FARM AND STATION NEWS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19759, 9 April 1926, Page 4

FARM AND STATION NEWS.

By Busticts.

A decision was arrived at some time igo by the Victorian Government to remove the cattle saleyards outside the metropolitan area. The question of a new site has created much discussion, but It is understood that one has been decided on between Sunshine and Derritnint, a small settlement off the main west line. A newspaper comment says: “It will be interesting to note whether, having reached a decision after extreme delay, the Government is now prepared to regard the shifting of the cattleyards from Newmarket as an urgent task.” • » • * The New South Wales Irrigation Commission has announced that from the beginning of this year the regulation iu regard to the compulsory fumigation of citrus trees affected with red scale on the Murrumbidgee irrigation areas will be rigidly enforced. M here necessary, advances .will be made to settlers, as short loans, to cover the cost. These will be repayable from, the proceeds of the crop following the fumigation. • * • * One of the great attractions of the Waikato Winter Show each year is the display of dairy factory butter and cheese provided by factories from all parts of the Dominion. The entries lor factory butter and cheese next June total nearly 900 —a record for the show and for the Dominion. • * • • It would appear that several of the Australian States are likely to experience a beef shortage. A paragraph from a Sydney paper says that the drought conditions prevailing tP.oughout the cattle country in South Australia, aud in those portions of New South Wales and Queensland from which Adelaide draws its supplies, suggests that something like a beef famine will be experienced before very long. Sir Sidney Kidman, the chief supplier to the Adelaide market, says he does not know where supplies are to be obtained, and he looks for a- big shortage in New South. Wales as well. In order to endeavour to maintain supplies he has been making purchases in Victoria and New South Wales, so that the market will not be left bare, but in any case it looks like a higher range for beef values. . Another writer says that the drought has been more severe in parts of the north-west than was generally supposed. The general manager of State stations, who visited the Boulia district, stated that one privately-owned cattle station beyond Cloncurry lost 30,000 head. As a result of speying of cows many other properties lost heavily in female cattle. One mentioned had only 500 cows left out of 2000. The meat works in the north will have to rely for cattle on the Gulf country rather than the far ' west. • > • • The Rural Credit Commission, which is at present on the Continent, is due to return to London on April 27, after an extensive tour of investigation into rural credits in Canada, U.S.A., Brazil, Argentine, Denmark, Germany, Egypt, and Australia. The commission consists of Colonel Esson (financial adviser to the Government), Mr W. T. Poison (president of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union), and Mr P. Cos (ex-chairman of the New Zealand Banks Association). The members left New Zealand in September last, and will leave London on the Ormonde for Australia on May 29. The report of the commission will be interesting and informative one, but whether it will lead to the early institution of the agricultural banks for which the Farmers’ Union has been clamouring remains to be seen. * * * * A deputation representing the butter industry presented a request recently to the Minister for Markets and Migration (Senator Sir Victor Wilson) for a grant of £SOOO towards the cost of investigating the Rutter system of making butter without using boraeic 'acid. In his reply the Minister explained that it was a matter for the consideration of the Institute of Science and Industry, which was now being reorganised. Steps would be taken to bring the request under the notice of the institute. * * * * Yet another development in the methods of milk transport has been inaugurated in America, where among the exhibits at the last national dairy' show were railway tank cars for the carriage of liquid milk. This development vill greatly extend the areas supplying milk to the American cities with their' vast consumption. The economies effected by bulk transport are expected to more than balance the increased freight charges of the greater radius froth ’ the consuming centres. The cars, which appear to have been evolved from the glass-lined tank lorry', are equipped with two huge containers, each holding 3000 gallons. • « » » « At a conference of Rabbit Boards’ delegates, held at FeHding, if was resolved that all proprietary strychnine and phosphorised rabbit poisons he sold with a guaranteed poison analysis, approved by the Department of Agriculture, and that each container hermetically sealed be labelled; that (he poison is of a strength no less than the Government standard and weight guaranteed of each container together with the date of manufacture. • • • • Successful dairy farmers know that it pays to provide plenty of good, clean, cool water for milcfi cows. Eighty-seven per cent, of milk is water, as is also nearly three-fourths of a cow’s body. An American college of agriculture points out that large amounts of water are necessary for the production of the milk itself, and for the assimilation of the large quantities of food required is in direct proportion to the amount of milk produced. In the summer a cow will want an amount of water equal to about three times the amount of milk produced. In one case a cow giving 271 b of milk drank 771 b of water daily. The same cow drank but 151 b daily when giving no milk. A cow giving 1001 b of milk daily drank more than 2501 b of water. The amount of water required depends, of course, on the amount of milk the cow is producing, the kind of feed she is receiving, and the weather. » * * « Saturday marked the close of the wool sale season in Wellington. The market closed well, good wools being in brisk demand, and values encouragingly firm. The bulk of the wool offered was average crossbred stuff, and met with keen competition from all sections of the trade. Bellies and pieces advanced in price a little, and met with a good sale. The November sale was the best of the season, as it was last year. The slight ease in price in December formed a basis for good business, and with the exception of minor fluctuations rates have remained practically the same. The stabilisation of prices in the past four months has greatly encouraged buyers, who have shown a marked inclination to buy. It is expected that the New Zealand clip for 1925-26 will average somewhere in the vicinity of 12d per pound.

[ltems of interest to those engaged in agricultural and pastoral pursuits, with a view to their publication in these columns, will be welcomed. They should be addressed to “ Rusticus,” Otago Daily Times. Dsnedin.]