FARMING AND COMMERCIAL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVIII, Issue 45, 21 January 1928, Page 5

FARMING AND COMMERCIAL.

LUCERNE GROWING. KING AMONG FODDERS. (By “Ploughshare.”) With the lapse of time and the extension of experimental work, the fact has been made apparent that successful lucerne culture is possible under conditions previously considered impossible. No longer is its cultivation confined to the rich ■ alluvial banks of rivers. Tests have proved its adaptability to a wide range of soil conditions and, while it is true that the plant flourishes be3t in favoured spots, it , may be. safely stated that there are very farms in which some suitable plot cannot be found where one or other of the varieties of lucerne will not grow. Doubtless, the extreme care that is found necessary in preparing a favourable 6eed bod on the heavier soils and the amount of subsequent attention to keep the plots free from weods in the earlier stages of growth have been responsible to a large ®xt6nt for lucerne being neglected in this .district. Taking into consideration its jgreat feeding'valuo both in its green and preserved condition, it; is "-worth while being persevered with. Its drought-rcsist-jting qualities and the number of crops that produces' in one season have earned tfor lucerne the reputation for its being ttho King of Fodders. A few years ago ewhen competitions were conducted among “ucerne growers in the Manawatu some splendid crops were submitted to the judges considered the best of. them equal to anything they had seen anywhere, r Entries in these competitions covered Idiots growing on a widely spread area, f nibracing the river dejiosit soil on the lopane, the heavy clay subsoil land round Rongotea, and the more sandy soil towards Carnarvon. In every instance it Kvas shown that, given the proper treatment, lucerne could be profitably grown. Jjt is significant that practically all the !Props that were established when the comj petitions were started some seven years Sago are still producing big yields. Kaifranga, Newbury and other outlying country places did not come within the scope !»f these particular competitions, but it is srwell-known that there are many farms in fthoso localities where lucerne is being fcgrown successfully. The usual practice is Jto utilise tho first and second cuttings of Hhe season for hay and the later growths Efor green feed, either for grazing or cartpng out to stock. One great advantage kef lucerne is that, in periods when growth gs (jhcckcd in other crops by dry weather, fill is plant seems to flourish best and can always be relied upon to be available when jieeded to carry stock along till other crops "are ready for feeding.

GRAZING LUCERNE. While there i 3 always a certain risk in Aho grazing of cattle on lucerne and similar crops, the question of labour is now ...becoming one of 6ucli importance that a Ijnan who is dairy-farming must sometimes Make the risk of having an odd cow r‘blown” rather than face the labour in-S-olved in cutting and carting the green “feed to his cows daily. No doubt, this (method is rather wasteful and, where the .number of cows be fed is small and help available, it is more economical to cart ft ho feed to the cows. These who have had experience consider that, provided reaeonable care is taken, the average cow "will not suffer any ill-effect from grazing the growing crop. Care must be taken not to let the stock be too hungry before feeding, and to avoid giving cows free .access to the field during periods of wet There are some cows, however, (that are very susceptible to “blowing” Land it would be wise to separate these (from the herd. Needless to say, the risk is very much greater in showery weather, when the plant is making rapid growth, (than when drier conditions prevail. Until . cows become accustomed to grazing crops .such as lucerne it will be wise, not to altow them to feed more than from fifteen to twenty minutes at a time to begin with, increasing the duration as judgment suggests. As a preventive to bloating some men of experience recommend drenching a cow that is subject to the trouble with about one pound of epsom salts before feeding. Another plan that is followed with success on one of the farms under State supervision is to place feeding racks containing hay or chaff in the paddock that is being fed. The affected cows, it is said, seem to know by instinct what is required to put them right and will go up to the bins and take a few mouthfuls of the dry food which drives out the gase3 >hat cause the discomfort. DEHORNED CATTLE. THEIR ECONOMIC VALUE. The oilier evening, while watching the milking operations of a medium sized dairy herd, the writer noted that, whilst all the appointments in the shed were up-to-date in every detail, it did not appear that the dairyman owner was getting the best possible results from his herd by reason of the fact that the cows in the yards were in a continually restless condition. This condition wa3 caused by tho animals horning one another while waiting to be milked. Although it is quite common to eoo herds of hornless cows, the practice of dehorning all dairy cattle is one that might bo more generally followed. Objections are sometimes put forward that the dehorning operation is cruel and inhuman, but anyone who has witnessed the cruelty that occurs twice a day in the milking yards, when the horned bullies are tormenting and sometimes seriously injuring weaker members of the herd, will admit that it is better and more humane to subject the animals to a few minutes’ discomfort whilst the horns are being removed than to permit them to seriously upset and hurt one another every day. Admittedly, the work of dehorning cows is distasteful, but if the owner is not in- •' dined to do his own herd there is usually some person in- every district who will undertake the work at so much per head. From the. material standpoint it is wellknown that the nervous temperament of a cow and the way she is handled have a considerable influence on her milk yield. Excitement, therefore, means waste and every dairy farmer knows that if a cow is m.uch excited she does not yield all her milk, and the milk which she does yield will contain less, butterfat than usual. For this reason alone it should be an economical undertaking .on the part of every dairyman to dehorn his cattle. Undoubtedly, horns sets off an animal, and cows at first will not look so well, but in dairying “handsome, is as handsome docs,” and, if better returns can be obtained from a dehorned herd, then " by all means have them without horns. Caustic applied to the young horn of the calf a few days after being born is, if carefully used, a simple and effective way of prevention and has much to recommend it. Experience has proved that a cow does not suffer much discomfort through the operation except during tho few minutes which the saw or dehorning shears are being applied. Even when the herd is in full milk the yield is only temporarily affected and then to a very small extent. On the other hand, careful tests have definitely proved that within a few days after dehorning the herd average yield of milk has shotvn a decided increase in comparison with that obtaining just previous to the operation. The sufferings caused during transit of horned beef cattle and tho great losses in value of hides and carcases in consequence have often engaged the attention of farmers at various conferences. It is quite possible that legislation will be passed in the near future making dehorning of all crossbred dairy cows and beef cattle compulsory. In their wild state, doubtless, cattle had need of horns as a means of defence but under domestic uses the retention of tho horn is not only the cause of ‘"enormous loss but is a positive nuisance. THE COW’S UDDER. There is a common belief, says Hoard s Dairyman,” to till effect that when a cow loses the function ol one quarter ot her udder the remaining quarters take up tho work of the lost one and produce practically as much milk as would the normal udder. There must be some grounds for. that belief considering its popularity and the persistence with which it is asserted by-many dairymen; but, theoretically, at least, it is not based upon sound anatomical or physiological facts. It has been proved by experimentation that there is no connection between one quarter and its mate or between the two

halves of tlip udder. The two halves are separated by a well marked partition or septum of fibrous tissue and the quarters are as perfectly separated, although one cannot see a dividing partition as one can when dissecting one-half 61 the udder from the other half. Tho fact that there is no connection between the quarters has been proved by stripping the udder clean, injecting a different coloured fluid into oach quarter in turn and shortly afterward slaughtering the cow and examining the treated quarters. It has been found by so doing that there is no mixing of the coloured fluids; that injected into each quarter-, retains its original colour. From this it must be concluded that each quarter secretes or elaborates its own quota of milk in readiness for each milking time and that, one quarter does rfot send milk into another quarter; but there is another consideration which must bei taken into account and that is the blood circulation of the udder. The udder or mammary gland is richly supplied with arterial jilood from which is derived all of the ingredients of milk. When anything occurs that lessens tho flow of blood to the udder, the quantity of milk diminishes. Should circulation of blood suddenly cease, milk secretion may entirely be suppressed, the nervous system being simultaneously affected. When the amount of blood flowing through the udder is increased, secretions of milk, theoretically, should likewise increase and it does, in some measure Both the quantity and quality of tho milk produced depend upon the quantity and quality of the blood, tho latter attribute depending, of course, upon the nutrients derived from the digested ration which are carried to the udder by the arteries for the manufacture of milk. It may, perhaps, be true that, when one quarter of the udder loses its function of milk secretion a’ large amount of the blood that normally would 'flow to it, and no longer needed by the idle quarter, goes to the other quarter of that half of tho udder and induces it to secrete or manufacture a larger quantity of milk. That some increase of milk does occur has been noticed by dairymen, but we have no actual proof that the mate of the blind quarter greatly increases its quota of milk production. The increase,. if any, probably averages among the three active quarters and if does not fully make up for loss of milk dpo to inactivity of one quarter. The important matter, in all instances, is fully and completely to feed the cow that she may produco a maximum yield of milk, see that the, ration is of proper quality, and prevent all influences that may lessen the milk yield. The “three-tcated” cow often is a menace, usually is a nulsanco, and seldoip is worth retaining.

MANAWATU, WAIRARAPA, AND TOKOROA. A SETTLER’S OPINION. The following is culled from tho • Putaruru Press:—“An interesting comparison between the Wairarapa and Manawatu districts and Tokoroa was made by Mr H. H. Bryant, a former Manawatu settler, who nearly a year ago took up land in the Tokoroa (Waikato) district. Mr Bryant is a colonial who has spent the whole of his life on the land. His parents were amongst the first white settlers to arrive at Wellington, when the only habitations were raupo whares, and the only meat available was American pork in casks, obtained from trading schooners, and which had to be trundled along the tracks from the jetty for several miles to the whares. Mr Bryant’s uncle was the second white child to be born in the Wellington province, and the Bryant family still own sheep runs near Wellington, which were taken up in the early days. Mr Bryant and other members of his family have farmed in the Wairarapa and Manawatu districts for many years and he knows conditions throughout these districts intimately so far as dairying is concerned. About a year ago, after careful investigation, Mr Bryant, and a friend, Mr Nicholson, decided to come to Tokoroa and take up land in that district, as it appealed to them as a far better proposition than where they' were. Accordingly a special train was chartered, and tho two farmers moved their implements, live-stock and household goods together. In., referring to Tokoroa land, Mr Bryant is very outspoken, and does not in any way try to minimise the question of stock sickness. He took up the farm vacated by Messrs Cairns Bros., one of the parties who recently sought to recover damages from tho Matarawa Land Co., and' has no hesitation in stating his satisfaction with the deal. Speaking to a representative of the Putaruru Press, Mr Bryant stated that it was no use denying there was stock-sickness at Tokoroa, but he firmly held that (1) it could bo overcome by intelligent farming; (2) that similar losses occurred ■to farmers in other districts on far higher priced land and little was said about it. Instancing the latter point, Mr Bryant referred to his experience in the Wairarapa districts, where every year a certain fairly high percentage of cows was lost through pneumonia. This was caused by the Wet weather, cold winds and general boggy conditions. For weeks in the southern distriots he had been • unable to plough, to say nothing of working down his land, and such handicaps, he claimed, coming as they did to occupiers of land priced from £6O to £IOO per acre, were far more serious than any at Tokoroa. “Referring to local conditions, Mr Bryant stated that on land valued at £IOO an acre in Manawatu, he had never known returns to equal those of his herd on Matanuku Downs. Some time ago friends of his from the south had visited -him and inspected a crop of 73 acres of swedes belonging to Messrs Chambers Bros., and they had been amazed at tho size of the crop. The swedes averaged 17 to 201bs each, and there were thousands upon thousands of them. So impressed were his visitors that they wanted to take some back with them to show their friends, but this was (impracticable, they cut the swedes in two and pared off slices which they took with them. For the returns obtained, and the prices paid, M? Bryant held that Tokoroa farming -propositions were far and away 1 ahead of any obtainable in the Manawatu, Wairarapa, or Taranaki districts.”

FLOCK RAMS. NEW ZEALAND EXPORTS. REMARKS RESENTED. 4 INVERCARGILL, Jan. 20. A well-knqwn Southland • sheep breeder expressed to-day strong resentment at remarks ' attributed to Mr McNaught before the Tariff Board in Sydney that the export trade between New Zealand and Australia ill flock rams was not a genuine trade and that only scrubs were being shipped to the Commonwealth. He instances many cases of Southland breeders who have made a name for themselves at Sydney and Melbourne shows. One breeder here had letter after letter extolling the excellence of the sheep he sent over. Mr McNaught’s » remarks, he urges, are largely contrary to fact and wholly unjustifiable." He admits, however, that a few inferior sheep have, at times, been exported and urges all breeders for the sake of the good name of New Zealand to send only typical, well-bred sheep.

WELLINGTON PRODUCE MARKET.

(By Telegraph.—Special to “Standard.”) WELLINGTON, Jan. 20.

Business on the Wellington 'produce market is dull, probably owing to the holiday conditions. Wheat 8s 3d to 8s 5d a bushel. Chaff £7 10s to £7 15s" a ton. Bran £7 15s. Pollard £9 15s a ton. Maize, Gisborne, slow of sale at 6s 6d to 6s lOd. Potatoes, Puke kohe samples, are of indifferent quality and are selling at less than the local product which Us to 12s a cwt. There isa good supply of onions but • the demand is slack at 11s to 12s a cwt. WAIPUKURAU SHOWAt the Waipukurau Show yesterday tho only championships given were in tho horse classes, tho awards being as follow: — Pony. —K. Peeblc’s (Wcodville) Micky; hack, Mrs T. V. Morrin’s (Hastings) Gentleman Joe; cob, D. Coughlan’s (Waipukurau) Marquita. PRICE OF GOLD. LONDON, Jan. 19. The price of gold is £4 4s llid per ounce. —A. and N.Z. cnhla-

WELLINGTON STOCK EXCHANGE.

YESTERDAY’S BUSINESS AND PRICES Sales were reported at the afternoon call yesterday on the Wellington Stock Exchange of Finance, Ltd. (5s paid) at 5s 3d and British Tobacco at 39s 8d and 39s ad. s Government securities were in good demand, with buyers of 4£ per cents, at £96 15s and the 5j per cents, at £lOl. Bank shares were very slow, and the demand was confined to National Bank of New Zealand at £6 15s 6d and Bank of New Zealand at 595. Sellers quoted £8 11s for National Bank of Australasia (£5 paid), £l4 10s for Union Bank (new issue, fully paid). New Zealand Guarantee Corporation shares were firm, the ordinary at 8s 9d, and preference at 21s. Wellington Trust and Loan shares were wanted at £6 17s (cum. dividend). Wellington Meat Export (ordinary) shares were in demand at 7s 6d. Woollen shares were wanted at 8s 3d, Wellington Woollen ! (ordinary) at £6 Is, and preference at £6 3s 6d. There were buyers of Staples and Co. at 38s 9d, and Tui Brewery shares at 40s. Electrolytic Zinc (ordinary) at 30s, and preference at 10s, New Zealand Drug at £3 Bs, Mount Lyell £1 Bs, and Waihi at 11s. \

yesterday’s buying and selling quotations

. EXCHANGE RATES. LONDON, Jan. 19. Foreign rates of exchange on January 19, as compared with par rates, or as averaged first half of 1914, are as follow: ' - - ■ _ .• - Jan. 19. Par.

WIIEAT AND OTHER PRODUCE.'

. : • = i ■■■■ LONDON, Jan. 19. Wheat.—Cargoes are steady and in moderate inquiry, but are uqchanged in price. Parcels are in small demand, but fully steady. Tho following sales have been made: Ex Euripides, 51s per quarter; cx Port Nicholson, iSO 9d Liverpool flitter; ex Port Nicholson, 50s 9d Liverpool fut3£d; July, 10s 3jjd. Spot trade is quiet, but prices are firm. Flour is stow of sale. Australian, ex store, 38s 3d. Oats, peas and beans are dull. Sugar, granulated, 29s 10jd per cwt. —A. and, N.Z. cable.

WHEAT DUTIES. Per Press Association. OAMARU, Jan. 20. At a meeting of the North Otago wheatgrowers held to-day the following resolution was carried : “That the North Otago wheatgrowers notice that merchants in the North Island are endeavouring to bring pressure on the Government to alter the wheat duties as passed last session and it is the unanimous opinion of tho meeting that tho Government should adhere to the present tariff as fair and equitable to all concerned.” SKIN, HIDES AND TALLOW SALES. The usual fortnightly sale of hides, skins and tallow was held at Wellington yesterday. There was a good attendance of buyers and competition was keen throughout tho sale. Sheepskins: Dry i to id higher, salted 3d to 4 per skin higher. Quotations :—Halfbred, 13d to 16; fine crossbred, 13i to 15i; medium coarse crossbred, 12|d to 143; short to half wools, 10i to 123 d; lambs, lOd to 143 d; dead and damaged crossbred, 10id to 13d; inferior and badly damaged, 4d to 10id; pelts, 7id to lid; damp, salted, and Green, 8s to Us 4d; pelts, salted, 2s to 4s; lambs, salted, 2s 6d to 4s lOd. Hides: Heavies id higher, mediums and lights id to id higher, kip and yearling on a par, calf i tp Id higher. Quotations :—Ox, extra heavy, 701 bi and over 12Jd to 133 d; ox, heavy, 591 b" to 691bs, 13id to 13Jd; ox, medi, 531bs to 58lbsTl2id tp 13id; ox, light, 451 bs to 521bs, 13gd to 13gd; cut, slippy and inferior, 9£d to Uid; cow, heavy, 531bs and over, 13d to 13^d; cow, medium, 451bs to 521bs, 13Jd to 13gd; cow, light, 33!bs to 441bs, 12id to 14d; cut, slippy and inferior, 8d to 13id; bull 'stag, 6£d to 7£d; yearling, lllbs to 161bs, 10id to 14£d; 171bs to 321bs U|d to 14id; calf,, medium good, up to lOlbs, 13d to 173 d; damaged, up to lOlbs, Hid to 133 d. Tallow on a par. In tins etc., 18s 6d to 24s 3d; . Sundries: Horse hair 25d to 26id.

FROZEN MEAT. Dalgoty and Co., Ltd., report having received the following cablegram from their London house under date of the 19th instant: —New Zealand prime. North Island lamb, 28-36, lid; 36-42, 10Jd; second quality, 9id. Market weaker; demand limited. Australian lamb: G.a.q. Australian lamb, 28-36, 8d; 3rd Australian lamb, 6d. Market _ dull and declining; demand runs principally on finest qualities. Frozen lamb, a further decline is expected as stocks increase. Mutton : New Zealand prime North Island ewes, 48-64 , sd. Australian mutton: F.a.q., Australian mutton, 30-55, sd. Market unchanged; demand is quiet. Bcof: Argentine chilled hinds, 6>jd; fores, 4id. Pork: English porkers, 80-100, lOd; New Zealand porkers, 80-100, 8d; New Zealand porkers, 100-120, 7^d; New Zealand baconers, 120-170, 61 d; New Zealand baconers, 170 and over, 6d.

FEILDING STOCK SALE. LARGE YARDING OF RAPE LAMBS. (Special to “Standard.”) FEILDING, Jan. 21. Thero was a heavy increase in the yarding of storo sheep at yesterday’s stock sale approximately 8000 head, the bulk of which woro rape lambs, coming forward. On the whole prices wero vory favourable to vendors and it is quite likely that, if the weather conditions had pointed to rain, values would havo shown a decided increase. A largo proportion of tho store lambs were in forward condition and will take very little topping off on rape, and for these prices ranging up to 19s for woolly black facod wero paid. A good line of woolly ewe lambs realised 20s 8d and good young ewes also sold briskly, making up to 32s 9d. Tho values over tho wholo section showed a wide range, with the average .perhaps a little bottor than was expected in face of_ tho absonco of rain. Fat sheep mot with a firm demand with, if anything, a slight increase in value, particularly in regard to wothers. Only a very small yarding of dairy, store and fat cattle was on offer and for the two former merely nominal values ruled, while fat cows cleared readily on a high market. Detailed quotations were as under:— Fat Sheep: Lambs, b.f., 21s, 235, 27s -d; ewes, 16s 16s Id, 17s to 225; 2.ths, 17s, 225, 24s 3d; wothers, 25s Id, 25s 6d, 25s lOd, 27s 3d. ' , „ Storo Sheep.—W.F. wether lambs, woolly, small, 12s 7d, 12s 9d, 13s 3d; good, 14s 6d, 15s. 16s to 17s 6d; woolly b.f. rape lambs, inferior, 10s, 12s 9d, 13s lOd; medium, 14s, 15s; good, 15s 9d, 16s 3d, 17s Id, 17s 6d, 18s Id to 19s; early shorn wether w.f. lambs, fair to medium, Us 9d, 13s 2d, 13s 6d, 14s 7d, 14s lid, 15s; shorn b.f. lambs, 15s 9d; woolly w.f., m.s., 13s 3d, 13s 9d, 15s *.d; woolly ewe lambs, 17s 6d, 19s 6d, 20s 8d; shorn ewe lambs, 16s 6d; 2th owes, 23s 3d, 245. 24s 3d, 26s 6d, 30s, 32s to 32s 9d; aged ewes, 10s 3d, 10s 6d; 4 and 6tli~ ewes, 19s Od; 4th to 5-yr good mouthed ewes, 20s; 2th wethers, 21s 6d, 225. ■ . Dairy and Store Cattle. — Jersey heifers in milk: £3 2s 6d, £3 7s 6d; fat and good cows, £3, £3 ss; fwd steers, £3 10s. Fat Cattle. —Cows, light, £4 2s, £4 10s, £5 15s; heavy, £6 6s, £6 13s to £6.175; heifers £7 10s.

AUCTIONEERS’ REPORTS. Dalgoty and Co., Ltd., report having a good entry of sheep. The yarding comprised chiefly lambs, which under present conditions, met with a vory satisfactory demand and a total clearance was effected with the exception of one small pen. Quotations': Fat wethers 25s 6d, woolly w.f. wether lambs 12s 7d, 13s 9d, 15s to 16s, woolly ewe lambs 17s 6d, shorn w.f. wether lambs 13s, 13s 6d, 14s lid to 15s, shorn ewe lambs (small) 16s 6d, empty ewes 10s 6d to' 14s, m.a. breeding ewes 19s 8d to 20s, 2-th wethers 225, small 2-th ewes 24s to 24s 3d. Abraham and Williams, Ltd., report: There was a large yarding of sheep, mostly shorn lambs, and a fair yarding of cattle. Competition was keen, but owing to the dry weather prices were inclined to be easier. Quotations :—Sheep : Fat wethers 24s 3d, 27s 3d; fat ewes 16s, 16s Id, 17s 225; fat hoggets 20s, 235; fat b.f. lambs 235, 24s Id; b.f. lambs 10s, 12s 9d, 13s lOd, 14s, 15s, 15s 9d, 16s 3d, 17s Id, 17s 6d to 19s; wether lambs Us 9d, 13s 6d, 14s 7d; woolly b.f. lambs 18s Id; wether and maiden ewes 21s 6d; 6tore ewes 10s 3d. Cattle: Heifers in milk £3 2s 6d, £3 7s 6d; store cows £3 9s; fat cows £4 19s, £5 12s, £5 15s, £6 13s, £7 6s; bulls £2, £3 Us, £6 2s 6d, £7. Spring cart mare, £ll 10s.

WEEKLY WESTFIELD SALE.

KEEN DEMAND FOR BEEF,

MUTTON AND LAMB UNCHANGED.

AUCKLAND, Jan. 19.

An average yarding of beef met with keen competition at the weekly fat stock market field at Westfield yesterday. Prices for extra choice ox were easily maintained at late rates, while lighter beef sold at slightly improved rates. Sheep were penned in average numbere and met with a lair to moderate demand. Values showed little change as compared with last week. Thero was an extra large yarding of lambs, the bulk of which were plain and unfinished, probably due to the shortage of feed forcing farmers to send stock into the market. Prices showed very little change from last week when the same circumstances were operating. A good offering of calves sold at late rales. Pigs were in over-supply, and prices were easier, except for choppers and heavy baconers. The following table shows the prices realised for fat stock this week, compared with la6t week: This Week. Last Week.

RECORD HARVEST. * SOUTH RIVERINA‘WHEAT. STREAM OF GOLDEN GRAIN. ALBURY, Jan. 1. Returns from the wheat depots indicate the remarkable record harvest of Southern Riverina. At Balldale railway station, 71,000 bags of what have been delivered, and it is estimated that the total yield will bo 100,000 bags. Stacks, as against %ilo storage, predominate at this eentre. The large sheds are fully stored and stacks are growing in the open. At Brocklesby railway station, 86,336 bags have been delivered, and wheat still is being rushed to both silos and sheds. A similar condition of affairs exists at Culcairn, Gerogery, Walla Walla and other smaller depots. Never has tho wheat belt in this district contributed such a wealth of the golden grain. , MANGROVE FLATS. CAN THEY BE RECLAIMED? AUCKLAND, Jan. 19. There are a quarter of a million acres of mangrove flats. around the,various harbours in North Auckland owned by harbour .boards. In some parts private individuals have reclaimed small sections of them and have established rich pasture lands for dairying purposes, ' but; like all other undertakings of a similar nature, when undertaken by settlers tho actual cost of bringing them into a state of productivity cannot be definitely ascertained. With a view to ascertaining if it is possible to go in for a large and comprehensive scheme of developing mangrove flats the Agricultural Department has commenced collecting necessary data, and the results are being watched with the greatest interest in North Auckland and elsewhere.

DAIRY PRODUCE. Dalgety and Co., Ltd., report having received the following cablegram from their London house under date of tho 19th instant:— Butter : Market dull. Wo quote: Danish 172 sto 174 s (172 sto 1745); .New Zealand finest salted 152 sto 154 s (154 s to 158 s); Australian finest unsnlted 154 s to 156 s (156 s to 158 s), 6nlted 150 s to 152 s (150 sto 1545); Australian g.a.q. 142 s to 146 s (144 s to 148 s). Cheese.—Market quiet. We quote: Australian white and coloured 88s to 90s (88s to 89s); New Zealand white 90s to 91s (89s to 91s), coloured 90s to 91s (89s to 90s); Canadian, white and coloured 98s to 102 s (98s to 102 s); Canadian c.i.f., not quoted. Last week’s quotations are shown in parentheses.

BUOYANT TONE. WANGANUI WOOL SALES. Per Press Association. WANGANUI, Jan. 20. Not since the boom sale of the 1925 season has the wool market assumed such a healthy buoyant tone as to-night, when prices exceeded the most sanquino expectations, showing a good rise pn the recent Wellington sale. , \ Prices havo steadily hardened since the Christchurch, Wellington nnd Napier sales, however, until the highest prices of tho season were reached to-day. Tho catalogue comprised 25,000 bales and practically all was sold under the hammer. Growers have every reason to be satisfied with the splendid "prices realised and the outlook for future sales is exceedingly good. ,! RANGE OF PRICES.

The range ot prices is as follows compared with the previous salo: — Nov. 22. Jan. 20,

BROKERS' REPORT. Dalgety and Co., Ltd., report that the total offering submitted by all brokers was 25,000 bales, their quota being 2600. They opened the sale before an eager bench of buyers, and, as was anticipated, the market was very firm at rates lately established at Wellington and Napier. Their catalogue was mostly mado up of good to medium Bradford topmaking wools, and as far as the sale has gone, considering the quality and condition, prices for low and medium wools show a rise of about id per lb. on last Wellington sale, with all other qualities par. Buying was well spread; Bradford being well in the market with very strong competition from Germany. Lines suitable for the U.S.A. trade brought rates equal to prices established at the last Wellington sale; and it is evident that _ this section is now anxious to secure super lightconditioned Romney wools. French and Australian buyers kept prices of lambs’ wool fully up to the rates quoted at Wellington, but it was noticeable that a number of the lines offered here had not had the bellies and short staples removed; further seed even in some of the good lines was noticeable. Bodies and pieces generally heavy in condition and seedy to slightly seedy, and, considering these defects, prices were fully par with late sales. Vendors must be highly satisfied with prices obtained, and, if present rates ruling continue I throughout the remainder of the selling seaI son, the average price of crossbred wools 1 must be considerably above commandeer rates.

Following are some of their principal realisations:—

Glennui, 12 A ewes 17|d, 12 B ewes 154 d, 4 first lambs 18id; CJW in diamond, 8 crossbred 16id; Atiti/PN, 5 crossbred 15d; Atatua, 4 wethers 15id CGF, 10 wethers 15d, 11 hoggets 15id, 16 ewes 15d, 4 lambs 171 H; FAM ] Riverside, 5 ewes 153 d; JB, 4 hoggets 153 d, 4 wethers 153 d; Table/lands, 10 crossbred 16d; HM/Temere, 5 A hoggets 19id, 6 A ewes 18id, 6 B ewes 16id, 5 A wethers 17d; PL and Co, 4 halfbred 23d, 4 fine crossbred 22id; L/S/Stocklanc£ 13 fine ewes 16jd; JK/ and S, 17 halfbred 20d, 14 fine crossbred 18id, 42 fine crossbred AA 17i,d, 27 medium crossbred 16d, 8 fine crossbred 16i, 14 crossbred 15id, 15 AA lambs 21d; JF conj., 19 hoggets 17id,' 54 A ewes 16id; Tuahu, 7 A hoggets 18id, 12 a wethers 163; PH/O, 4 hoggets 16id; AC/Bracside, 5 A crossbred 17id; Ratanui/T9. 6 halfbred hoggets 21jd; HMB, 4 lambs 17id, P anc

W, 9 fine crossbred 17id, 6 crossbred 16id; RB/W, 5 Romney ewes 16d; Dl/M, 7 crossbred 163 d; TLP, 4 A crossbred 18id, 16 B crossbred 16d; Manganui, 86 fine crossbred 16Jd, 41 fine crossbred ewes 16id, 20 coarse crossbred 15d, 7 first lambs 20jd; Allandale, 15 A ewes 16jd, 16 B ewes 15jd; Lodgo/JK, 12 ewes 15jd; 118 in circle, 4AA owes 17id, 12 A ewes 15jd, 7 lambs 18id; Opeke, 4 Southdown hoggets 22d, 19 Romney hoggets 203 d; Opa, 8 hoggets 17d, 29 wethers 15id; JJB, 4 A crossbred 16gd; heart under eyobrow, 18 ewes 17id, 9 Romney ewes 15id, 5 Romney H 17id, 4 Romney HA 193 d; JGM/G2, 4 hoggets led; FEB, 4 Southdown 20d; horse, 5 A hoggets 4 A wethers 173 d, 4 B wethers 16d, 13 A owes 173 d, 19 B ewes 16id, 4 A lambs 19id; Pickwick, 8 ewes, 17d ; Momo, 6 AH 19jd, 6 BH 17jd, 4DH 16id, P AW 19d, 21 BW 17d, 8 AE 18d, 27 BE 163 d. 10 first pieces 13d, 6 A lambs 174 d; PJK /R. 6 crossbred 16d; H/NZ, 9 A crossbred 17id, 13 B crossbred 16id; Mahoo, 17 Romney £ 17-id; PEB/star, 4 Southdown 19d; JAJ/M, 9 AH 19id. 18 AE 17d; IVA under line. 18 A crossbred 15id; Allandale. 12 AA owes 17d, 5 A lambs 18id: Tataromoa, 30 AE 163 d; PL and Co., 10 A crossbred 22|d, 10 B 20d, 12 lambs 18d, 18 fine owes 16d, 23 E 16id ; AD, 4 lambs 193 d; LF, 12 crossbred 15d.

were as under: — Buyers. Sellers. N.Z. GOVT. LOANS— £ b. d. £ l. d. 44 p.c. Ins. Stk., 1939 96 15 0 — 4p.c. ditto, 1938 ... 96 15 0 — 6 51 p.c. ditto, 1933 ...101 0 0 101 7 51 p.c. ditto, 1936 ...101 0 0 — 4£ p.c. Bonds, 1939 ... 96 15 0 4 1 p.c. ditto, 1938 ... 96 15 0 — 0 5i p.c. ditto, 1933 — 101 5 DEBENTURES— N.Z. Breweries (stock) 1 2 8 Ditto (bonds) .......... — 1 2 9 Petonc-Lower Hutt Gas L. Bd., 5| p.c., 1957 97 10 0 BANKS— National of N.Z 6 15 6 National of Australasia (£5) 8 11 0 New Zealand 2 19 0 — Union of Aust. (new, paid) 14 10 0 Ditto (new, third instalment paid) — 11 14 0 FINANCIAL — Abraham and Williams (pref.) 4 7 6 N.Z. Guarantee Corp. (ord.. 8s) — 0 9 0 Ditto (pret.) Well. Trust, Loan ... 110 — 6 17 0 7 0 0 GAS— Christchurch • 1 4 9 Wellington (ord.) —* 1 8 6 INSURANCE— National 0 15 9 MEAT PRESERVING— ■Gear 1 18 0 N.Z. Refrigerat. (10s) — 0 9 3 Wgtn. Meat Export (ord.) 0 7 6 \ _ TRANSPORT— P. and 0. def. stock (rights) 28 0 0 WOOLLEN— Kaiapoi (ord.) 0 8 3 0 9 0 Wellington (ord.) 6 10 — Ditto (pref.) 6 3 6 — COALWestport ' — 1 12 3 Westport-Stockton (ord.) 0 1 1 - 8 Ditto (pref.) — 0 3 TIMBER— National — 0 12 6 BREWERIES— Staples and Co. Tui 1 18 9 — 2 0 0 — MISCELLANEOUS— British Tobacco (Aust.) (ord.) Electrolytic Zinc (ord.) 2 0 0 1 11 0 1 11 9 Ditto (pref.) 1 12 0 — Newton King (pref.) 0 10 0 * N.Z. Drug 3 8 0 — N.Z. Paper Mills — 0 17 0 Pharland and Co. (ord.) Wilson’s. Cement 1 1 0 — 1 18 0 MINING— Mount Lycll 1 8 0 — Waihi 0 11 0 —

Brussels, belgas to £1 ... 24.98 25 Paris, francs to £1 -124 25.22J Stockholm, knr. to £1 18.15 18.12 Oslo, knr to £1 18.30 18.12 Copenhagen, knr. to £1 ... 18.20 18.12 Berlin, reichsmark to £1 20.48 — Rome, lire to £1 92.15 — Calcutta, pence to rupee ... 18i 24 Yokohama, pence to yen 23g 24 Hong-Kong, "pence to yen 24 i 24 Montreal, dollars to £1 — 4.866 New York, dols to £1 ... 4.87 11-16 4.866 Amsterdam, florins to £1 12.081 12.107 Batavia, florins to £1 12.08i 12.107 Prague, knr. to £1 —A and N.Z. cable. 164 7-16 12.107

BEEF (per 1001b)— Extra choice ox 32/ 32/ Choice and prime ox 28/ to 31/6 28/ to 31/ Choice and prime cow and heifer 25/ to 28/ 24/ to 27/ SHEEP (per head)— 1 Prime wethers ... 24/ to 28/ 22/6 to 27/6 Unfin. wethers ... 21/ to 24/3119/ to 24/3 Prime ewes 16/6 to 20/ 14/6 to 20/ Unfinished ewes 10/6 to 14/6 10/ to 14/6 Prime lambs ... 20/ to 29/ 20/ to 27/6 Unfinished lambs 14/ to 19/6 10/ to 19/ CALVES (per head)— Runners 65/ to 82/ 50/ to 80/ Vcalers 30/ to 86/ 30/ to 70/ PIGS (per head) — Baconers 40/ to 53/ 40/ to 54/ Porkers 25/ to 44/ 30/ to 43/ Weaners 5/ to 11/ 6/ to 14/ Slips 10/ to 15/ 16/ to 22/ Largo stores 20/ to 25/

1927. 1928. Fine Crossbred — d. d. d. d. Super 17 to 19i 20 to 214 Average 15 to 17 17 to 19i Inferior 15 to 14i 15i to 16i Medium crossbred — Super 16 to 17 174 to 18£ Average 14 to 16 16 to 17 Inferior 12 to 13j 144 to ..5i Coarse crossbred— Super 13A to 15i 15 to 18 Average Inferior Low crossbred — ll| to 133 14 to I5i 10 to 12 134 to 14 Super 13 to 13i 144 to 15 Average lli to 13 14 to 14i Inferior 9 to lli 124 to 134 Hoggets— Super 16 to 193 19 to 20i 15 to 181 164 to 184 Medium J:.. 14i to 16i lbi to 164 Coarse 131 to Jo 144 to 15 Low 12 to 13i 13i to 14 Lambs — None 22 to 24i None 22 to 244 Medium None 17 to 21 Seedy and inferior None 13 to 15i Bellies and pieces (crossbred) — to 15 i 124 to 14 i Good to super ... 13 Low to medium . 8 to 12i 8 to 12 Crutchings— Medium to good 9 to 10i to 8i 9 to :oi Inferior to seedy 6 6 to 8i Locks — Crossbred 5 to 6 6 to 7i