THE RURAL WORLD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20426, 5 June 1928, Page 4

THE RURAL WORLD.

FARM AND STATION NEWS.

By HusTictrs

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. “Irrigation” (Naseby.—The Irrigation Committee of Inquiry will certainly include the Hawkdun scheme in its itinerary. I understand that the chairman intends going to Naseby next week. “ Rough Ridge ” will find the answer to his query in the above. Seeing that Oturehua and Rough Ridge are recognised sectors of the Hawkdun irrigation scheme, settlers can take it for granted that their troubles will also be inquired ID “°C. C. C.” (Alexandra).—The bulletin you mentioned was compiled by Messn R. B. Tennent and J. R. Marks. It can be had from the local Department ot Agriculture. While in your district with, the committee, Mr Tennent had supplies of the publication with him. Mr A. S. Duff (resident instructor at Alexandra) will, doubtless, have copies. Farmers’ Meetings. Conferences and meetings of interest to farmers to be held during Show Week are as follow:—To-day: Farmers’ insurance annual, annual provincial conference of Farmers’ Union, Otago branch of the Friesian Association, Clydesdale Horse Society, conference of fruitgrowers of Otago. To-morrow; South Island Dairy Association conference, general meeting of Clydesdale Horse Society, Womens Division of Farmers’ Union. Otago and Southland Sheep Owners Federation, and two horse sales. The Butter Market.

In its circular dated April 11, the Anglo-Continental Produce Company, Ltd., states that “ with the advent of spring buyers are acting very cautiously, anticipating that with a continuation of mild, moist weather there will be a large and early European make, and all butters have shown a decline, but this has been more marked in Continental butters than in butters from the dominons and Argentina. Siberian butter is coming .to hand in fairly big quantities for the time of the year, and at the time of waiting there are 12.000 casks just landed. Argentine supplies are beginning to fall off, whilst Australia is having ? large and prolonged season, and Australia will make up for the shortage there is from New Zealand and Argentine. Over and above this it is expected that Europe will show an increase in production of at least .10 per cent, over lasbyear. So that with normal weather conditions we cannot look for higher prices.” The firm also writes. “It is unfortunate that such advertisements as appeared in the New Zealand Dairy Exporter on February 25 should come to this country,. as this indicates to the. buyers of New Zealand butter here that the spirit of control is not yet dead, and does not encourage the larger retailers to advertise and push New Zealand butter, and merely makes it easier for other countries to get rid of their goods at better prices than they otherwise would.”

■Canterbury Excursion Train. A proposal to run a farmers’ railway excursion from Blenheim to Methven and Ashburton about June 25 has aroused a good deal of interest in Marlborough. Mr F. Pawson, railway business agent, stated last week that a meeting of farmers had been held, and a committee appointed to organise the excursion. The trip would be made by rail from Blenheim to Wharanui, and by motor from Wharanui to Parnassus, the rest of the journey being done by train.

Export of Veal. The committee of the South Island Dairy Association which undertook the export of veal from Southland last season should be congratulated on the success of the experiment. As the annual report and balance sheet which .were recently published showed, the farmers secured a return of 9s per head, which was an increase of about 80 per cent, on the amount previously obtained when the activities were confined to the individual sale of skins.

Australian Dairy Control. The Australian Dairy Control Board came in for a good deal of criticism at the annual convention of butter and cheese factory managers held in Melbourne recently. One speaker pointed out that the dairymen and not the Government paid for the cost of administration of the Australian Dairy Council and State Dairy Advisory Boards. The Butter Export Control Board was brought into existence for the specific purpose of improving the marketing of butter overseas. This body was also paid by those engaged in dairyingj and not by tbe Government, and the speaker maintained that they had failed in the objects for which they were created. It had been announced that they were instrumental in getting a reduction in the rate of freight. Certainly they were dealing with tke subject, but there was no doubt that such reduction would have been granted even though the Control Board had never seen the light of day. “ The Control Board,” declared the speaker, “has had a fair trial, and it has failed, although the field was open to it to do something. It is high time the dairymen and directors of factories considered whether the money expended by them in tills direction could not _be used witn greater advantage otherwise.”

An Optimistic Note. Encouragement should be found in the optimistic note struck by Mr W. Perry •when addressing the Agricultural Societies delegates (says the Dominion). This echoes what Mr Coates has been saying in his recent speeches. Had the drought not occurred last summer the season would probably have been the most successful New Zealand has ever expenenecd. In spite of the drought, gradings for nutter and cheese have been about equal to the previous season. The Dominion s quantity output has been greatly enlarged in every other primary product. the demand for wool and still more wool is still apparent,” states the market report at the close of the London sales. Ilisre is a prospect of better prices for beet, in consequence of the American demand. Great Britain is gradually consistently improving her position, and general prosperity is returning. Our major market is therefore, an improving one. With these factors in prospect there is every justification for the confidence expressed by Hr Coates and by Mr Perry.

fruit diseases. RAVAGES OF BROWN ROT. IDENTIFICATION OF ORGANISM. Brown rot took an unusually heavy toll in Central Otago orchards this season, and large quantities of stone fruit could not be exported as a result of its incidence. Even the North Island markets were too far away in many cases, owing to the fruit not keeping. From Australia comes an announcement that should interest orchardists. It claims that the organism responsible for tbe affection has been identified. In a paper given at the graduate meeting of the Sydney University Agricultural Society Mr T. H. Harrison, B.Sc. (Agr.), lecturer in botany and entomology at the Hawkesbury College, summarised the present position in regard to brown rot in fruit. He said that despite the fact that this fungus disease bad received the attention of eminent plant physiologists for the last quarter of a century, brown rot still continued to be a limiting factor in the production and marketing of stone fruit in most parts of tbe fruitgrowing ■world. This was due to the following facts: —(1) It bad enormous potentialities for wholesale destruction of the fruit approaching maturity in the orchard, in transit, in the markets, and in the retail .chops: (2) it might cause serious twig blighting of certain varieties, and by rotting the blossoms cause a failure of stone fruits to set their crops; (3) it was extremely difficult to control.

Items of interest to those engaged in agricultural and pastoral pursuit* with a view to their publication in these columns, will be welcomed, Jhey should be addressed to “Rusti cus,” Otago Daily Time#, Dunedin.

There were four important species or forms of organisms concerned in the production of brown rot in various parts of die world each varying not only in its action on the various host plants and its ability to withstand climatic conditions but also in its distribution and pathological treatment. A question of intense scientific interest and of the utmost practical importance was, therefore, that of the correct identity of the fungus so des■ructive to fruits in Australia. Owing to ;he discovery in New South Wales of the perfect stage of the fungus responsible, it dad been possible to present taxonomic aid cultural details 'which proved conlusively that the only fungi'? responsible for brown rot was Sclerotinia fructicola, the same organism as was prevalent throughout the fruitgrowing regions_ of America. This conclusion, Mr Harrison added, could not but have a great influence' on the details of control measures to be adopted by the orchardist and on quarantine regulations.

THE WOOL INDUSTRY. STANDARDISATION OF PRODUCE. BRITISH RESEARCH SCHEME. ENCOURAGING BETTER BREEDING. The decision of the Empire Marketing Board to grant a capital sum of £7OOO, as well as an annual contribution of £2OOO, for the study and investigation of wool quality, may have very far-reaching effects on the industry. The matter has been under consideration for some time by the British Research Association for the Woollen and Worsted Industries, but because financial considerations have precluded the employment of more than a limited number of workers or the use of sufficient equipment, progress has been slow. It is stated that in order that the whole range of investigation may be complete a joint programme of research work has been arranged between the Research Association and the animal-breeding research department, University of Edinburgh, to which the Empire Marketing Board will also contribute an additional grant. This extra assistance, combined with substantial aid from the Government Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, should permit a complete investigation to be- made, and if it be successful or not it should result in a closer relationship between sheepbreeders and manufacturers. To the woolgrower the question of standardisation of quality appears io have great difficulties. The word “ quality,” as it is applied to the wool trade, embraces various considerations, such as fineness and length of staple, crimp, and go on. There should not be any great obstacles in the way of the manufacturer setting out exactly what his requirements are; the' trouble will be to teach the grower how to produce the requisite commodity. Unfortunately the particulars so far to hand do' not explain any definite course which the investigations are likely to take, but it would appear that, shorn of 'any side issues, the question resolves itself into one of encouraging better breeding methods. If the manufacturer can point to a sample of wool and say, “ That is what I want,” it does not follow that the grower can produce a similar quality. So far. as quality bears on the matter of classification of wool, it seems unlikely that any effort will effect a material change. Under the State purchase scheme during the war, 500 grades of New Zealand wools were classified, and it has been estimated that an exhaustive classification would result in more than 2000 different grades. No doubt more efficient methods of breeding would tend to reduce the number, somewhat, but there would still lie left a comprehensive list. IMPORTANCE OF ENVIRONMENT. While the standardisation of quality may in some directions present insurmountable difficulties, there is every reason to hope that the investigations will result in mutual benefit to growers and manufacturers. It is possible that the constructive part of the scientist’s efforts will fall under two main headings—improvement by breeding methods and improvement by the study of environment. Many wool users, and not a few growers, fail to appreciate the importance of environment, which may be defined in terms of feed and climatic conditions. An authority has said; —“It is the adjustment of the bteed of sheep to the environ ment, or the modification of the environ ment, and the evolving of a type of sheep to fit such modified environment which should claim the attention of the woolgrower and wool consumer at the present time.” To standardise wool quality it will be necessary to devise a system of measurement that will enable all the important features to be estimated and expressed in definite units. The complexity of such a work may be easily grasped. No doubt standard types will be fixed for each particular breed, and an endeavour will be made to educate woolgrowers in methods of production. Indirectly, the results achieved may be of great use to New Zealand, but as the investigations will be carried out in the British Isles, and will therefore deal more particularly with British breeds, there is a need for work of a similar description to be undertaken in the producing countries. This may form a branch of the activities of the proposed Pastoral Research Institute for the purpose of which woolgrowers are now being requested to subscribe £200,000. Even among merino sheep there are a great many different qualities of wool, and many pastoralists are sadly wanting in correct knowledge of breeding and feeding. , . . The endeavour to bring about standardisation of wool may not be completely realised, but if for no other reason than that it will result in a closer relationship and a better understanding between growers and manufacturers, the work will not have been in vain.

LAND AND US USES. POSITION IN DOMINION. INSTRUCTIVE STATISTICS. AREAS IN OCCUPATION. In a recent Government publication there appeared statistics giving the occupation and utilisation of land in New Zealand for the years 1926 and 1027, which comprise the latest particulars on this important subject available. These statistics deal only with the land actually held by settlers, gardeners, householders, speculators, public bodies, and others, including every acre used for farming and all other purposes. In 1926 the total area in occupation was 43,606,829 acres; in 1927 the area in occupation was 43,587,698 acres, showing a decrease of 19,131 acres. This ;s not a very large decrease, but it is serious when considered in the light that it is merely a decrease in land which might be used, but means the giving up of ownership or lease rights. Out of the total of 43,587,698 acres in occupation in 1927 69,420 acres were in native flax, 14,197,653 acres in native tussock and other native grasses. 4.123,743 acres in fern and scrub, 160,188 in timber or shelter plantations, 4.099,632 acres in standing native bush, and 2,267,214 acres classed as barren and unproductive, which means mountain tops, river beds, cliffs and country which is absolutely unfit for ordinary use. Of these areas, totalling about 25,000,000 acres, it may be said that the 14,000,000 odd acres in native grasses is the only area in use. This consists largely of hill and mountain slopes in the South Island which are devoted to sheep farming and which have been devoted to this purpose since the earliest days of European settlement It cannot be said that this large area owes anything of its productive value to the hands of man. These native Brasses

were a gift of Nature, and it is regrettable to say have deteriorated seriously under occupation. INTERESTING FIGURES.

After occupied lands actually utilised in any form 31,252 acres are in market gardens, vineyards, nurseries, and seed gardens. 1,769,862 acres are in crops of all kinds, including wheat, oats, barley, turnips, etc.; 64,783 acres are occupied by residents, outbuildings, gardens, etc., 124,003 acres is in fallow, that is cultivated lands not in crop or grass, and 16,680,348 acres are in sown grass. This latter area, which shows a slight increase over the previous year, represents New Zealand’s chief source of wealth, for on it are carried the largest number of sheep, practically all the dairy herds and beef cattle, and, in fact, most of the re-venue-producing stock held by farmers in this country. The actual increase of 04,388 acres is not impressive, and shows how little new country has been broken into use, but, fortunately, the improvement in productivity of our made pastures, due to top-dressing and other measures, is much greater than any increase in area, and it is well for New Zealand that this is the case, otherwise our export of fajni products would not have reached their present high level. When the statistics given above are analysed, it will be seen that in round uiimbers 10,250.000 acres of occupied land in New Zealand are not in productive use, 14,197,853 acres of native grass land are in use, but have not increased in production. and there remain besides 22,802,564 acres which form the difference between the total area of the Dominion, 60,000,000 odd acres and 43,000,000 odd acres occupied. GREAT OPPORTUNITIES.

These figures go to show what great opportunities there are still in the Dominion for a great increase in fanning, and in the production of wealth from the land. It is apparent that with nearly 23.000. acres still unoccupied there can be no shortage of land for settlement purposes, as is so often asserted. This, together with the 4,123,743 acres of occupied land still in scrub and fern, much of which is potentially useful agricultural land, makes a total of over 27.000. acres that has yet to be dealt with. Surely no real statesman dare say, in view of this fact, that New Zealand should be content to go on improving the lands already in cultivation and to allow so large an area to remain unsettled and unproductive.