AGRICULTURAL ITEMS

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 7294, 2 August 1930, Page 14

AGRICULTURAL ITEMS

At Mahoenui this winter a start will be made in tho development q£ over 4000 acres of the Totoro block. This will be reserved for native settlement. The Lands Department is cutting up 1600 acres in the Warepa district, in areas of from 350 to ISO acres. The block is partly bush aud partly open country. The enormous increase in 'dairy production in the northern King Country in recent years has been duo to the results obtained from top-dressing, improvement in stock and tile adoption of better methods in farm management. The Otorohanga branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union has protested to the Minister in charge of the State forests against his decision not to make further sales of young trees to farmers who wish to plant shelter belts and ornamental plantations. The farmer of America this year is faced with surpluses on nearly every hand, having increased his efficiency at an amazing rate. Ten years ago the farm population was above 31,0U0,000; it is now estimated at 27,000,000, a decline of over 4,000,000. At the same time, during tho past ten years, the total population of the United States has increased by about 15,000,000, apparently in the cities, as are also the 4,000,000 who have migrated from the farms. Thus 4,000,000 less farmers arc required to feed a population of nonagricultural people 20,000,000 in excess of that of ten years ago. Agriculture is Canada’s basic industry, and the opportunities for greater agricultural development are almost unlimited. The toptal land area of Canada is some 1,401,318,385 acres, and of this vast expanse 358,162,190 acres are available for agricultural use. The last census statistics give 140,887,903 acres as the occupied farm land in 1921, which is only 39.3 per cent, of the land availablo for agricultural cultivation. In 1928 the area under cultivation amounted to nearly 150,000,000 acres, and the previous year the live stock totalled 3,421,557 horses, 3,594,311 milch cows, 5,277,927 other cattle, 3,262,706 sheep, 4,694',789 swine and 50,178,455 head of poultry.

The financial statement for the past year in connection with tho Mauriecville Dairy Company shows the company to be in a sound financial position. The average pay-out for the season was 1/3 3-13 d. per pound of butter-fat, which, considering the pri«o of butter, must be considered very satisfactory. The total output for tho past season was 781 tons 1 cwt. 131 b., an increase of 133 tons over the “previous season. It is confidently expected still further to increase the output next season, thore being a general increase in tho cows to be milked. The company lias decided to pay out 1/3 per lb. for but-ter-fat supplied during June, and to pay a bonus of 2d. per lb. for the months of March and April, and Id. for May, to bring the pay-out for these months up to 1/2.

The final returns from Mr. W. Stokes’ farm at Hautapu, Waikato, show that on an area of 'SO acres, 40 Jersey cross cows gave a yield during the last milking season of 15,2801 b. ot butter-fat. These figures were taken from the factory returns. Of the 40 cows, 33 were mature animals and seven were two-year-old heifers. In addition to the milking stock, nine calves were reared and one bull and two horses were kept on the farm throughout the year. The yield was equal to 305.61 b. of butter-fat per acre. Mr. Stokes has a well-sheltered property divided into 14 fields, all of which are in grass. The pastures are regularly top-dressed with 6cwt. of fertiliser, applied in the proportion of 2cwt. of superphosphate, 1 cwt. of bonedust, 501 b. of potash and 501 b. of sulphate of ammonia. In addition to the grazing abtained, 11 acres of hay and six of ensilage were conserved.

Mr. L. H. McAlpine, organiser for the Farmers’ Union, spoke at Pahiatua recently of the need for a Farmers’ Union special publication as an official organ, stating that just now the union was putting up a fight against general taxation, Customs taxation, local taxation, settling the unemployment question by loading the farmer with most of the costs, unfair valuation of farm lands, the ever-increasing cost of government, and battling for tho re-rating of all farm lands for roading purposes; but unless tho members were behind tho movement, it must fail. The cost, said Mr. McAlpine, would be 6/8 a year, and they were asked to sign an order for £l. to cover three years’ subscriptions, their money ro be refunded if tho project was abandoned. On the motion of Mr. H. Cotter, seconded by Mr, J. 11, Bremner, it was decided that the Pahiatua branch support tho principle of the establishment of an official Farmers’ Union journal.