LONDON DAIRY PRICES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20324, 3 August 1929, Page 9

LONDON DAIRY PRICES.

BUTTER MARKET QUIET.

NEW ZEALAND 170s TO 172s

Australian Press Association—United Servir.n LONDON, Aug. 1. The butter market is quiet. Choicest salted New Zealand is quoted at 170s to 1725; Australian, 166s to 1675. Unsalted butler is practically tho same. Danish is quoted at 1725. The cheeso market is dull. Now Zealand white, is quoted at 86s; coloured, 90s. No Australian was offered. REPORTS FROM MERCHANTS. STEADIER TONE REPORTED. Amalgamated Dairies, Limited, has received tho following cablegram from its London, office, dated August 1: —Butter: Our quotations unchanged (finest, 1745); market steadier, with rather better demand. Danish, 1655, f.o.b. Cheese: White, 86s; coloured, 90s; market weak. Andrew Laenlout and cons, Limited, has received tlie following cablegram from its London office:—Butter, 170s to 1725; market quiet. Cheese: White, 86s; coloured, UOs; market steady. Dalgcty and Company, Limited, received the following cablegram from its London house:—Butter: New Zealand, finest, salted, 169s to 171s; Danish, 170s (o 1725; Australian, finest, salted, 162s to 1665; unsalted, 162s to 1665; good average quality, 156s to 1535. The -market is slow.

The Farmers' Auctioneering Company, Limited, Hamilton, has received the following cablegram from Low'/n:—Butter: Market very slow, 170s to 171s. Cheese: White, 86s, coloured, 89s to 90s.

The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, has received tho following advice from its London office, dated July 31:—Butter: New Zealand choicest salted, 171s to 172s per cwt. (last week 172s to 1735). Cheese: White, 86s to 87s per cwt. (last week 89s); coloured, 90s to 91s per cwt. (last week 90s to 91s), The markets are dull.

MARKET REPORTS

FRUIT AND PRODUCE PRICES,

There was about the usual demand for local fruit at tho Auckland City Murkels j yesterday. Primo cooking varieties sold well, whilo choice Delicious apples showed j a slight increase in value. Poorman j oranges continued to be dull of sale, while \ there was very little demand for hothouse tomatoes. Island oranges, which were in fair demand, realised 14s to 20s a case. Lemons were easier in value. First-grade bananas brought 24s to 27s a case. Fresh supplies will arrive by the Tofua from Fiji on Monday. The field produce market was heavily supplied with cabbage, pumpkins, swedes and kumaras, as well as large stocks of all root vegetables. There was a fair demand for all classes. No Island kumaras j were offered, but heavy supplies came forward from Tauranga. Local onions showed a reduction in price, selling at 12s 6d to 14s a case. There were no outstanding changes in other lines. There was a medium supply in the poultry section. The demand for all table birds was keen, and prices showed little variation compared with those of last week. Geese sold at 5s 6d to 7s 6d each, and turkey hens at 5s to 10s each. About 300 Black Orpington day-old chicks were offered, realising 3d to 6d each. * A good demand existed for moderate supplies of fcoth hen and duck eggs. Prices in all grades were cheaper, duck eggs showing a larger decrease than hen eggs. Farmers' butter sold at the stable rate of Is Id to Is 4d per lb. ' The following are yesterday's prices:— v FRUIT. Apples, Delicious, extra fancy, lis to 12s fid a case; others, 8s 6d to 10s; Winesaps, 8s to 10s 6d; Stunners, Hawke's Bay, 9a 6d to lis; Doughertys, Gs to 8s Gd; Munroes, 9s to 10s 6d; Washington, 9s Gd to 10s 6d; Ballarats, 9s lo 10s; Jonathans, 9s. Pears. Coles, 7s 6d to 9s 6d; Nelis, 7s 6d to 10s; Josephine, 6s fid to 7s 6d; P. Barry, 7s to 0s; Vicars, 7s to 7s Gd. Tree tomatoes, 4s to 6? 6d; tomatoes, hothouse, 6d to Is 3d per lb; grapes, choice Colman. 2a 3d to 3s 3d; lemons, No. 1, 9s to 12s a case; No. 2, Gs to 8s; oranges. Island repacks, 14s to 20s; Australian Navels, 14s to 17s 6d; Poorman, No. 1, 4s 6d to ss: medium and small, 3s; bananas, first grade, 24s to •27c; second grade, 15s to 18s. FIELD PRODUCE. Potatoes, Southern, 9s to 10s per cwt; new, 2d to 6d per lb; onions, Southern, 10s to 12s per cwt; local. 12s 6d to 14s; spring, fid to 2s a bundle; kumaras, Tauranga, 9s to lis 6d per cwt: cabbage, 2s to 6s a sack; on benches, Is to 2s Gd a dozen; cauliflower, 3s to 10s a sack; on benches, 2s to 103 a dozen; swedes. Is Gd to 2s 6d a bag; pumpkins, 5s to 7s per cwt; on benches, 6d to Is 3d ench; beans, 2s to 2s 3d per lb; lettuce, 3s to 9s a case; cucumbers, hothouse, 6s to 8s a dosen; vegetable marrows. Is Gd to 3s; sound citron melons, 10s per cwt; celery, Is to 4s 9d a bundle; rhubarb, 4s to 6s a dozen; spinach, 3d to Is; radish, carrots, parsnips, beet and turnips, Gd to 9d; chokos, Is to Is 6d; leeke, 3d to 4d a bundle. POULTRY. Cockerels, heavy, prime, 5s 6d to 8s each; not prime, 3s 9d upward; light, prime. 4s to ss; not prime, 8s upward; fat roosters, heavy, prime, 2s 6d to 3s 6d; light, 2s to 2s 6d; fat hens, heavy, 2s 6d to 3s 3d; light. Is 9d to 2s 3d; pullets, heavy, best. 8s 9d to ss; smaller. 2s Gd upward; light, best, 3s 9d to 4s Gd; smaller, 2s 6d upward; drakes, youni;, prime, 3s to 3s Gd; eualler. 2s 6d upward; old. Is 6d to 2s 6d; ducks, young, 2s 9d to 3s 3d; old, Is Gd to 2a Gd; geese, 5s Gd to 7s 6d; turkey hens, 5:! to 10s: day-old Black Orpington chicks. 3d to 6d. DAIRY PRODUCE. Hen eggs, A grade, first Quality, la 6d to la Sd a dozon; B grado, J.b 5d to Is 6d; duck eggs, A grade, Is 5d to Is 7d; B grade. Is 3d to Is sd: farmers' butter. Is 1J to Is 4d per lb, PRODUCE IN DUNEDIN. INTEREST IN POTATO MARKET. [By TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT. ] DUNEDIN, Friday. There is very littlo change in the wheat market. Millers complain that tho demand for flour iias fallen off considerably and that their stocks of wheat will be more than sufficient to see them through to the next harvest. Quotations remain unchanged at 5s 9d for Tuscan on trucks, country sidings, sacks extra, with 6s for Hunters and 6s 6d for Velvet. Fowl wheat is also slow of sale and odd lines only are being placed from the stores at 5s 9d per bushel, sacks extra. The oat market continues quiet. An order is received now aud again for lines for August delivery, these being required by merchants to cover forward commitments. Sales are reported from Canterbury at 3s sd, f.0.b., s.i., this prieo being a slight improvement on that ruling during tno past, month. A Gartons are worth nominally 2s lOd per bushel, sacks extra, country sidings, with B's at 2s 7d. Ihese quotations are of little interest to farmers, who havo now few oats for sale. i Wot weather is affecting the supply of chaff and the market is firm at £6 per ton, sacks extra, ex store, for best quality. Stocks are now on the light, side, but with the improvement in tho weather it is expected that further consignments will bo arriving from tho surrounding districts and Canterbury. Considerable interest is present being displayed in tho potato market. It is difficult, however, to follow the trend of the market as there have been advances in price, with now and again weakening. Shipping values in Canterbury are a littlo easier. The. seed markets are experiencing a quiet time. It will not bo long, however, beforo the. spring demand commences. No movements in prices arc expected until the spring trade is in full swing.

(Published by Arrangement.) TOBACCO GROWING. ) t : ' if DEVELOPMENT IN DOMINION.i;| n.fTf INDUSTRY'S PROSPECTS. J:" „ . THE EMPIRE COMPANY'S PLANS. " British tobacco for British smokers" is a. slogan that is likely to be brought, near to realisation during (lie next few years, and Nsw Zealand's share in tlje attainment of this ideal bids fair to be an important factor. For a number of years small holders in various parts of the Dominion ha}re been working at the problem of cultivating marketable tobacco, and during the last two or three years a considerable measure of success lias been attained. It is now proved beyori'd doubt that several types of leaf can be grown on a commercial scale, and that the cured tobacco is comparable to the best Virginian product. Despite difficulties arising through lack of f.nanco and of the highlyexport knowledge that is necessary for the growth and curing of first-class leaf, those pioneers o> a great industry have laid foundations upon which almost unlimited development may be made. Thorn can be no doubt that with adequate finaojeo and specialised guidance, tobacco growjSig in New Zealand will become an important industry, providing lucrative and healtjhy employment for many hundreds, and 'establishing an important section of overseas trade.

Up to the present efforts in the direction of tobacco growing have been somewhat spasmodic and unorganised, but with tho formation of the Empire. Tobacco Corporation, Limited, everything points :to the industry being put upon a sound and scientific basis. Willi headquarters in Auckland and Mr. 11. R. McKenzie, fprmorly chairman of the Harbour Board,, as its chairman of directors, the corporation has an authorised capital of £250,000,1 of which £146,000 has been issued and t is fully paid. Tho concern, which is concentrating on growing fine leaf and cigarette tobacco, has already acquired properties of nearly 1300 acres on the upper reaches of the Auckland Harbour,' at Riverhead and Sunny Glen. Tobacco has already been grown sue- - cessfully at Tauranga, Rotorua and Nelson. Within tho next three years it is *expdcted that thero will bo 3000 acres in ;»■ full bearing, providing employment for between 600 and 700 men during the busy , season, from November until February, and continuous employment for a smaller number throughout the whole year. Northern Lands Ideal. ; The Government instructor in tobacco growing, Mr. C. Lowe, recently completed a tour of the North Auckland area. ."Although little practical work has yet been done in this district, ho is aware of widespread interest, and forecasts a steady development. " Duriug my tour I met many people interested in tobacco growing, and gave several lectures," Mr. Lowe said. >"I V found many people wanted to plant rich, . swamp land, but I condemned that. The best soil for tobacco growing is the poor, sandy plateau land, to be • found in the North. The plants are assisted by manure, and when that is gone they ripen on'the bare soil. \

"New Zealand wants lo proJuc© 1 . tobacco that is equal to the world's demands, and I am confident we can do it," Mr. Lowe said. "If we could build up an export trade and secure a market in England, we could grow 50,000 acres. Tobacco growing is only a side-line now, and, in spite of a lot of talk, little has beeu done, except in Nelson. " My duty is to show the people how to grow tobacco and to steer them.cleax of the blunders that were made in Nelson. So far as tobacco growing is concerned, Nelson is on its feet, and the same thing can be done in Auckland." The opinion of Mr. Elmer T. Scho* " field, of Nashville, North Carolina, a recent visitor to the Dominion, is also of interest. Mr. Schofield, who is a well-known tobacco grower in the United States, .said:—"l nave just returned from a tour of the northern portion of tho AnckJand Province, and was particularly struck by the similarity of, this province and my native State, alike as to climate and the nature of the soiL As the major portion of the wealth of my State is derived from tobacco culture, I was amazed at the absence of crops of this nature, especially as it entails such a comparatively small outlay in the conversion from ordinary crops to this universal demand." Enormously Valuable Industry. It is estimated that America produced in one year alone 1,376,628,0001b, of tobacco, while the production for the whole world in 1926 was 3,415,000,0001b. It must be remembered, however, _ that it is the American tobacco that is in the greatest demand, and it is this .type of tobacco that tho soil of New Zealand will most readily grow. The value of the imports of tobacco into Great Britain alone, during last year was estimated at £19.000,000, and the actual amount, spent on smoking was £67,500,000. A few years ago over 94 por cent, of all imports of tobacco into Great Britain came from the United States, the British Empire contributing but 3.3 per cent, of the total. Owing mainly to the development- of the tobacco industry in Canada and South Africa the Empire's proportion of the total imports has now risen to 18.4 pel" cent., but still practically 80 per cent, is received from the United States. In\ Canada but six years ago the value ol the tobacco industry was £75.000 per I annum Recent developments havo in- | creased this to £400,000 per annum—j striking evidence of how the industry can be developed in a country which has ! nil tho climatic advantages of New Zea- | land.

Modern Curing Methods. Tho growing of tobacco is an art to bo studied and cultivated if success is to be obtained, for many factors enter into it. Tho work of tho cultivator does not end with tho plucking of ths leaf, and if the best prices are to be obtained the most modern methods ot curing must be employed; There aro two principal methods of curing tho leaf, the natural air-curing method, and curing by means of a. flue. For tho latter, a well built fine barn, 16ft. by 16ft., with peaked roof, heated by a furnace, is required. It is loaded with ripe leaf, closed up air-tight, and (ho heat is gradually raised. The object of this treatment *is to cure the leaf to a bright yellow colour, when, by yentiia-' (ion, tho humidity is reduced, while the temperature is raised, and the loaf is gradually dried out. As can be imagined, this operation requires sound experience and closo attention -to obtain first grade results. It takes about a week to cure ono charging of leaf. Tho better grades of tobacco aro always produced by fluecuring, and it is intended to treat the whole corporation's crops in this mannor. ' . ' The Empire Tobacco Corporation has secured tho services of Mr. Edward V. Owen, formerly field instructor and tobacco grower to Messrs. Vv. D. and H. 0. Wills (N.Z.), Ltd. Mr. Owen vas one of the pioneers of tobacco in New Zealand, and is thoroughly .cv porienced in every phase of gro curing and grading. , '"M charge of tho company s plantations. . ;