THE RURAL WORLD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20707, 3 May 1929, Page 4

THE RURAL WORLD.

FARM AND STATION NEWS.

By RusTrcrrs

South American Fruit Trade. The first shipment of apples to South America this season recently . arrived at Montevideo in ' the Shaw, Savill, and' Albion Company’s steamer Pakeha. The Fruit Export Control Board.has-been advised by its agents, Jose Peluffo and Co., stating that 9000 cases of the shipment discharged at Montevideo sold at prices equivalent to extra • fancy Delicious, 22s 9d ; per case c.i.f.; fancy Delicious, 20s 6d per case, c.i.f.; extra fancy Jonathans, 17s 6d per case,, c.i.f. Commenting, on the reports, the .secretary of the board, Mr Napier, said the prices mentioned were considerably • higher than those realised last year, and represented an excellent return to the growers. They were equivalent to 19s 3d a case wholesale in Wellington for fruit of the same quality. The prices indicated that a great preference was shown in the South American market for New Zealand Delicious apples, and that the market could be developed to absorb the whole of that variety in suitable sizes produced in the Dominion. The New Zealand Shipping Company’s steamer Rimutaka, just sailed, took 29,900 cases of apples-for Montevideo. The Butter Market. Throughout the month of January Australian and New Zealand salted butter ruled at about 183 s per cwt on the London market, until in the first week in February prices receded, and continued to decline untjl .the first week ins April, when New Zealand salted was down to 161 s. In the following week there was’a' slight recovery to 1655. In. the following week the price dropped to 1635, and has remained • steady since. Accounting for the decline in February, Messrs SamUel Page and Son, the London produce brokers, point out that “the influence upon the market of increased. supplies is often not observable .until some little, time after arrival, unless the' larger quantity is exceptional and is received within a strictly limited period. The first month of the year provided an example, for the total imports of butter . into the, United Kingdom in ■January showed anincrease of 75,981 cwt, as compared with the corresponding month of 1928. The principal sources q: the excess were Australia, and New Zealand, the former accounting for 46,427 cwt, and the latter for 24,354 cwt. These increased supplies did not noticeably affect prices in January, but*they resulted in a depressed market in February, culminating in a fall of 10s per cwt in the value of these descriptions in one week, notwithstanding the fact that arrivals in February marked a decided falling off as compared with the previous January, and with February, 1928. It is probable that in the next season the London market will be called upon to absorb a further increase. Unless something unforeseen happens there should be in the new season a further increase in New Zealand's output. .In . Australia wonderful rains have ■ been experienced over Queensland, New South Wales, f and Victoria. The heavy and widespread downpours have assured seasonal, prosperity for practically the whole of Queensland, New South Wales,;'and Victoria, while conditions in Western 'Australia and South Australia are generally satisfactory. It is said that the conditions for the man on the land in th» eastern States have probably ’ never looked" brighter at this time - of "the year. There, is thus some prospect that the production of dairy produce in Australia will sbdw. someexpansipn, and the best Austra-lian-butter is classed with the best New Zealand. The prospects'.in the Argentine are unknown, but special -attention is t being paid to dairying there. If the | United'States writes a nevt tariff in ac- I cordance with ■ the -demands of farmers -J there, Canada will be forced into finding an outlet in Britain- for her surplus production, and New'Zealand; butter may be forced out of Canada'by the local product. The prospects point to the, probability of j a general increase in production and bigger supplies for. the London market. But it is well to heap' in' mind that fluctuations in the butter market are constant and sometimes,'pronounced. The future depends a ' good .deal' on weather conditions and the state of the money market. Fat Stock for Export. ' The New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board advises that the following prices are being offered for fat stock for export - at April v 29, -1929: —-Canterbury: Prime ! woolly lambs,'36lb and' under 9Jd, 37 M2lb ! 83d, ,431 b and over BJd;, second quality lambs Sid. Southland: Prime woolly lambs, 361 b and under 9id, 37/421b BJd, 431 b and oyer 8d; second quality lambs. 361 b and under BJd, over 361 b 7Jd. It ' may .be noted that at the presenttime most lambs are being purchased by the head, consideration being given to the quality of the lambs and the value of the skins. New Zealand Grass’ Seeds. ' New Zealand grass seeds are far below that, degree of perfection that, could bo desired; Merchants ■ who are daily receiving sample* from farmers frankly confess this. But. it is extremely doubtful if they are in such a parlous condition as is represented'by Mr Bruce Levy ii/his comments during a'field day recently at Palmerston North (says a writer in the Christchurch Press). Mr Levy is regarded as the foremost authority in the Department of Agriculture on matters affecting grasses and seeds, and not without justification, for he has done excellent work in exploring the causes and the cure of hill country deterioration in the North Island. But to speak so conclusively and so generally ou a 12-months’ trial savours something of hastiness. These hasty conclusions, after the briefest experimentation, were a fault of a section of the instructional, service up 'fill a. few years It cannot he forgotten, for ■ instance, that the wide use of Danish cocksfoot is laigely due to the “boost” given it. by an important departmental officer and other grasses new to our practice Have been condemned after the briefest experimentation. Mr Levy’s work, however has invariably borne the impress of thoroughness. ■ _ His strictness; nevertheless, read strangely in conjunction^ with an article published on this page some weeks ago from the British Journal of Agriculture. Under the heading of ” Sensible Seeds Mixtures, in an article written by Prothe S °L StB ?'XT 0 " a, ; d ¥ r Willia >" Davie* ue *' e ' y Zealand perennial rvegrass, cocksfoot, dogstail, red clover and t r.„ clover "'ere advised. Apparently. have been getting tlie As sSed fl ;r US ’- and Mr other As stated, there is a very definite need n i,l GT'atity arid'purity' of Aew Zealand seeds, but Mr Lew's conclusions are a little too scathing! Wool Trade Prospects. .Discussing the trade outlook for 1929 a Bradford authority says; of tli°n C * >ni j 1K - ve ‘Y occupies the thoughts of the trade, and if there is one thine more than another impressed bv the ev 1 P™ o ,' 1928 i( ' 'Vr nced for seem- ; Prices which are not danger- ; ous and obstructive to full activity The I wilfTir n , otherwise of this object,vc will depend almost entirely upon the ex- I te , n . ,°‘ foreign competition for woo! be h en b ’’ P *-w e r prefiellt this season has I been responsible for outbidding local im- I porters upon many occasions, too mnnv to ' be satisfactory. In view of this year’s unfortunate experience. however, there is naturally the strongest reluctance to purchase wool’upon any assumption that the state of supplies warrants the payment of prices comparable to those ruling towards- the end or last season, more especially as, in consequence of the interruption of the Australian auctions, a big volume of raw material Tvluch should have been offered prior to Christmas is going to be avail-a-!f i ,n secon fl half of the season, anti ■yvill be calculated to exercise a modemtmg influence upon values. It cannot be ! said that at present the prospect of a safeguarding duty has produced any con-spicuous-influence upon the market, which is all to the good, inasmuch as rash speculative operations are the last thing desirable in the existing circumstances.

Items of interest to those engaged in agricultural and ’pastoral pursuit* with a view to their publication in these columns, will bo welcomed! They sliould be addressed to “Rasti cus,” Otago Daily Times, Dunedin.

Threats of opposition to the application are not overlooked, and there is no evidence that any- of those engaged in the actual productive branches of the industry are acting, as-though they considered the result a foregone conclusion. .It-is a fact, however, that buyers of piece goods are beginning to show more interest in Bradford productions. Crossbreeding of Horses. - A rebent discussion by Shire horse breeders in England and Scotland on the subject _ of the possibilities of blending the Shire, and the Clydesdale opens up the question of crossbreeding in horses. Crossbreeding in cattle Has. during -the last two decades, become an exact'science and has produced mangnificent results in the development of beef cattle and in the dairying industry, too. Such crosses as the Shorthorn and Guernsey and the Shortborn-Friesian have proved most satisfactory for milk production, whilst m shesp breedjng the crossing of two distinct breeds is extending its influence far and wide. In pig breeding also crossbreeding for commercial purposes is found to give excellent, results. Further down the list,' poultry breeds have found that the crossing of two breeds increases egg production or table qualities, as the case may be, provided the proper breeds and strains are used. In the case of horses, however, crossbreeding bas never been taken up as a recognised system, nor can it be said to have ever been productive of much good (says a writer in the Live Stock Journal);

THE BEEF MARKET. RISE IN PRICES EXPECTED. NEW ZEALAND’S- OPPORTUNITY. INCREASE IN HERDS URGED, Between 1924 and 1028 there has been au_ increase of 54 per cent, in the average price of cattle on the Toronto market. Prices are still ’strong, and there is evidence that they will continue to rise for the next three or four years. With one of the largest corn crops on record, farmers of the United States find that they have between 3,000,000 and 4,000,000 hogs less to consume it. . The above are two of the most arresting statements in a review of investigations made by the Royal .Bank of Canada, published in the monthly journal of the British Empire Chamber of Commerce of the United States. . After an intensive study of the animal industry the Royal Bank makes the assertion that there is a cyclical range in hog and cattle prices, and that under - more intelligent control the feast and famine processes might ■be entirely eliminated. The records and charts which it furnishes proves the truth of the theory. ' In any industry rising prices are a stimulus to increased production, whether on the farm or in manufactures. At, a time like the present, with meat bringing almost war-time prices, there will general urge to raise more hogs and cattle. The bank, therefore, issues a warning of the natural result, that at some stage supply will overtake demand. Then prices will drop, and livestock producers will rush their surplus to market, or cease adding to it. Of course,, scarcity in feed may f bring about different conditions, but the experience of the past, amply demonstrated by production statistics, is that the meat industry, .one of the most important of all, is'either-a prince or a pauper. FORECAST OF MARKETS. ‘ Judging from this, experience, the Royal Bank makes the,forecast that the advance m the price of hogs will make the farmers spring and autumn pig. crops 01 ,-i prices will continue high until 1030 or 1031, and that there will then be a substantial decline. ’ The move in cattle will naturally take much longer, for they do not multiply, like pigs, nor do they reach maturity in - such a short tune. The bank; estimates That cattle prices will continue to rise during the next three or four years. By that time a world surplus of cattle will be impending and prices will inevitably recede. . ihe bank,: however*, makes, a . further forecast, that the livestock industry will then have become so accustomed to rising prices that no warnings are likely to be strong enough to prevent large increases in their herds during the next two or three years when prices will be dropping quite rapidly. Again and again these once cycles have repeated .themslves, and there seem to be no new factors likely to modify substantially their general trend, rne agricultural economists and marketing experts at the various agricultural colleges are thoroughly familiar with price ‘J 1 . 18 character If the farmers could be led to take advantage of such advice as these experts can'offer, it would be possible for them to reduce their herds at-the tune when prices are near the ton, and not to increase production again until the worst period of low prices has passed. it the information collected by the bank of Canada is correct —and it is substantially confirmed by the High ComraissiOher’s cablegram to the Minister i ri T Cul « re rlu e infl erences drawn by the bank offer both an encouragement and a- warning to New Zealand farmers, and there is no part of the Dominion where it can-be more usefully followed than in the ™nnin nd • Pr 9 rin ce. There are over W KS ln> Zea land, of which about half are in this province; and the n Pr , ICeS , I,ul ’? R , - ately ma y be expected to accelerate the increased breeding of the last year or two, for there is hardly a .limit to the reproduction of the nig species, except the provision of food and the necessary attention on the farm If prices keep high for another year or two as suggested by .the Royal Bank, further theW a^ emen hTi ]l be ,™ t 0 increasing /- dS itins. ought to be safe if our {statistical Department keeps in dose touch with the position in the United States, m order to give farmers due warnovmlJlt. they mUßfc tako care not to KILLING OP YOUNG CALVES • battle reproduce, their species so slowly in comparison with pigs that the limit of lour, years suggested by the Royal Bank floes not at first sight open up much prospect for New Zealand farmers to do any thing before prices will again be down it must be borne in mind, however," that it.is only necessaray to stop,the presert . h ? av J leakage,” m the fornv of calves Hilled young, to accelerate very greatly the ?-ba I IL ’ ncrease - There are about 1,150,000 breeding cows in the Dominion nearly a third being Jersey and Jersey crosses, which cannot very well be included among the beef producers, .but seemg that the number of cattle slaughtered ™ including export, is’never over ill i. f ■ vcar ’ there is a dear indication that beef production could very quickly be increased by the single process of stopping tbe leakage which occurs in the killing of voting beef calves. The position seems to call for immediate investigation by the Statistical Department, for in another couple of months there will otherwise commence the annual slaughter of hundreds of thousands of young calves. A large proportion of these might, be saved for adult beef, with advantage to the individual fanner and the whole community, if the Royal Bank 5s anywhere near correct in its estimate of the probable period during which high prices will last. New Zealand is probably unique in respect of the relative ease with which its herds can be rapidly increased, for the reason that in other countries breeding for beef is already nearer its capacity, whereas here we can stop a leakage and thus immensely increase the hf’ils in one season.