDE

Of Interest to Farmers HAWKE’S BAY HONEY CROP The honey crop in Hawke’s Bay this season has been good, according to Mr L. Reisterer, Government Apiary Instructor in Hawke’s Bay. Discussing the results with the “Tribune."Mrßeisterer said that whereas the total production in New Zealand was down by approximately 50 p.c. the Hawke’s Bay crop had been well maintained, this being chiefly due to the fortnight of ideal weather that was experienced in December. During this period the bees were able to collect large quantities of honey and in consequence tho otherwise unsuitable weather has not made the season unsatisfactory.

Beekeepers will have plenty to occupy them during the coming months with extracting and packing the honey, building and renovating hives, and generally cleaniug up in preparation for the next season. Mr Roisterer mentioned to the writer that many people Imagined the bee-keeper had nothing to do once the honey season was over. On a large commercial apiary the winter months were among the busiest in the year.

Fruitgrowers are in the thick of an orgy of picking and packing at the present time. The eight-hour day means nothing at this time of the year when orchardists start at 7.30 a.m. and stop late at night.

In recent issues of several dairy journals the average production of the Piri Land Company’s c.o.r. test team of 14 pedigree Friesians for the 1932-33 season was estimated to be approximately 6551 b of fat. The seven junior two-year-olds, one senior two-year-old, two junior three-year-olds, three junior four-year-olds, and one five-year-old eow, which comprised the team for the season under review, have all now finished their period under test with the very fine average of 671.51 b and 18,449.91 b of milk. On an age basis it ts doubtful if any other test team in tho world has ever done as well, for the average age of the Totara Park team was only two years 335 days.

In view of the export of 10,000 sacks of onions from Canterbury to the east coa"st of Canada, number which is likely to be trebled before the season is over, it is interesting to note from the Melbourne papers that Victorian onion growers have expressed satisfaction at recent developments which have enabled them to dispose of fair quantities of onions to Canadian buyers. Already 1000 tons, or approximately 20,000 bags have been purchased for shipment from 1 elbourne at the end of last month, 'nd the opinion has been expressed amongst traders that further business is likely to be secured.

Canning roses is the latest industry developed in California. It is now possible for rose stocks cut in California to travel 3300 miles across the continent. They are put on sale in New York and other eastern cities in their original packings, and finally bloom in New Yorkers’ gardens. The canning is done by spraying hot paraffin wax on delicate rose cuttings. It is possible for one nursery to prepare for shipment 5000 cuttings a day. They are packed mechanically in their airtight containers.

The total area top-dressed for the 12 months ended January 31, 1933, as reported by the Census and Statistics Office was 2,438,114 acres, compared with 2,454,321 acres in 1931-.32, and 2,871,316 acres for 1939-31. For 193233 dressings with artificial fertilisers only were 1.741,035 acres; lime only 102,952, and both artificials and lime 594,127 acres.

The area under lucerne in New South Wales is now estimated at 300,000 acres, having increased about 150 per cent, during the last 10 years. No crop, not even wheat, has made such phenomenal progress during the period. The greatest expansion of the area has taken place in the central division, and the departmental experts consider it difficult to mark the western limits at which this crop will be found profitable.

Cattle breeders and feeders in the Irish Free State are in a bad predicament, as in Dublin in February prime fat bullocks were selling at from 19/to 25/-, and cows and heifers from 10/3 to 18/1 per cwt. live weight. These are ruinous prices when it is considered that tho cattle for at least four months previously had been stall fed on hay, roots, grain, or cake. It means that the very primest beef was selling about 12/6 per 1001 b., and second quality at little better than boiling down rates.

The three Japanese sheep buyers now in Australia have purchased 700 Corriedale sheep for export to Korea. This purchase is part of a draft of 3000 sheep to be shipped this month. Ono of tho buyers stated that sheepraising in Korea was only to be an experiment. He doubted whether it would be a success because of the intense cold of the Korean winter, which would have an adverse effect on sheep bred in Australia’s mild climate. Asked what effect the laising of sheep in Korea would have on Japanese purchases of wool in Australia, Mr Sohno said he did not think that there was any cause for alarm. There was not much chance of Japan competing with Australia when it had such a limited amount of country in which to breed fioeks. * «r •* Tn spite of many unsatisfactory seasons potato growers in Victoria have seldom hern so seriously menaced by the fears of potato moth infestation whilst harvesting their crops ns they are this year. Fisks of infestation have been tremendously increased bv the recent Unseasonable weather which has greatly favoured this pest. ” Ro lays the Melbourne “Leader/ 1