AGRICULTURAL ITEMS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20243, 1 May 1929, Page 7

AGRICULTURAL ITEMS.

•In 1924 there were 14,553 ; milking plants at work in New Zealand ; in 1928 the number had increased to 18,049. In 1924 the number of cream separators in use was 42,473 ; in 1928 there were 45,246. These figures go to show that New Zealand dairy farmers use machinery to a greater extent than farmers in a.ny other country. .... j . ; ,

Exports of wheat and wheat flour from Canada were equivalent to 32.192,500 bushels grain for the cereal, year ended Julv 31, 1928, compared with 292,830,500 bushels in 1926-27, and it . is pointed out that the foregoing total represented no less that 37.9 per cent, of the total shipments from all exporting countries. As. against Canada's 37.9 per cent, the United States shipped 23,5 per cent,, Argentina, 20.9 per cent., and Australia 8.2 per cent. ■

Two members o|f .the .staff of the Rothhamsted Experimental Station. Drs. R. A. Fisher and A. D. Imms, have been elected Fellows of the Royal Society. This is one of the higher.' scientific distinctions in the British Empire, only 15 Fellows being elected each year, and the choice ranging over the whole Empire. In addition, Dr. Fisher has been awarded the Weldon. Prize of the University of Oxford for high distinction in Biological Science. "7it;li the election of Drs. Fisher and Imras to the Royal. Society Rothamsted now has three Fellows on its staff, Sir John Russell having been elected 12 years ago.

The Times in a leading article emphasises the significance'of the declining supply of beef from Argentina. 14,I 4 , points out that 400,000 fewer cattle were slaughtered in Argentina in 1928., being a reduction of 12£ per cent, for tho year* while the exports of chilled and frozen beet were 24 per cent, lower. Argentino stockbreeders are finding that it pays better to break up the pastures for tillage* or sheep-rearing, lit is natural to look to the Dominions to restore the situation, particularly Southern Rhodesia, as the cattle are steadily decreasing in Australia, and Canada, and' there is: hardly any available surplus in New Zealand.

Tho British Sulphate of Ammonia Federation Limited, has published a record of the world production of nitrogen during the year ended June 30, 1928. This gives a total output of 1,657,300 tons, representing an increase of 420,030 tons, or 34 per cent, on that "of the previous year Tin. various forms in whicifHhoi fertilise; ' was produced wereßy-pro-duct sulphate of ammonia, 336,300" ions; synthetic sulphate. 366.100 tons; Chilean nitrate of soda. 390,300 tons; cyanainide (exciudire material made in Japan, which is included under" synthetic sulphate), 197,000 tons; nitrate of lime, 101,000 tons, other forms of synthetic nitrogen, 211,400 tons; and' other forms of byproduct nitrogen, 55,200 tons.

A new departure for Great Britain in the way ,of granting long-term loans to farmers, which are to be." repaid on tho instalment plan; came into operation on January 14. Most of .' the leading trading banks are co-operating with the Government in t/e spheme. Tl:is provides for the granting of loans ora mortgages of agricultural lands for periods up to sixty. years, repayable by equal half-yearly instalments, which cover in-, tercst, repayment ot principal, and sundry small charges. Loans will niso be granted to landowners for improvements for periods up to forty years on similar terms. Tho repayments on agricultural land sixty-year loans will be on the basis of £2 15s per and on forty* vear improvement loans at the irate or £3 every six months, per £IOO borrowed in each case. •