ON THE LAND.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIV, Issue 929, 30 January 1924, Page 3

ON THE LAND.

, FIELD NOTES FOR FEBRUARY, 1924. (W. J. McCulloch, Fields Division.) CEREALS. The continued dry weather has been ideal for harvesting' the grain crops, most of which will now be safely stacked. As mentioned last month slacks intended to etand for some time should be lightly raked and, after a few weeks of settling, carefully thatched and made secure from the weather. Grain for threshing should be stacked for some time, especially wheat, as a certain amount of sweating takes place which improves the sample. SUPPLEMENTARY CATCH CROPS. If the weather is sufficiently promising with a fair amount of moisture present, early cleared stubbles may be sown in a catch crop and in localities where there is a risk of the root crop having suffered through abnormally dry weather, advantage should be taken to sow quick growing soft turnips, mustard, or u cereal for green feeding, any of which would be acceptable for autumn, winter or spring food. Do not plough stubble land —rather disk and harrow, as deep cultivation at this time tends to dry out the soil too much, and the risk of obtaining a reasonable germination is greater if worked deeply. Among the cereals, Cape barley or Black Ilulless barley are both very quick growers, but neither should be allowed to make too much growth between feedings, as they are inclined to run-... quickly to ear in the autumn. Oats will serve the same purpose, and if available an addition of vetcheß or peas is valuable, seeded at the rate of about half vetehos or peas to oats, and sow the mixture at from 24 to 3 bushels per acre with 2 to 24 cwt super. Any of the common vttrle £* e ® ot oats may be grown for green feed, but Algerian is to be preferred, being more palatable and quicker to recover from the effects of feeding down. It was the writer s experience at the Central Development Farm to feed down with sheep a field, halt the urea of which was in Gallons and half iu Algerian, the result being that the stock in showing a marked preference fed the Algerian dangerously close before attempting to touch the Gartona. Palautbility ot a fodder is of extreme importance. Italian rvegraas or Weaternwolths can also be sown for quick feed if desired, at'tho rate of 30 lbs per acre, with 14 to 2 cwt super, and the addition of 4 or 6 lbs of cowgrass would greatly enhance .the value of either especially if the area is to be retainod for feeding through the following summer. ilie writer’s experience has been that, although Westermvoltns may give heavier yields at certain periods, Lallan rye yields a lnghor total for the full season. Dairy cows do well oil either, and whore rape may have failed, both fatten lambs exceedingly well. 1 he aftermath of the hay paddocus which should now naturally be showing a tau clover growth will provide a nice change for the dairy herd or the lambs, likewise the fresh pickings round the stubbles. SUPPLEMENTARY CROPS. Such crops as green inaizo and soft turnips are expected to keep up the milk yield at present, but neither ol these can so well assist the failing grass pasture at this season of the year and give as nutritious and wellnuianced a ration as lucerne which should undoubtedly bo the sheet anchor of the dairy 1 armor. During the present dry spell tlie 1 armor who has the provision of a good lucerne stand and perhaps a stack of good ensilage will no doubt be envied by his less fortunate neighbours who will make many fresh resolutions which only too soon forgotten until nature again rebels. ROOT CROPS. The scarifier or cultivator should be kept going between the rows, until the tops meet in the drills, in the endeavour to keep weeds well ill check and retain ull tile moisture possible, and more especially after rain to prevent crusting of the surface soil.

PREPARATION FOR AUTUMN SOWN CROPS.

As the flush of the milking season with its many anxieties and the harvesting of crops is practically over, more attention should now be given to the programme of autumn work, thu most important of which is the sowing d/wu of grass pasture. In the busli country this means taking advantage of suitable weather to get u successful burn, whilst on arable lund it moans the thorough cultivation and preparation of a fine, firm, seed bed, and later in both cases tiie careful selection of suitable mixtures. The importance of purchasing only the and deanost seed cannot be too often repeated, and as there is a great variation of soil anil climate in different localities the selection of varieties and proportion of each to sow is of extreme importance. Every opportunity should be taken to work up and clean laud intended for autumn sowing grass. AUTUMN SOWING LUCERNE.

Where conditions are suitable land intended for autumn sowing lucerne should be kept well stirred meantime to germinate weed seeds and kill couch grasses, etc. It is contended by some that where there is danger of too much competition from weeds that sowing in Match is an advantage. This may be correct to some extent in the first few weeks of the plant’s j existence, and possibly it is in a more advanced and stronger condition early the following spring, enabling it to compete to better advantage against grasses and weeds, but the fact remains that it is courting failure to sow lucerne in dirty lund at any time. POTATO CROPS. From tho end of this month and beginning of March on through April, according to the district, main crops of potatoes will be lifted. Maturity i 3 indicated generally by the dying away of the tops, except in the case ot blight, but the best indication is when the skin adheres fr. inly to the tuber when handled. 'I hose intended for seed should be dug before maturing, but the usual practice is to select the middle si.-.e tubout the size ot an egg) t Inlo being graded into sacks in tho field. There is no doubt that this practice of not selecting seed from the best plants subsequent to digging the crop is mainly responsible for the deterioration of seme of tho bost old varieties. Choose weather for digging, either by hand or machine, when the tubers will turn out clean and free. WORLD’S BEST WOOL. AUSTRALIA’S PRE-EMINENCE. AHEAD OF AMERICA. LONDON, Jan. IT The Australian High Commissioner, Sir Joseph Cook, in a speech in Bradford at the dinner of the Wool Federation said that the trouble in Britain was not with the oountry, but with the human factor. It appeared to an outsider as if the politicians were playing a game of round the mulberry bush.

The only safe thing for business men to do was to ignore the politicians and get on with their jobs. They mads the best cloth in the world from tlie best wool in the world, namely, Australian. Ihe efficiency of Australia was steadily incteasing and she was already ahead of tho United States. He advised British manufacturers to study Trade Commissioners’ reports and to remember that a groove made a little deeper made a grave Australians had achieved their prominent position as producers of the world’s best wool not by cli&nce or magic, but by the skill and adaptability of the pioneers. He saw indications of tho revival of trade in Europe if we were able only to broadcast by wireless more unity and goodwill. With effective co-operation throughout the Empire all would be well. STOCK MARKET. Dalgety and Co., Ltd., Palmerston North, report having a good yarding of sheep and a small entry of cattle at tneir Bulls sale on Monday, when a very fair clearance was effected. Quotations: Small lambs 7s 2d to 7s 3d, small b.f. lambs 10s 6d to 11s ud> w.f. wether lambs 10s 9d, medium b.f. lambs 13s, very fair b.f. lambs 15s to 16s Id, f and f. aged ewes 10s 6d. 2-tooth ewes 26s 3d, f. anti f. wethers 28s Id, fat 2-tooths 25s 9d, mixed fat sheep 20s, light fat ewes 16s Bd, bulls £2 ss, light fat cows £2 18s to £3 9s.

PRODUCTION OF CASEIN. “PRACTICABLE PROPOSITION.” PROSPECTS IN WAIKATO. HAMILTON, Jan. 26. Speal ing at the opening of the New Zcalant Dairy Co.’s casein factory at Pukekiira to-day, Mr A. J. Sinclair, acting manager of the company, made sonic interesting comments on the increasing importance of casein as a by-product of milk. Ho stated hat for many years the only use found for milk curd hind been the manufacture of cheese, and that skim milk us a byproduct of butterraaking had been comparatively valueless. Scientific research, however, lad now made the manufacture of milk-pcwder and casein from skim milk a practicable proposition. Mr Sinclair mentioned that casein played an important part in the manufacture of paints, glue, and artificial ivory, while paper mills used it extensively to give a superior finish o certain classes of paper and cloth rnanufixiturors found it invaluable for fixing colours in cretonne and other materials, lie stated that new uses for casein were being discovered every year, and that it now played an important factor in the manufacture ol films for the cinematograph. He believed there would bo an increasing demand for edible casein on account of ' its high nutritive vulue, and its large proportion of albumen.

Until recently, said Mr Sinclair, the casein manufactured in France had topped the world i market for quality and price, but New tealund casein now equalled the French product in quality, and sold at the same figure. He said that the casein market had always been somewhat erratic, but that it had proved a good proposition last season, as casein suppliers had received 2d per lb butter fat in oash over the butter price, and in uddition had been credited with another Id per lb as share oupital. This year, he stated the same cash payment had been made to date, but unfortunately the market had gjne somewhat fiat during the last few weeks lie said that this was mainly due to the chaotic 6tato of affairs in Kurope which made it practically impossible for continental countries (ordinarily large buyers of casein) to do business. Mr Sinclair said that the American marki t had always afforded a good outlet ill the p ist, but that the Argentine had produced considerable quantities of inferior casein during the present season, and were sacrificing this on the New York market, with the result that the casein market there was anything hut brisk at the moment. Past axperienco had shown, however, that the casein market reacted very suddenly, and Mr Sinclair expressed the opinion that butter, plus casein, would prove an excellent proposition for the dairy-farmers this season. PASTURES ON SAND LANDS. i UCCES3EUL EXPERIMENTS. HAMILTON, Jan. 26. At the Waikato Heads there are thousands jl acres ot barren drilling sand which ate lying mie and undeveloped. 'ihe experience of a farmer ill anotiior locality oners a suggestion showing how these lands may be niaue productive. Four years ugo, on drifting satin country ho sowed agricultural lupins from horse-baclc. About ono plant in every ten grew, ’lhese plants shed tlicir 3eed, and wore replaced by new plants, in ih a manner humus was gradually aadad to thu soil and the lupin crop thickened out. Abcu; the third season, when the lupins were from 12 inches to 18 inches high, prairie grass and white clover seed was sioalLrea among the plants. 'lhe prairie grass grew luxuriantly, and tho mover made good bottom growth, producing profitable pasture, instead of smiting Band with but little natural gross, 'ihis novel meih 3d of bringing in sand country has been proved successful and is well worth a trial. The addition ot poapaium, lotus angu itissimus, lotus major in tho mixture ot prairie grass and white clover might also bo tiled with advantage. LONDON WHEAT MARKET. LONDON, Jan. 27. Wheat cargoes are firm on shipments of new crop from Australia, Argentine being scarcely tip to expectations, while the firmness of freights is also a strengthening lacttr. Parcels are linn at 3d per quarter h'ghsr, with smull trade. —A. and N.Z. cu die.

LONDON MARKETS

The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Age. icy Coy., Ltu., have received the following cable from meir London house under date 2sth insi. :—.New Zealuud Frozen men.: Lamb, lOd per lb (average); mutton, prions unchanged. Market slow. New Zeaiund duiry produce : Rutter, choicest salted, bOos to 203 s per cwt. Market affected by strike. JfistnUution much restricted. Cheese, fobs to l'Jbs per cwt. Market slow. WOOL SALE AT DUNEDIN. RECORD PRICES OBTAINED. (Per Pre»» Association.) DUNEDIN, Jan. 29. Ihe second wool sale of the season" was concluded to-day in the presence of a large gathering of interested spectators. The wot 1 brokers olfered 24,600 bales to a full ben on of buyers from Germany, France, Italy and Japan. Ridding, while apparently slow, was very keen and practically all the wools olfered were soid at pi ices lar above any thing ever seen on this market. Prices can be reported generally as follow;—Merinos, super, at par; medium and inferior, Id ,o lid lower; haifbrotla 2d to 3d higher; thive-quarterbreds, Id to id higher. Home croshied hogget wools came r.i lor irregular bidding, which was diliiouit to understand. A lumber of lots of huifbred and Corrie-dai-v and an odd lot of extra super Merino made 30d and upwards. One lot of Corriefial i grown by Mr 11. P. Mclntyre, of Maitland. fetched the record price of 32d. ivh.lo half bred clips, grown at Teviot, ancl (.'oi riedale clips, grown at Wildcn, made 31jd.

'1 lie following table shows the comparison cf values os ootween the December and Jai uary sales (in brackets) in Dunedin: Merino 64’s to 74’3, bC’s to 64’s, extra super, Slid (31id); super, 27id (25d to 28d); interior, 22id (20d to 21id); average, 25d (22.1 to 244 d). 1 ine haifbred, 58’s, to 56’s to 58’s, 56’s, ext-a super, (29d to 31id); super, 27d (27 d D 28id) ; average. 24id (25d to 27d); inferior, 21 Jd (22d to 24id). Medium hnltbreds, 50 to 56’s, 50’s, extra super, 27id (27id to 29d) ; super, 21jci (21jd to 22id) ; average, 20d (22d to 24id) ; inferior, 16d (19J to 21 i-d).

C oarser halfbredj 48 to 50’s, extra super, 244 d (23d to 25id) ; super, 214 d (21 id to 22£d) ; average. 20d (18id to 21d) ; infer or, Corriedale, extra super, 29|d (29d to 32d) : su;er, 25jd (26id to 28id); average, 23Jd (241 to 26d) ; inferior, J’ine crossbred, 46 to 48’s, super, 17id (20'id to 23id) ; average, 19id (17id to 20d) ; inferior, 16id (15»d to 17d).

Medium crossbred, 44 to 46’s, super, 17jd (17 Id to 19fd); average, 15id (15£d to 17d); inf jrior, 13£d (13id to 15d). Coarse crossbr< d, 40 to 44’s. super, lod (16d to 17£d); average 12i}d (14Ad to 151 d); inferior, ll£d (13.1 to 14d). ] Jellies and pieces, Merino, good to super pieces, 24id (20d to 25d) ; good to super bellies, 19d (17d to 19d)low, to medium pieces, 19d (16d to 19d) ; low to medium bodies, 18d (13d to 16d). \ llalfbred, good to super pieces, (24d tb 2Sd) ; good to snjier bellies, 25cl (18d to 23d); low to medium pieces, 21d (18id to 22d); low to mcdii m bellies, go id to super pieces, 21d (16(1 to did); good to super bellies, 17d (15d to 18d); low to medium pieces, 13d (12d to 15d); low to medium bellies, 12gd (lid to 14d). Locks, Merino, 12d to 13d) ; halfbred, 12d (lOd to 12£d); crossbred, 7jd (8c to 10|d). GOOD SALE AT SYDNEY. SYDNEY, Jan. 29. \t (lie wool sale the market was unusually excited, and prices generally were five per cent above last week’s rates, except for fa illy and dusty sorts. Greasy Merino sold to 41id,—Press Association.

BUTTER AND CHEESE PRICES. SYDNEY, Jan. 29. The wholesale pices of butter and cheese have been reduced by a penny a pound. Press Association. FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE. LONDON, Jan. 28. There were only forty-six cases of foot and mouth disease last week, the lowest since the outbreak began in August. Ihe Ministry of 'Agriculture considers the outbreak "has been definitely subdued. A* and N.Z. cable. - *