THE COCKSFOOT HARVEST

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14472, 15 March 1909, Page 2

THE COCKSFOOT HARVEST

ON ISAXKS PENINSULA. A compilation o[ tlic results of tfiif Banks Peninsula cocfefeot lwrvcst has bot'ii almost compNed by Mr A. .Moriizeon. win) has returned to Duuedin after spending wixmi weeks in the tlistrict. T'ha si-nsoii. Mv Morir/.-on .sated to a Timea reporter. has boon an exceptionally luto one. Early in til.- spring the dry weather permiltod a number in" woods, such as fog, ('ape wood, and voioiic.-, to get tlic upper linrnl, and at tliis juncture il looked as it the crop would !:• very small indeed. I-.itc rains, however, proved bonelicii'.l, ami the graas eanw away splendidly. Some of the crops had a i-plendid appearance, and at the time of „\ir iloriizvjn'a leaving there was a great ilush of grass, mxl. incidentally, store sheen wore only' obtainable at the highest prices, showing that- liters must iuwe l-.een an abuudauco of feed everywhere. Mr iWiizson states that he. lias not yet quite completed bis statistics, hut. ho lim-.es to have them ready in two weeks. In the meantime Ik intimates the on.p at. from 45,000 to 43,000 racks. The result of the threshing was disappointing. considering itiat a larger area was shut oil' this year, and Ihe crop, if it had lie mi a fair one, should have represented 63,01)0 sickf. Owing Ic the heavy uorih-v.'esk'rs some of ilia early see.l u'as supposed to have Ixvn threslini out. further, fa risers maintain that tiia fertilisation wa« lad, ami a considerable number of paddocks which Icokcd well ill th-.' ear were cut ten early, ami, therefore, yielded badly. The quality of the seed Ibis year is from good to bad. The colour, although fairly good hi most eases, is mil as bright as last year, neither is it a-; clean, Tho natural weight. is very yood, averaging anything from ljlli to 101b per bushel, while it small portion runs fiont lllb lo 121b. At timo of leaving fanners ivcro still tlin\ihing oil the tdji'h lands at tii3 Tarawcra Valley, at Little lliver, and at Litt'e Ak.'.loa. Tho cocksfoot market at the present time is unsettled, and business to far has been very difficult indeed. ■ The North Island only requires a small quantitysay, f-omo 60110 jacks in all-while last year the North Island, Xolson, and Blenlll'iln used an ull prcccclet it oil ly largo quantity—anyihlng from 40.000 lo 45,000 sacks out of a crop of 53,429. .saewj. The high prices 1 hen ruling quite unsettled growers' expectations this year. They were looking forward. to high prices, to 6tl having been paid for early demand. A number of fanners refused to sell ac this figure, and as the North Lland demand is now almost over, holders will have to wait a little while until the market shows normal values. A considerable number of orders were lost to tho Banks Peninsula, settlers, firstly, owing to tho crop being late, anil secondly, owing to tho South island supplying fair quantities, OS cocksfoot is gathered from Goto right up to the Canterbury Plain;; in small quaut'ilies, while the North Island this year h:u; also produced some thousands of 1 "sucks. In fact, a little sred has been gathered iu every district- in the Tsorm Island. The demand accordingly being smaller than usual, fanners will now have lo depend on I.oiulon values. Tho <|Uot;ilions from that ciuartor. however, have i Vkcii only nominal. Prices having been, so exceptionally in the Dominion, London buyers im\\! h:'en satisfied with the small quantities tlicv were able to gel; from America ami the Conlincnl. The Infos! Lor.dcn quotation 'or 17lb seed was St)s c.i.f., if shinpod during the month of February. There have been no quotations fiom London eiuce then, hue no doubt they will come !o hand later. These quotations will be speculative, and prices that will bs offering will be anything from, .say, 35s to 4!s e.i.f., L:;ndou. lor lo'b and 171b seed. Tho market may be a lilllo bdtor than these prbes initiate, if no fed is available in August from America and the Continent, but in the niiMntimo, London i:ot requiring seed, prices offered will be purely speculative.