AGRICULTURAL ITEMS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20263, 24 May 1929, Page 19

AGRICULTURAL ITEMS.

A ewe on a farm in County Cork. Ireland, recently dropped five lambs, all of which are thriving.

A representative of a Victorian manufacturing concern when in north Queensland last month stated that his firm proposed to commence the manufacture of artificial silk in Australia shortly. Megass, a by-product of sugar mills, will be used as the raw material, and the first three stages of manufacture are to lie undertaken in the north, but the finishin"' processes will be carried out in Victoria. It is claimed that as the re-, suit of certain, inventions it will be possible to produce Australian-made artificial silk at lower prices than are now ruling in Europe.

A controversy has recently been going on in the. United States of America relative to the correct grading ot baby beef. Under date of June 4, 1926, the United States Bureau of Animal Industry issued a ruling that to be properly described as baby beef, the meat must be the product of choice or prime steers or heifers of beef breeds, fioni se\en to fifteen "months of age, and weighing from 6001b. to 11001b. on the hoof. Later, on November 4, the secretary for agriculture modified the ruling by extending the ago limit to 18 months, and the weight to 12001b.

Elephant v. tractor power for ploughing has been tested in Belgian Congo, with results greatly m favour of the former. It was found that elephants were far better and much cheaper at the work than tractors, and in addition could be used on wet ground when a tractor was useless. It is estimated that a team of two elephants could plough an area of 250 acres at a cost of £1 13s Bd, while the cost with a tractor for working the same area would bo £l7 14s 7d. Iho costs include food or petrol, labour and depreciation, but as tho value of the food consumed by the two elephants is put down at 6d, it may be assumed they arc expected to live on tho country.

Mr. P. J. van Ileerden, a member of the South African Parliament, who visited Australia in 1926 as a membei of the Empire Parliamentary Delegation, is reported last month to have described Australia as South Africa s greatest competitor in wool." He is said to have added that her cost of production was £l9 per bale, compared with South Africa's £5, that, Australia had gone protection mad, and that the majority of people lived in towns. He is quite right in the latter statements, but wo are doubtful about the £l9 per bale production estimate, says the Pastoral Review. The wool sold this season has averaced about £2l per bale, and though at that figure the industry is certainly not having a wonderful time, it is not quite as badly off as Mr. Van Heerden's estimate would make it. As a matter of fact we should plane the average production cost at round £l6 or £l7 a" bale, which is excessive enough in all conscience, and quite high enough to warrant rather more considerate treatment for the industry than most of our Governments aro inclined to give it.